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Tuesday, 23rd September, 2008 MEETING Our Website is: http://brightoncomputerclub.org Questions and Answers. Moderated by Frank Myers A member tried to type in their Microsoft Word document but all that was visible was the cursor. How did this happen? Answer: The member had inadvertantly changed the font colour to the same as the background in the Word Document. Probably "White" Follow the instuctions in the image below: Top of Page Member tried to change font size and ended up losing the printing. Didn’t know how this happened. Answer: In order to change font size in a Wordprocessor, you would high-light the text. If you inadvertantly touched the "Delete" key while trying to change the font, you would lose your text. It could also happen if you accidently clicked the "scissors" icon on the tool bar near where the font size is located. This would cut the high-lighted text. Which would make it disappear. Top of Page When importing a spread sheet into Word by copying, everything jams together. Is there a way to do this so that this doesn’t happen? Answer: Select the chart(spreadsheet)you want to copy. Highlight the complete area of the chart(spreadsheet) that is to be copied Click Copy . Switch to Microsoft Word. Click at a point in the document where you want to put the Microsoft Excel chart. Click "Paste" on the Formatting toolbar. Click "Paste Options" next to the data, and then do one of the following: To paste the data as a Word table, click "Keep Source Formatting". To paste a link to the Excel data, so that the data in the Word document is updated whenever you change the data in the original Excel workbook, click Match Destination Table Style and Link to Excel or Keep Source Formatting and Link to Excel. Top of Page Member wanted to send pictures to DVD, When right clicking to copy he didn’t get a prompt to say he can send it to the DVD. How do you fix that? Answer: First make a short cut on your desktop for your CD/DVD drive: Open "My Computer" Click your right mouse button on your CD/DVD drive and select "Create Shortcut" You will get a message that it can only create the shortcut on your desktop, click "OK" While you have "My Computer" displayed, Add a destination to the "Send To" menu: Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive C). If you can't see the items on your drive when you open it, under System Tasks, click Show the contents of this drive. Double-click the Documents and Settings folder. Double-click the folder of a specific user. Double-click the SendTo folder. The SendTo folder is hidden by default. If it is not visible, on the Tools menu, click Folder Options. On the View tab, click Show hidden files and folders. Switch temporarily to your desktop and click your right mouse button on the shortcut to your CD/DVD drive. Select "Cut" Go back to the "SendTo" folder, click your right mouse button on an empty space and select "Paste" Close all open folders. You can now select one or a group of photos, click your right mouse button, select "SendTo" and click on CD/DVD drive shortcut. Personally, I recommend purchasing the proper software to create CD/DVDs, such as: AShampoo, Roxio, Nero, etc. Top of Page Has the Club done a presentation converting old slides or movies into digital? Answer: Not yet. This can be considered for a future presentation. Top of Page Member told he can’t use AVG with Windows 2000. Answer: When rumours like this are heard, just check in Google - enter "AVG +Win2000" without the quotes. AVG Versions 7.5, and 8 are available for Windows 2000 Version 7.5 is not offically supported for any Windows Operating System. It is suggested that the member use Version 8. Top of Page AVG (on XP). Member downloaded AVG from club disc. He is on dial up. Got updates. After the updates the computer shut down. Friend helped him unload AVG, downloaded Avast. The computer runs O.K. again. Answer: As with any software, there can be conflicts, when running, with other services or programs. For example, AVG will clash with Norton Utilities and certain other Anti-Virus systems. Member remarked that he had downloaded directly from Avast Web site. It is suggested to always go through the "Software" page connection from our website to ensure that you end up at the correct download part of the web site. Note: Avast is also available on the club disc. Top of Page Can you use Avast with Windows 98? Answer: Yes, the current version of Avast will work on Windows 98. System Requirements - Avast! Home Edition for a computer running Windows® 95/98/Me: (Note: This is minimum) 486 Processor, 32MB RAM and 100MB of free hard disk space. Top of Page Member, when starting up her computer, gets a message that Updates require computer restart. Do you want to restart now? How to avoid this message? Answer: AVG Update When you receive the AVG message: "Updates require computer restart" you can just close the message box by clicking the "X". The updates will be applied the next time you shut down and start up your computer. You do NOT want to get rid of this AVG message. The updates to AVG are mandatory to protect your computer from viruses. Top of Page Staples installed EZ Tape Converter on a members's computer to convert cassettes to CD’s. However, it took out the sound. The member is reluctant to take it back to Staples to correct the problem, because of their apparent inexperience with this product. What do you recommend? Answer: Check that your sound card has correct settings: Click "Start" and select "Control Panel", then "Sounds and Audio Devices" In