FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  266 (07/06/01)

Q

Further to the correspondence on French cyber-cafés (F!F!F May 24th), my ISP has secure webmail on its website, so I can access it anywhere. I've done so in France, Germany and Italy for receiving and sending messages. My main problem with foreign keyboards has been the location of the @ key, which seems very variable; but I'm just a two-finger pensioner typist - always with eyes down - so speed isn't an issue. I mainly look for little cafés (often around colleges) and have found their staff unfailingly helpful. Many, recognising my accent, showed me to a machine with an English or American keyboard. You need pay no more than £1 for 15 minutes (and often less - I did find one Florentine café where connection came free with the coffee after 1800h weekdays!). My advice is leave the pain-in-the-arse mobile in the suitcase and get out and enjoy yourself with the locals.

John Aven

A

Sounds like sensible advice, thanks

Q

I have bought a new computer, and installed the old hard disk as well. Can you tell me how to transfer my old favourites list in Explorer, rather than having to revisit them all?
Jeremy Hills

A

You'll find file containing all of your Favourites in the Windows folder, simply Copy & Paste the file to the same location on your new hard disc drive 

Q

I got connected to the Internet just a couple of weeks ago.  In looking at golf sites, and wanting to view video clips, I found they wouldn't play. I was invited to download (free) RealPlayer Basic, my existing RealPlayer being apparently not up to the job. After some difficulty I managed to do this, and now see and hear the clips. But, given the choice of downloading to disk or file, I downloaded to file (whatever that means) - not sure why! What implications does this have, if any?  If I'd have done better to download to the hard disc, can I change now, and, if so, how? I'd appreciate guidance.

Gareth Jones

A

This is a Windows safety feature and it's a first line of defence against viruses hidden in file downloads. If you choose the Open File option then you are allowing your PC to process the file straight away, whatever it is. Generally speaking the risk is quite low with video clips, nevertheless you should make sure that your virus scanner monitors Internet downloads, and it is up to date. Otherwise, when downloading programs or any other type of file that you are not absolutely sure about you should choose the Save To Disk option. The file will be stored, unopened, in a location of your choosing on the hard disc, where it can't do any harm. It is effectively quarantined and you can run it through your virus scanner, before you open it.

Q

Every time I start my computer and after the Windows 98 screen appears, it is followed by a message "that a device file may be needed to run a Windows Application. Windows Registry or System.Ini refers to this device file, but it does not exist."  It always refers to file PtUDF.vxd. I have not deleted any devices and all my programs seem to run. What should I do to remove this message? Start Up stops until I have pressed a key. I have looked at the System. Ini file but that gave me no help.

Peter Yorke

A

This error message is usually connected with CD-RW drives, and Sony models in particular, it can also happen after installing CD-ROM 'burner' programs like Easy CD and Nero Burning. There are a number of things you can try, if you have Nero Burning try re-installing the Packet Writing utility. Apparently Norton Utilities 2000 will fix it for you, and finally, if you know your way around the Windows Registry, you could try deleting the PtUDF key, (but only after you have made a backup. The location should be: H_KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/System/

CurrentControlSet/Services/VXD

Q

When I try to connect to the Internet I get a message that reads: "Check your content advisor settings for missing information. Click the tools menu and then click Internet options…' It then continues to connect me and I have an Action Cancelled screen. I then do as instructed and then retry loading my homepage - it works fine. If I then disconnect and reconnect the settings have not been remembered and I have to go through the whole procedure again. Help please!

R. J. Perkin, Bentley Ipswich

A

This annoyance is usually caused by a corrupted file in the Windows System folder, called Ratings.pol. You will find simple step-by-step instructions to cure it in the Microsoft Knowledgebase at:

http://support.microsoft.com/support/

kb/articles/Q242/0/37.ASP

Q

For some time I have tried to listen to the radio via my PC. Having found a station that I want to listen to, it plays very slowly (like an old 45rpm record played at 33rpm). I have Windows 98. Can you offer any advice?
Ian Styles, islg01932@blueyonder.co.uk

A

It would have been helpful to know which media player you are using and the name of the station concerned, however slow playback is a known configuration problem in some versions of the RealAudio player, solutions can be found in the RealAudio FAQ at: http://service.real.com/help/faq/. The Windows Media player also has its fair share of quirks and in case you are using that, have a look at the Microsoft Support article at:

http://www.microsoft.com/windows98/

support/faq/SUPFAQMPlayer.asp

Q

Is there any way of blocking unauthorised ISP dialup connections? I have got a phone line dedicated specifically for connecting to the Internet and I use the BT Anytime dialup connection. Unknown to me, my children were using other ISP dialup connections for which BT quite rightly charged to my telephone account. I am looking for a way to block unauthorised dialup connections on my two computers so that only the authorised BT Anytime dialup connection is used.

Dave Agrawal

A

Why not just uncheck the 'Save Password' option in the Dial Up Connection dialogue box, and keep the passwords for the connections you do not want to be used to yourself?

Q

I disagree with your explanation concerning the question from the guy with a PC with 32Mb RAM installed but only 31MB available (F!F!F! May 24th). The most likely cause is that on many budget PCs 1MB of system RAM is used for the onboard video.
Colin Marrow

A

In fact I did mention – albeit in passing – that the motherboard can claim RAM memory for itself, usually for video processing, and this is controlled by BIOS settings. However, the crux of the problem was that the questioner's PC needs more memory. 

Q

Twice in the past two weeks when booting up my laptop which runs on Windows 98 I have received a Windows message asking me to confirm the change to Summer Time. When I click to check the date and time I see a spurious date (out by ten or more years) and time.   The computer is only about two years old, any ideas as to what is causing this? 

William Dunne

A

A pound to a penny the backup battery that powers the PC's internal clock has expired, you should be able to change it yourself, refer to the users handbook