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BOOT CAMP 105
TOP TRAUMAS part 1
Find a pair of scissors because you may want to cut out and
keep the next two editions of Boot Camp. They are a direct result of the
thousands of e-mails, letters and faxes sent in to our sister column Faqs!
Facts! Fax! Every week we receive
numerous requests from readers to repeat a particular tip or solution.
Unfortunately limited space and time means we can only oblige with a fraction
of these often-desperate pleas for help. As a result we've sifted through our
files and compiled solutions for the ten most common problems and answers to
questions from users of Windows 95 and 98, and popular applications like
Microsoft Word. So, without more ado, here's the first batch of tecno traumas.
1. DEFRAG AND SCANDISK
As you know the filing system on your PC's hard disc becomes
disorganised over time. To keep your PC working smoothly it's a good idea to regularly
run the Scandisk and Defrag utilities (Start > Programs > Accessories >
System Tools, or right click your hard disc icon in My Computer and select the
Tools tab). Before you start either of them it's important to close all applications
and programs. However, a lot of users find that Scandisk and Defrag 'hang'
after they've processed only around 10% of the drive. That's usually because a
program is still operating in the background that changes the contents of the
drive, forcing the utility to start over again. The usual culprits are screen
savers and virus checks, so disable them before you begin. If Scandisk or
Defrag still hangs press Ctrl + Alt + Delete to open the Close Program dialogue
box and use End Task to shut the programs down one by one (all except Explorer
and System Tray). If that doesn't work restart the PC in Safe Mode (press F8
after switch on, and choose Safe Mode from the menu that appears), then run the
utilities again. As a last resort try the heavy-duty version of Scandisk in DOS.
Restart the PC in DOS mode (not a DOS window) and at the C:/ > prompt type
'scandisk.exe'. It's more thorough than the Windows version and be warned the
option to carry out a Surface Scan can take an hour or more on larger disc
drives.
2.
OFFICE ASSISTANT IN WORD
Mr Paperclip who pops up – often without warning in Word and
Office – proffering unwanted advice is a deeply unpopular facility and quite
difficult to get rid of, using the recommended menu options. Here's a simple
way to rid your PC of him once and for all. Open Windows Explorer then Program
Files > Microsoft Office > Office and right click on the folder called
Actors. Rename it Dead_Actors and Mr Paperclip will be no more.
3. SHORTCUT ARROWS
This is a perennial favourite, or rather a nuisance that
bothers a lot of users of Windows 95 and 98. It concerns the tiny arrows
superimposed on shortcut icons on the desktop. Quite why they're so annoying to
so many readers is a mystery but there are several ways of removing them. The simplest
method is to reduce the size of desktop icons. Right click on the desktop to
bring up the Display Properties, select the Appearance tab, highlight Icon on
the Item drop-down menu and reduce the size from the default of 35 to 30 or
less.
A more elegant solution is to install a little program
called Tweak UI, which is part of the Microsoft PowerToys suite of utilities. It's
worth installing in any case because it has a good assortment of features for
customising Windows, including zapping those pesky arrows. Tweak UI is included
on the Windows 98 CD-ROM (first edition) in the Tools > Reskit >
PowerToys folder (full instructions are in the Readme file) or a version for
Windows 95 can be downloaded from the Microsoft web site.
4. WNETGETUSER RETURNED
When opening Outlook Express you may be confronted with an error
message saying WnetGetUser Returned, followed by a lot of gobbledegook. Clicking
OK usually gets rid of it and the program runs normally but it can be very
annoying. This usually happens when the PC hasn't been given a 'name'. The cure
is simple, go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > Network, select
the Identification tab and in the name field type 'default' or any other name
up to 15 characters but no spaces. If the Identification tab is missing click
the Add button, double click Client for Microsoft Networks and OK. Restart the PC,
return to Network in Control Panel and the tab should now be there.
5. NETWORK PASSWORD BOX
If your PC continually prompts you for a Network Password
when you boot up open Network in Control Panel then highlight Primary Network
Logon and restart your PC. If that doesn't work try this. Open Find on the
Start menu and in the Named field type in '*.pwl' and click Find Now. Rename any
files that appear with the suffix '.old' and restart the PC. If the box reappears
enter a username (your initials will do) but leave the Password field blank,
press Enter and restart the PC.
Next week – Slow shutdown, keyboard shortcuts, print
screen and much more
JARGON FILTER
DEFRAG
Defragging a PC's hard disc drive tidies up the filing
system, speeding up data access and making programs run more smoothly
DOS
Disc Operating System, a program that runs independently of
Windows responsible for controlling disc drives, organising data and memory
resources.
SCANDISK
A Windows utility that checks the integrity of data stored
on a hard disc drive, identifies problems, and where possible, puts them right
TOP TIP
If you've had your PC for more than a year or so the desktop
is probably starting to get a bit crowded. Of course you can always remove
icons and shortcuts you rarely use but if you're the sort of person who hates
to part with anything, here's a simple way of packing even more icons onto your
desktop, by reducing the space between them. If you can find an empty area on
the desktop click into it and the Display Properties window should appear. Select
the Appearance tab and under Item highlight Icon Spacing (horizontal). Change
the value from the default setting to 30 and click Apply. Now do the same with
Icon Spacing (vertical). You may need to experiment with different values and
watch out for large overlapping Icon labels. If that becomes a problem edit the
text by clicking slowly into the label box three times or reduce the size of
the actual icon – the option is on the same drop down menu as Icon
Spacing.
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