FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  293 (11/12/01)

Q

A few months back you published details of sources of programs for seating plans for large dinner parties and, unfortunately, I've lost the information.

Paddy Langdown

A

You’re referring to the replies to an Over 2 You question back in March, a number of web sites with shareware and demon programs were suggested including:

 www.altrealityinc.com/wedplan/demo.htm   

www.fivestarsoftware.com

www.rad-solutions.co.uk

www.choreosoft.com/

www.tidy.co.uk/SeatPlanProduct.htm 

www.smartwedding.com 

Q

Almost every time I boot up my new computer with Windows XP I get this error message: "The system has recovered from a serious error. Please tell Microsoft about this problem".  I am then invited to "send" the error message. I have done this many times and have received a reply stating that Microsoft is considering the problem. Do you think there really is something wrong with the computer or is it just an annoying feature of XP?

John Wheeler, Easterton

A

There’s clearly a persistent problem that Windows XP is unable to resolve. The ‘error message’ you’re seeing is part of Microsoft’s strategy to reduce the time it takes to report bugs and glitches, which hopefully will result in drivers, patches and solutions to problems being made available much faster. However, that doesn’t help you right now so I suggest you start by taking note of any error messages that might point to the cause of the crash, any recently installed software or hardware must be high on the list of suspects.

You should also have a look for driver conflicts in Device Manager, which you can find by right clicking on My Computer and selecting Properties. If you click on any flagged entries Windows should offer to start one of its problem-solving ‘Troubleshooters’.

Q

I am a comparative newcomer to computing and have been booking holiday accommodation by E-mail. However on Friday I received an e-mail with attachment from my correspondent (which I had not opened) together with an urgent message from my internet service provider telling me that my message contained a virus (WORM_BADTRANS.B) and advising me to erase the whole message, which I promptly did, but I have been left with a number of questions - perhaps you could help?

What does this virus do, and is there any way that I could have discovered it without the timely E-mail warning? Would my virus scanner (Norton) have picked it up - or do I have to update it regularly? If so how often?

Is there any indication that one has been invaded by a virus - orthat an attachment contains a virus - is it safe to open an e-mail without scanning for viruses? I am sure my correspondent is not aware of the problem (I have sent him a warning, but obviously too late). What can we do to eradicate a virus if we have caught one?

These viruses are, I think, let loose when opening an attachment - is there any other way of `catching` one?

I understand that these viruses replicate themselves via our address book. I started mine off with "aaaa" as suggested in your column the other week to try to stop this - is this enough?

Lastly - I have lost the four small icons to the right of the start sign on my tool bar - how do I regain them?
M. J. Derbyshire, Bolton

Q

Badtrans is a non-destructive ‘mass-mailer’ virus that exploits a security loophole in Internet Explorer/Outlook Express version 5. It also plants a Trojan program on your PC that records keyboard activity. In theory allow someone to see what you’ve been doing on your computer. The virus only affects Outlook Express propagates by attaching itself to entries in your address book and usually the only way you know you’ve been infected is a lot of emails from people telling you that you’re sending them bits of old emails.

A ‘patch’ that plugs the loophole is available from: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/treeview/ default.asp?url=/technet/security/bulletin/MS01-020.asp, but a regularly updated virus scanner should pick it up before it can do any harm. Removal instructions and various detection and disinfection programs are also available to download, have a look at:

http://securityresponse.symantec.com/ avcenter/venc/data/w32.badtrans.b@mm.html

http://www.pandasecurity.com/utilities/badtrans-b.htm

http://vil.nai.com/vil/virusSummary.asp

?virus_k=99069#VirusChar

The ‘aaaaa’ dummy email address suggested in a Boot Camp Top Tip a couple of weeks ago will only stop the virus replicating, the only way to stop this kind of thing happening in the future is to make sure your virus software is kept up to date, and never open unexpected or unsolicited attachments. If you have Outlook Express set up to show a preview pane (i.e. emails are opened automatically) I strongly suggest you switch it off (under Layout on the View menu). Finally, the missing ‘Quick Launch’ icons have probably just been accidentally switched off, right-click on an empty part of the Taskbar, select Toolbars and click Quick Launch.

Q

Every time I boot up Microsoft ME and the desk top icons appear, within a couple of seconds the details of Money also appear in the centre of the screen telling me that I can do this or that with the money pages. The only way to get rid of this is to 'close' and click each time it appears on the top right 'cross'. Somehow I want to disable this. On the other hand I don't want to remove the program.

Peter Bloomfield

A

I suspect there’s a automatic ‘reminder’ program in the Start-up group, you should be able to remove it by going to Start > Program > Start Up, look for a Money icon shortcut, right click and select Delete, this will not affect the program in any way.

Q

My PC has lost "System Tools" in Accessories - how do I find and reinstall them?

Alan  Holford-Walker

A

The shortcut has probably just disappeared but you can reinstall them by going to Add/Remove Programs in Control Panel, select the Windows tab, check System Tools and follow the prompts.

Q

When I connect to the Internet the dialling sound is no longer audible. How can I restore it?
Jean Hutchins

A

Open Dial-Up Networking (it’s either in My Computer, Control Panel or Setting on the Start menu, depending on your version of Windows), right click your ISP connection, select Properties then the Configure button and the General tab and there you should find the modem speaker/volume settings.

Q

How can I delete emails without opening them? I had a very odd one from a stranger but had to open it to move it to the delete area but still had to open it from there to get rid of it completely.

Doreen Mccann

A

Right click on the email in your Inbox and select Delete from the list

Q

We recently installed Zone Alarm on our computer and had Tsadbot wanting to access. I said no as I had no idea what it was - I asked a few friends and found it was spyware. I deleted the files and now find I can no longer play eGames solitaire 2 as I get the message Run Time error '48' Addon2vb.dll File not found.  Is it possible to obtain this file from anywhere so that I may use my game? 

Pat Day

A

Tsadbot apparently renames an important file called important file, fortunately it can be easily restored, there’s a useful article on the eGames web site, (http://www.egames.com/) click on the Support tab and the link for removing ‘ad-serving technology’.