FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  543 (12/12/06)

Q. I am a complete novice but I am going to attempt to build my own ‘Vista Ready PC’ as per your Boot Camp articles. The only thing that's confusing me is how to upgrade the graphics card? I want to run some simulation software and I'm not sure the onboard graphics will suffice.  You mention getting a graphics card that's compatible with the motherboard.  My initial web searching seems to suggest that this might be a bit more complicated than it sounds. Can you recommend a video card upgrade please?

Phil Wisson, via email

A. The DT MK II’s built-in graphic adaptor is surprisingly capable so give it a chance before you decide to upgrade. If you find it cannot handle your application then you can fit any standard PCI video card and most AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) cards. The only reason I sounded a slightly cautious note about video adaptor upgrades is because the ASRock motherboard has a proprietary AGI (ASRock Graphics Interface) video card slot. This is based on the AGP 4X/8X standard, however, a few AGP adaptors may not work properly so if you want to play safe there is a long list of compatible cards on the ASRock website: (www.asrock.com/support/index.htm), and good luck with the project.

Q. I have a Compaq laptop running XP Professional, which I would like to set up with a wireless connection. My desktop PC uses Windows XP Home and this is connected to a BT Voyager 210 ADSL Router. Can you please give me an indication what hardware and software I require to also use broadband on the laptop?

D. Miles, via email

A. I would ditch the BT modem -- keep it for a backup - and start over with a combined ADSL modem and wireless router; prices start at around £40.

This one box does everything, and unlike your present setup provides constant Internet access for your laptop and any other PCs connected to it by cable, or wirelessly, even when your main PC is switched off. The alternative is to add a wireless access point to your existing router, however, it’s less flexible, you won’t save much money -- compared with a combi modem wireless router -- and from past experience they can be swines to set up.

Q. I have recently purchased a new Volkswagen. The CD player is unable to play discs recorded on my PC without generating a myriad of snaps, crackles and pops. These CDs play perfectly well on my computer, my domestic CD player and my universal DVD player. The VW dealer tells me their CD player is designed to play only original ‘quality’ CDs, which it does. Is this something to do with the fact that I use cheap unbranded discs sold in ‘cake boxes’ of 50?  

Graham Hardy, via email

A. A few years ago this was a fairly common problem but I thought it had gone away… The data on commercially produced CDs discs is in the form of microscopic mirrors or ‘pits’, stamped into the reflective layer. Recordable discs also have a reflective layer but it is coated in an organic dye that becomes opaque when ‘burnt’ by the laser in a CD writer drive.  Switching the laser on and off rapidly creates the spiral track of reflective and less reflective ‘pits’ representing the data. However, these are less well defined than those on pre-recorded discs and older CD players often had difficulty with. Improvements in CD player design and error correction systems has meant that the problem virtually disappeared, though apparently not everywhere.

The quality of your blank discs may have a part to play and I would certainly experiment with some top-grade discs but I suspect VW’s explanation is correct and it’s an inherent characteristic of your car’s player.   

Q. I've just installed Internet Explorer 7 and the scroll rate is terrible! One click on the mouse wheel gives 5 jumps of an inch or so, at 1-2 second intervals. How can I adjust the scroll rate and action?

Richard Pearce, via email

A. Several relatively minor (so far) idiosyncrasies have come to light since IE7 was released a few weeks ago. This one has two possible causes; there appears to be a compatibility issue with Logitech mice, and some web pages seem to disagree with IE7 but I have a simple little tweak that should smooth out the jumpy scroll.

If you are using a Logitech mouse the solution is to open Mouse Properties (Start > Control Panel > Mouse) click the Buttons tab and on the drop-down menu select ‘Use MS Compatible scroll only’ and ‘Scroll in Active Window only’, then click OK.

Hopefully at some point Microsoft will release a patch to fix the glitch that affects scrolling on some web pages but in the meantime try this. Open IE7, go to Tools > Internet Options and select the Advanced tab. Scroll down the list to Browsing and uncheck ‘Enable Visual Styles on Buttons and Controls in Web Pages’, then click OK.

Q. I'm in the process of changing from Windows 98SE to Windows XP Media Centre and thanks to your Boot Camp articles, I've successfully transferred Outlook Express from one PC to the other.  I've been running MS Money 2000 Version 8.0 on Windows 98SE and wonder if this will transfer and run successfully on XP Media Centre?  I tried searching the Microsoft site but have drawn a blank?

Jane Wadkin, via email

A. Although Money dates back to 1999, two years before Windows XP was released, like most Microsoft products it will run quite happily under XP and the Media Centre variant. Relatively few programs have problems with XP and normally you will see a warning message fairly quickly after you begin installation.

For future reference when this happens try using the XP Program Compatibility Wizard. To fire it up go to Help and Support on the Start menu then Fixing a Problem > Application and software problems > Fix a Problem > Getting older programs to run…’ > Program Compatibility Wizard and follow the prompts.

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© R. Maybury 2006, 0512