FAQS! FACTS! FAX! 127 (17/09/98)

LOST FOR WORDS

Can you help with a couple of problems I have with MS Word? For some reason I cannot position the 'insertion point' in a document using the mouse pointer, then clicking. The insertion point moves normally when typing, using the space bar or arrow and enter keys, but not with the mouse.  Secondly, in the status bar at the bottom of the screen there are no figures on the 'At' and 'Ln' positions. Obviously this makes text navigation a little difficult.

John T, Leech, Torpoint, Cornwall

A

The errant insertion point is a bit of a mystery. The finest minds at F!F!F! and Microsoft have been unable to come up with a definitive solution, but we do have a suggestion that might help track it down. We also welcome any reader's suggestions. Launch Word in default mode, this switches off all macros and preferences. Go to Run on the Start menu and type in 'winword.exe /a', then try the mouse. If it behaves normally delete or disable any suspect macros listed on the Macro item on the Tools menu.

The missing position numbers on the status bar has two possible causes. First make sure you're in the Normal View mode then on the Tools menu click Options. Select the View tab and uncheck the 'Wrap to Window' and 'Draft Font Check' boxes. Alternatively, select the General tab and click a tick in the 'Background Repagination' check box, and the numbers should reappear.

EQUATION IRRITATION

I am writing a technical article using the Word 97 equation facility. I had produced some seventeen equations and a table, when without warning I was horrified to find that Word had replaced all my equations with black rectangular boxes containing a red line. If I try to edit one of the boxes my equation appears, but if I do anything else, or exit, the box and my equation is replaced by a long line of tiny dots.

A

A search through several Word manuals has revealed nothing, this is not the action of a virus, my PC is new, with a virus checker, I only use Microsoft registered software and I have never connected to the internet. What is going on, and is there a way of recovering my equations?

R. Barnes, Hartley, Kent

A

There is a known problem with Word 97 displaying generic graphic pictures in place of inserted objects. There cure is to install Microsoft Service Release 1 (SR-1). This can be obtained from the Microsoft web site -- details in a moment -- and it includes a patch that will stop it happening in future. It may be possible to recover an equation by double clicking on it -- to activate it -- then try pasting it into a new document, but this procedure is not guaranteed, and only try it after SR-1 has been installed.

Service Release 1 is available from: http://officeupdate.microsoft.com/ downloadDetails/sr1of97zdetail.htm

WONKY WINDOWS

I recently installed a Hauppauge TV adaptor card on my new Pentium II (266MHz, 32Mb RAM) PC, running Windows 98. It didn't work so I uninstalled it using CleanSweep, and tried again, but then things started to go wrong.  Around three minutes after booting up a fatal error message about Windows Explorer appears, if I click on Windows Explorer, Control Panel or My Computer I get the same message and they refuse to open, but perversely all of my applications work normally. I have tried First Aid -- which said it found and fixed errors --  Windows Disc Cleanup, ScanDisk and Defrag, but to no avail. A knowledgeable friend says Windows is beyond repair and I should format my hard drive and start again, but surely there must be a simpler solution?

M. Hampton, Tonbridge, Kent

A

After so much fiddling around it's going to be almost impossible to sort out Windows, but there's no need to wipe your hard disc and loose all of your other applications and files. Re-installing Windows only takes around an hour, load the CD-ROM and use the Browse facility on 'Run' on the Start menu to find Setup.exe. Windows 98 will install over an existing copy, and hopefully replace the lost or damaged files.  

IDENTITY CRISIS

My PC is in the attic and it is a bit of a pain to go all the way downstairs if the phone rings. Is there any software that can run under Windows 98, which can display the number of whoever is calling? I asked at my local BT shop but they didn't know.

C. Crofton-Sleigh

A

Assuming that you already have Caller Line Identification (CLI) enabled on your telephone line, a Caller ID phone downstairs, and your PC in the attic is connected to the line via a modem, then the answer is yes. There are quite a few freeware and shareware programs on various sites dotted around the Internet, though you have to be careful as some of them are designed for the US phone network and will not work with the CLI system used by BT. There's a list of programs with thumbnail reviews and links to other sites on: http://www.personal.u-net.com/~cloud9/apsa/callerid/cli_soft.htm

You should also have a look at an UK compatible caller ID unit for the PC made by Solwise, more information from: http://www.demon.co.uk/solwise/cid.htm

BARMY BINS

I have a very strange problem with the Windows 95 recycle bin. Usually when there are files in it the icon shows the bin as full. But all of a sudden it is doing the reverse. When it is empty the icon shows the bin as full and vice versa. How has this problem occurred and can it be put right?

Alex Davids

A

This will happen if you have Microsoft Plus for Windows 95 installed on your PC, and you subsequently removed the Desktop Themes component. The solution is to right click on a vacant space on the desktop and click on Properties. Select the Plus! Tab and click on the full Recycle Bin icon, then Change Icon, click on the correct icon and OK, then do the same for the empty bin.

SYMBOL OF CHANGE

I want to put special characters -- foreign letters/symbols that are readily available in Symbol on Word -- into cells (or text boxes) in Excel but I haven't had any success.  I've tried copying from Word but on insertion they change to something completely different.

Ian Hill

A

There shouldn't be a problem. After double clicking into a cell, to get a flashing text cursor, change the font on Excel's formatting toolbar to Symbol. Refer back to Word to find out which keys are assigned to the various characters on Symbol, or check the Character Map utility (Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools), which shows which key does what for a particular font.

SCAN PLAN

I write, as a beginner, about Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter.  Should one run these routinely, say, every 3 or 12 months, or use them only when problems occur and, if so, how would these problems manifest themselves?

Max Airey

A

Once a month should be sufficient. It may not always be necessary, especially if you're only using your PC for relatively light duties -- word processing etc. -- but it can't hurt. As the data on a hard disc becomes fragmented it takes longer for programs to load and files to open or save, Defrag helps speed up disc access by re-sorting the files. ScanDisk can reduce clutter on the disc by identifying and eliminating bits of files left behind when programs are removed; on later versions of Windows 95 it runs automatically if there are shutdown problems or it encounters corrupted files.