FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  343 (10/12/02)

Q

When I visit some sites a popup ad appears telling me my computer is vulnerable, but when I check my ports etc. with Shields Up the report is that I cannot be seen. Are the ads just trying to sell me some software or am I really at risk?
Doug

A

The security tests at www.grc.com are quite stringent so if you are being told by Shields Up and Probe My Ports that your PC is protected or in ‘Stealth’ mode then you needn’t worry too much, but you might want to do something about those annoying popups! My favourite popup-stopper is still FreeSurfer, which seems to zap around 99 percent of them, it’s a freeware program and you can download it from: http://www.kolumbus.fi/eero. muhonen/FS/Support.htm

Q

I've recently moved house and cannot get Sky Digital due to a number of very tall trees obstructing my view of the satellite. I also cannot get cable because I live in a private road not served by NTL. Is there any way I can watch Sky via the Internet, through a broadband connection, and pass the signal into a TV?

Tony Freeman

A

Unfortunately not, even if BskyB provided such a service, video streaming – even over a comparatively fast broadband connection -- still produces a small jerky, low-resolution image and choppy sound. It’s well worth talking to a local specialist aerial installation firm (rather than Sky’s own installers), to see if they can find a position for a dish on your property. Check with your neighbours, if one of them has a dish installed you may be able to come to an agreement with them, to share their satellite feed.

Q

I was playing around with my settings, trying to get my *.jpg files to open with Internet Explorer instead of Photo Editor. I managed to do that but in the process messed up with previews in Windows Explorer. I no longer get previews of my picture files. What can I do? I've tried reinstalling Windows (without uninstalling) but that did not help.

Chris Were

A

Loosing the Thumbnail view option in Windows Explorer is usually caused by changes to the Registry, which may have resulted from your tinkering. Nevertheless check to make sure that you still have ‘Web View’ enabled in Windows Explorer as this can affect the Thumbnail View setting. If that doesn’t work then have a look at Microsoft Knowledgebase article Q194177, which deals with the topic in some depth and lists several possible cures. You can get to it quickly by typing the KB article number into Google’s search window, or there’s the old fashioned way: http://support.microsoft.com/ default.aspx?scid=KB;en-us;q194177

Q

I belong to a club where we use an old fashioned but very efficient DOS database to maintain all sorts of club records. (The Windows version is beyond our budget). The database is worked on daily by volunteers who are not totally computer illiterate and persist in opening more than one copy of the program; this causes difficulties when they later try to close down. I would like to be able to boot-up the system in DOS mode, is there a way to do this?

Bob Chatfield

A

There are three simple methods in Windows 95/98/SE. At switch on press the F8 key, to bring up the Startup Menu, then select the ‘Command Prompt Only’. Method two, load your PC’s Emergency Startup disc and it should boot to DOS when you switch on, though you may need to alter the BIOS settings. However, the easiest method is to run Windows then open Notepad (Start > Programs > Accessories), locate the msdos.sys file, which you will find in the root directory of your C: drive. Look for the line ‘BOOTGUI=1’, change this to BOOTGUI=0 and Save. From now on Windows will boot to a DOS prompt. If you want to start Windows simply type ‘Win’.  If you are using Windows ME or XP you have to use the Startup disc method.

Q

I use Word 2000 all day and every day, so I know it very well. The spell check always defaults to the US version despite the selecting UK on the Language menu.  It will hold for about one word then goes back to the US.  Who wants a zee in organize, we are British after all. HELP! It is driving me and every one else in the office mad.

David Coopper]

A

Check the obvious first; your PC’s Regional Settings in Control Panel should be set to UK and not the US default. Otherwise there are a couple of other things to try. Open Word with a blank document, go Language on the Tools menu, select English (UK), then click Default then OK, exit and restart Word. If that doesn’t work then have a look at the article on the Microsoft Office web site, which deals with language settings in Word. It includes a tool that you can download to change language setup and details of the registry keys involved in language selection. You’ll find it at:

http://www.microsoft.com/office/

ork/2000/journ/howtouselangver.htm

Q

I understand that one can have password protection on files, but is there a way where I can protect folders? This would save me from having to enter my password every time I need to access a file within a particular folder?

Nancy Ng

A

Password protecting files and folders is only effective against the most casual snooping, the only way to keep your data safe is to hide or encrypt the files and folders. Have a look at these two freeware utilities: Hide Folders (http://www.fspro.net/) makes specified files on your PC virtually invisible and KinCode (www.kinocode.com/downloads.htm) uses a powerful encryption algorithm to scramble the data so that if anyone opens the file or folder it appears to be filled with a meaningless jumble.

Q

Please could you tell me how to de-activate the entirely useless and enormously irritating insert/overtype toggle in Word?
Peter Nash

A

It would have been useful to know which version of the program you are using but for Word 2000/2 go to Options on the Tools menu, select the Edit tab and deselect the item ‘Overtype Mode’ then OK.

In you are using Word 97 select Customize on the Tools menu, click the Commands tab and then the Keyboard button, in the Categories box select All Commands and on the Commands List choose Overtype. On the Current Keys list select Ins then click the Remove Button then Close.