December 2005 Meeting

**** RANDOM ACCESS ****
THE MCCC NEWSLETTER
Electronic Edition
December 2005

In This Issue:
* Meeting is Tuesday, December 20
* Starting Windows 98 in Safe Mode
* Starting Windows XP in Safe Mode

======================================
1. Special Announcements
======================================

Remember to check http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com for important security
updates the second Tuesday of every month.

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2. This Month's Meeting
======================================

This month's meeting will be held on December 30 starting at 7:00 PM, at the
Canfield Presbyterian Church.

Be sure to check out the web site for the latest updates:
http://mahccc.blogspot.com. Any suggestions for what we can put up there
will be very much appreciated.

These are some of the items we will be talking about in our meeting:
-- Starting in Safe Mode to troubleshoot problems. This is not something I
recommend to everyone. Restarting in safe mode is usually used when you
cannot start your system any other way. To figure out what is wrong can
take a long time. For the gory details about Windows 98, check out this
article: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;Q188867.
I've included parts of this article below. In Windows XP, things are a bit
easier since you can use the System Restore utility to bring your computer
back to a state when it was working. We'll talk about this more and I'll
try to answer your questions.
-- Windows XP feature to resize pictures to send in email
-- Why buy an iPod?

And as always, we will attempt to answer your questions about Windows and
computers in general. See you there!

Since it is our last meeting of the year, I'll be bringing some cookies and
our Vice-President will be bringing some coffee for our Christmas party. If
you want to bring some cookies or treats, bring them along! If I don't see
you at the meeting, then have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!




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3. Articles
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Start Windows 98 in Safe Mode
----------------------------------
If Windows 98 does not start normally, try to start it in Safe mode.
Starting Windows 98 in Safe mode bypasses the current real-mode
configuration and loads a minimal protected-mode configuration, disabling
Windows 98 device drivers and using the standard VGA display adapter. To
start Windows 98 in Safe mode, restart your computer, press and hold down
the CTRL key until the Windows 98 Startup menu appears, and then choose Safe
Mode.

If Windows 98 starts in Safe mode, step through the startup process to see
if any devices do not load properly:
1. Click Start, click Run, type msconfig in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. Click Selective Startup.
3. Try different boot options.


Start Windows XP in Safe Mode
----------------------------------
To access safe mode

1.. Remove all floppy disks and CDs from your computer, and restart your
computer.
2.. Press F8 when prompted.
If Windows XP starts without displaying the safe mode menu, restart your
computer and try again. Press F8 after the firmware POST process completes
(while the comptuer is black-and-white mode) but before Windows XP displays
graphical output (before it goes into color mode).

3.. On the Windows Advanced Options menu, select Safe Mode, Safe Mode with
Networking, or Safe Mode with Command Prompt.
You can also select a safe mode option from the startup recovery menu that
appears when Windows XP Professional detects that the startup attempt was
unsuccessful.



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4. Upcoming Events
======================================

Let us know of any upcoming events!

======================================
5. Contacts
======================================

Club officers:
--------------
Joseph Maruschek--President/Editor
email: jmaruschek@hotmail.com
phone: 757-2101
Dick Wilson--Vice President
email: tagalong5@juno.com
phone: 799-1676
Doris Baker--Treasurer/Membership
email: doris@cboss.com
phone: 792-5650
Pam Sullivan--Secretary
email: sullivan@cboss.com
phone: 533-9598
Beth Sullivan--Ways & Means
email: sullivan@cboss.com
phone: 533-9598

Articles for the newsletter must be submitted to the editor by the 2nd
Tuesday of the month.

November Meeting

MCCC November 2005

Types of Spyware

The term “spyware” covers a wide range of malicious software (sometimes called malware). Your anti-spyware tool will find all sorts of things that it considers spyware to be removed. Here is a small field guide to what you might find.

COOKIES
These are small text files placed on your computer via your browser by a web site. They are used to track website usage, remember settings, track ad views and make ecommerce shopping carts work. Cookies can’t crash your computer and don’t slow it down at all. Don’t be concerned if cookies are detected. They are a normal result of using the web. If you are concerned about privacy, you can have them deleted.

ALEXA
This is an Amazon.com owned web browser plug-in that gives you data about site popularity. However it also tracks your web usage and reports it back to a central server. It declares what it does and is not really a spyware threat. You don’t have to remove it if detected. If concerned you can uninstall it with the included uninstaller that comes with Alexa.

