2004 PC Doctor Columns
December 20 December 15 December 6 December 1 November 23 November 18 October 18 October 10 October 4 September 20 August 23 August 16 August 4 June 28 June 25 June 14 June 8 June 1 May 11 May 3 April 28 April 20 April 12 April 5 March 29 March 22 March 16 March 8 March 3 February 25 February 11 February 2 January 26 January 19 January 12
December 27, 2004
Dear PC Doctor:
How can I change the color of text? There is a document I am revising for my boss and though I would like to highlight the text I want to change. That way he can easily see which changes I would like to make. Then when I’m done, how can I make it all black? Don
Dear Don:
If you are using Word, look at your upper tool bar (above your open document). Sometimes your toolbar may reside on one line and sometimes it may be split onto two. Either way, look there for a capital A with a thick line or bar underneath it. There will be a down arrow to the right of it. If you click on the down arrow a box will open up that displays a number of colors to choose from. This is your font color button.
Once you find that, you are ready to start presto changing text color. I find the easiest way is to type your document, go back and highlight the text (mouse click at the beginning of the first word, hold down your mouse button and slide it over the words you want to highlight, and let go of the button). Now go up to the font color button, click on the arrow and click on the color you wish to select. Now go on to the next area you wish to change.
Now some people would rather do it as they go along so they don’t forget to highlight the changes. If that’s your preference, then just stop typing at the desired spot, click the font color button, change the color and continue typing. When you are done with the highlighted text, just return to the font color button and change it back to black.
Yet another way is to go to the very top menu bar, click Format and then select Font. In the dialog box that opens, look for font color and change. I find this method a little cumbersome only because there are a number of mouse clicks to this way of doing it. Either way you choose, good luck.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I use Outlook Express for my email and set up some folders like you mentioned in an earlier column. I have found this to be a very good way to save my emails on my hard drive as it frees up space on my email account. One problem though, I named one of the folders and now find that it doesn’t really fit what I’ve been putting in there. Should I just make a whole number folder and then move all the emails into it? Then what about the empty one I have left? What would you suggest? Steph
Dear Steph:
All you have to do is right click on the folder whose name you wish to change. From the drop down list choose either Rename or Properties. If you choose Rename, a box will open up and ask you the new name. Type it and click OK. In Properties, at the General tab, just type in the new name in the box and click OK. This is much simpler than moving all those emails and deleting the old folder. PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
My computer was working fine but now when I turn it on, it shuts itself off immediately. What can I do about that? BP
Dear BP:
It could be your power supply failing. Before you go out and get a new one, though, try moving your computer to another power outlet and see if that helps. If not, I don’t know how savy you are with computers, but a power supply is fairly simple to replace if you are okay with opening up the case to the CPU. Just purchase a new one at the computer store or online (in which case you will have to go to the library or use a friend’s computer as yours is not working) and just unscrew the old one and put the new one in.
If this doesn’t help, then it may be a more
serious problem with the motherboard. In which case you will probably want
professional help. Make sure that you have them give you an estimate first
before fixing it as it may be cheaper to just buy a new one, depending on the
age of your current computer. Good luck
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I use Outlook Express for my email. I have several different emails (don’t ask!!) and this makes it handy for me to keep them all together and sorted nicely. However, when I send out emails to people for some reason on one of the accounts, my name is spelled wrong. It looks stupid and is pretty unprofessional, but I don’t know how to change it. Is there any way I can do that? Kent
Dear Kent:
I can’t really fault you for multiple email accounts as I have several myself! One good reason is that on occasion they will go down so I at least have access to one. Sometimes it’s a pain, but after awhile you just get into the habit of checking them. And I agree that Outlook is a good way to organize them.
Anyways, to your question – you can fix that nagging problem by going to the upper menu bar and selecting Tools and then Accounts off the drop down menu. Find the offending account, click on it once to highlight it and then click the ‘Properties’ button. Under the General tab, find User Information. In the Name box, just type in whatever name you want to appear on your outgoing emails. Click the OK button and then close. You should be all set. PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I’m getting my mother a new computer for Christmas and hopefully I can get it set up and ready to go by the big day. One question I have is that she is left handed and I was wondering if there is any way I can change the mouse. I know that learning how to use a computer is going to be a big enough challenge for her without having to learn to use it right handed. Kate
Dear Kate:
Yes, you can set it up for her to use left handed. It might be a little different depending on how your Windows XP is set up, but basically go to the Start button and click Control Panel. Find either the ‘Appearances and Themes’ or ‘Mouse’ icon (or line) and double click. Find the Mouse Properties box. Look for either ‘Mouse Pointers’ or ‘Buttons’. Finally look for ‘Switch primary and secondary buttons’ or ‘Swap left and right button functions of USB mouse’. There should be a box that you can click in to make a check. Close by clicking OK. This should allow you to use the mouse buttons left handed. Simply follow the procedure again, unchecking the box if you want to revert back.
