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Tuesday, 25th November, 2008 MEETING Our Website is: http://brightoncomputerclub.org Questions and Answers. Moderated by Frank Myers After downloading, a Pop-Up box asks "clean up". What does that do? Answer: It cleans up the download info box shown on the desktop. Nothing to be concerned about. You should clean up this Pop-Up window often as it accumulates the downloads forever if you don't... Top of Page Member uses Airport Express with iTunes to get his music. Since he updated Firefox it doesn't work. How do he find out if it's supported? Answer: Firefox has an Add-on for iTunes that probably needs updating. Before updating to a new version of Firefox always check any programs that have an add-on in Firefox to ensure the Add-on will work with the new release. A common add-on is for "Roboform" which always requires an add-on update when a new release for Firefox comes out. You must go to the Roboform web site and down load a new update that will work in the new release of Firefox. This concept also applies to Internet Explorer and other browsers that have Add-ons. Top of Page A member purchased a laptop - gets emails in - deletes them but keeps getting two or three more of the same thing -Why? Answer: Ensure you are not leaving emails on the server: In OE click on Tools, Accounts, Properties, Advanced, and ensure there is no check mark in the box beside "Leave a copy of messages on server">/li> Remove the check mark, click Apply and OK. Try compacting your emails. Click on File, Folder, "Compact All Folders" This may take some time. CAUTION: DO NOT use the computer until it is finished. Look at question 15. You can see the emails on your ISP's server. If multiple emails there, delete them. How to save some e-mails for a permanent record? Using Thunderbird to export to a memory stick. Or get a gmail account - they'll keep forever . Thunderbird has its own folder that has all the messages on your computer so you have a record there. To find this area click on Tools, Account Settings, Server Settings and look at the bottom and you see Local Directory. Hold down your left mouse button and drag it over the whole address. Right click on it and then click on Copy. Hit Start and click on or find Notepad. Click on Edit, then click Paste. Click on Save As, then on the File name, type Emails. On the left click on Desktop. Then click Save. Now you have saved the location in a text file on your desktop. Click on My Computer, Local Drive C and then follow the rest of the locations in the text you copied. When you get to the folder labeled Mail, that is what you save. You will need Tbird to open them, but you can put the whole Mail folder on another computer or open the Mail folder up and see what you want to transfer. That is complicated - as you can see. Another way is to Export them. Click on the Email folder you want to save. Click on Tools, then Import/Export in mbox/eml format. Then click on Export all messages in the folder, EML format to go to another computer with ThunderBird, or click on Plain text format to store for yourself. With Select the destination directory, click on Desktop and beside Folder at the bottom type in what you want to name it. Then click OK. It may take a few minutes if you have many emails. At the bottom right of the screen you can see the progress. When done, go the the desktop and there is your file. You can now store that folder in the location of your choice for backup. Just keep in mind that you have to repeat this process every time you want a permanent record of your emails. This folder does not update automatically for new emails. Top of Page Keep getting pop ups saying using "counterfeit software". Also keeps getting bumped off the internet. Answer: For the "Counterfeit Software" it was suggested that the member have Tom Rosebush or one of the help team check her computer. For getting bumped off the internet, it is suggested that maybe the member's wireless antennae needs to be realigned to the correct tower. Top of Page How to stop ads (possibly spam) coming into her computer. Answer: Suggested member signup for a gmail [Google Mail] account and filter all incoming mail through the gmail account. Charlie LeBer did two presentations explaining how to do this using Outlook Express and Thunderbird Gmail [Google Mail] - Presentation - Jan 22nd, 2008 More Gmail Features - Presentation - Feb 12th, 2008 Top of Page Google has a new "FREE" browser. Answer: It is called "Chrome" and it is on our new club CD. I use it only to get my Gmail because it loads, on my computer, in 6 seconds. Top of Page A member received a message "Low on virtual memory". The member said that he has 77% of hard drive space available. What does this mean and how does it work? Answer: Virtual Memory is stored on your hard drive and is controlled by the operating system (XP, VISTA, etc.) When you are running multiple programs at the same time, your Main Memory can run out of space for processing these programs. When it does, the Operating System will allocate part of each program to the Virtual Memory on the hard drive. It