Internet Explorer

Speeding Up the Windows Boot Process

By terry Leave a Comment

I recently made some boot changes to a notebook computer that resulted in a remarkable increase in the boot speed. The notebook was running Windows XP Home.

It was a small, light Sony — one of the 12-inch monitor models.

Tech Humor
With notebooks, you can get small, light, fast and cheap.
Pick any two…

In this particular case, the notebook took 4.5 minutes to boot, and it’s owner wanted it to be much faster.

I referred to my favorite tool to get his boot process under control …

Continue reading Speeding Up the Windows Boot Process

Filed Under: Anti-Spyware, Internet Explorer, Office Suites, Printing, Software, Updates, Upgrades, Web Browsers

New Articles at Terry’s Computer Tips

By terry Leave a Comment

I write my weekly online and email newsletters. Then, occasionally I get around to converting some of the newsletter articles into web pages.

Google and the other search engines like web pages more than they like online newsletters — the newsletters get indexed fairly quickly, but then get dropped as "old" pretty quickly, too.

Here are the latest editions. I’ll add them to the listing on the front page in a few days…

* Creating a Blog For Family and Friends

Blogs are one of the easiest ways to create a web site. You can do it for free, too…

* Internet Explorer + Outlook Express Problem

Links in Outlook Express don’t work after upgrading to IE7 for some people. The fix is easy…

* Computer Shuts Down By Itself

I’m sure you’ve never had this problem <grin> — if you haven’t, you will…

* Turning Off System Restore

Sometimes we need to turn off System Restore — and not because we want to save disk space…

* I’ve Reconsidered the Linksys WRT54G Wireless Router

After Linksys changed the internals on the WRT54G as of version 5, it was a totally different router. After some more changes, it’s better now…

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Anti-virus, Hardware, Internet Explorer, Networking, Outlook Express, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Web Browsers

Popups and Popup Blockers

By terry Leave a Comment

Subscriber Russ Alor wrote me recently about popup problems:

Terry:
I have been very satisfied with my virus protections but still
struggle with pop-ups even when Google has implied
“protection” running.

Is there available a popup guard?

Russ Allor

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I wrote back to say:

I’m assuming you mean popups from specific web sites. In that case, you need to try a different popup blocker.

On the other hand, if you’re having popups when using the Internet as a routine issue, you might have an adware problem. I suggest trying the 30-day free trial of CounterSpy — the trial is full-function, not cripple-ware.

Wait a minute — I recommend CounterSpy , period, because of its performance and its always-running control of adware and spyware. I use it on my computers. Give it a try. If you don’t like it, don’t buy a license (which is only $19.95). I also like the their firewall Sunbelt Personal Firewall which is also $19.95. I have individually licensed copies of both on my family’s Windows computers.

Continue reading Popups and Popup Blockers

Filed Under: Anti-Adware, Anti-Spyware, Firefox, Firewalls, Internet Explorer, Opera, Terry's Computer Tips

Setting the Default Web Browser

By terry Leave a Comment

In last week’s first article More Internet Explorer 7 Problems Reported, subscriber Valerie Mitchell was having problems with IE7 and one of its setup pages � a page that should only have appeared one time.

This week, she wrote back to say:

I ended up uninstalling IE7 and went back to IE6. But now I keep getting this problem on FireFox and IE6…Everytime I open these browsers or if I click on something in my favorites, I get this message: “This file does not have a program associated with it for perfoming this action. Create an association in Folder Options” It also keeps popping up even as I’m typing this email.
I tried following the instructions to fix this on the MS website, but I just don’t get it. Could you explain it in simpler terms please or your own method of fixing this please. Also, I don’t know how to enable ActiveX. Could you tell me how please?
Many thanx again.
v.mitchell

It sounds like IE7 was your default browser, but that when it uninstalled itself, it didn’t turn IE6 back into the default (perhaps you had Firefox as the default before).

Continue reading Setting the Default Web Browser

Filed Under: Firefox, Internet Explorer, Opera, Software, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Web Browsers, Windows XP

The SeaMonkey Internet Suite (Free!)

By terry Leave a Comment

Once upon a time, Netscape was THE Internet web browser — and it was a commercial product. Then, along came the big bad wolf. He dreamed of world (wide web) conquest and so he wrote his own web browser; then, he gave it away with the operating system he sold.

It was bad, but it was free and everyone got it whether they wanted it or not. And, his monopoly grew…

Netscape (the company) eventually sold itself and became a part of AOL, but not before they released a snapshot of the web browser source code to an open source foundation that they created. Thus was born the Mozilla Internet Suite.

Continue reading The SeaMonkey Internet Suite (Free!)