GATOR/CLARIA
Gator (renamed Claria) almost invented spyware. It has made efforts over the years to legitimize it business, by declaring what info it gathers on your computer as you use its software. Microsoft AntiSpyware is recommending that it be ignored. If you get utility out of Claria and are ok with your web habits being anonymously reported then leave it.

AD SUPPORTED
Some companies - like Claria - release software that is free in return for allowing information to be gathered about you. It explicitly states this upfront in the user agreement. Even though it is painful, scan user agreements of free software that you download to see if they are going to install other programs to show ads. Just about all free programs offer a paid version that has no ads. Removing the ad software may cause the free software to stop working.

BROWSER HIJACK
Also called Browser Helper Objects, these are the nastiest pieces of spyware going. They install on a browser either locking the homepage so it can’t be changed from the one it is set to by the hijacker or installs an un-removable toolbar. Sometimes browser helpers are truly helpful, so keep ones that you actually use. It certainly needs to be removed if your homepage is set to something inappropriate. It is sometimes very hard to do and often requires the use of the program Hijack This. Users of Windows XP with Service Pack 2 installed can see what browser helpers are installed and can turn them off.

More Spyware tips:

• It has been shown time and again that no one anti-spyware program finds and removes everything. Try using more than one program to detect and clean out a heavily-infected computer.
• Some anti-spyware programs, like the free version of Ad-Aware, don’t have a part that tries to prevent you from getting infected. It only detects and removes infections.

Free Anti-Spyware

• Ad-Aware Personal 1.06: http://www.lavasoftusa.com/software/adaware/
• Spybot – Search & Destroy 1.4: http://spybot.safer-networking.de/en/sybotsd/
• Microsoft AntiSpyware (Beta version), soon to be Windows Defender: http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/spyware/software/default.mspx

More Shortcut Keys

Did you ever get a window stuck where the title bar was off the top edge of the screen so you couldn’t reach it with your mouse to move? Use the keyboard to move your window, even if you can’t get to the system menu with your mouse:

• Hold down Alt and the Spacebar and then release. You’ll see the system menu appear.
• Press the M key to select Move from the menu
• Use the arrow keys to move the window.
• Press Enter when you are finished moving the window.

Make your own shortcut keys! You can assign shortcut keys to your favorite programs so you can start them quickly without having to go to the Start menu.

• For example, let’s make a shortcut key for the Calculator. Find the Calculator on the start menu (it’s under accessories) and right-click it.
• Choose Properties from the pop-up menu
• Click once in the Shortcut Key box, and press the C key. You’ll note that “Ctrl + Alt + C” appears in the box. All of these shortcuts will start with Ctrl + Alt.
• Click OK to save your change.
• You can press the combination Ctrl + Alt + C and the Calculator appears.

Free Programming Tools

Ever wonder were programs come from? You can make your own programs using free tools from Microsoft. They recently released free versions of their Visual Studio product called Visual Studio Express. Go to http://msdn.microsoft.com/vstudio/express for more information and downloads.

Now that you’ve got some free tools, what should you program? Get some ideas and guidance from the Coding4Fun site at: http://msdn.microsoft.com/coding4fun.

October Meeting

MCCC October 2005

What is Windows Update? http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Windows Update is a Microsoft web site that provides updates for Windows operating system software and Windows-based hardware. Updates address known issues and help protect against known security threats.

How does it work?

1. Connect to the internet.
2. Open Internet Explorer.
3. In the Address box type: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com and press Enter.
4. The web site changes from time to time, so follow the instructions on the screen.

When you visit the web site, Windows Update scans your computer and tells you which updates apply to your software and hardware. You choose the updates that you want to and how to install them.

What types of updates can I get?

Windows Update uses these categories:

• High Priority: Critical updates, security updates, service packs, and update rollups that should be installed as soon as they become available and before you install any other updates.
• Software (optional): Non-critical fixes for Windows programs, such as Windows Media Player and Windows Journal Viewer.
• Hardware (optional): Non-critical fixes for drivers and other hardware devices, such as video cards, sound cards, scanners, printers, and cameras.

What’s the difference between Express and Custom?

• Express (recommended) displays all high priority updates for your computer so that you can install them with one click. This is the quickest and easiest way to keep your computer up to date.
• Custom displays high priority and optional updates for your computer. You review and select the updates that you want to install, one by one.