I hope your mother enjoys the new computer. Watch the paper as we hope to start offering our beginner classes again at the end of January, so she can sign up to come in and learn some basic techniques.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I just installed a new program and downloaded some things off the Internet but I don’t see what I thought I changed. What am I doing wrong? Pat
Dear Pat:
Well, it could be a couple of things. First off, many programs require that you reboot the computer to allow the settings to take effect. Try that first (of course, you probably have shut off your computer since your email to me and discovered that in fact, that was the problem). Rebooting means you just shut down all the programs you are working on, go the Start button, click Turn Off Computer and when the dialog box opens up, chose Restart instead of Turn Off.
If that doesn’t take care of the problem, perhaps you didn’t complete the install process. Try installing it again and see what happens. Again reboot after the installation.
Finally if it was a downloaded program, make sure that you did actually install it. Sometimes it downloads onto your desktop but doesn’t install. Look on your desktop and see if you suddenly see a new icon there. Usually when you double click on it, it will unzip the file and ask you if you want to install. Follow the on screen directions and then … well, you know what I’m going to say, right? … reboot!
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I took the course at the library on CD burning and thought I made one but it won’t play in my car player. What did I do wrong? TP
Dear TP:
Well, I’m wondering if maybe you used a CD-RW disk instead of a
CD-R. The CD-RW are rewritable disks that won’t work as an audio CD in most car
and portable players. With the cheap price of CD-R audio disks now, it is just
as effective to pick these up and burn them.
Another thing to look at is if your player is MP3 or WMA compatible (if that is the music files you burned). Sometimes you may have accidentally created a data disk instead of an audio CD. Check the help section of your particular program to be sure that you are copying the right kind of format to play in your machine.
Finally the age of your player may work against you too. Some of the older machines don’t play certain files. Try it on a newer machine or car (some of your friends must have one!) and see if it plays on theirs. Good luck. PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
For some unknown reason, if I leave my new computer for a bit of time – say an hour to go catch part of the game, my computer seems to shut off. Then when I push the on button (because moving the mouse doesn’t work), it seems to come back on. But it’s weird. Andy
Dear Andy:
The feature you are describing is called hibernation. Just like the bears in the winter! When the computer reaches a certain time period of inactivity on your part, it just goes to sleep. You can turn the feature off by going to the Start button, choosing Control Panel, finding the Power Options icon and double clicking, and selecting the Hibernate tab. Then simply uncheck the Enable Hibernation box. Click OK and then reboot the machine.
Hibernation does not hurt the machine though and can sometimes save power if you are using a laptop computer on battery. So you could certainly leave it turned on, now that you know why it is doing that.
Also for some readers who may be curious to seek out this feature, your computer may not support it so if you follow the path I have described and there is nothing there, that’s why.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
Now that the holidays are here and of course I’m doing everything at the last minute, I’d like to try ordering some things off the Internet. But I’m a little nervous about putting my credit card online. Do you have any suggestions? Phil
Dear Phil:
Yes, you should give it a try. Many people, myself included order things off the Internet. However, there are a few things to be aware of before you put that credit card and other information out there.
You should always order from a website that is secure. You don’t want your credit card information picked up and used by some unscrupulous person. To find out if a site is secure, you should look at the bottom right hand corner of Internet Explorer or Netscape, depending on which browser you are using, and make sure there is a yellow padlock next to the globe and the words Internet (in Explorer) and by the connection symbol (in Netscape). It will be right above where the system tray with the time is located. The site IS NOT secure if there is no padlock or the padlock is open (not locked). What the padlock signifies is that your data will be encrypted as it is sent over the Internet. Check and be sure your padlock is closed before you enter any personal data. Some websites don’t show the closed padlock until you are ready to checkout, which is when you would be entering all your information.
One other little suggestion I might make is to have one credit card with a very small limit that you use for Internet purchases only. That way if something does go wrong, not much can be charged on a card that has a $300 limit for example.
As you are learning, also try to stick to names that you are fairly familiar with like Lands End or LL Bean. The website you chose should also be easy to use and offer a telephone number that you could call to see if they really exist. Sometimes if I am uncertain, I will email them and see if and how quickly I get a response. If you never hear from them, then I might be suspect. Just use your common sense and if your gut is saying this doesn’t look right, then go with your gut.
But that being said, I have ordered countless times off the Internet and been happy. Good luck.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I am thinking of getting a new computer and someone told me that I should check out my free space and unused space to see if I need more. What does that mean? Chloe
Dear Chloe:
There are many reasons to get a new computer and used space is only one. Since you have asked me about that though, I will tell you a quick way to find out. At your Desktop (your main computer screen when you turn the computer on), find the My Computer icon. If it isn’t on your desktop, go to the Start button and choose it off the list. Then find Hard Disk Drives and right click on Local Disk (C:). A drop down menu will open up and you want to select Properties. On the General tab you will see two listings for free and used space. There is also a graphic illustration that shows you what your computer is using and how much space you have left.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I bought my son a new computer for Christmas and to surprise him, I am trying to load all the games and programs he is using on the old computer so it will be ready to go when he opens it on the big day. However, there are a couple that don’t seem to run very well. Is there anything I can do?
