FAQS! FACTS! FAX!  618 (24/06/08)

Q. I am using Vista Home Premium. Every time I type an email in Windows Mail the first letter in a sentence correctly shows as a capital letter, but subsequent capital letters in the same sentence always default back to lower case. It is extremely annoying and time consuming. Any thoughts?

Ken Nudd, via email

A. This is an odd one since Window Mail doesn’t have automatic capitalisation or autocorrect features, just a bog-standard spell checker, and not a very good one at that as it uses a US dictionary. And before any asks, no, you cannot change it to a UK dictionary. 

The only setting I am aware of in Windows Mail that has anything to do with capital letters simply tells the spellchecker to ignore them, you can find it by going to Tools > Options > Spelling and check/uncheck ‘Words in Uppercase’.

The only other possibility is that when you say Windows Mail you actually mean Windows Live Mail. This is a Microsoft alternative to Outlook Express and Windows Mail, with lots of extra bells and whistles, including a more configurable spellchecker. Incidentally, it’s well worth investigating, especially if you have several email and webmail accounts and use Instant Messaging, like to swap photos, subscribe to RSS feeds or write a blog. The free download is at: http://get.live.com/wlmail/overview. If this is what you have click on the Show Menu icon on the toolbar, then Options and the Spelling tab and deselect ‘Automatically correct capitalization and spelling mistakes’.

Q. I'd like to be able to list the albums and singles I have stored on my PC as mp3 files and save them in an Excel spreadsheet. Ideally I would like to list selected fields (e.g. track title, duration, etc.). Do you know of any suitable software, preferably Freeware that will do this?

David Garrick, via email

A. Not until now, but probably to no-one’s surprise but my own a quick Google search revealed several programs, and at the top of the list is Playlist mp3 for Excel (http://tinyurl.com/5jtu3e).

During my search I also came across a Microsoft PowerToy for Windows Media Player, called Playlist Import to Excel Wizard, (http://tinyurl.com/wh7cs) which also sounds as though it can do the job. PowerToys for WMP is part of the Windows Media Bonus Pack and it’s a free download from: http://tinyurl.com/lkxgb

Q. We have a new laptop and I can sign into my user account and so can my two children, and use the integral touch pad perfectly but after my husband signs in the mouse doesn't work. Has he set something up that won't let him use it?  We run Windows XP.

The laptop was bought in Taiwan. Is there any way that we can set it to have all the icons and instructions in English? We have tried through the language options but nothing seems to work.

Trudy Koochitt, via email

A. My guess is the touchpad has been disabled in your husband’s account. You should be able to switch it back on using keyboard commands. If you are not used to living without a mouse, press Winkey to bring up the Start menu then use the arrow/cursor keys to highlight Control Panel and press Enter. Use the down arrow key to highlight Mouse, press Enter again and use the Tab key to highlight the first selection on the row of tabs. Now use the left/right arrow keys to select Device Settings, press Enter then tap the Tab key to move the highlight to the Enable button. If at anytime you make a mistake just press the Esc key. Tab to OK and the touchpad should be back working again (though on some models you may have to reboot). 

I am afraid that you are stuck with the language problem. In theory it is possible to change the nationality of Windows XP using language packs, but as far as I am aware they have never been available commercially, but even if they were I am pretty sure that they would cost more than a new English language version of XP. In the end the only solution is to backup your data and install the English language edition of XP.

Q. For some inexplicable reason the Delete key in Outlook Express no longer works. At first I thought it was the keyboard but swapping it for another one made no difference. Then I thought to check it in Microsoft Word and Delete was still working normally and only Outlook Express is affected. I checked through the menus to see if there was any way I could have disabled it by accident, but nothing. Is there a hidden Delete key function somewhere that I have changed, or is it something more sinister, like a virus?

Alex Harford, via email

A. It’s tempting to blame odd behaviour on viruses but when you think about it, what sort of twisted mind would it take to go to all the effort of creating one that only affected the Delete key in Outlook Express? No, don’t answer that, but I’m reasonably sure that has nothing to do with it. I have come across this problem before but it’s not due to any hidden switches or secret functions but good old-fashioned file corruption.

Unfortunately I can’t tell you which one, but reinstalling OE should do the trick. However, this is easier said than done because OE is part of Internet Explorer, so you have to do both at the same time. The first thing to do is backup your messages (Export on the File menu); this is purely a precautionary measure as the procedure is safe and shouldn’t affect your stored emails or settings. Next, download the latest version of IE from the Microsoft website then go to Add or Remove programs in Control Panel, select Windows Components. Uncheck Windows Explorer and follow the prompts to remove IE, reboot then reinstall IE from the file you downloaded from Microsoft and all should be well once again.

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

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© R. Maybury 2008 0306