Using Security Zones in Internet Explorer

1. Go to the web site you want to add to a zone
2. Press Alt-D to select the web address, and press Ctrl-C to copy it to the Windows Clipboard. This saves you from having to type it in later.
3. On the Internet Explorer Tools menu, click Internet Options.
4. Click the Security tab, and then click the security zone where you want to add the site: Local Intranet, Trusted sites, or Restricted sites.
5. Click the Sites button.
6. In the Add this Web site to the zone box, press Ctrl-V to paste in the web address.
7. Click the Add button.
8. If you want to add more sites to this zone now, you can go back to step 6 and type any additional web addresses into the Add this Web site to the zone box, and then click the Add button.
9. Click OK twice.

Change the Security Level of a Zone

1. On the Internet Explorer Tools menu, click Internet Options.
2. Click the Security tab, and then click the zone for which you want to change the security level.
3. Drag the slider to set the security level to High, Medium, Medium-low, or Low.
4. When you’ve finished, click OK.

Helpful Keyboard Shortcuts

• Ctrl-C Copy
• Ctrl-X Cut
• Ctrl-V Paste
• Ctrl-Z Undo
• Ctrl-A Select All
• F2 Rename
• Windows Key Opens the Start menu
• Windows Key, U, S, S, Enter Shuts down the computer
• Windows Key-E Opens My Documents
• Windows Key-D Shows Desktop
• Windows Key-L Locks computer (at work) or switch users (at home)

September 2005 Meeting

Our next meeting will be on Tuesday, September 20. More details to follow.

Here is an interesting link that we might be talking about:
http://www.realifewebdesigns.com/web-resources/pop3-smtp.html

August Meeting

This month's meeting will be held on August 16, starting at 7:00 PM, at the Canfield Presbyterian Church.

This month we'll have some web sites that can really help you.

Find the lowest prices of gas at various locations in Ohio and other states by going to http://gasbuddy.com.

Looking for a new cell phone or a plan? We'll show you how to use http://myrateplan.com to interactively choose prices and features that you want.

Some of you might use Google as your starting page when you get on the Web. That's a good choice, but now Google makes it better by allowing you to personalize your start page. You go to http://www.google.com/ig to set it up. We'll show you how.

I've been looking for ways to share photos online, and one neat solution is Flickr at http://flickr.com. You can set up a free account to share photos with people you choose, or let everyone see your great photos! We'll show you the details.

Thinking about a new computer? We'll take a look at some things to consider when buying a new computer.

July 2005 Meeting

July 2005 Meeting Notes

The meeting will be held on July 19 at 7:00 pm at the Canfield Presbyterian church.

Unfortunately, Joe will be out of town for business reasons, so our
Vice-President, Dick Wilson, will carry on in his place.

Dick will be showing how he uses his Olympus digital camera with the Camedia
software to do basic photo editing. He might also show off Photoshop to do
more tricks with pictures.

Ten Ways to stop identity theft

Common sense is always worth repeating...FYI

1. Destroy private records and statements. Tear up -- or, if you prefer, shred -- credit card statements, solicitations and other documents that contain private financial information.

2. Secure your mail. Empty your mailbox quickly, lock it or get a P.O. box so criminals don’t have a chance to snatch credit card pitches. Never mail outgoing bill payments and checks from home. They can be stolen from your mailbox and the payee's name erased with solvents. Mail them from the post office or another secure location.

3. Safeguard your Social Security number. Never carry your card with you, or any other card that may have your number, like a health insurance card. And don’t put your number on your checks. It's the primary target for identity thieves because it gives them access to your credit report and bank accounts. (For more on protecting your Social Security number, see "Safeguard your Social Security number.")

4. Don't leave a paper trail. Never leave ATM, credit card or gas station receipts behind.

5. Never let your credit card out of your sight. Worried about credit card skimming? Always keep an eye on your card or, when that's not possible, pay with cash.

6. Know who you're dealing with. Whenever anyone contacts you asking for private identity or financial information, make no response other than to find out who they are, what company they represent and the reason for the call. If you think the request is legitimate, contact the company yourself and confirm what you were told before revealing any of your personal data.

7. Take your name off marketers' hit lists. In addition to the national Do-Not-Call registry (1-888-382-1222), you can also cut down on junk mail and opt out of credit card solicitations. For details, see Liz Weston's article, "Free at last from telemarketing invasions."