Dad
Dear Dad:
I imagine that the new computer has the Windows XP operating system while his older computer has an older version like Windows 95 or 98. The games or programs you are loading in are probably meant to run on those versions and not on XP specifically. If you look at the box that the software came in, you can see which versions it was created for.
One alternative is to go out and purchase new software designed for the XP operating system, however that can get kind of pricey. You could go online and see if some of the programs offer an upgrade version (if you have purchased one version already). These can be substantially lower.
Another idea is to try to simulate that mode on your computer so that when that program runs on the new computer, it thinks it is working on an older operating version. To do this go either to the icon on the desktop or the Start/All Programs and then find the menu item that would normally execute the software (don’t click on it). Now you can right click on it and select Properties from the drop down menu. Chose the Compatibility tab and place a checkmark in the box labeled ‘run this program in compatibility mode for’, click the down arrow to the right and select one of the following choices: Windows 95, Windows 98/Windows ME, Windows NT or Windows 2000.
If you are not sure which version to chose, check the software box or use the operating system on your son’s current computer. To find out what that is, right click on the Control Panel icon (or go to Start/Control Panel). On the System tab you should see all the system information.
Good luck and hope your son enjoys his new machine!
PC Doctor
Site to see: are you looking for some interesting and different holiday ideas? Try out www.theholidayspot.com/christmas (don’t forget to type in ‘the’ in the web address). This handy website features good free stuff! Like Christmas stories, music, games, make your own cards, wallpapers, screensavers, jokes, carols, recipes, history, crafts, party ideas and pictures to color. Whew, I’m out of breath! That’s a lot of nifty holiday ideas all on one site.
Dear PC Doctor:
I’m working on a paper and I need to have my name and the title on each page of the document. Whenever I try to type it in at the top of the page it works until I add or delete text. Then I have to keep going back to each page and re-space everything. Is there any way I can just add that into some ‘secret’ place so it won’t change? Thanks SMM
Dear SMM:
Yes, use the header if you want it at the top and the footer if you want it to appear on the bottom. To use them, just go to View on the top menu bar and select Header and Footer. (On some word processing packages this feature could be in File or Edit.) Just type whatever you want to appear on each page in the Header box. You will also notice that a tool bar suddenly appears and if you skim your mouse over each icon on that bar, it will tell you what the functions are. For example, one says ‘insert page numbers’, while another says ‘format page numbers’. This allows the computer to sequentially number your pages and you can chose whether you would like it to use numbers, letters or Roman numerals. One of those buttons also allows you to switch between headers to footers. You can use both on one document if you so desired. So you could put your name at the top of your paper and number it at the bottom.
Also don’t be nervous that your text displays on your paper in a gray out fashion. When you print your document it will be fine. I think this is so you realize that it is not in the main text of your document. To change it you can double click on it or use View/Headers and Footers.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
All of a sudden my text got small inside my word document. The rest of the screen seems fine. What did I do? Tony
Dear Tony:
A couple of things to try. If you have a scroll button (in the middle of your two larger mouse buttons), try holding down the CTRL key on the keyboard and sliding that button either up or down. Watch the screen and you should see your text reduce and enlarge. Just let go of the button when you have the size where you want it.
Alternatively go to the menu bar, chose View and then Zoom. In the Zoom To section, chose a different size by clicking the radio button (round circle) next the whichever size you prefer. You may have to do a little experimentation to get the size you want.
I personally like using the scroll wheel as you can instantaneous see what size you will get. You can also use this method while surfing the Internet if your eyes are bad and you can’t see the text on a particular website.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
How do I save a picture that I see on a website that I like? Stargazer
Dear Stargazer:
Actually saving a picture is pretty simple. Just right click on the one you like and a drop down menu should open up. Chose ‘save picture as’. A box will open up and you will probably be directed to save it in the My Pictures folder. It will also give you a suggested name (as each picture has to have its own file name) but it is usually something weird like SPT0004 which means nothing to me anyways. I usually delete that save as file name and type in something I will recognize, like Catphoto or Stars so when I later want to use that picture I can easily identify it from the other pictures in the folder. Then click the Save button.
Just remember that many pictures on the web are copyright protected so you don’t want to be writing a book and using someone else’s pictures in it without their permission. If you are using it for your own personal use, such as a screensaver, that’s fine.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I misspelled the name of a file when I saved
it. Can I fix that? Thanks a lot.
Christian
Dear Christian:
Yes, the easiest way is to open Microsoft Word (or whatever program you are using for your document). Then go up to File and select Open. When the box opens that contains all your documents, find the one you want to change. Right click on it and down near the bottom of the drop down menu, you will see Rename. Just click on that and you can change the name to whatever you want. Easy as pie!
