FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  275 (09/08/01)

Q

I have to prepare the Report and Accounts for a charity and have them reproduced by the local printing firm. The report has to conform to the Charity Commission's strict standards of practice (SORP). I prepare the text in Word 2000, with tables in Excel but the printer operates with Apple software and has to translate everything. This is laborious and introduces errors in both content and layout. What should I do to make life easier me and for him?
Allan Ellson, Harpenden

A

It's unusual for a printer not to be able to handle a wide variety of file formats, it's not as though you are using unusual or obscure applications. You might want to ask for some alternative quotes from other local businesses. Alternatively, if you are committed to this particular company they should be able to process your documents if you save it in PostScript file format. You won't find this in the usual list of file formats in Word, the trick is to use a technique called Print to File, but before you can do that you have to install a PostScript printer driver. Go to Control Panel > Printers > Add Printer and select the HP 5si from the list, have your Windows installation disc handy and follow the instructions. Now, when you want to save your document as a PostScript file select Print from the File menu, choose the HP printer from the drop down Name list, and check the item 'Print to File'. Click OK, give the file a name and you might want to change the file extension from *.prn to *.ps, to identify it as a Postscript file. 

Q

Incoming emails arriving from one particular source are going straight into my Deleted Items box in Outlook Express bypassing the Inbox. The sender has an @aol.com email address. What is happening? 

D.Cussen

A

My guess is that you've accidentally selected the 'Block Sender' function when the message was highlighted, this option can be found on the Message menu. To unblock an address go to the Tools menu, select Message Rules then the Blocked Senders List.

Q

Somehow I have acquired a black band about 5/8ths of an inch wide all round the outer edge of my screen. I have been unable to get rid of it. Any ideas?
William Doyle

A

Assuming that you or someone else hasn't changed the resolution setting in Windows Control Panel (it's easy to spot, everything will have shrunk in size) this is usually caused by someone tinkering with the monitor's height and width or zoom controls (refer to the manual). If that doesn't fix it then there is an outside chance that the monitor may have developed a fault.  

Q

Regarding the problem that so many of us are having with junk mail (F!F!F! July 26^th|), I have found an excellent solution using a small program called "Quick Delete", available at http://yeti-soft.de/. This allows you to check the headers and subject lines of mail on the server without actually retrieving the entire message. Any unwanted mail can then be deleted from the server and only the desired mail is left to be retrieved by your usual mail client. Best of all, it's free (so far...) 

J.Karsai, Toronto, Canada.

A.

Thanks for that suggestion, and of course you can also view headers and delete messages from any POP3 mail system using a service like web2mail (www.web2mail.com)

Q

How do I change the default setting so that I can move the address on an envelope to where I want it and not where Microsoft Word 97 puts it?

Bill Mann

A

It's there but it's not obvious. Click on the 'Preview' Envelope on the Envelope and Labels dialogue box. This opens a second dialogue box with two boxes that let you alter the position of the Delivery and Return addresses.

Q

How can I set up my computer so that when I clear the window I am using all the others clear as well taking me back to the desktop. At the moment I have to clear every window in turn in order to get back to a window -free desktop?
Mike Annett

A

Providing you have a keyboard with a Windows key (Winkey) all you have to do to minimise all open applications is press Winkey + M, Winkey + Shift + M puts them all back again. Winkey + D toggles between open applications and the desktop though this doesn't work on some early versions of Windows 95. You can also close windows and applications quickly using the keyboard shortcut Alt + F4.

Q 

I loaded MS Office 97 onto my old computer prior to giving it to a relative. The computer was running Windows 95. Disaster! Windows was broken so badly that I cannot boot to DOS. All I can do is start Windows in 'Safe Mode'. I have deleted Autoexec.bat and Config.sys but the computer always tries to start Windows. I did manage, at one point, to get my CD-ROM drive recognised and I re-installed Windows - all to no avail. I simply cannot get rid of the dreadful Windows and all its meaningless error messages! How do I kill Windows so I can reinstall Windows? 

Peter C. Mawer, Holsworthy, Devon

A

Since you have been deleting system files and heaven knows what else I think the only thing you can do is wipe the disc and start again. You will need your Emergency Start-up disc and possibly the driver disc for your CD-ROM drive as well. If you haven't got a Start-up disc for that machine you can make one on any other Windows 95 PC from Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel. Boot the PC to DOS using the start-up disc and use the command 'format c: /s' to format the disc and copy across system files, to make drive C: bootable. Load your CD-ROM driver so that the PC recognises drive D: then load your Windows installation disc, type 'setup' and you're away. For a more detailed explanation of how to reload Windows have a look at Boot Camp 99.

Q

I like a fair proportion of the population, am left-handed. As I work with a PC and keyboard, principally with figure work, I have been searching in vain for a left-handed keyboard. That is to say with the "block" of numerals on the left, rather than the right. I find that using the lateral numbers across the top of the keyboard is quite time consuming and has a greater possibility of keying errors. Am I on a wild goose chase or does some enterprising manufacturer cater for us lefties?

David Alderman

A

They do and you can also get left-handed mice, but be warned they're not cheap. For a wide selection of left-handed products that you can order on-line have a look at: http://www.left-handed.com/. Another solution might be to get a separate numeric keypad, which you can place to the left of your keyboard, these can be bought from PC peripherals dealers and on-line retailers like www.jungle.com.