FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 093 (22/01/98)

MILLENNIUM TEST

Is there a sure-fire way to find out whether or not my computer is going to be affected by the so-called millennium bug?  I have a PC with a Cyrix 200 MHz Pentium processor, bought in March 1997.  Bear in mind I am nearly 70, when I was receiving my formal education the most powerful computer was ‘Atlas’ at Manchester University.One other trivial query. My younger son, who owns a third of this computer, has changed the Windows pointer to purple and can't remember how he did it, so cannot change it back!

Dick Biddulph

A

There’s a wealth of ‘Y2K’ test software on computer magazine cover discs and scattered around the internet right now, but given the age of your machine, it is highly unlikely that you will experience any problems with the PC, or its operating system, following the year 2000 date change. There’s an outside chance you may have to manually reset the date after January 1st 2000 -- if your PC has an older motherboard and BIOS clock -- and keep an eye on it on February 29th. Some PCs may fail to recognise the fact that the year 2000 is a leap-year. Not all software is year 2000 compliant. Most programs written in the past two or three years -- games, word processors, graphics packages etc., should work normally -- but if you are using date-sensitive applications like financial software, payroll managers etc., then get in contact with the manufacturers for reassurance or an upgrade. 

Your original mouse pointer can be restored by clicking on the Start menu, then Settings, Control Panel and the Mouse icon. Select the Pointers tab and Windows Standard, from the Scheme drop-down menu and confirm OK.

LOCO HERO

Many years ago I began my computing experience with an Amstrad PCW. Today I use a PC 486 with Windows 95 and ClarisWorks.  Most of the valuable files originally created in LocoScript I have successfully converted. However, there remains a database containing essential information which still entails running LocoScript. Is there any simple means of transferring it to the PC, more or less intact?

Gerald Sinstadt

Presumably the database was created using Locofile, in which case it can be converted into a PC-readable, plain text format using LocoLink for Windows. This is available from Locoscript Software. The program, with a PCW to PC connecting cable costs £69.95 (including VAT and postage); the software on its own is priced at £39.95. Locoscript can be reached at (01306) 747757. They also have a web site: www.locomotive.com.

DIRTY DISCS?

I've been having some problems with my CD-ROM drive lately. Sometimes when I put a CD in the drive it is not detected. If I take the CD out and put it back in a couple of times it seems to work OK. This happens with lots of different CDs, so I'm sure it isn't any particular CD that's at fault. Also, games have been crashing with increasing regularity: I get a blue screen saying ‘Could not read from drive D: If the CD is still in the drive, it may need cleaning’. The CDs seem fine to me, do you have any ideas?

Paul Hunter

A

It is the drive that needs cleaning. Just a few specks of dust on the pickup lens are enough to interfere with normal operation. It’s surprising it doesn’t happen more often; the PC’s main cooling fan sucks air into the case through all open orifices, including the CD ROM drive disc carrier, whenever it is opened. CD ROM lens cleaners are widely available, models that use microfibre brushes do a good job, the one sold by Tandy (Catalogue No. 26-390) for £9.99, is worth trying. While you’re at it, give the floppy disc drive a wash and brush up as well, they Hoover up even more dust than CD ROM drives.

NEGATIVE ATTITUDE

Does anyone have any experience of scanning glass negatives into a computer? I have tried using a hand-held scanner in conjunction with a light box and various coloured filters, but the contrast is too great. The proprietary transparency scanners on the market all seem to be designed to accommodate standard framed 35mm slides which are of course the wrong size as well as being more robust than these very old glass plates. The pictures are all of the New Forest area, taken in the pre and immediate post war period and I hope to be able to print them out for local historians.

Peter Neale Peter

A

Try using a flatbed scanner. We achieved excellent results from 120 x 90mm black and white film negatives, using a low-cost Emerald colour scanner, (currently selling for less than £100). The only minor modification was to place a sheet of white paper behind the negative as the hinged top cover has a black coloured inner surface. The bundled EasyTwain software includes brightness and contrast adjustments, and negative/positive conversion. The finished image looked every bit as good as a scan from a black and white photograph, when viewed in PaintShop Pro.