Another way is to put your mouse over the file to be renamed and click once. It should insert your cursor into the file name and then you can use the delete or backspace key to erase what you don’t want and go ahead and type in what you do want. This method can be a little tricky only because sometimes it is hard to position your mouse in just the right spot to insert the cursor. Most times people click and it doesn’t take so they click again too soon and effectively you’ve double-clicked and opened your file. Just try again until you get it down.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
What are the three buttons on the top right hand side of my word processing screen? They look like a line, two boxes and a red x. I’m new to computing and I’m afraid to touch them. Do they do anything special?
Barb
Dear Barb:
Those are very important buttons and you should certainly use them while computing. They show up on a variety of software packages, so once you know how to use them, you can transfer that knowledge to all of your programs. And they are very simple to use!
All three buttons control the window that is active (or the window you see displayed in front of you). The button with the line on it is called the minimize button. This button when pushed (once with the left mouse button)will appear to make your window disappear. But look down at the very bottom on your task bar. You should see next to the Start button a darker blue field that states the name of whatever you were working on. If you click on it once with your left mouse button, it should open right back up again. Practice clicking on the minimize button and then on the task bar. Your window should open and close. So what is the purpose of that? Well, let’s say that you are working on one thing and your daughter calls and wants you to print off her homework that she forgot and bring it to school. What! You say that never happens? Well, how about you just get sick of working on one document and want to switch to something else. Either way, you can open multiple documents, open the Internet or play a game all at the same time. Just minimize the one you don’t want to work on at the moment and go on to the other by clicking on it’s button on the taskbar. The advantage is that you don’t have to keep typing in passwords (if they are needed) or find and open a document all over again or find the website you want. Minimizing is simply placing your work in a holding tank for a bit. Be sure to save your work now and again because if you lose power or shut off your computer, your documents do not save automatically.
Now the middle button is called the maximize button. It is not so dramatic in some programs. If you click on it you will see that the screen shrinks and becomes smaller. If you click on it again, it will return to a full screen. The main use for this button is to allow you to have two or more documents open and displaying at the same time while you are working. Many people use it to have the Internet open while they are writing a paper to allow them to cite the site properly or get information down more easily.
Finally the big red x is to close the program down completely. It serves the same function as going to File and selecting Exit.
You can also perform these same functions if you go to the far upper left hand corner of the screen and clicking with the left mouse button to the left of the title bar (it shows the name of your program such as Internet Explorer). A drop down menu will give you the same choices. I personally think it’s easier to use the buttons on the right though. PC Doctor
Tip of the day: Did you know that while you are studiously working on documents, you can save them very easily by hitting the Control key and the S key together? First you must have saved it once from the File menu or by hitting the floppy disk icon on the tool bar, but once it has a file name, you can simply hit that key combination to save it as you go alone. Anyone who has lost their hard work can attest to the fact that you should frequently be saving as you go along!
Dear PC Doctor:
I went to a website to download a trial version of a program and after I thought I downloaded it, I don’t see any icons for it. How can I use it if I can’t find it?
Lynne
Dear Lynne:
It would probably be easier to download it again using the following method I will describe. Since I can’t see your computer, I’m not sure where you may have saved it. You should probably use this method to download anything, that way you will always be able to find it.
When you are downloading, you are usually asked if you want to ‘save’ or ‘open’ the file. Chose ‘save’ and then in the box that opens, find the ‘save in’ box and click the down arrow to the right of the box. On the menu that displays, chose ‘desktop’. Then click the ‘save’ button at the bottom. When you close out of Internet Explorer and you are back at your desktop, look there for your downloaded file icon. It may have a special name (if you looked at the ‘file name’ in your save box you will know what it is) that you can recognize or it may simply be an unfamiliar, new icon on your desktop. Often it will have a file name followed by a dot and exe. Just double click on it and you can then follow the onscreen directions to install it to your computer.
Once that is complete, you can drag the icon from the download (the one you double clicked on) to the recycle bin to discard. Be sure that you are not dragging the actual working icon that was created when you installed the software but the executable file icon that was downloaded and you double clicked on . You should now be able to enjoy your new software from either the Start button or an icon on the desktop.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I like your column and usually learn something so I appreciate you answering our dummy questions. But now I have one of my own. I like to surf the net and for some reason the line where I type in the web addresses is gone. Now I don’t know what to do to go to a website. Why did this happen?
JJ
Dear JJ:
I can’t tell you why it happened, but I can tell you how to fix it. Open up Internet Explorer and go to the file bar at the top of your screen. Look for View and from the drop down menu chose Toolbars. You will see at least the following options: standard buttons, address bar and links. You may have other items listed if you have installed or downloaded additional toolbars. Just make sure there is a checkmark next to Address Bar and you should be all set. (To get a checkmark, just highlight Address bar and click on it). When you return to Internet Explorer, your address bar should have returned home to its normal spot.