the following window, click "Advanced" In the following window, ensure that none of the items has "mute" checked. If there are only a few items like the one shown, then click on "Options" and "Advanced Controls" "Properties" is used to add more controls to the window. There is also an option for "Recording" that turns on special controls You might want to experiment with these settings to see if they correct your situation. To lock in any changes you make, you must click "Apply" button in the first image above. (Another member suggested removing sound card – when starting, it will find appropriate sound card and install it.) You remove your sound card by: Click you right mouse button on "My Computer" and select "Properties" click the "Hardware" tab and select "Device Manager" Find your sound card under "sound, video and game controllers" IE: - Creative AudioPCI(ES1371) Highlight this item and click your right mouse button and select "Uninstall" Close the "System Properties" window and restart your computer. Top of Page Sympatico telemarketer called promoting fibre optics. Answer: Bell Sympatico has been touting Fibre Optics in Canada for about 4 years. I believe this latest junket is to compete with the cable companies in Toronto and the Golden Triangle. If you talk to Cogeco in our area they will say Summer 2009. I doubt if Bell is worried about Cogeco in the boondocks. The next telemarketer that calls - ask them to give you a firm date for the Brighton Area Top of Page Member using AVG 7.5 – still getting automatic updates. Answer: Congratulations! However, the service could stop at any time. I strongly suggest that you go to Version 8. It updates simpler and faster. Top of Page SP3 for Windows XP – should we install it? Not yet. Answer: If you already have installed it and have NO problems. Then stay with it. If you have not and have an AMD processor or use Norton, then don't do it yet. There are still buggy things about SP3 that disturb Frank Myers. He suggests that we wait a little longer. A member had a Continuous restart, went into sweep, computer crashed. Frank Myers found that Internet Explorer 8, wouldn’t install. Used Google chrome. If you have already downloaded it and want to try it, just be sure that you don't have much running at the time. See Charlie LeBer's technique for turning running processes off in the - Minutes 22 April 2008 Top of Page Frank announced that he is doing a technical review of a "FREE" unninstaller to replace the Microsoft Windows uninstaller. Answer: The Microsoft tool leaves too many orphans, folders, registry entries, etc. This eventually causes problems for the Operating System. It also necessitates installing/running 3rd party programs to attempt to clean up the mess. The name of the program being evaluated is "Revo Uninstaller" which Frank has found to completely remove everything associated with an installed program. For those of you who would like to test it, go to the following link and Click "Download Revo Uninstaller Freeware": Revo Uninstaller Top of Page How do you download Picasa 3? The site said Picasa 3 but kept installing Picasa 2. Another member said he had installed Picasa 3. Answer: It appears that Google has repaired the connector at: PicasaWeb3 At the site, click on "Download Picasa 3 (beta)" Keep in mind that this is a "Beta" pre-release copy, so you should direct any problems to Google. They would appreciate it. Top of Page Auto update Windows XP for Service Pack 3(SP3). How do you avoid updates and How do you uninstall SP3 if it is already installed. Answer: If you have downloaded, and installed it and it works, leave it installed. SP3 is a huge file not something you want to download on dial up. We will be issuing SP3 on a CD when we belive it is totally safe to install. If you want to turn off automatic updates: See Question 9 above. To check your Windows XP level, - Click your right mouse button on "My Computer", then "Properties"> If you want to uninstall Service Pack 3, Click "Start", "Control Panel" and "Add, Remove Programs" Because the list is alphabetic, scroll down until you find: "Windows XP Service Pack 3"- then click "Remove" Re-Start your computer after the uninstall is completed. Top of Page A member using Bell Sympatico, would like high speed. A flyer they received suggested Rogers high speed. Answer: Frank pointed out that Rogers is not available in our area. A member stated that Cogeco, apparently, is putting in new terminal boxes and running cable along the 401 with the intention of it being available in Summer 2009. Frank commented that he has been listening to Cogeco about their upgrading Brighton service for over 4 years. He finally gave up last week and switched to Bell Express Vu. As far as Cogeco is concerned, We’ll have to wait and see if it happens. Top of Page How do you get to the club website? Answer: It is difficult to put the reply on this website because if you can't get on the web site, you can't read this answer. At the next meeting, there will be a hand out available at the front table showing the following information. NOTE: You should copy this for your friends who would like access also Our Website is: http://brightoncomputerclub.org It is recommended that the first place to go is "Site Map" The only place that needs the club password is "Members Only" and you can only access that page from the main page. Whenever you jump to another area of the website, just click "Home" on the bar under the banner and you return to the main page. Top of Page A BIG Thank You to Shirley Young who recorded the questions.