FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  610 (29/04/08)

Q. Concerning the use of the Apple iTouch music player and browsing the Internet, are there any extra charges involved? Would these be part of any broadband deal I have at home?

Kevin McCaffrey, via email

A. The iTouch has a built-in wi-fi adaptor and it is no different to connecting a laptop to your home wireless network so there are no extra costs, over and above your normal ISP subscription. Configuration is very simple; all you have to do is press the iTouch’s Settings icon then Wi-Fi. A list of wireless networks in the vicinity is displayed in the Choose a Network… panel, select yours, you will then be asked for your password or key, enter it using the on-screen keyboard, press Join and it’s done.

Q. When I start my Windows XP Home desktop PC the following error message appears:  ‘schedhlp.exe - Entry Point Not Found….’. I have tried to fix it by running ‘RegSeeker’ to no avail. It does not appear to affect any of my programs, but is very irritating when starting a session.

George Oldham, Swansea

A. Startup errors like this one are often caused by programs that have been recently uninstalled or have become corrupted and are failing to respond. In your case ‘schedhlp.exe’  is a ‘Service’ belonging to the Acronis True Image backup and copying application. As the name suggests, it is a ‘scheduler’ that controls programmed tasks. If you no longer have the program on your PC or use it to schedule backups you can get rid of it by going to Run on the Start menu. Type ‘msconfig’, select the Startup tab, deselect schedhlp and reboot; when the System Configuration message appears check the ‘Do not show again’ box. If you still want to use the program uninstall and reinstall it. 

Q. I keep getting a message in Internet Explorer saying that ‘an error has occurred in the script in the page. I am then asked do I still wish to run the page. I click Yes but the message comes back over and over again. How can I stop this?

Ian Ironmonger, Loughton, Essex

A. This may be due to a glitch in the Registry and a file not being properly recognised. There are a couple of possible solutions and the first one to try is to manually register the file. Don’t worry, it’s very easy, just go to Start > Run and type ‘Regsvr32 urlmon.dll’ (without the quotes) then click OK and if all goes well you’ll see a message telling you that the procedure succeeded.

If that doesn’t work then go to Internet Explorer’s Tools menu and select Internet Options, then the Advanced tab. Scroll down to Browsing and put a check mark into the box next to ‘Disable Script Debugging, click OK, exit IE and reboot.

Q. I like the idea of combined printer, scanner copiers or multi-function-devices (MFDs). One piece of kit and only one USB socket used. However, my experiences so far have been poor. The HP model I use in the office is prone to strange problems and is not recognised unless it is already switched on when the computer is switched on. Scanning is very hit and miss, whether it scans at a sensible resolution or at a very high resolution, which takes ages.

The Lexmark machine I have at home refuses to scan and, installing the ‘All in one’ additional software, stops the printer from working with the computer. Are there any reasonably priced MFDs you can recommend or should I just buy a separate scanner, to go with my printer?

Andrew Miller, via email

A. It’s true that MFDs have had a chequered history, which is hardly surprising with so many electronic and mechanical gubbins in one box. There is also the problem that if the printer or scanner fails the whole thing becomes useless, and once out of warranty they are seldom economical to repair. However, it does seem that the problems you have been experiencing are probably down to the PC, rather than the MFDs, and possibly not familiarising yourself with the instructions.

Driver conflicts are not unusual when MFDs are used on PCs that have previously been used with a separate printer and scanner, in which case any old software must be completely uninstalled before you install the MFD. You should also check that your PC has fully updated USB drivers; problems can arise when new peripherals, designed to work with USB 2.0 ports, are connected to PCs with old or outdated USB 1.0 ports or drivers.

I avoid making specific recommendations when it comes to hardware but I can tell you that an Epson DX 4400 MFD that I purchased several weeks ago from my local Asda for the astonishingly low price of £30 has behaved impeccably so far. I’m not put off by the fact that a set of Epson ink tanks costs nearly as much, at an incredible £27 a pop, because at that price I’m happy to take my chances with good quality compatibles, costing less than a third as much…

Q. I really like Firefox but the one thing that drives me mad is Character Encoding. On many website, including yours, punctuation marks and symbols come out wrong, such as  inverted commas appearing as question marks. I can’t work out how to use the Character Encoding settings, but even if I manage to put it right the next time Firefox opens it almost always reverts to its old ways.

Chris Michaels, via email

A. This is one of Firefox’s few shortcomings but there are a couple of things you can try. Go to View > Character Encoding, deselect ‘Off’ and at the bottom check ‘Universal’. You might also find it helpful to go to View > Character Encoding > Customize List, and remove everything from the left pane except your preferred character encoding (normally Western (ISO-8859-1) for UK browsers. Click OK and restart Firefox. 

If you have a computer problem write to: fff@telegraph.co.uk

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© R. Maybury 2008 0804