P.S. No questions are considered dummy questions by the PC Doc. You would be surprised to find out how many readers out there have the same questions but hesitate to ask.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I started using Outlook Express for my email and like it pretty well except I don’t see when I have attachments anymore. My neighbor showed me his machine and his mail shows a paper clip to indicate an attachment is on the incoming email. Is this a special feature?
Geo P
Dear Geo P:
No, it’s not special just a regular feature that needs to be activated. Go to your file bar in Outlook and click on ‘view’ and select ‘columns’. Place a check mark in the box next to ‘attachments’ and click ‘ok’.
You can also highlight your selection in a color to accent its arrival by again traveling to the file bar and this time choosing Tools/Message rules/Mail. Under ‘mail rules’, click ‘new’ and under option 1. Select the conditions for your rule, you will want to check the box next to ‘where the message has an attachment’. Then under option 2. Select the actions for your rule, put a check in the box for ‘highlight it with color’. Next under option 3. Rule description, click on the word ‘color’ in the phrase ‘highlight it with color’. From the selection of colors, click on the one you would like (I choose red!). Finally click ‘ok’. This will only apply to new mail coming in from this point on.
Although this is probably more than you ever wanted to know about attachments, it is easy to do and can make spotting those attachments easier.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I can’t seem to run the defrag process on my computer all of a sudden. I’ll admit that I haven’t been doing it faithfully as you suggest. In fact, I’m embarrassed to say I think it’s been over a year. After I start running the process, it just hangs up and I can’t get it to move. Why is it doing this all of a sudden?
Bob
Dear Bob:
I suspect that you have added some new programs to your computer in the past year. Some of those may be running in the background which means that defrag can’t execute its process properly. To find out if you do have background items bogging down your defrag, just hit the Control + Alt + Delete keys (together) and a window will open up and display any programs currently running. Just highlight them and click ‘end task’. Your defrag should run better now. Remember you will probably have to do this each time you run a defrag unless you stop these programs from running at start up.
Another option is to boot in safe mode (keep hitting F8 until you get the option to open in safe mode) and then go ahead and run the defrag. Hopefully one of these two choices will help your problem.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor
Since I did the latest update of windows, every time I sign on, My Documents opens also. I cannot find out how to solve this. Can you help? Roxanne
Dear Roxanne,
Although I had never heard of this before, surprise, surprise, when I turned on a computer at the library today, it actually happened so I was able to see what you meant. What caused it to happen I’m not quite sure, however, I can tell you what fixed it.
Of course you are running your virus protection regularly, right!?! You need to also download Spybot: search & destroy and Ad-aware. Both of these should be run weekly to keep you safe. Run Ad-aware first, then Spybot. What will happen when you run these is that it will clean up your computer – getting rid of all that junk that gets downloaded onto your computer while you are innocently surfing the net.
To get these two programs go to www.download.com and look under ‘most popular’ downloads and click on the free download. Be careful, there are downloads for pay, so don’t click on one of those. As a general rule of thumb, whenever you are asked to put in your credit card, then you should be very aware of what you are buying. A program advertised for free should never ask you for your credit card. Many free programs, however, will have an enhanced version with lots of additional features that they do offer for a fee. However for this purpose, the free version will suffice.
The downloading program will ask if you want to open or save it. Either is fine, I prefer to open so that I can immediately install it. If you have a dial up connection, you might want to just download it (save) to your desktop, disconnect and then install it by double clicking on the icon.
When you are installing them, both programs will ask if you want to open them right up and get started. It will also ask if you want to immunize your system – just say yes! Finally a system restore point will be created so that if you do run into a problem with the software, you can go back to a previous point in time on your computer and bring it back to a time when it was working.
Long story short, installing and running these programs took care of the problem of My Documents opening up once I rebooted our machine. Also I should mention that if you are already running these two programs and it hasn’t worked, check the version of Ad-aware that you have. There is a new version that is just out and should be downloaded to update your software. Just to illustrate, I had run the older version the day before and found 32 problems. I installed the new version, ran it, and it found 140 new items. Wow! Definitely worth the time. Anyways, good luck!
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
Every once in awhile I open up a website on the
Internet and I can’t close it because the buttons are off the screen. Sometimes
I can’t reach the scroll bar too. It’s very annoying not to be able to reach
the buttons I need so I end up just shutting the darn thing off. What am I
doing wrong?
Bill
Dear Bill:
Since I can’t see your computer to see the problem, I will instead give you a little tip that you can use whether you’re on the Internet or using any other software program. If you look at the top of your box or window, you’ll notice a blue bar that goes the length of that window. Usually you will see the program you are using (for example, Internet Explorer while surfing the net) on the left and at the right will be the boxes to minimize, maximize and close. This is your title bar. If you click on the blue area and hold your left mouse button down, you can slide that window around. Go ahead and try it! This is a nifty trick for arranging windows on the screen when you want to use more than one program at a time (just click the maximize button to make the windows smaller).
