FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  341 (26/11/02)

Q

I have recently acquired a new computer installed with Windows XP and Office suite 2002 I then installed my copy of office 2000 with out any problems.  However after having to restore Windows XP to its original state I find I can no longer install Office 2000 due to an ' 'internal error 2349' which aborts the installation process midway. I am unable to get any help on this from my support centre. Can you advise?

Ben Stephens

A

The Internal Error 2349 message is generated by the Windows Installer utility, which translates as ‘copy resumed with different info’… In plain English that means that the data coming off the CD may be corrupt and this is usually due to scratches or dirt on the surface of the disc. Step one therefore is to give the disc a quick polish with a soft cloth, you can use washing up liquid to remove stubborn grime but make sure the disc is dry before you load it in the PC. If there are signs of scratching, use a cleaning kit. However, if the disc is damaged beyond repair the only solution is to get a replacement. These can be ordered from Microsoft at a cost of around £18.00, you will be asked for proof of purchase and the code from the End User Licence Agreement (EULA); the number (in the UK) to call is: 0870 60 10 100 

Q

When I send e-mail via a web site’s ‘Contact’ option, it does not record as an outgoing message, and there is no evidence it has been sent. Should it be filed as a Sent Message? If so, how does one find it, and what does one need to do to file it for record?
David Angell

A

There are two ways to send messages from a web page. The most common method is a highlighted link that opens up a blank message window in your email program and this will be treated in exactly the same was as a normal email and a copy will be retained in the Sent Messages folder. The other method, where you type directly into a box on the page is not really an email at all, it’s akin to filling out a form; the message doesn’t go through your email program, so it isn’t automatically filed.

I can think of three relatively simple ways to keep a record of what you sent. Providing the whole message can be seen you can simply press the PrtScn (Print Screen) key on your keyboard and an image of the web page will be stored in the Windows clipboard from where you can paste it into a Word document or save it as a bitmap image in Paint or a picture editing program. Method two, highlight, copy (Ctrl C) and paste (Ctrl V) the text into a word processor document or method three, compose the message in a word processor then copy and paste the text into the web page’s message window. 

Q

My brother's e-mail address has been taken over by someone unknown, who is sending out e-mails purporting to come from him.  A lot of these are being returned to his mailbox as being unable to be delivered.  Three have been returned from firms noting that there is a virus in the attachment. My brother has e-mailed the ISP webmaster to see if they can help stop this mis-use, but has had no reply.  He admits his anti-virus precautions were not up-to-date, but after this started he did an on-line scan with Housecall and as a result deleted some nasties.  However, this has not stopped the problem.  Do you have any ideas please on what he can do to stop it?

Derek Bird

A

As soon as your brother received a warning message that his PC was infected he should have stopped sending emails. There’s no point him complaining to his ISP, it’s not their fault, the responsibility for virus protection lies squarely with the PC owner and it can be easily avoided by installing anti-virus software, and making sure it is kept up to date. There’s no excuse, the virus, which is almost certainly a mass-mailer ‘worm’ like Klez, Bugbear or Badtrans, has been around for ages. There’s been plenty of publicity and a steady stream of updates and patches from Microsoft for Outlook Express and anti virus software. If your brother installs an up to date anti-virus program and caries out a full scan the infected files will be isolated and neutralised but it’s important to stress to him that he must keep his anti-virus program up to date in future.

Q

In a moment of madness, I deleted a folder from my C:\ drive (and the Recycle Bin), which I didn't mean to, and I have lost lots of important files. Is there any way I can recover this? I was under the impression that files can be recovered from your PC even if you have deleted them?  

Antony Hall

A

Even when you empty the Recycle Bin after deleting files the actual data remains on the hard disc but the space it occupies on the disc is marked as available so it will eventually be overwritten. There are a number of recovery programs on the market that can identify ‘deleted’ files and test to see if any of the data is still readable; have a look at a shareware utility called File Rescue, more information and a link to the download can be found at: http://www.softwareshelf.com/

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Q

The letters that I type most often on my desktop are my e-mail address. This is used for many on-line services including log-ins. My e-mail address is rather long.  Is there any way I can permanently store this in the PC such that it can be recalled by a short combination of keystrokes?  Of course I could add to the clipboard at the start of each session but it is likely to get over-written by other work and in any event, clears on shut down. I have Windows 98 with Office 97.
David Bickell, Ipswich.

A

In Word you can create an AutoText entry that can be recalled by a keyboard shortcut, or will appear automatically as soon as you start typing the first few letters of your email address. To set it up type out your address then highlight it and click Insert > AutoText > AutoText, select the AutoText tab and click the Add button. To assign it a shortcut go to Customize on the Tools menu and click the Keyboard button. Scroll down the list in the left hand ‘Categories’ pane to AutoText, click that then locate your email address entry in the right hand pane, highlight it then go to the Press New Shortcut field and choose an easy to remember two or three key combination, Word will tell you if it has already been allocated to another function, if so and it’s not something you use you can simply reassign it.