March 2010

There has been a lot of publicity about Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. Remember to install all updates for these programs. Everyone should have updated their Internet Explorer to Version 8 by now. If you are unsure which version you are using open the browser and go to help and click on about Internet Explorer. This will tell you what version you are running. If it is not version 8 download it and install it now then make sure you get the updates for it. There has been a patch put out for the problem so if you are up to date there shouldn’t be a problem. Otherwise swap to either Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird. These are not Microsoft products and therefore are not targeted by viruses etc as often.

If you want to save your password on some sites that you visit regularly and they never save then go to Tools in your Browser (Internet Explorer) the Internet options, click on Privacy Tab, click Advanced. Select "Override automatic cookie handling" box and click "Always allow session cookies." Then try to save your password.

You may have accidentally disabled the view of a toolbar.To put it back:

   Open the View menu./Select Toolbars/Select the Toolbar you want to appear.

   Once you do this, the toolbar will reappear automatically.

The website www.makeuseof.com is excellent for lists of links to websites that feature free software, utilities, tech tips and much more. Also has a blog and RSS feed, its usually updated daily.

If you are having some problems with your computer and you want to check that your hard drive doesn"t have  problem, in XP & Vista double click My Computer, highlight your hard drive and right click click on Properties, and Click Tools, Error Checking. Make sure that you ' Automatically fix file system errors & Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors. You will be told that this will happen at the next start up. Click Okay and this will happen it takes a while particularly if this finds a problem and your computer will not be able to be used until it has finished.

To forward emails you have received ,fill in "To" space ,and remove the old headers, and email addresses in body of email  before sending. No changes  to email can be made until you have clicked the "Forward button"

If you click the reply button when using Outlook Express or windows Mail and you get the original message in your display, follow these directions to remove it. Open Outlook Express/Windows Mail, go to Tools 'Options. Click on the Tab Send and remove the ' from the box beside ' Include Message in Reply'.  Click Apply and OK. This gives you a blank email message area when you click reply.

Email Scams. There are lots of emails about at the moment asking for personal details and log in passwords. Do not respond to any of these emails before first checking with the purported sender to find out if it is a scam. Remember Banks do not send emails. ISP's (Internet Service Providers i.e. Bigpond) do not ask you to Log on and put in your password. If you are unsure always ring the help line. There are also new varieties of the Nigerian Scan about don't respond to these just delete them and run you antispyware program to ensure that your computer is clean.

Some useful websites if you are planning to travel

Flights        www.webjet.com         www.jetabroad.com.au
Car Hire    www.vroomvroomvroom.com.au     www.carhire.com.au     www.diycarhire.com.au    www.fetchcarhire.com.au
Hotels        www.hotelscombined.com.au 

For Free Tips and Software try www.makeuseof.com . This site is good for lists of links to websites that feature free software, utilities, tech tips and much more. It also has a blog and RSS feed. It is usually updated daily.

If you're unsure if an email is spam, Right-click the message, choose Properties'Details Tab and click Message Source. Scroll down to read the message contents. Click Close and cancel. If the message is Spam you can then delete it without opening it.

To make your printer's ink/toner cartridges last longer Click' File' Print' Properties, dialogue for your particular Printer. Locate the entry that lets you configure the print quality and if there is an option to do so choose Draft instead of Normal. Draft quality is usually good enough for most document printing but can be changed for particular documents or photos if necessary. It will save a lot of ink/toner.

If you are tired of the message from Microsoft asking you to send and error message it can be turned off in XP operating systems. Go to System in the Control Panel and under the Advanced Tab click the button marked error reporting. Select 'disable error reporting' and the message will disappear when you have a problem.

If you have the address of a website that you want to visit, put it into the address bar of your browser not into a search engine eg Google. The address bar will take you straight to the page, where as the browser may have pages of unrelated results before you find the page you want.

If you encounter an error message when using a program, you can help with it by typing the error message you receive into a search engine such as Google. Pages will come up in the search results with information provided by others who have had the same problem and may explain what to do to fix the issue. This can make fixing the problem much quicker than trying to work it out for yourself, or paying for someone to do it for you.

Drag-n-Drop file attachments

Outlook Express lets you easily attach a file from your desktop (or any other folder) by dragging the file into the message area of your e-mail. It will be automatically inserted as a file attachment. Equally you can drag the file attachments from received mail to your desktop or any other folder.

To update your computer for the changes to daylight saving go to www.microsoft.com.au On this page there is a box to click to update your computer. Click 'Click here'. You will be taken through a series of screens. Read the screens and follow the directions and click on the appropriate answers and click 'next' until you have completed the install of this update. Your computer will now be set up for the changes to daylight saving. You have to be on line to do this.

