Windows XP

Serial ATA Drives and PC Problems

By terry Leave a Comment

Reader Ian Holland wrote after reading one of my Special Edition Newsletters, which sometimes go to email subscribers:

Hi Terry,

Just read your VERY absorbing newsletter, I have a ( moronic??) question about those SATA hard drives.

I recently ( 2006) built 5 pcs for the office ALL with SATA drives, and they are all the same spec as this one at home with regards to RAM ( 2gb) and processors ( all Pentium 4, 3.5GHz) . So, to all intents and purposes they should be more or less the same ( all ASUS mother boards the same make and type, all with the same version of XP Pro Corp) –except the ones at the office are all on a network to ADSL (yukk!) this one is on a small home network (4pc’s) to cable broadband ( much better!).

The pcs at the office with minimal data installed are all far, far slower at moving files, searching, transferring data ( I ran a comparison with the same 36,588 images / 2.94 Gbytes) and also with downloading, than the one here on IDE at home.

I also get many more sudden “blue screens” ( “windows has shut down to prevent damage to the system….”) at the office machines, usually when running, e.g. three video editing programs, Nero 7 DVD burning, + maybe four large downloads and some word processing all simultaneously-

-at home I NEVER managed to get these messages at all, however hard I work the processor / RAM.

My question ( as an ignoramus!) is this;-

What is the purpose and advantages ( if any!) of going to SATA drives when they are patently less reliable, and lower performance than the “old” IDE ones? It seems to be yet another marketing ploy for us to shell out more money again.

I seek real elucidation here….

Thanks for an ever-improving newsletter, Ian.

Ian,

SATA (Serial ATA) is actually capable of much faster communication than is the PATA (Parallel ATA) interface.

The fact that you’re seeing significantly faster performance on one machine than on the other 4. Despite the 4 being on an office network, they should not be markedly slower than the home machine.

Here are some fo the things that come to mind:

Continue Reading Serial ATA Drives and PC Problems

Filed Under: Hard drive, PC Repairs, Terry's Computer Tips, Troubleshooting, Upgrades, Windows XP

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

Finding the Outlook Express Address Book

By terry Leave a Comment

Subscriber Jerome Safer wrote recently about trouble importing addresses from Excel into Outlook Express:

Terry,
I am trying to help a friend Import some contacts from Excel into Outlook Express or Outlook. I have studied the Import and have done a test import of a .csv file from Excel into Outlook Express and it worked until it hit an Error.

I am trying to find out where the Address Book file is stored On the computer. I thought the type was something like *.wab but I have not found it yet in any searches. I want to back up the Address book before doing the Import in case there is any problem with the Import.

Can you help me find the Address Book file?

Continue reading Finding the Outlook Express Address Book

Filed Under: Email, Outlook Express, Terry's Computer Tips, Windows XP

HOWTO: Changing Program Icons

By terry Leave a Comment

Almost all purchased programs come with their own unique icons. Some are pretty or cute, while others are ugly.

If you create your own programs or Command files (.cmd) to run several commands, you’ll end up with a plain, unattractive default Windows icon for that file type.

However, you can change the icon to any other icon that you can find on your computer.

Most icons are actually encoded into the program files themselves, but Windows knows how to find them. Windows also has a set of generic icons that you can choose to use.

Let’s create a Windows shortcut to immediately shut down your computer, without getting the Stand By, Turn Off, Restart or Cancel.

1. Right-click on a blank part of the Windows Desktop, and select New, Shortcut.
2. In the “Type the location of the item:” box, enter the following:
shutdown.exe -s -t 0
(don’t miss the “-s -t 0″ part — they mean shutdown, time delay, 0 seconds)

Continue reading the full HOWTO: Changing Program Icons article with images…

Filed Under: HowTo, Other, Software, System Control, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Windows XP

Why I Recommend Firefox…

By terry Leave a Comment

I guess it’s been a long time since I’ve gotten on the Firefox versus Internet Explorer subject in my newsletter. For a while last year, I beat it to death…

But, recently, in responding to a reader’s question, I mentioned that I recommended Firefox over IE for web browsing. His response was “You Do?”

The reason that I recommend Firefox over Internet Explorer boils down to security while web surfing.

First, there’s the ActiveX issue.

ActiveX is a proprietary Microsoft technology that allows a web site to download a program to your computer via Internet Explorer � and to automatically run that program.

While Microsoft uses the innocuous term “ActiveX Control” for the program, you need to understand that this is a full-fledged program that can do anything on your computer — just like any other program can.

Unlike Java and JavaScript, ActiveX doesn’t run with any special security controls. That’s why people like Trend Micro can provide their marvelous online anti-virus scanner HouseCall to get rid of viruses. Windows doesn’t block their “ActiveX Control” from being able to work properly.

Unfortunately, the adware and spyware guys love this same feature — and use it to easily install adware, spyware, or usually “downloaders” (special programs that do nothing but download and install the programs that their masters wish you to run) onto your computer.

Before Windows XP Service Pack 2, Internet Explorer would blithely accept any ActiveX control that a web site wanted to give you.

Continue reading Why I Recommend Firefox…

Filed Under: Firefox, Free, Security, Software, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Web Browsers, Windows XP

Wi-Fi Hotspots and Computer Security

By terry Leave a Comment

Are you safe when you use the wireless network at your local coffee shop or airport? Maybe. Maybe not.

Are you accidentally sharing your files on your computer? Is your computer “trusting” connection attempts from the other computers at the hostspot?

A reader asked me

To improve security when using Wi-Fi at a coffee shop or traveling, I’ve seen advice to uninstall “File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks” on the active wireless connection in the Properties menu of Control Panel Network Connections. Is it necessary to do this – is there any downside to uninstalling this? Would it be sufficient to uncheck the box, or do I need to fully uninstall it?

Filed Under: Broadband, Internet Privacy, Intrusion Detection, Networking, Security, Stability, Windows XP, Wireless, Wireless Security

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

Picasa the Free Photo Editor and Organizer from Google

By terry Leave a Comment

The Picasa photo editor and organizer will surprise you with its unique interface and its amazing power. With Picasa, you can easily edit photos with basic fixes, as well as adding any of 12 lighting and color effects. You can organize your photos, write captions on them, and even order prints.

One way you can make more dramatic images, especially if you’re moving from a high-pixel photo to the much lower resolution of a web page, is to crop you photo to get only “the important stuff”. The reason I specify a high-resolution image for starting is that, if you want to print it later or expand it to be a Windows “desktop” background.

Picasa is extremely intuitive and, I found, a pleasure to use � especially when compared to most of the graphics editing progams available today.

Read more in my article Picasa � the Free Photo Editor and Organizer from Google and download the free Google Pack which includes Picasa from there.

Filed Under: Free, graphics, images, photos, Software, Storage, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Windows XP

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