8. Be more defensive with personal information. Ask salespeople and others if information such as a Social Security or driver’s license number is absolutely necessary. Ask anyone who does require your Social Security number -- for instance, your insurance company -- what their privacy policy is and whether you can arrange for the organization not to share your information with anyone else.

9. Monitor your credit report. Obtain and thoroughly review your credit report (now available for free at Annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228) at least once a year to look for suspicious activity. If you spot something, alert your card company or the creditor immediately. You may also want to subscribe to a credit protection service, like Experian's CreditCheck, which alerts you any time a change takes place with your credit report.

10. Review your credit card statements carefully. Make sure you recognize the merchants, locations and purchases listed before paying the bill. If you don't need or use department-store or bank-issued credit cards, consider closing the accounts. For more on when and how to close credit card accounts, see "Cancel a credit card -- the right way. "

June 2005 Meeting Notes

June 2005 Meeting Notes

Security
Three "Critical" updates were released June 14, 2005:
1.. MS05-025: Internet Explorer Update - fixes two problems:
a.. A remote code execution vulnerability exists in Internet Explorer because of the way that it handles PNG images. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a malicious PNG image that could potentially allow remote code execution if a user visited a malicious Web site or viewed a malicious e-mail message. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system.
b.. An information disclosure vulnerability exists in Internet Explorer because of the way that it handles certain requests to display XML content. An attacker could exploit the vulnerability by constructing a malicious Web page that could potentially lead to information disclosure if a user visited a malicious Web site or viewed a malicious e-mail message. An attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could read XML data from another Internet Explorer domain. However, user interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability.
2.. MS05-026: HTML help Update -- Microsoft HTML Help is the standard help system for the Windows platform. Authors can use HTML Help to create online Help files for a software application or to create content for a multimedia title or for a Web site. This is a remote code execution vulnerability. If a user is logged on with administrative privileges, an attacker who successfully exploited this vulnerability could take complete control of an affected system. An attacker could then install programs; view, change, or delete data; or create new accounts with full privileges.
Users whose accounts are configured to have fewer privileges on the system would be at less risk than users who operate with administrative privileges.
Even though Windows 98, 98 SE, and ME are affected, no patch is available for those systems yet.
3.. MS05-027: Vulnerability in Server Message Block Could Allow Remote Code Execution -- Server Message Block (SMB), and its follow-on, Common Internet File System (CIFS), is the Internet Standard protocol that Windows uses to share files, printers, serial ports, and also to communicate between computers. To do this, SMB uses named pipes and mail slots. In a networked environment, servers make file systems and resources available to clients.
Clients make SMB requests for resources. Servers make SMB responses. This is described as a client server, request-response protocol. There are several different ways that an attacker could try to exploit this vulnerability. An attacker could try to exploit the vulnerability directly over a network by creating a series of specially crafted messages and sending them to an affected system. The messages could then cause the affected system to execute code. Windows 98, 98 SE, and ME are not affected.

Other Security Updates (non-critical):
a.. MS05-028: A vulnerability exists in the Windows Web Client Service that could allow an attacker to take complete control of an affected system.
b.. MS05-029: A cross-site scripting vulnerability exists in Outlook Web Access for Microsoft Exchange that could allow an attacker to run a malicious script in Outlook Web Access.
c.. MS05-030: A vulnerability exists in Outlook Express that could allow an attacker to take complete control of an affected system. User interaction is required to exploit this vulnerability and an attacker would need to persuade a user to connect to their News (NNTP) server.
d.. MS05-031: A vulnerability exists in Windows that could allow an attacker to take complete control of an affected system. Microsoft Windows Interactive Training is not installed by default.
e.. MS05-032: A vulnerability exists in Microsoft Agent that could enable an attacker to spoof trusted Internet content.
f.. MS05-033: A vulnerability exists in the Windows Telnet Client that could enable an attacker to retrieve unpredictable information from a system.



For more information check out
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/security/bulletin/ms05-jun.mspx.



To get just the security updates your computer needs:
a.. Just go to Windows Update. Use MS Internet Explorer to go to
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/
b.. The Windows Update program knows which updates are for your version of
windows.



A recent study shows that 30%-40% of all email is infected with a virus.
a.. This means that people are still opening attachments to make the virus
spread.
b.. Do not open any unexpected attachments, even from people you know.
c.. Agree beforehand that you will be expecting a specific attachment if
you need to send someone a file.



