FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  616 (10/06/08)

Q. Anxious to improve start-up speeds I tried to remove some rarely used programs from my computer. I tried to uninstall a large one (116Mb) but when I try I get a long message that includes the following: ‘SetupDLL\SetupDLL.cpp(439) PGUID: pApp$ 7.1.100.1248….’

When I click on OK it says the installation has encountered an error and asks me to close down all programs and check the Internet connections etc. and try again. I do and the result is the same. Am I permanently lumbered with this program? In all other respects the computer seems OK.

C Salsbury, via email

A. Firstly, uninstalling programs, unless they are set to start with Windows, will not normally have any effect on how long it takes for your PC to boot up, so when we have finished here pop along to the Boot Camp Archive and read articles 355 – 358, which has plenty of tips and tweaks to make your computer start quicker and run more smoothly.

The error message you are seeing is almost certainly due to the program you are trying to remove being a component of a suite of programs. Usually what happens is that a dynamic link library file or ‘dll’ used by the program you are uninstalling is also needed by other elements of the application, and Windows, or the program’s uninstaller utility is trying to stop it happening. The solution is simple; all you have to do to uninstall the whole program then reinstall it, but this time uncheck the components that you do not want or need. Any files that have been created by the program should be safe but back them up, just in case.

Q. I have a six-year old cable modem, which I have been using without any problems. Should I be thinking about getting a new modem?  Am I missing out on potential speed gains by not buying a new modem?

Richard Laurence, via email

A. At the risk of repeating myself, if it ‘aint broke, don’t fix it! There have been some advances in modem design in the past few years, making them more reliable and better at correcting errors but download speed is almost entirely determined by the width of the pipe connecting your computer to the Internet. In the end the only way to speed up the Internet is to upgrade to a faster service. This also applies to your computer, and in general CPU speed has little or no bearing on web performance, in fact all other things being equal a 10-year old Windows 98 PC will display web pages just as quickly as the latest super multi-core model with oodles of gigahertz and gigabytes.  

Q. I am responsible for maintaining a membership database of a local society of some 350 members. I currently keep this database on an Excel spreadsheet, which works well, and I can send out mail-merged letters and see who has and hasn't paid. However, at some stage I am going to hand this over to someone else who may not be so familiar with using spreadsheets. I was wondering if there is a method of entering or editing the data on an entry form, which would obviate the necessity of negotiating the spreadsheet.

I think one can do this using Visual Basic for applications, but I think this might defeat me. Perhaps you know of a template for such a database, or suggest another way of tackling this?

John Mathias, via email

A. I believe it is time to retire your system, which I am sure is elegant and well thought out, however, passing it on to someone else could be difficult. Further customisation is only going to make it harder for your successor, particularly if something goes wrong with it and you are not available to help.

My advice is to start with a clean sheet and use a database program that’s specifically designed for the job, and comes with manufacturer’s support. This will also give you the opportunity to update your records, weed out lapsed members and so on. It’s a tedious job but at least you’ll be able to hand over a properly configured system that hopefully anyone can use. 

Just Google ‘club membership software’ and as you will see there are plenty to choose from, including some free and many very reasonably priced shareware offerings. Almost all of the pair-for applications offer 15 and 30-day trials, so you can try them for size. Several even claim to be able to import data from Excel and Outlook. Club Membership is worth investigating, it costs around £15 and it has a list of features as long as your arm. Membership Director appears to be a more upmarket product and costs around £45. There’s also a long list of programs, plus some potted review on the inforforcharities website. I have no doubt there’s one to suit your club’s particular needs, but you are going to have to do a little homework

Q. I have windows XP on my C: drive Vista on drive D. My XP system, now a year old, has become very lazy and I really feel like I should format the C: drive and re-install a fresh copy of XP. I don’t want to lose Vista, though, especially after all those downloads. If I format C: and re-install XP will I have to set up dual booting again?

Amed Arjmand, via email

A. Normally dual-booting Windows requires that you install operating systems in reverse order, in other words Windows XP has to be loaded first, then you can install Vista. If you format the C: drive you will almost certainly delete your boot files and Vista will disappear from view, and trust me, getting it back could be a nightmare, though installing a copy of Linux (Boot Camp 446) and letting that manage boot up would probably solve the problem

Your XP system is probably just cluttered so before you start formatting drives why not try some basic tuning tips first (see first question). If it’s still sluggish try a Repair Install (see Boot Camp 336). Backup all of your data first, and it wouldn’t hurt to uninstall all of the programs and software you no longer need.

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

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© R. Maybury 2008 2005