will continue to swap pieces back and forth between the Main Memory and Virtual Memory until the Main Memory can totally contain the programs required to do what you are currently asking the computer to do. Because the hard drive is considerably slower than Main Memory, you will notice a deterioration when Virtual Memory has to be used. If this is critical to your main program, then you must close other programs until your processing speed is acceptable. Enlarging Virtual Memory will not help this speed problem. If you are OK with the speed and have to increase Virtual Memory manually: Go to "START", "Control Panel", "System", and select "Advanced" under "Performance", click "Settings", "Advanced" under "Virtual Memory" click on "Change" . Click in the circle beside "Custom size" In the box "Maximum size" type in an number reducing the amount by 20% Click on "Set", "OK", "OK", "Apply" and "OK" and "OK" Click "Yes" to restart computer. Your computer needs to have lots of memory, especially if you work with photos. Don't have under 512 Megabytes(MB) if you have XP, it is better to have 1 GigaByte(GB) If using Vista your computer needs 2, 3, or 4 GB. Top of Page If high speed is available in our local area, where I wish to locate, who would be the best provider? Answer: Cogeco cable works well Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) with Xplorenet, Kingston On-line Systems (KOS), Bell Sympatico, and Distributel are usually available locally It is difficult for our club to evaluate any of the above services All of them have their ups and downs When you find out which of these are available in the area that you have selected, ask the most experienced friend that you trust Top of Page A Member mentioned that there are five questions unanswered on our forum dated July and August Answer: The Member was asked to re-do his question NOTE:All outstanding questions were answered after the meeting. It is pointed out that the word "Forum" means "a facility to meet for open discussion" Therefore, because it was set up to have ALL members go onto the Forum to post questions and or comments and to also see whether or not they could answer any query or make comments in regard to postings. So far there are only a handful of members using the forum. This is probably because the responses are so slow. More members using the forum would speed up responses Top of Page A member has Vista on the computer and Windows keeps updating when the member is in the middle of something. Answer: Control your Updates. Click the "Start" button Select "Control Panel" then "Change Settings" Click beside "Check for updates but let me chose to download and install them" Click OK Top of Page Should we download and install SP3? Answer: If you don't have an AMD processor it is O.K. to download Shut off all non MS services and StartUp programs, as described in an earlier meeting and now in our website. SP3 does not work with an AMD processor - it crashes. Charlie LeBer suggested "Don't bother with SP3 unless you are confident you can shut off the items as described. SP2 will be supported until SP3 gets fixed. If in doubt, WAIT ". Top of Page A member keeps getting the yellow shield for SP3 ready for installation. How to delete it? Answer: Turn off Automatic Updates When downloading updates use Custom, don't use Express When in Custom, the downloads are listed. Remove a check mark beside SP3.) Top of Page How do you delete a camera program? The member is not sure what other files are tied to it and what else could be lost. Answer: When you uninstall any program, use the tool in the "Control Panel". Before you start, back up your critical files and any associated files Then uninstall. NOTE: When I use a program (such as a photo program), I ALWAYS make sure that I have all my working files (photos) in a folder totally separate from the one that the program automatically, chooses when installing. This way if I have to uninstall/reinstall the program, it has no effect on the files that I have created/used. For example, in "IrfanView", Click on "Options". "Properties/Settings" and set up the files in "File Handling". Top of Page Is there a program to remove e-mails before they are downloaded to my computer? Answer: Yes! It is called "Vallen POP3 Mail Checker" You can get it here: Snapfiles Web Site You need your email setup information to configure this program. Incoming POP3 address E-mail password and account name We may have time to demo this at the next meeting or you may need help from the Help Team on this. Top of Page I keep hearing the computer dialing when I am on the phone. Can I stop it? Answer: Yes! First click the "Start" button Then click "Control Panel", "Internet Options", "Connections", and click beside "Never dial a connection" Click "Apply" and "OK" This stops the automatic dialing to connect when you start a program that needs the Internet. Of course this means that you should have an icon on your desktop to access the internet. It is totally under your control. Top of Page Thank You to Shirley Young who recorded the questions and to Charlie LeBer who assisted in most of the answers.