A Do-It-Yourself Reminder System (no extra software needed)
a.. Use notepad to create a list of tasks, dates, etc.
b.. Use the Scheduled Tasks program to schedule your file to open when you
log in (or at other times).
c.. In Windows 98, open My Computer, then double-click "Scheduled Tasks".
d.. In Windows XP, choose Start -> Control Panel -> Performance and
Maintenance -> Scheduled Tasks
e.. Double-click "Add Scheduled Task" to start the Scheduled Task Wizard.
f.. Click Next.
g.. Don't choose a program from the list, but click Browse.
h.. Navigate to where you saved your list of tasks and dates, click the
file, and click Open.
i.. Choose "Run When I log In" to have the file shown when you start up
Windows. Click Next.
j.. Click Finish.
k.. To adjust the schedule afterwards, open up the Scheduled Tasks list
and double-click an item. Choose the Schedule tab to change the schedule.
Unfortunately, Yearly is not an option.
l.. Another thing to try: record a message using Sound Recorder, and
schedule it to play using Scheduled Taks to have an audio reminder.



If you want a more polished reminder system (yet still free)
a.. Download a reminder/calendar program (there are many).
b.. I tried Birthdays and Anniversaries Reminder 1.0 from http://download.com.
Birthdays and Anniversaries Reminder (BAR) is a simple program that reminds
you of the birthdays of your friends & relatives (or even yours). All you
have to do is keep on adding the dates you know, set BAR to run at startup,
and rest assured that you will be notified of them as they approach. BAR has
a very easy-to-use interface and has several options like sorting,
formatting dates according to your locale and numbers of days in advance
should BAR check for approaching birthdays. Use it for some time, and you'll
start liking (and needing) it more.



If you want to build your own program:
a.. Free download: Visual Studio 2005 Express Editions (Beta 2 versions)
b.. Send me an email if you are interested.

Next Meeting: June 21

More details to follow.

May 2005 Meeting Notes

Monthly Security Updates from Microsoft

• None this month for XP, Me, or 98.

• One update for Windows 2000

End of Support Update

• Support for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Me will continue until June 30, 2006.

• Critical Updates will still be released until June 30, 2006.

• For more details go to http://support.microsoft.com/gp/lifean1

Security Terms

• Adware: Software bundled with free software that displays banner ads to support the cost of the free program. Purchasing the software turns off the ads.

• Spyware: Originally considered a form of adware. In order to refresh ads, and to report if the user clicked on the ad or purchased the program, well-behaved adware has to report back over the internet to its home office. Adware that reports data that the user did not allow, like what sites they visit on the internet, was considered spyware. Spyware now refers to a whole class of software that installs itself without the user's consent. Evidence of spyware is: your starting page in your browser changed without you doing anything, new tool bars or buttons appear in your browser that you didn't add yourself, pop-up ads while you are not even running any program or not even on-line.

• Phishing: Phishing attacks are fake e-mails that look like real letters from banks, credit card companies, and other financial institutions. They invite the user to go to a web site and enter private information like passwords, credit card numbers, and back accounts.

• Trojan Horses: Just like the the historical Trojan Horse, these are programs that on the surface seem harmless, but really contain harmful code that might harm your computer or open up security holes. These are usually disguised as downloads that look like real programs. In some cases, music files and picture files may also hide trojan horses.

Featured Website

• Mahoning County Geographic Information System: http://gis.mahoningcountyoh.gov/

• Click on “Map Viewer” to get started

• Draw a rectangle to zoom in

• To zoom out, click on the icon with four outward arrows, then click where you want the center to be

• To start from the beginning, click the globe icon

• Search for your address or name in the upper left-hand corner

• When looking at properties, click the “i” icon to get info on other properties

• On the layers tab, turn on different layers (eg. Ortho Photo) and then click “Refresh”

• To pan around, click on the hand icon, then click and drag the map

• Click on the “help” link for a pdf file that explains even more

HDTV on Your Computer

• Local stations are broadcasting HDTV right now: 21, 33, and 45/49.

• For as little as $150, you can watch HDTV on your computer with the ATI HDTV Wonder

• Requires: Windows XP SP1, 1.3 Ghz cpu, 256 MB of memory, a free PCI card slot, existing video card with at least 64 MB of memory and is DirectX 9.0-compatible.

• Comes with an antenna

• Also comes with a remote control and software to make your computer act like a TiVo.