Filed Under: Email, Firefox, Internet Access, Internet Explorer, Security, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers, Windows XP

To Active-X or Not to Active-X

By terry Leave a Comment

I received a question from subscriber and friend Ralph Campbell, who asked:

A number of times I have seen you refer disparagingly of “Active-x controls”.
I have seen downloads that require Active X to run properly. I have read the definition of the program, but, I guess I am just dense. What is this thing, and why do you consider it so insidious?
Admittedly, I’m technical-challenged, but can this program be explained?
What does one do as an alternative, if the program you want to download, requires Active-X to run?
Ralph Campbell

Active-X controls are downloadable programs that have full capabilities to do anything on your computer.

I’m not sure why Microsoft chose such the innocuous word “control” for a program that had no security constraints imposed upon it.

Read the rest of the article in ActiveX or No ActiveX

Filed Under: Anti-Spyware, Internet Explorer, Internet Privacy, Security, Stability, System Control, Windows Updates, Windows XP

GoToMyPC – Remote Access to Your PC – Review

By terry Leave a Comment

As I wrote in one of my weekly newsletters, I’de been trying the 30-day free trial of GoToMyPC. I’m very impressed with this service and its capabilities.

GoToMyPC is designed to allow a PC user to access his computer remotely. This user might be a salesman, a tech support person, a business man who left some files at the office (or at home), a traveler for business or pleasure. Access could be from across town or across the country.

Getting Started With GoToMyPC – 30-day free trial

On the remote PC, the PC that you’re actually using, you use a Java-capable web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, etc) to access your host computer (your office or home PC). Any web browsers that supports Sun Microsystems’ Java (free, www.java.com) will work, although not all features may be available on some browsers. You can even access and control your Windows PC from a Mac.

Filed Under: Firefox, Free Trials, Internet Explorer, Networking, Opera, Other, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers

Slow-loading Web Browser Links

By terry 1 Comment

One of my forum readers in my Windows XP /2000/etc forum (which are now shut down thanks to too many spam posts) wrote about a problem he was having.

He wrote:

IE6 SP1 browser..links take long time to download

My computer contains: Athlon 3200gb, 1 gig Ram, I have WinXP SP2 Home, and IE 6 SP1. When I click on a link in my OE e-mail, I am immediately taken to the web-site. When on a web-site, and I click on a link within the site, it takes “forever” to download the page….I watch the green progress bar, not much happens. It says “done”, but I still have to wait a long time for the page to download. I click the F5 key to refresh and still it takes a long time for the page to download.

I’ve checked for malware (AdAware, SpyBot, MS anti spyware, CCleaner….none), I ran a system scan for viruses (AVG and then TrendMicro Housecall….no viruses), I cleaned out cache, Temp files and cookies. Nothing helps.

I also ran Start/Run/ sfc /scannow with my original Win XP CD and this didn’t help. I also ran IE Fix…didn’t help.

This problem occurs on e-mails with Links from e.g. PCMag.com; Lockergnome.com; AllExperts.com, etc.

What suggestions can U offer??

I would hate to format/reinstall.

_________________

Irving S.

I wrote back to Irving with a list of suggestions — and his problem was solved.

Read how in Slow-loading Web Browser Links

Filed Under: Firefox, Firewalls, Internet Explorer, Opera, Registry Repair, Speed-up, Stability, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers, Windows Repair, Windows XP

Outlook Express Emails Going into Deleted Items Folder

By terry Leave a Comment

This has been the week for some weird problems. Whether users have opened dialog boxes and accidentally clicked on the wrong things or “IE7 did it to me,” I’ve read of some subscriber problems have been very frustrating. Take this one from Louise, for example:

Terry,
I have somehow clicked on something this morning, and now my messages that should go in my “inbox” are going into my “deleted message” box.
I have tried different things, and I am at a loss as to how to fix this. Please help. Thanks in advance. Louise Langley..
Oh I have DSL Windows XP. OUTLOOK EXPRESS for my email.

I wrote back…
read Outlook Express Emails Going into Deleted Items Folder.

Filed Under: Email, Internet Explorer, Terry's Computer Tips, Windows XP

Free Software From Google

By terry Leave a Comment

There’s a great package of goodies available from Google for us to install on our computers — Google Pack!

Terry’s Computer Tips

Google Pack is the combination package of Google Earth (view and zoom the Earth from space), Picasa (photo gallery), Google Pack Screensaver (create your own photoshow screensaver), Google Desktop (easy searching of your computer) and the Google Toolbar (a great search tool and popup blocker for Internet Explorer).

Read more and download it via my Google Pack article at Terry’s Computer Tips.

Filed Under: Internet Explorer, Sales, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers, Windows XP