THREE WAYS TO RENAME A FILE

1. You could click the file name once to highlight, click a second time to make it available to change, then type in the new file name. 
2. Right click the file and choose "Rename". This will highlight the file name allowing you to type in a new one.
3. Hold down the Alt key and double click the file to open the Properties box. Type the new name in the name box.

Don't forget once the title is highlighted you can start typing immediately

If you receive Word, Excel, PowerPoint documents from friends that you cannot open even though you have Office or one or all of the Viewer programs then you need to download a file called File Format Converters from Microsoft.  This allows any version of Office after 2000 to read any file done in any version of Office.

You need to download this file from Microsoft Downloads and then install it on your computer. The file size is 27.5MG. If you have a problem with not enough download left for the month if you have a flash drive you can get a copy of the file from the club as both trainers computers have it saved in downloads.

If you have upgraded your Internet Explorer to 7 you will have problems accessing the Members Page on the club Website. To fix this problem do the following:

Open control Panel click on Internet Options.      Go to tab marked security and click.        Click on Sites.  Click on green tick labelled trusted sites.  Click on Sites.  A new window will open with space for you to 'Add this webpage to Zone'.  Type in  http://www.scccc.org.au/members.html make sure that you type this correctly.   Click Add.  Make sure that there is No tick in the box 'Requires server verification (https:)  sites in this zone. Click on Close then OK . Close the control Panel. Check out the members page now.

You can enlarge the icons on your screen to make them easier to see or to access by choosing the Large icons option. This procedure tells you how to select this option through Display Properties in Control Panel.

On the Start menu - Select Control Panel

1.    In Control Panel: (Be sure you are in Classic View, i.e. all Control Panel icons are showing, if not, under Control Panel in the left pane, select Switch to Classic View.) - Select Display.

2.    In the Display Properties dialog box - Select the Appearance tab AND Select the Effects button.

3.    In the Effects dialog box - Select Use large icons AND Select OK twice.

4.    To close Control Panel - Select the Close button.

For those people who do not have Office but get documents in Word, Excel or PowerPoint and are unable to open these documents there are downloads that can be obtained from Microsoft that will allow you to view and save these documents and even send them on. Go to www.microsoft.com.au and click on the Download Centre. The three documents are PowerPoint Viewer 2003, Excel Viewer 2003, or Word Viewer 2003. Do not get the 2007 versions. You need to download these and install then 1 at a time. If you only want one only download and install one. The 2003 versions will let you open any version of these programs.

Thinking of upgrading to Vista. The first thing to do, before you even think of buying vista, is to download Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. It will test your system for compatibility within your hardware/programs, and will provide you with a general idea of whether this is something you want to tackle with your current system. You can print the results of this and then you know what has to be done before you even think of buying Vista. There are 4 different versions of Vista. The home user should buy the Home Premium Version. Remember we are also eligible to buy the Academic version.

Microsoft is preparing to release their new Operating System called Vista in the New Year. Just to remind people your old system will still be able to do everything you do not have to rush out and buy the new system. It is often better if you really want to update, to wait until all the bugs are worked out of the new system before indulging yourself. From the time the new system is launched ' supposedly February ' most new machines will come with the new Operating System installed.

For those people who must have the new system and want to know if their present system can be upgraded the following is a list of requirements in your current system to install Vista on that system.

Have you ever secretly thought that you're a little sharper than your computer illiterate friends'  According to the latest research, you're probably right.  Using your computer - whether you're e-mailing searching the Internet or playing computer games, will keep you on the ball for longer.   These activities provide good mental stimulation, that can help prevent the onset of dementia, says Jillian Krill, a professor at the University of Sydney.  However playing video games should not be confused with watching a lot of television, which is more damaging than beneficial, professor Krill warns.

Aware of these benefits for your mind, Nintendo has designed a game specifically for senior citizens.  The new Nintendo 'brain training' game has been launched in Japan and the United States and is to come to Australia later this year. 'Brain Age' is designed to 'train your brain' in a few minutes each day.  Designed for the Nintendo DS console, this touch screen game challenges users to complete a range of tasks, such as puzzle solving, drawing lines and connecting numbers in order and other brain stimulating activities.  Users are told their 'brain age' according to the speed and accuracy of with which they can complete the game.

This is part of the backlash against young people playing too many mindless computer games, sitting inside for hours on end, at the expense of their fitness and even their skills of interaction with others.  Nintendo's new program is part of a growing trend among computer game producers towards getting their users' brains' into shape', using our love of computer games for our own good.