• Also has a connector for another antenna or cable for regular TV

• Records HDTV and TV shows

• Also can record from VCRs or camcorders

• Gets the program schedule for free off the internet

• You can watch TV on the desktop wallpaper or in a transparent window

• You might want to get another hard disk for storing recordings: 6 GB per hour of HDTV.

• Most new primetime shows are shown in HDTV, commercials and news are not.

• For more information: http://www.ati.com/products/hdtvwonder/index.html

A new way to download on the Internet: BitTorrent

• Splits files into small pieces and distributes them among several peers

• The software downloads the pieces from different computers and assembles the whole file on your PC

• It also shares the pieces you have with other people that are downloading

• It distributes the load of downloading big files over many people to make it more efficient

• Can be used for legal downloads (podcasts, linux iso's) as well as illegal downloads

• For more info see http://www.bittorrent.com

• A popular BitTorrent client is Azureus (requires also downloading java 1.5): http://azureus.sourceforge.net/

Podcasts: radio shows on the internet

• Do-it-yourself radio shows posted as MP3 files on the internet

• Anyone can download them for free

• Special software is available to allow you to subscribe to and automatically download the ones you like

• It is also possible to automatically move the podcast to your portable audio player

• Example: Catholic Insider (http://www.catholicinsider.com) links to podcasts of Pope Benedict XVI from Vatican Radio.

• Many radio stations are embracing the technology. WGBH in Boston, Q107 in Toronto and BBC Radio are already offering regular podcasts.

• “Pod” refers to the Apple iPod, but you can use anything that can play MP3s.

• Thought up by Adam Curry, former MTV host.

• Thousands of podcasts can be found at http://www.podcast.net, or http://podcastingnews.com, or http://www.podcastalley.com, or the original http://www.ipodder.org

• Software to automatically download new podcasts: Doppler http://www.dopplerradio.net and iPodder http://www.ipodder.org

Next Meeting: May 17

The next meeting is May 17 at the usual time of 7:00 pm at the Canfield Presbyterian Church.

Subjects we will be talking about:

Security: terms to know: adware, spyware, phishing, trojan horses, etc.
Featured web site: Mahoning County Geological Survey
Low cost HDTV on your computer
New Stuff: Podcasts, BitTorrent
Customizing Windows

Informational Sites

Abandoned mines:

site http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/website/geosurvey/omsiua/disclaimer.htm

Mahoning County Maps:

site http://gis.mahoningcountyoh.gov

go to map viewer in the menu bar .

Sex Offenders in your area ?

site to find out ! www.ag.state.oh.us

Type in your street and area code, and it will tell you if an offender

lives within a one mile radius of your home .

do you have savings bonds ? want to know what they are worth ?

site go to google and type in --( savings bond wizard )--

download the program and it will give you there current value

if you type in the number on the bond.

D. Wilson

Meeting Notes

Security

• Microsoft releases new security updates the second Tuesday of every month
• This month: two critical updates
• MS05-019 or KB893066-- for XP users only
• MS05-020 or KB890923-- for 98SE, Me, and XP
• For more detail:
• www.microsoft.com/security
• Choose “Windows Security Updates”
• Even better:
• windowsupdate.microsoft.com

To make your computer safer, set up Automatic Updates

• For Windows 98, there are no Automatic Updates. But there is a tool that will notify you when critical updates are available. Use Windows Update, check out the “non-critial” section for the Critial Update Notification Tool.
• For Windows Me: Start, Control Panel, Automatic Updates. No auto-install, but auto-downloading is available.
• Automatic Updates for Windows XP
  <>
• Full automatic download and installation is available.
• If you have Service Pack 2 installed, use the Security Center to check your settings.
• <><>Start, Control Panel, Security Center, Manage Settings for Automatic Updates<>
• <><>More details:
• http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security

Cool Web Pages:

• Google can now search package tracking numbers for FedEx, UPS, etc.
• Vehicle id's (VINs), patent numbers, even FAA plane registrations!
• For more details: www.google.com/help/features.html

Next version of Windows

• Code name: Longhorn
• Beta version this summer
• Planned on being released at the end of 2006
• More safety features
• Uses the 3D features of graphics cards
• Advanced search for files

Make your own icons:

1. Start – All Programs – Accessories – Paint
2. Choose Image – Attibutes
3. Make width and height 32 pixels
4. Add your graphics
5. File – Save As – end file the file name with a “.ico”

Screen Saver from your pictures

1. Start – Control Panel – Appearance & Themes – Display
2. Screen Saver tab
3. Choose My Pictures Slideshow from the drop-down list
4. Click Settings
5. Click Browse to choose a folder (it chooses My Pictures by default)
6. Click OK to save settings.
7. Try Preview
8. Click OK to close Display Settings

Photo Printing Wizard
Print our your pictures in a variety of standard sizes

1. Start – My Documents
2. Turn off Folders view if it is on
3. Open up My Pictures and select a picture or group of pictures
4. Click “Print These Pictures” on the task bar on the left
5. Follow the prompts (choose pictures, choose how they print, number of times a picture is used, etc.)

