FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  433 (21/09/04)

Q

I see frequent references to broadband being ‘always on’ and therefore making your computer more vulnerable to hackers etc. whilst it is switched on. Having just installed broadband I still "disconnect" when I have finished using the Internet and reconnect when I wish to use it again, as with dial-up (but far quicker). I appreciate that the broadband connection between my modem and the Internet is still live, but is there still any threat to my computer when disconnected in this way? I do have AVG and ZoneAlarm anyway, but just wish to understand the risks?

Paul Ainsworth, via email

A

Since you have installed a Firewall the chances of a hacker penetrating your defences are very small indeed, however, you can put your mind at rest by subjecting your PC to the excellent ‘Shields Up’ security checker at www.grc.com. This carries out a series of tests and reports on any vulnerability, and how to fix any problems it uncovers.

Q

We read about, USB 2 being backwards compatible with USB 1 and this is all well and good but how do you tell which type of USB port your PC has, especially if was built during the transition period a couple of years ago?

Mick Gawl, via email

A

The USB standard used by your PC is not very well signposted by Windows but you should find the information in the motherboard manual that came with your PC, or from the motherboard manufacturer or PC vendor’s web site. Otherwise go to Device Manager in Windows (right-click My Computer, select Properties; in XP select the Hardware tab) then double-click  ‘Universal Serial Bus Controllers’. If you see an entry with the word ‘Enhanced’ in it you have USB 2 ports. However it may be labelled differently in earlier versions of Windows, for a list of other possibilities have a look at: www.everythingusb.com/usb2/faq.htm

Q

I want to change from Outlook Express to Thunderbird, as recommended in Boot Camp a couple of weeks ago. In the process of attempting to do this I am required to state my incoming and outgoing ‘Servers’. How can I ascertain what they are? 

Alan Green, via email

A

You will find this information in OE by going to Tools > Accounts, highlight your email account(s) then click Properties and the Servers tab, however, I am surprised that you are having to do this as normally Thunderbird automatically extracts this information during installation. It is possible the auto configuration system didn't work, in which case you can try kick-starting it in Thunderbird by going to Tools > Import, select Settings then click Next.

Q

I have just recently bought a new tower PC with a DVD+RW drive. I would like to use the DVD writer as if it were a floppy drive to save files direct to disc. I have so far gathered that I could save a file to My Documents then save this file back to the disc at the end, however I do not want the two extra steps. Word does not seem to recognise my DVD drive though previously this was possible with an Iomega Zip drive on my old PC.

Steve Wood, via email

A

A system called ‘packet writing’ or UDF (Universal disc format) allows you to treat a CD-R/CD-RW and DVD-R/DVD+RW exactly like a floppy disc so you can write to the disc from an application or drag and drop files from Windows Explorer. The two best-known packet writing utilities are Direct CD (or Drag to Disc as it is now known), which is included in Roxio Easy Media Creator, and InCD, bundled with Ahead Nero Burning. The only points to watch out for are that whilst you can erase files on a read-only disc (CD-R or DVD-R) you only delete the reference to the file in the disc directory and the data remains on the disc. Discs can only be read on the PC they were created on (or another PC with the same software) until they are ‘finalised’ at which point no more data can be added but they will then be readable on any PC. Furthermore I would stick to CDs rather than DVDs (850Mb should be more than enough and blank discs are cheaper), only use top grade discs from well-known manufacturers, and change your backup discs on a weekly or monthly basis as continuous packet writing on a disc can become unreliable.

Q

When I right click on anything, e.g. a desktop icon, the hourglass starts up and just keeps running. I am using Windows XP SP2. I do not think the problem has anything to do with the SP2 installation as everything is working normally on my second fairly similar PC.

So far I have had to do a hot boot to start again, but then I tried Ctrl + Alt + Delete to bring up the Task Manager and left clicked on 'Processes', to see what was running. I deleted each item in turn and I found that if I deleted ‘drwtsn32.exe’ I could solve the problem. Can you tell me what this is?

Professor Anthony P Adams, via email

A

Drwtsn32.exe is a Microsoft error-reporting utility called Dr Watson. Normally it lies dormant until switched on, usually by a problem in Windows, so the first thing to do is check the logs kept by the program, which you will find by typing drwtsn32 in Run on the Start menu. You will find more information on Dr Watson and how to configure it in MS Knowledgebase article 308538 (just type the number into Google), and there's a useful introduction to the program, and how to interpret the results at: www.computerhope.com/software/drwatson.htm