FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  302 (26/02/02)

Q

My dad just bought a Pentium 233MHz PC and I understand that the computer’s BIOS allows the chip to be over-clocked. I've looked at several overclocking web sites but they aren’t very specific, in short, would it be safe for the chip (and my dad’s blood pressure) to clock the chip to its next speed of 266MHz?

Colin Stewart

A

Overclocking – forcing a PC to run faster than it was designed to do – is rarely worthwhile. In any case such a small increase in speed, from 233 to 266MHz would be virtually unnoticeable. Even when successful processor and memory chips run much hotter when overclocked, which often leads to instability and failure. Whilst it is true there were some impressive performance gains to be had on some older CPU chips, it usually involved a lot of messing around. These days it’s hardly worth the effort with budget PCs now operating at over 1GHz, which you may well end up knowing all about, if you incinerate your dad’s PC…

Q

I am running Windows 98 SE (updated through Windows Update), Explorer 6 and Outlook Express 6. Frequently (I would say 9 times out of 10) when I log off the internet the system hangs and on pressing Ctl-Alt-Del Msgsrv32 is shown as Not Responding. If I click end then all is cleared and the system continues. I can't find a similar situation described on the Microsoft Knowledgebase. Have you any ideas?
Bryan Clarke

A

Windows 32-bit Message Server or ‘Msgsrv32.exe’ is an important program that controls a lot of behind the scenes activities in Windows, including loading and unloading drivers during startup and shutdown, it’s responsible for Windows Explorer, coordinates Windows setup configuration and plays the system and startup and shutdown sounds. Error messages associated with Msgsrv32 are often caused by iffy screen savers or Windows power management. Try switching off your screensaver and if that doesn’t work disable Power Management setting in Control Panel

You’ll find some more helpful hints at: http://www.geocities.com/ Athens/Troy/6883/msgsrv32.html

There is some useful information in the Microsoft Knowledgebase but it is vast and not that easy to use. The trick is to be concise and narrow the search to just the Knowledgebase. Go to www.microsoft.com, click the Search link at the top of the page then select Advanced Search, next to the ‘Search For’ box, clear everything except Support and the Knowledgebase. In the Search For box type ‘Msgsvr not responding’ and this should bring up Knowledgebase article Q166987 at or close to the top of the list, which you may find helpful.

Q

I have just replaced a Windows 95-based computer including MS Office with Word 7 etc. Using this I accumulated a lot of Word files on floppy discs. However the replacement outfit came with Windows XP and MS Works 6.0 and this has thrown up a problem. Windows XP will show the contents of a Word 7 floppy but apparently the word processor in Works cannot read or print them out. I need to refer to some of these documents occasionally, what can I do to get around this problem, other than re-type the lot?

John Leech

A

The simplest solution is to get hold of the Microsoft Word File Viewer. This program will let you access your old Word files, so you can print them out or copy and paste the text into an open Works word processor document. The program is free, the download file is 3.8Mb and it can be found at: http://office.microsoft.com/

downloads/2000/wd97vwr32.aspx

Q 

Having sent an e-mail recently -- not anonymously, but without my surname -- I did not realise that my name was attached to the message until it was read out over the air on radio. Is it therefore possible for me to remain anonymous and if so how can I do this?

D. E. Launchbury

A

When you signed up for an email account or configured Outlook Express for the first time you were asked to enter your name and told that this would appear on all of your email messages. This information can be edited by going to Accounts on the Tools menu, highlight your account name, click Properties and select the General tab. The Name field is what will be shown on your emails and you can edit or delete this as you see fit.

However, it is still possible to deduce your name from your email address – very easy in your case -- and your name and ISP details will also be included in hidden ‘header’ information that is sent with every email. This can be easily read by anyone by right-clicking on an email message in an OE Inbox and selecting Properties. The bottom line is that it is very difficult to remain completely anonymous, but it’s not impossible. Web sites and email servers called re-mailers can strip out any identifying data from your emails, making it impossible to trace it back to your ISP. If you want to know more there’s a useful article at: http://www.stack.nl/~galactus/remailers/

Q

What is the current view on switching one's computer on and off? If it is used during the day, I leave it on, but automatically switch it off at night. Is it safe/better to leave it on, with the monitor switched off?
Brian Roper

A

The chances of component failure increase significantly when a computer is booted up and shut down. This is due to voltage transients and thermal shock therefore it is better not to switch your PC on and off anymore than is strictly necessary. In other words you are doing the right thing, leave it switched on throughout the day and switch it off when you have finished for the day and the monitor should go into standby mode. Leaving the PC switched on at night is not a good idea, apart from anything else it wastes energy and subjecting some components to prolonged heating can shorten their lives.

Q

I thought I understood cookies, but I have come across 'web bugs' in an article about cookie management. What are web bugs, do they bite, and what should be done about them?

Darryl Watts

A

Web Bugs or ‘1-pixel gifs’ have been around for a while. They are basically spyware components, hidden on web pages. When you visit a site with a Web Bug it sends a message back to your PC – known as ‘pinging’ – asking the PC to identify itself. The information it returns can tell the web site such things as your IP address, the time and date of your visit, the type of browser that you are using and any data stored in ‘cookies’ planted by that site.

Really this is only of concern if you still believe that the Internet is secure and web browsing is a private activity. Various programs are available that will block or alert you to the fact that a site contains bugs. Have a look at Bugnosis (http://www.bugnosis.org/), which makes an ‘uh-oh’ sound when a bug is detected, and AdSubtract  (http://www.adsubtract.com/se/features.html). If you want to learn more about these little blighters go to:

http://www.privacyfoundation.org/

resources/webbug.asp