FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  453 (15/02/05)

Q

I have been invited by a friend to sign up for the new Google Gmail email service. It sounds quite good but since this is a webmail service can I configure Outlook Express to download emails or do I have to visit the web site every time to pick up new messages?

Mark Chashire, via email

A

Gmail is definitely worth having as a second string email address and in addition to the 1 gigabyte of storage space provided it is free and very easy to use. There are several ways of using it. You can install a small utility called Gmail Notifier (see Gmail Help) that launches with Windows and notifies you when there are incoming messages, or you can configure Outlook, Outlook Express and most popular email clients to automatically download emails. Basically all you have to do is enable POP 3 messaging on your Gmail account then set up a new account in OE (or your chosen client) and alter a few settings. Full details can be found at: http://gmail.google.com/support/bin/

answer.py?answer=12103

Q

A friend has a wireless keyboard with special keys, one of which opens the CD tray on the first press, and closes it on the second. I have now bought a wireless keyboard with extra keys.  Unfortunately, none of them are pre-programmed with this function.  However, they can be reconfigured.  Can you suggest a way I can replicate the CD open/close function from my programmable keys?

Alan Rich, via email

A

Did you know that Windows Media Player has a keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + E) for opening and closing one or more CD trays? Other media players often have them as well -- check the Help sections -- though I haven’t been able to find one for WinAmp. Otherwise try a little freeware utility called CD TrayPal. It can control multiple CD/DVD drives and it’s possible to assign ‘hotkeys’ for the eject functions. You’ll find it at: www.e-systems.ro/cdtraypal.htm

Q

Sometimes the ‘Safely Remove Hardware’ icon on the Taskbar at the bottom of the screen on my Windows XP disappears and re-appears when my laptop is re-booted. It seems to happenafter a hardware device (e.g. DVD drive) is detached from the computer. Where does this icon go and is there a shortcut I can create on the Desktop so I always know where it is?

Cleve Simon, via email

A

This icon can be a bit flighty but you can take control of it by right-clicking the Taskbar, select Properties check 'Hide inactive icons' then click the Customize button. You can then change the icon's behaviour from the drop-down menu (i.e. show, hide, hide when inactive).

Q

For some time now I have been unable to print directly from a web page. A ‘Script error’ box appears with the message ‘An error has occurred in the script on this page, Line: 93, Access is denied…’,  etc.  Any solution?   

Gerry Twigge, Oakwood, Derby

A

I suspect your PC has been infected by a piece of malware called Surfairy. You should be able to remove it by going to Run on the Start menu and type ‘c:\program files\surfairy\uninstall.exe’, without the quotes, otherwise have a look at Microsoft Knowledgebase article 811165, which you can find by typing the number into Google.   

Q

I run a laptop, printer and DECT phone in an area of North Yorkshire that has had power outages of up to 8 hours around once every few months. I have been looking at UPS backup but the literature shows only 10 - 20 minutes of backup power on reasonably priced units. Do you know of any solution that would keep the DECT phone working for a full 8 hours and a reasonable amount of broadband, laptop and printer access over the same period?

Chris Tinkler, via email

A

You should be able extend the running time of an inexpensive uninterruptible power supply by several hours by replacing the internal 12 volt battery with an external car battery, though this would almost certainly invalidate the guarantee. Another option would be to build your own, using a device called an ‘Inverter’ -- available from the likes of Maplin -- which converts 12 volts DC into a 240 volts AC mains supply. This is also powered by a car battery, which you can keep topped up with a simple trickle charger.

Q

My daughter has recently bought a new computer and uses Outlook Express as her email program. She sends lots of emails and would like to be able to use the spell check facility. However, this does not work, as she has no other MS Office type product loaded. (I understand that Outlook uses Word to carry out this operation!) Is there any other way of achieving a spell check - without having to buy a full MS product?

Shaun Molloy, via email

A

There is and you should have a look at Spell Check, a small stand-alone utility that integrates with Outlook Express, it’s free and can be found at: www.geocities.com/vampirefo/

Q

I like to arrange the icons on my desktop in rows, with internet items in the first row, word processing icons second, spreadsheets third etc. and the recycling bin in the bottom left hand corner. If I drag them into this position, they remain there until I switch off the computer, but next time I boot up, they have reverted to the left hand of the screen with the recycling bin top left. How can I lock the icons in the position I prefer?

John Jarvis, Chesham, Bucks

A

The trick is to right-click on an empty area of the desktop, select 'Arrange Icons by' then uncheck 'Autoarrange'. If they still won’t obey you try a little shareware utility called Icon Restore from: http://users.rcn.com/taylotr/icon_restore.html.