To make a backup copy of your Outlook Express e-mail message files:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. On the Maintenance tab, click Store Folder.
3. Select the folder location, and then press CTRL+C to copy the location.
4. Click Cancel, and then click Cancel again to close the dialog box.
5. Click Start, and then click Run.
6. In the Open box, press CTRL+V, and then click OK.
7. On the Edit menu, click Select All.
8. On the Edit menu, click Copy, and then close the window.
9. Right-click any empty space on your desktop, click New, and then click Folder.
10. Type mail backup for the folder name, and then press ENTER.
11. Double-click the Mail Backup folder to open it.
12. On the Edit menu, click Paste.
13. Close the Mail Backup window.

To export your Outlook Express address book:

1. On the File menu, click Export, and then click Address Book.
2. Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Export.
3. Click Browse.
4. Locate the Mail Backup folder that you created.
5. In the File Name box, type address book backup, and then click Save.
6. Click Next.
7. Click to select the check boxes for the fields that you want to export, and then click Finish.
8. Click OK and then click Close.

To import your Outlook Express e-mail messages from the Backup folder:

1. On the File menu, point to Import, and then click Messages.
2. In the Select an e-mail program to import from box, click Microsoft Outlook Express 5 or Microsoft Outlook Express 6, and then click Next.
3. Click Import mail from an OE5 store directory or Import mail from an OE6 store directory, and then click OK.
4. Click Browse, and then click on the Mail Backup folder on your desktop.
5. Click OK, and then click Next.
6. Click All folders, click Next, and then click Finish.

To import your Outlook Express address book:

1. On the File menu, click Import, and then click Other Address Book.
2. Click Text File (Comma Separated Values), and then click Import.
3. Click Browse.
4. Locate the Mail Backup folder on your desktop, click the address book Backup.csv file, and then click Open.
5. Click Next, and then click Finish.
6. Click OK, and then click Close.

Next Meeting: April 19

In the sprit of Spring, I'm going to try something new. Ok, nothing earth-shaking, but just a little bit different in a effort to serve you better.

I think we should start off with news. Some things I'll touch upon are the latest security patches from Microsoft, new web pages of interest, and other things of interest to general computer users over the last month.

Then I'll continue with our year-long journey through windows, but I'm going to try and give it to you in small, easy-to-digest morsels. I'll try to concentrate on specific tasks and tips that support our current topic, and hopefully not too many to overwhelm you.

By the way, it seems the main topic this month is digital photos, since I finally got myself a digital camera! Come and find out which one I got.

And throughout it all, we'll try and answer you questions. That is what this is all about: sharing information with each other so we can all learn.

If you're reading this and have some suggestions, please leave a comment!

Essential PC buyers guide

I found this article on PCMagazine.com. It claims to be the Essential PC buyers guide. Check it out and let us know what you think of it.

Exploring Windows

Exploring Windows, a bi-weekly newsletter
Volume 27 : March 23, 2005



Announcements, tips, tricks, and techniques for Windows users at home and at the office.

More music, more choices

Explore the exciting new possibilities available to you with Windows Media Player 10. The Player provides you with a seamless experience for finding and buying digital music and video, playing it on any computer running Windows XP, and enjoying it anywhere on a wide choice of portable players and in-home devices. Watch the Player 10 trailer (300 Kbps).
http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=2498534

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Learn the basics


· Sync music or video to a portable device
· Quickly rip CDs to your computer
· Burn your own CDs
· 6 tips for buying an MP3 player with flash memory
· More from the Player How-to Center...


Get more

· Skins: Get a new look for the Player
· Visualizations: Add a new viz to your collection
· Plug-ins: Extend the core features of the Player


Are you working in a bygone era? Work has evolved. Technology has evolved. Microsoft Office has evolved. Have you? Get to know today's Microsoft Office.