When you move the window over and up or down with this technique, you should be able to access the various buttons and scroll bars now.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
Sometimes when I’m typing a word the computer will capitalize something automatically that I know for a fact I didn’t capitalize. In fact, one day I went back and removed the capital letter and continued on, and darn it if the computer didn’t capitalize it again. So I went back and watched the screen while I changed it and it went right back to a capital. Why does it do that sometimes? JT
Dear JT:
You must have a feature called Auto Correct enabled on your word processing package. To remove that option that is driving you mad, open up your word processing software and go up to the menu bar, click on Tools, then Autocorrect Options. Find the tab labeled AutoCorrect. You will notice the following options: correct two initial capitals, capitalize first letter of sentences, capitalize first letter of table cells, capitalize names of days, correct accidental usage of caps lock key. There are boxes in front of each of these options and you can just uncheck any that you don’t want to be automatically executed when you are typing. Then click OK. This should take care of those pesky capitalizations you don’t want.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I was just trying to order a part online for my computer and the form asked me what kind of USB port I have. Where the heck could I find that out? Pete
Dear Pete:
Well, not to be a smart aleck, but first check the outside of your computer to be sure that you actually have a UPS port! Of course if you already know that you have one, to find out what it is, just go to the Start button, click on Control Panel, System and the Hardware tab. In the box that opens up, click the button Device Manager and scroll down until you see Universal Serial Bus Controllers. When you click on the plus sign to the left of that, you should see what types of UBS ports you have. PC Doctor
Hey, check this out – found a great website this week at www.freeality.com/finde.htm. On this you can find out reverse phone numbers (when you know the number and not who it belongs to) at a variety of different websites, get maps and directions, find people’s email addresses, find search and meta search engines. Just all kinds of neat stuff! PC Doc
Dear PC Doctor:
I was at my sister’s house and went online while I was waiting for her. Without thinking, when it asked me if I wanted to save my user name and password on a website, I said yes instead of no. I like my sister and all, but I don’t really want her to have access to my stuff. Is there anyway I can get rid of it? Rona
Dear Rona:
Yes, you can delete that by opening up Internet Explorer and going up to the menu bar and choosing Tools. Select Options and find the Content tab. In the bottom section labeled Personal Information you should see a button labeled Auto Complete. Click on that and it will open another window and in the Clear AutoComplete History, you should click the Clear Password button and then OK.
Of course you realize that you will also be deleting any user names and passwords that your sister has on her computer too. Make sure she has a list of them before you do this. Otherwise she will be in for an unpleasant surprise! PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I know in one of your columns, you mentioned an easy way to move text around by cutting and pasting. I’m kind of new at computing and I don’t know how to do that. Can you explain it to me? Tim
Dear Tim:
Basically you need to highlight or mark the text you want to cut. Do this by clicking with your mouse at the beginning of the text, hold down the left mouse button and slide your mouse over (and down if necessary) on the desired text. Let go of the button and you should see the text is now blue. If you have a lot of text, an alternative is to click once at the beginning of the text, hold down the Shift key and click at the end of the text. This is particularly helpful for long paragraphs.
Now you can do several ways to cut and paste. First you can go up the menu bar and click Edit. Then chose Cut. The text will disappear and you can go to where you want to place it and click your mouse there. Go back up to File and chose Paste.
A second method is to use the keyboard. For cutting, hold down the Control key and hit the letter C. To paste, hold the down the Control key and hit the letter V. The final method is to highlight the text and then click the right mouse button. Chose Cut and Paste on the drop down menu.
Cutting and pasting is one very handy thing to know so practice and try all these various methods. You’ll find one that is the easiest for you to use. PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
My friend next door got a computer from his son and he called me over to look at his mouse pointer. It seems to leave a trail on the screen. It’s kind of hard to explain, but when you move the mouse around, the little arrow leaves a shadow when you move it around. It’s really bothering him, but I don’t have any idea what is causing it. Can you help? Phil
Dear Phil:
Sounds like a setting in the Control Panel. Go to the Start button and select Control Panel. If you have it on category view, switch to classic view. It makes it a little easier to find. Double click on the mouse icon and when the window opens up, chose the tab for Pointer Options. Under Visibility, uncheck the box for Display Pointer Trails. Click OK and close the Control Panel and you should see a difference in the way the mouse operates. PC Doctor
September 20, 2004 Back to Top
Dear PC Doctor:
I just got a computer and it came with Excel. I’ve been playing around with thinking maybe I could figure out how to put my payroll on it. (Well, actually I only have 2 employees, but wanted to start out small). I was able to figure out how to put in the information and even simple formulas, but now one of my columns has this #### instead of the numbers. What the heck are those for? Labelle
Dear Labelle:
Those numbers indicate that the column is too small to hold the size of the number that you want to fit in there. There simply isn’t enough room in the column for it.