Reproduced from the Sydney St George Branch of A.I.R. Newsletter

To increase or decrease the font size for text in a Microsoft Word Document, select the text and press Control] to increase or Control[to decrease the font size. When you select text with multiple font sizes, all sizes are altered by the same amount.

This is for everyone over 45 whose eyesight isn't what it used to be. It's very useful when trying to read small e-mail print (especially in the early hours).If you hold down the Ctrl key on your key board and turn the small wheel in the middle of your mouse, the print size will change - it will either get larger or smaller - depending on which way you turn the wheel.

Do you use your keyboard to help navigate whilst working' Try the below: Press the key and then the letter. Don't use the + sign as well!

Display or hide the Start menu.    Windows key
Show the desktop.    Windows key +D
Minimize all windows.    Windows key +M
Restores minimized windows.    Windows key +Shift +M
Open My Computer.    Windows key +E
Search for a file or folder.    Windows key +F
Display Windows Help.    Windows key +F1
Open the Run dialog box.    Windows key +R

Use the Menu key (next to the right side Control key) to display a shortcut menu of possible actions for the selected item.
                                                    (Edited from Windows Help Files)

A wildcard character is a keyboard character such as an asterisk (*) or a question mark (') that is used to represent one or more characters when you are searching for files, folders, printers, computers, or people. Wildcard characters are often used in place of one or more characters when you do not know what the real character is or you do not want to type the entire name.
 

Asterisk* Use the asterisk as a substitute for zero or more characters. If you are looking for a file that you know starts with "gloss" but you cannot remember the rest of the file name, type the following: gloss* This locates all files of any file type that begin with "gloss" including Glossary.txt, Glossary.doc, and glossy.doc. To narrow the search to a specific type of file, type: gloss*.doc This locates all files that begin with "gloss" but have the file name extension .doc, such as Glossary.doc and Glossy.doc

Question Mark' Use the question mark as a substitute for a single character in a name.

Example: if you type gloss'.doc you will locate the file Glossy.doc or Gloss1.doc but not Glossary.doc.
(Reprinted from a Windows Help article)

Add a toolbar to the Taskbar for quick and easy access to a frequently used folder. Right click on the Taskbar, make sure that Lock Taskbar has a tick next to it or click to add one.

Next, from the Toolbars drop down menu click on "New Toolbar."

Navigate through the the  Dialogue box to select the folder, or sub folder that you wish to add.

The new toolbar can now be seen on the right-hand side of the taskbar next to the Notification area.

Click on the arrows next to it at any time to open a file from it.

Organize your Favourites in Internet Explorer. With the program open select Organize Favourites from the Favourites drop down menu ... in the dialogue box that now opens you may create a new folder, give it a suitable name and then drag relevant favourite sites into that folder.

You may also delete no longer needed Favourites and or folders, rename them and also drag folders in the list to appear alphabetically.

Right click on a name to choose to create a Desktop shortcut.

Do you use the AutoShapes' If you do and want to repeat a shape several times or use a selection of shapes, then there is a faster way than copying and pasting one and then returning to the toolbar to choose another similar shape. E.g. perhaps you would like a variety of stars in your document.

Solution: - Choose a shape type from AutoShape menu by pointing and accessing the sub menu.

When this submenu is displayed, move mouse pointer to the top of it and drag to create a floating toolbar.

Double click any shape to make it available for multiple uses, click the shape again to turn function off.

Floating toolbars can also be created from the Draw menu options.

OVERLOAD  

Many of the extra programs you can add to your computer will place heavy demands on your graphics card. Make sure you are running the latest video card drivers, especially if you're still using the default drivers that came with Windows. It's always a good idea to use the latest display drivers available for your graphics card.

Vendors are constantly releasing new drivers to add features, improve performance and fix bugs.

You can usually download new drivers from your manufacturer's Web site. As I use my PC more and more it is becoming difficult to keep track of my files. What can I do'

You must keep reviewing your filing system e.g. a Finance folder may become littered with files, accounts, budget planners, credit cards etc. Create a folder for each of these topics. You can then keep, or nest all these folders inside the Finance folder. Opening the Finance folder reveals the sub-folders. In future, save to the relevant sub-folder.

Format Painter copies the formatting of fonts; their size, colour and even a paragraph border etc. from a selected object or text and applies it to the next object or text you click.

When using the Format Painter:

• Select the text or object that has the formatting you want to copy.
• On the Standard toolbar, click Format Painter.  
• Select the text or object you wish to format, and the formatting appears automatically.
• If you double-click Format Painter, you can copy the selected formatting to several locations.
• Click the Format Painter button again or press ESC. to turn off Format Painter.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR PC CRASHES

You might be working happily on your computer when suddenly the screen freezes or the mouse no longer seems to function a so-called crash occurs. Don't despair, there are a series of steps you can follow to resolve the problem.

