FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 099 (02/03/98)

VIRUS PROTECTION

I am a very late starter with computers, but am enjoying every minute, however whenever I download files from the Internet I always get the warning that these files could contain viruses!  This leads me into the dilemma of whether to continue or not.  How can I protect my system from something unknown?  I have taken the chance on occasions, sometimes it has been worthwhile, but on others the script has been complete scribble and I haven't been able to read it anyway.  Any help would be appreciated.

Penny Allen

A

The virus warning is automatic and if you read on it suggests that the file should be saved to disc where it can do no harm. If there is a virus in the file it will only be activated when the file is opened or uncompressed. The solution is to install an anti-virus program on your machine, so that once the file has been downloaded, it can be checked for infection. Once it’s given the all clear it can be safely opened. Any of the programs listed below would be suitable

Cheyenne Anti Virus, 0181-875 4441,  http://www.cheyenne.com

Dr Solomon’s Anti Virus Toolkit, Win 95, (01296) 318700,  http://www.drsolomon.com

McAfee VirusScan V3, telephone (01344) 304730, http://www.mcafee.com

Norton AntiVirus Deluxe 4.0, 0171-616 5600, http://www.symantec.com

PC-cillin 95, 0181-875 4441, http://www.checkit.com

The downloads that contained gobbledegook text were probably encoded binary files, which cannot be read or viewed until they have been extracted, using a small utility called uudecode. Unfortunately it’s not that easy to use but there is a freeware program called UUDeview, which is much more user-friendly. It’s self-extracting, so once it has been downloaded (and virus checked), just click on it, and it will automatically install itself on your PC. You can find it, along with a useful introduction to this kind of file coding at: http://www.unifrankfurt.de/%7Efp/uudeview

TEMPORARY HITCH

This is a simple question, which may also be a naive one!  In my C:/windows.000/Temp folder there are 78 files occupying 24.1 megabytes of precious hard disc space.  Is it safe to delete these files?  The vast majority of them have a .tmp suffix.

Tim Beals

A

Files ending in .tmp are created by Windows 95 and various applications whilst they are running.  Normally they’re deleted during the shutdown routine or when a program is closed. For one reason or another some temporary files escape the automatic cull and have to be deleted manually. It’s quite safe to erase any file ending in .tmp but be very careful with other types, unless you know exactly what they are, and you’re sure they’re no longer needed. Whenever you delete a file or application it’s a good idea to wait a day or two, before you empty the recycle bin, to make sure your PC is still working normally. Whilst deleted files are still in the bin they can still be restored.  

CORRUPTION BY MINORS

While on a business trip my PC was corrupted by the children and I had to have everything reloaded. Since the reload the internal modem has not worked. Somehow the PC will not acknowledge it is there. I have tried re-installing it, using the supplied floppies. When I look in Control Panel/System it shows the modem connected, but I just cannot get the system to see it. I've tried checking for conflicts with other devices but to no avail. I've even gone to the extreme of re-formatting the hard drive again in hope that Windows 95 would see the new hardware, but that still did not work. I really need to get e-mail up and running so that I will be able to contact my family while I'm away abroad.

Vlad Sawenko

A
You appear to have tried just about everything, except the obvious, that the modem itself is faulty. It’s a bit of a long shot but after taking the usual precautions (disconnecting the mains and earthing yourself on the metal chassis) try removing the modem from the motherboard, give the contacts a wipe with a clean dry cloth and re-seat the board. If that doesn’t work the modem has almost certainly passed on to PC heaven.

HISTORY LESSON

Thanks for the good advice on computer basics in Boot Camp. I have just deleted an infinity of Temporary Internet files including cookies, which the system seemed very reluctant to dispose of. I hope that this was OK! The article also referred to a History folder in Windows 95 which contains old Internet addresses, that we may want to keep private but it does not say where this is or how to clear it. I can't find this on my system.

Derek Butters

A

History isn’t a ‘hidden’ file, so it should show up when you double-click on the Window 95 folder in Windows Explorer. It’s quite distinct; it has a small blue-green dot in the middle of the folder icon. It’s unlikely that it would have been deleted, it’s not something you can do by accident as it is protected. 

HAPPY RETURNS?

I was given the tip to use a word processor for the many long letters I write, and then copy and paste them into the message window as suggested in Boot Camp 7.  Unfortunately my recipients all complain that they receive these letters in alternate short and long lines making them difficult to read and very lengthy if printed out.  How can I prevent this happening?

Virginia Redrup

A

Newcomers to word processing, having previously been used to typewriters, often forget about word-wrap, where the WP program automatically inserts the return command at the end of a line. Entering manual returns can produce the effect you describe. Check the word processor’s formatting commands and line spacing; single-line spaced text works best for E-mail. Ensure the line width setting isn’t set too wide i.e. beyond A4 page size.