FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 103 (26/03/98)

FATAL DISTRACTION

I have a Packard Bell 909D with 8 megabytes of RAM, an 850 megabyte hard disc drive, Windows 95 and various programs installed by the manufacturer. I have experienced a number of recurring problems, with error messages like ‘A Fatal Exception’ or ‘A Fatal Error has occurred’ and the computer occasionally freezes when I close down.  What do they mean? 

When setting up Fax Works I am asked to specify a ‘path’, what’s that? My computer is connected to the telephone by a BT socket; can I use a phone and fax on the same line as my PC?

K. Miller, Southampton

A

Without knowing a lot more about the programs you are using, it is impossible to say if there’s a common cause but there is a very good chance at least some of the error messages are due to your PC’s lack of memory. You should consider upgrading your computer’s RAM to at least 16 megabytes, and preferably 32 MB. Windows 95 will just about run on a PC with 8Mb of RAM, but it’s not happy…

A path is basically a route map, telling you and your computer where a program, file or document is stored on the hard disc drive. When an installation program asks you to specify the path it normally presents you with a default, which you should accept – it’s usually the safest option. The path statement includes the drive letter, followed by a colon, then a backslash ‘\’, and the name of the directory being created or used, e.g. C:\Faxworks. When a file or program is located inside another file or directory, the path will include the sub-folders as well, each one separated by a backslash, i.e. C:\Program Files\Faxworks.

Several pieces of equipment can share a single telephone line, though there is a limit, beyond which one or more devices may not operate properly. You should add together the Ringer Equivalence Number or REN for each device connected to the line. The REN is normally printed in the instructions, or on the underside of the equipment, if it comes to more than 4 there might be problems.

SERIAL SLOWDOWN

I have managed to connect my desktop PC to my laptop using Windows 95 Direct Cable Connection, via the serial ports. Although everything is working correctly, the link is very slow. When I copied a large file from one to the other, I estimated the speed was probably 9600 bps. I've tried changing the properties on the COM ports on both computers but this has no effect. Is there a way to speed things up?

Roy Vinyard

A

There is, you should change from a serial to a parallel connection, a suitable cable can be obtained from your local PC dealer for about £10. The general advice is to only use a serial cable if the parallel printer ports on the two PCs are unavailable for some reason. The fastest possible data transfer speeds will be obtained when both machines have an ECP (extended capabilities port) connection, but check to ensure the option has been enabled in your computer’s BIOS set-up program. The procedure should be outlined in the instruction manuals.

SAFE DELETION

In a recent episode of Boot Camp it said it was safe to delete files ending in .tmp but what about all the other files that seem to have gathered since I bought my

computer? How about a list of files suffixes explaining what each means and

which are safe to delete.

A.G Newton

A

Temporary or ‘.tmp’ files are one of the very few file groups that can usually be deleted safely. Nevertheless there are provisos, so don’t zap your .tmp files willy-nilly or you might regret it. A far better solution is to invest in some Windows 95 housekeeping software, that automatically tracks down redundant, unused and superfluous files, tells you what they do and safely backs them up, so they can be recovered, just in case something nasty happens. Clean Sweep from Quarterdeck and CyberMedia Uninstaller can claw back several tens, possibly hundreds of megabytes of wasted hard disc space on most PCs.  

CyberMedia, (0800) 973631, www.cybermedia.com

Quarterdeck, (0645) 123521, www.quarterdeck.com

POWER STRUGGLE

In F!F!F! March 19, you replied to a question about switching a PC off when not in use. The reader asked about leaving his PC on 24 hours a day. I found your answer slightly confusing as first you said that there is no need to leave it on unless it is doing something useful, then you said how destructive it is to switch it on and off. On balance, should we leave it on or switch it off?

Even with advanced power management and energy saving monitors, is there a fire risk? What would happen if the cooling fan were to fail whilst you were out? Is it not better to switch the PC on only when you need it? Or are power management features and energy saving monitors so good that we need not worry? This is what I have been told by a friend who is a computer buff. Is it true? He sets his monitor to go into standby after 10 minutes and the rest of the computer after 30 minutes.

Chris Burmajster

A

The point about switching a PC off when it not being used for an extended period -- i.e. overnight -- is that it saves energy and extends the lives of components that have a limited life expectancy. Power management systems can also help to reduce energy consumption, but some power is still being used – as much as 20 watts on some systems. When the PC and monitor power up from standby, the effect of the sudden power surge on devices like the hard disc drive is much the same as switching on from cold.

Switching a PC on and off is not destructive per-se, but doing it repeatedly is. In other words, if you expect to be using it several times throughout the day, don’t switch it on and off for each job, leave it on, until you have finished them all. Enable the energy management options if there are going to be long gaps -- an hour or more -- between each session. If the cooling fan stops the temperature can rise but thermal sensors will prevent it going beyond safe limits. The chances of a fire breaking out are very small indeed. Relatively few parts inside a PC are flammable and the power supply in most machines is housed inside a metal case.

PICTURE SWITCH

When I download a page from the Web the graphics are left behind. When a friend does the same the graphics are downloaded automatically so when he prints it, it looks like the original page. He can’t explain why his works and mine does not. What am I doing wrong?

Eric Pemberton

A

Most internet access programs or ‘browsers’ have the facility to switch off graphics, to speed up page loading; it can normally be found in the program’s Preferences or Options sub-menus. 

SHARE DEAL

Having just acquired a computer, I wish to know if I can obtain a program which, presumably using an Internet connection, can record details of my investment portfolio and provide updated valuations.

A Roberts

A

Quicken 98 has that facility. It can keep track of the prices of the top 400 UK shares and unit trusts. You can get more details from Intuit UK by ringing  (0800) 585058, or visit their web site at: http://www.intuit.co.uk