Wait a while.

The first thing to do is wait! Pressing more keys will just add to the computer's problems, perhaps even create a crash. Your computer could be taking its time doing something.

Pressing the CTRL + ALT + DELETE key combination (all at the same time) presents you with an on-screen window, which you can use as a starting point for escaping a crash.

Click on (highlight) the program you want to close, and then click End Task. Repeat to close other programs. Close the window to see if your computer is working again; if it is, first save all your work before continuing.

If your computer still doesn't respond, press CTRL + ALT + DELETE again then try clicking   SHUT DOWN in the dialogue box. If the previous step doesn't work press the Reset button (the smaller button below the Power switch on the systems box). Turn off the power switch as a last resort.

On your Web browser, you can use the View Menu/Source to see the HTML code that is used in this and other Web sites. It may look complicated, but there are only a few simple rules.

It is easy to make graphics of  sections of your programs and documents by using the "Print Screen" function of your computer and pasting into a graphics program such as Paint (already on your computer).

As I use my PC more and more it is becoming difficult to keep track of my files. What can I do'

You must keep reviewing your filing system e.g. a Finance folder may become littered with files, accounts, budget planners, credit cards etc. Create a folder for each of these topics. You can then keep, or nest all these folders inside the Finance folder. Opening the Finance folder reveals the sub-folders. In future, save to the relevant sub-folder.

When was the last time you used the "right" button on your mouse to find out what it can do'

EXPERT  TIP
Make sure you only have one anti-virus program installed on your computer at any one time. If you already have anti-virus software but still want to try another, remember to uninstall your original software first.

DELETING TABLES. If you select a table and press Delete, the contents of the table are deleted and not the table. To delete the entire table either select it (by clicking on the crossed arrows in a square at the top left outer corner) or have the cursor inside the table, click the Table menu, point to Delete and choose Table.

A GOOD IDEA. Never connect or disconnect your keyboard, monitor or mouse when your PC is on. Shut down first.

ANOTHER GOOD IDEA. If you take up a trial offer, make a note of the information you will need if you decide to cancel

PLUS ONE MORE. When using the Undo Button click on the arrow next to the button and you will see a list of previous actions.         Click on an item in the list to undo to that point..

SAVE       SAVE      SAVE.

Blackouts, computer lock-ups, accidental key-strokes, exiting a program wrongly, etc. etc. (you probably know them all too well) can be so frustrating when you lose even 10 minutes work, and most of this can be prevented.

It is good practice to save your files in the usual fashion at frequent intervals by using Save or Save As. An excellent tip that will stand you in good stead is to use the keyboard shortcut (Ctrl + S) at every interval when you stop typing for a while. This will ensure that your file is up to date, should your machine crash or you accidentally close down or delete your file.

Q - My screen quickly becomes full of open windows. Can I keep it tidy'

A - Yes. Double click on My Computer and then the Tools menu Folder Options. In the Browse folders panel under the General tab click on the radio button for Open each folder in the same window. Finally, click on Apply, and then OK                            

Photography.

In Photoshop Elements: Enhance Brightness / Contrast Levels

Use the eyedroppers. The best way of using the levels is via the eyedroppers. Use the left one to set the dark areas, the middle one to set the midtones, and the right one to set the brightest areas. Start by clicking the left eyedropper and then clicking on a black area of the image. Use the right eyedropper and click on a light area. INSTANT LIFT!

Make your Adjustments.  Use the Input and Output levels for more precise adjustments.

Experiment by dragging both sets of sliders.

BCC = Blind Carbon Copy. If you email several people, use the BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) field to build your address list.

You won't use up the "To" field, and you won't compromise people's privacy because BCC means recipients will only see their own email address.

Some Spam filters block emails with a blank "To" field, so put your address there.

To display the BCC field: select View all "headers" in Outlook Express.

Windows XP does not list your most recently used documents in a folder accessible from the Start menu. 

If you would like to have it do so: right click the Start button and then from the menu displayed click on Properties, under the Start Menu tab click the Customize button and next under the Advanced tab click to insert a tick in the small square to List my most recently used documents. Click on OK and then Apply in the final Dialogue box shown.

You will now see My Recent Documents entered under the My Documents folder on the right-hand side of the Start menu. This list will display the most recent 15 documents that you have opened. Just click on a name to open that document; although this will not be possible if it has been sent to the Recycle Bin, or if it has been saved to a floppy disk you will need to have the same floppy in the computer ready for the file to be retrieved and able to be used.