----------------------------------------------------------------------

Featured in the community

Getting older games to run on Windows XP
Gaming expert Joel Durham explains how to get MS-DOS- and Windows 9x-based games to run on Windows XP.

Using your Tablet PC for networking and working remotely while traveling
Tablet PC Community Writer Jeff Van West takes his Tablet PC on the road and explains how to back up data, use hot spots, and create a Windows Journal trip book.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Tip of the week

Save space on your hard disk when ripping music
Do you like to rip (copy) music from CDs but you're worried about using up hard disk space on your computer? In Windows Media Player, you can pick from several audio formats and a range of file sizes to find the combination of quality and file size that works for you.

If you aren't sure which format to pick, listen to how the formats sound at the Audio Quality Web page. Or, try ripping some songs with different formats and sizes until you find the
combination that works best for you.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
Special offers


$500 shopping spree for your PC: Enter for a chance to win

Try Microsoft Office Live Meeting free for 14 days

Up to 30% off selected Windows XP and Office books from Microsoft Press on
barnesandnoble.com



----------------------------------------------------------------------
Free downloads

· Shareware pick: WinTasks 5 Pro
· Windows AntiSpyware (Beta)
· Windows XP SP2
· Windows Media Player 10
· Photo Story 3
· Microsoft Download Center
· Free downloads on Windows Marketplace



----------------------------------------------------------------------

Get answers & find help

· Windows XP How-to Center
· Windows Support Centers
· Windows XP newsgroups
· Windows 98 how-to articles

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Safety & security

· Netiquette 101: How to be on your best behavior when you go online
· Keep your PC up to date automatically
· 3 steps to protect your PC
· Windows Update
· Security at Home



=====================================================

Legal Information.

This newsletter was sent by the Microsoft Corporation
1 Microsoft Way
Redmond, Washington, USA
98052


© 2004 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft, MSDN, the
Office logo, and Visual Studio are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other
countries. The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may
be the trademarks of their respective owners.

March Newsletter

**** RANDOM ACCESS ****
THE MCCC NEWSLETTER
Electronic Edition
March 2005

In This Issue:
* How to set up Outlook Express
* Compose and Send E-Mail Messages with Outlook Express
* Check, Respond To, and Print E-Mail Messages


======================================
1. Special Announcements
======================================

No special news.

======================================
2. This Month's Meeting
======================================

This month's meeting will be held on March 15, starting at 7:00 PM, at the Canfield Presbyterian Church.

This month we are continuing talking about the things that Windows has built-in to help you access the Internet. We will take a look at using email using Outlook Express and Juno mail.

Take a look at a new web site that I created for the club at http://mahccc.blogspot.com. Any suggestions for what we can put up there will be very much appreciated.

My goal with this club has always been to try and answer questions and share what we know to help you use your computer better. That's what we hope to do with this new series of classes. We have to get the word out about what we offer and show what a bargain it is compared to other places that offer classes. So please tell your friends about us, especially if you think that
they can benefit from what we will be covering. See you there!

======================================
3. Articles
======================================

I apologize for not getting any articles together for the newsletter. I was sick all weeked. Check out these on-line articles about Outlook Express:

How to set up Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/using/howto/oe/setup.mspx
Compose and Send E-Mail Messages with Outlook Express:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/using/howto/oe/composesend.mspx
Check, Respond To, and Print E-Mail Messages:
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/using/howto/oe/checkprint.mspx

======================================
4. Upcoming Events
======================================

Let us know of any upcoming events!

======================================
5. Contacts
======================================

Club officers:
--------------
Joseph Maruschek--President/Editor
email: jmaruschek@hotmail.com
phone: 757-2101
Dick Wilson--Vice President
email: tagalong5@juno.com
phone: 799-1676
Doris Baker--Treasurer/Membership
email: doris@cboss.com
phone: 792-5650
Pam Sullivan--Secretary
email: sullivan@cboss.com
phone: 533-9598
Beth Sullivan--Ways & Means
email: sullivan@cboss.com
phone: 533-9598
Don Rodino--Librarian
email: DonDCUC@aol.com
phone: 788-4546

Articles for the newsletter must be submitted to the editor by the 2nd
Tuesday of the month.

March Meeting

The March meeting is early this month: March 15.

It will be at our usual time of 7:00 at the Canfield Presbyterian Church.

We will continue on our internet topics by looking at email with Outlook Express and Juno.