There are a number of ways to fix this. One is to make sure your cursor is at the problem cell and then go to the menu bar and click ‘format’. Chose ‘column’ (if that is the problem, that the column isn’t wide enough, your other choice is row) and then ‘autofit’. It will automatically adjust the column to the proper size.
Another way is to manually change the size. At the top of your spreadsheet, the columns are lettered A, B, C and so on. Click on the letter of the column that you want to change so it is sort of highlighted. You will notice there is a line between each lettered column and if you slide your cursor near that line, you will notice that it turns into a two headed arrow with a black line through it. When it does that, just click and drag the column to the length you want. Let go of the mouse and you’ll have a wider column.
But wait! We’re not done, there is yet another method. Just click on the column you want to widen (anywhere), right click and chose ‘column width’. A very small box will open up and you just type in a larger number that the one that is displayed. Click ‘ok’.
Personally I like the first method which adjusts the column to the exact necessary size. Otherwise you can run the risk of using too much space in the columns and not be able to fit your entire worksheet onto a single page. But whatever works for you! PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
After running a routine scan on my Windows XP computer, the anti-virus program warns that it detected a Trojan horse, but the infect file can be neither repaired nor removed. How can I get rid of this virus?
Rick
Dear Rick:
The System Restore feature in Windows XP and ME creates daily ‘restore points’ that contain all the information needed to ‘roll back’ the computer to a previous state. If a restore point is created before a virus is removed from the hard drive, a copy of that virus may be saved within one of the backup files created by System Restore. The virus can do no harm when it is embedded in this backup file, yet most anti-virus programs will continue to detect and warn of its existence there.
The only way to stop the warnings is to delete all restore point files, which can be accomplished by temporarily turning off System Restore:
1. Right-click ‘my computer’, then click ‘properties’.
2. In the ‘system properties’ window, click the ‘system restore’ tab.
3. Check the option ‘turn off system restore’, then click ‘apply’.
4. After a few seconds (when the hourglass is gone), remove the check to re-enable System Restore.
5. Click ‘ok’.
When re-enabled, System Restore will immediately create a new restore point for that day, and subsequently resume its automatic daily backups.
PC Doctor
September 13, 2004
Dear PC Doctor:
I have a two fold problem. First of all I keep getting bumped
offline and my computer will not accept two of my floppy disks. I've been told
that I probably need a new modem. Second problem is that for the last couple of
months, my phone service has been terrible. I've had the phone company out twice
and they can't find the problem. Is it possible that a defective modem can
interfere with phone service even though the computer is turned off? My pc is
also running slower than usual and the phone company tells me that could be due
to new fiber optic lines that were installed. Thank
You Audrey
Dear Audrey:
The problem you describe with not being able to maintain a connection to the internet can be one of hundreds of reasons. It is hard to pinpoint whether or not your modem is the source of the problems described and most likely in your case it would be worth your time to consult a professional computer company to determine if your modem is indeed defective. If your modem has a "bad contact" with the motherboard of your computer it can cause static, although this is highly unlikely. To conclude whether or not your modem is the cause for a "staticy" phone line, simply unplug the phone cable from the back of the computer (take notice to which slot the cable is plugged into as there are two). After this is done see if your phone service is improved. If there is no change in phone service you may consider calling your phone provider again for an additional assessment.
The issue you described with your computer regarding sluggish performance can also be one of a hundred reasons. If you could write back with some of the symptoms and also include how old your computer is and what operating system it utilizes, we will better be able understand your issue.
As far as not accepting floppy diskettes, is it accepting others? If that is the case, then those two floppies are probably bad. Floppy disks can become unusable for any number of reasons: dust, scratches, or just plain worn out. If it is not accepting any disks, then you probably need to get a new floppy drive. This can be done by you if you are comfortable with opening up your computer after purchasing a new drive either online or at a computer store or if the thought terrifies you, then seek a professional.
PC Doctor
Dear
PC Doctor-
I receive many e-mails with attachments, and am often not able to open them. I use Outlook Express. Where a little paper clip icon is shown, it will not open up, and I never know what was sent. Is there something I can do? Thank you. Bev
Dear Bev:
There are a couple of things you can try. When you see the paperclip to the left of your message in the top list of your emails, you can double-click on it and it should open up the email. In that window, look for the section that says ‘attach’ and your attachments should be listed there. Again double-click on the one you would like to view and it should present a window that says ‘some files can contain viruses or otherwise be harmful to your computer. It is important to be certain that this file is from a trustworthy source. What would you like to do with this file? Open it. Save it to disk’. If you want to open it, just click the circle next to it and click ‘ok’.
Another thing to try is to look in the preview pane (the window under the list of messages that actually displays your message text) and look to the top right of that pane and you should see a paper clip there. Right click on it and then select it off the list. You should again see the aforementioned warning, just make your choice and click ‘ok’.
I also wonder if you have some blocking software that is not allowing you to open up attachments. If yes, then go into that and disable or adjust the settings that are stopping you from opening attachments. There is also the possibility that there is nothing in the attachment, meaning the person sending it didn’t include the text or something else weird like that.
