Microsoft is offering us the chance to beta test an "automated troubleshooter for your PC."
It's free, and certainly worth a look:
http://fixitcenter.support.microsoft.com/Portal
If your problem is not shown, there is the "Microsoft Fix It Center Online" to consult.
A word of warning: don't expect it to solve everything! Your PC has to be "working" to be able to use the facility, and preferably able to access the internet. So, there will still be a need for people like me. Phew!
Wednesday, 21 April 2010
Monday, 19 April 2010
In Praise of Chkdsk
Sometimes, life can teach a salutary lesson. So, let me tell you a story.
I was testing some free disk imaging software (more on that later). The first attempt to run the software resulted in an error message from the software. Slightly grumpily, I put the error message details into Google. To my surprise, the message was telling me that there was some thing wrong with the hard disk.
After a moment's panic - well you would, wouldn't you! - I followed the advice offered, and ran Chkdsk.
Chkdsk is part of Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Basically, it scans the hard disk for errors, and tries to correct them. It has been the saviour of many a computer on my workbench.
I ran Chkdsk, and immediately it found some errors to correct. Affter the first run, I did it again, and this time it found nothing to correct.
The moral of the tale is: run Chkdsk regularly. I include it when I service customers' PCs, but had failed to do it on my trusty home machine.
The only problem with Chkdsk is that if Windows won't work, you can't get at it! But there are ways round that, and knowing how has also saved many a broken computer.
Where do I find and use Chkdsk, do I hear you cry? Well, it varies according to which version of Windows you're using. The best thing would be to Google "How to use Chkdsk in Windows x", replacing x with the version of Windows you've got (i.e., XP, Vista, 7). If that doesn't work, please get in touch and I'll try to advise you.
Good luck! It can take some time to do the scan, so be patient. But the knowledge of knowing that errors have been found and corrected is very reassuring, as I know only too well.
I was testing some free disk imaging software (more on that later). The first attempt to run the software resulted in an error message from the software. Slightly grumpily, I put the error message details into Google. To my surprise, the message was telling me that there was some thing wrong with the hard disk.
After a moment's panic - well you would, wouldn't you! - I followed the advice offered, and ran Chkdsk.
Chkdsk is part of Windows XP, Vista, and 7. Basically, it scans the hard disk for errors, and tries to correct them. It has been the saviour of many a computer on my workbench.
I ran Chkdsk, and immediately it found some errors to correct. Affter the first run, I did it again, and this time it found nothing to correct.
The moral of the tale is: run Chkdsk regularly. I include it when I service customers' PCs, but had failed to do it on my trusty home machine.
The only problem with Chkdsk is that if Windows won't work, you can't get at it! But there are ways round that, and knowing how has also saved many a broken computer.
Where do I find and use Chkdsk, do I hear you cry? Well, it varies according to which version of Windows you're using. The best thing would be to Google "How to use Chkdsk in Windows x", replacing x with the version of Windows you've got (i.e., XP, Vista, 7). If that doesn't work, please get in touch and I'll try to advise you.
Good luck! It can take some time to do the scan, so be patient. But the knowledge of knowing that errors have been found and corrected is very reassuring, as I know only too well.
Wednesday, 7 April 2010
Keeping Children Safe on the Internet
It's a common worry among parents: "How can I make sure that my children don't go to inappropriate sites?"
There are ways to restrict access to some websites; some ways of doing it are more selective than others. If you have a router attached to your modem, there are ways to restrict access to all users of your home or business network - please see my earlier piece on using OpenDNS for your Domain Name Server.
For individual computers, a program like NetNanny is a powerful way of controlling access for individual computers.
There is an other way, but it involves making some changes to the Hosts file. Basically, you enter the web address of the sites you want to block, and the Hosts file does the rest. It's a bit fiddly to do, and I won't go into details here, but I'm grateful to a piece in MicroMart magazine (Issue 1100, 1-7 April 2010: in the "Ask Jason" section) for the information.
If you'd like to know how to modify the Hosts file, get in touch and I'll send you the details.
Jason in the same article points out - wisely, in my opinion - that the best way to keep youngsters safe on the Internet is to educate them into safe ways, of surfing and communicating. Schools are beginning to do that, and parents and carers can help. After all, they're going to want to experiment (we all did in our various pre-internet ways!), so let's guide them into safe habits.
Sermon over!
There are ways to restrict access to some websites; some ways of doing it are more selective than others. If you have a router attached to your modem, there are ways to restrict access to all users of your home or business network - please see my earlier piece on using OpenDNS for your Domain Name Server.
For individual computers, a program like NetNanny is a powerful way of controlling access for individual computers.
There is an other way, but it involves making some changes to the Hosts file. Basically, you enter the web address of the sites you want to block, and the Hosts file does the rest. It's a bit fiddly to do, and I won't go into details here, but I'm grateful to a piece in MicroMart magazine (Issue 1100, 1-7 April 2010: in the "Ask Jason" section) for the information.
If you'd like to know how to modify the Hosts file, get in touch and I'll send you the details.
Jason in the same article points out - wisely, in my opinion - that the best way to keep youngsters safe on the Internet is to educate them into safe ways, of surfing and communicating. Schools are beginning to do that, and parents and carers can help. After all, they're going to want to experiment (we all did in our various pre-internet ways!), so let's guide them into safe habits.
Sermon over!
Friday, 2 April 2010
Which Internet Browser Should I Use?
At the moment, there is an embarrassment of riches where internet browsers are concerned. Are they all the same, or are there significant differences? Is there any point, for example, in having separate browsers for particular purposes?
This issue has come to the forefront recently because Microsoft has been forced by the EU to make us aware that there are browsers other than Internet Explorer. IE has suffered from the attention of hackers because it is everywhere present, because it is part of Windows, so some other browsers may be safer and less open to attack from hackers and viruses.
The main point is that we do have choices. Some recent reviews of the range of browsers have been helpful in pointing out some crucial differences. The current received wisdom seems to be:
1. Use Firefox for day-to-day Internet work on sites you know are safe, because it is a smaller target for malware attacks than is Internet Explorer.
2. Use Google's Chrome when surfing to sites you're unsure of, or when you want to feel extra safe. I use Chrome for internet banking, for example.
(By the way, when installing Chrome, just remember to uncheck the box that makes it your default browser.)
Have a go, see what you think. And perhaps get back to me with your comments.
What's your preferred browser? And why??
This issue has come to the forefront recently because Microsoft has been forced by the EU to make us aware that there are browsers other than Internet Explorer. IE has suffered from the attention of hackers because it is everywhere present, because it is part of Windows, so some other browsers may be safer and less open to attack from hackers and viruses.
The main point is that we do have choices. Some recent reviews of the range of browsers have been helpful in pointing out some crucial differences. The current received wisdom seems to be:
1. Use Firefox for day-to-day Internet work on sites you know are safe, because it is a smaller target for malware attacks than is Internet Explorer.
2. Use Google's Chrome when surfing to sites you're unsure of, or when you want to feel extra safe. I use Chrome for internet banking, for example.
(By the way, when installing Chrome, just remember to uncheck the box that makes it your default browser.)
Have a go, see what you think. And perhaps get back to me with your comments.
What's your preferred browser? And why??
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