FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  359 (15/04/03)

Q

As a novice emailer I have met a nuisance problem. Each time I log on to Outlook Express and send an email, I am disconnected from the Internet, directly the mail is sent.

W A McIlroy

A

Don’t worry you’ll soon get used to Outlook Express’s funny little ways… You will find the auto disconnect option on the Tools menu, select Options then click the Connections tab and uncheck the item 'Hang up after sending and receiving'

Q

Somewhere buried deep in the Microsoft operating system is a file, which determines which day of which month the clocks go forward and back during the year. I did find it once but have been unable to again. This file changes the visible clock on Windows as appropriate. Can you tell me where this file is please?
David Dawson-Taylor

A

There’s no need to dig around for files, Windows 98 onwards comes with a neat little utility called the Time Zone Editor. This is designed to correct errors and allow for changes to Daylight Saving Time (DST) in some parts of the world. You’ll find Tzedit.exe on your Windows installation CD-ROM, usually in the Tools\reskit\config folder. Once loaded simply select a time zone, click the edit button and change the values as required.

Q

In Boot Camp (March 25th) you explained how to change the location of Outlook Express's message store folder. This is a great tip, and I've moved mine to the root of my C: drive as it makes it much easier to back it up. Is it possible to do the same with one's Address Book?

Alan Singlehurst

A

Not as such, but you can easily copy your Address Book to any location on your disc drive or a floppy disc, so you can transfer it to another PC, laptop or organiser. Go to Export on the File menu, click Address Book and select Text File (comma separated values). This creates a text file with the extension *.csv. Next, select a location for the file. To restore or copy the address book use Import on the File menu, select the ‘Other Address Book’ option, which lets you specify a *.csv file.

Q

Each time I start my computer I get a notice on the screen.  (DW has caused an error in DW.EXE. DW will now close. If you continue to experience problems try restarting your computer. I then click on the cross and everything is OK until next time I start up.

B Copeland

A

There are a couple of possibilities. There’s a slim chance that it could be the Doctor Watson error-logging tool in Windows trying to send a report back to Microsoft. The more likely explanation is that you’ve inadvertently downloaded a piece of spyware or a virus – this particular one often rides piggyback with the file sharing utility Kazaa -- that is trying to hijack your PC’s Internet connection. To eliminate the first possibility go to Run on the Start menu and type ‘msconfig’ without the quotes, and look for any instance of Doctor Watson. If you don’t see them look for something called ‘Downloadware’ or ‘Medialoader’ and uncheck either or both of them and reboot. At your earliest opportunity you should download a freeware spyware zapper like Spybot S&D (http://security.kolla.de/) or the latest version of Adaware (http://www.lavasoftusa.com/) and run a complete check, and make sure your virus scanner is up to date with the latest signature files.

Q

I have recently upgraded to Windows XP on a new computer. My problem is that it does not appear to have Cardfile and I am lost without it.  I have my files backed up from my old Windows 98 but I cannot access them without the new program.

Tom Holloway

A

Cardfile, which was originally bundled with Windows 3.1, wasn’t installed by default in later versions but it was included on the installation disc. For those who fondly remember this program the installation instructions can be found at in the Microsoft Knowledge Base at: http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=245157 .

I have it on fairly good authority that the program Cardfile.exe will run under Windows XP but I think you would be better off using an updated third-party version of the program, called AzzCardfile, which is designed to work with XP and can read all of your old data files. The program is freeware and can be downloaded from: http://www.azzcardfile.com/cardfile/cardfile.html

Q

I am shortly moving over to broadband. Windows XP includes a firewall, which I have permanently activated. Is this sufficient for "always on" use? If
not, and I install another firewall do I need to disable the XP version or can both run together?
Terry Roberton

A

The XP firewall is a good first level of defence and should foil most attempts to infiltrate your PC from the outside but it offers no protection against malicious spyware or adware programs on your PC. These may attempt to hijack your Internet connection and send private or personal data from your computer and the only way to stop that happening is to install a more powerful firewall. There are plenty of commercial programs to choose from but the two most popular freeware titles ZoneAlarm (www.zonelabs.com) and Agnitum Outpost (http://www.agnitum.com/products/outpost/), both do an excellent job, however, you should only use one firewall at a time as they have a tendency to argue with one another.

Q

The game Taipei was installed with the software when we purchased our computer, and it has since vanished. Is there any way of retrieving it from the bowels, together with another game added later, which is also no longer with us.  These games were definitely not deleted, and I am assured that therefore they must still be in there somewhere!

Geraldine Guthrie

A

The usual procedure, when you’ve mislaid a file or program on your PC, is to look for it in Find or Search on the Start menu. Type in ‘Taipei.*’ (without the quotes); the asterisk is a ‘wildcard’, and will show all files associated with the program and should show you where it has been stored. Look for a file ending in ‘.exe’ and double click on it to start the program. If it works right click on the ‘exe’ file and select Send To > Desktop (create Shortcut).

If you can’t find it, don’t worry, there are plenty of other free versions of this popular game available to play or download on the Internet. Here’s a small selection:

www.heuse.com/taipei.html

www.kielack.de/games/taipei.htm

www.computer-game-online.com/

download/Game-Desktop%20Taipei.htm