One way you can test it, is to go to another computer (try a friend’s or one at the library) where you won’t use Outlook Express, instead navigating to your vendor’s website (for example, www.hotmail.com) and log in with your user name and password. Then try to open an attachment that you have previously tried to open at home unsuccessfully and see if you can do it here. If it works, then I would suspect that the problem is with your Outlook setup or blocking software at home.
Of course, I have to give my usual caveat that you should be super sure that you really want to open attachments as that is where many virus problems start. I make it a firm practice to NEVER open attachments unless it is from a known source and I am expecting it. Although it is tempting to open jokes from friends (a known source), it just isn’t worth the risk in my opinion. And if I do break down and open one, I always run my virus protection prior to opening it.
Good luck, I hope one of these suggestions work. PC Doctor
September 7, 2004 Back to Top
Dear PC Doctor:
Every time I try to print a large paper for school, it spits out the first page, then the second and so on, the problem being that I have to then rearrange them because that first page ends up on the bottom – so it’s in reverse order. Do you know what I mean? For a 25 page paper, it’s a drag. What is wrong with my printer? James
Dear James:
I’m sure there is nothing wrong with your computer. There is a setting that you can change that should cause your printer to print the way you want it to. Go to the ‘start’ button, click ‘printers and faxes’, and then find your printer among the icons listed. Right click on it and chose ‘printing preferences’. Click the ‘features’ tab and look for the box that says ‘start printing from last page’. Click an X inside and then ‘ok’. Close all the boxes and from now on your papers should print all in order with the first page on top of the pile.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I have an awful lot of Favorites in Internet Explorer and put them into folders like you suggested in a previous column. I wish they were alphabetical though, is there any way to do that?
Tom
Dear Tom:
Yes, just go up to your menu bar and open ‘favorites’ so you see them listed on the drop down menu. Right click on one of the folders (doesn’t matter which one) and off the new drop down menu, select ‘sort by name’. You should see your favorites rearrange themselves into alphabetical order. If by chance you want to move one of them to the bottom of the list or to a different spot, just drag and drop it (left click on the folder, hold down the mouse button, move it to the new location and let go of the button).
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
I got my sister’s old computer and for some reason the things I type in Word have all these weird marks all over the place. When I print it, it comes out fine, but it’s really a pain to look at. She said that it was like that for her too and to just get used to it, but it really bugs me. Alisha
Dear Alisha:
What I believe you are talking about is formatting. When you type anything, the program inserts a character or symbol to designate that you want a new paragraph or a tab, for instance. It’s the program’s instructions to your printer. Some people like to have those formatting symbols displayed so the option to turn them on (or off) is available. Since you are one of the folks that would not like to see them, just go up to your menu bar and chose ‘tools’, then ‘options’ and click the ‘view’ tab. Look for ‘formatting marks’ and just uncheck all the boxes under that section. Click ‘ok’ and when you go to your Word document, you should no longer see those irritating marks. PC Doctor
August 30, 2004 Back to Top
Dear PC Doctor:
I am retired and just got a computer from my daughter. She got the computer running so that I can use email to talk to her across the country. I also got my grandchildren’s addresses and the other day one of them mentioned that I was shouting at her. I have no idea what she’s talking about because I was only typing and not talking to her on the phone and I certainly wasn’t upset with her. I’m too embarrassed to ask what she means. Am I doing something wrong? Emma
Dear Emma:
I suspect what you are doing is typing your messages in all capital letters. Maybe your caps lock key was pressed (look on the left hand side of your keyboard and you should see it). To tell if it is on, press it a couple of times and somewhere on your keyboard you should see a small light go on and off as you press the key. On some computers it is labeled and others it is not, but pressing it on and off in this manner will allow you to see where the light is located. You’ll want to be sure the light is off when you are typing.
In the world of the Internet, typing in all capital letters means that you are shouting. When you speak directly to someone, it is easy to convey what you want to say by voice inflection and facial expressions. It’s not easy to do that in typing so various symbols and modes of typing have been employed and developed by Internet users to get the message across. This is known as Netiquette. It is well known that all capital letters equals shouting. SEE WHAT I MEAN! So just notice your typing next time you are on. It’s certainly an easy fix and now you can just tell your grand daughter that you weren’t shouting at all, that you are a ‘newbie’ (new learner!) and any help she can give you as you go along is most appreciated.
PC Doctor
Dear PC Doctor:
In one of your columns you mentioned a keyboard shortcut for cut and paste that I found so helpful. Is there some place I can get a list of other shortcuts as I assume there must be more out there?
Tom
Dear Tom:
Yes, if you go to Google and type in keyboard shortcuts you will find a number of websites that offer lists. One of my favorites is www.microsoft.com/enable/products/keyboard.aspx which gives you the shortcut commands for the Microsoft products listed by program (i.e., Word, PowerPoint, Excel and so on).