Segment 1
Talking about people and thieves - using twitter and facebook to find out when you are not home
Joe D realizes that there are not nice people out there. Check your security settings to make sure all of your information is not public.
The internet and social networks are now affecting professional sports. NFL says that players cannot be on the internet or social networks 90 minutes before and during a game.
Talking about "sexting", that is, sending dirty pictures and texts from cell phones. Parents should keep tabs on what their kids are doing. Kids have to realize that stuff they post on the internet cannot be undone and can affect their future.
Segment 2
Go to youngstowncomputer.com to see a list of rouge/fake anti-virus programs. Also there is a picture of a burned out hard disk controller. Also played recordings of failing hard drives so if you hear these kind of sounds, your hard drive is about to fail.
Caller 1
Q: when I turned it on, I got a message that your computer would start, and it was there for 40 minutes and it said "repairing" Is this normal? Then it started up ok.
A: Joe D recommends to back up your important files right now. Then bring it in to have it professionally installed. It sounded like Windows had to do some fixing, so it might be a failing hard drive.
Caller 2
Q: what are the signs that you need to defrag?
A: Joe D says to defrag if you see constant drive activity. If you uninstall/intstall stuff a lot, try to defrag once a month.
Joe D amazingly suggests defragging more than once on XP?!?!?
Segment 3
Mike brings in an article about a carrier pigeon against the internet in South Africa.
Caller 3
Q: got a wireless usb adapter. but we can't find the disk for the d-link router. can we reset the router and set it up again without the disk?
A: yes you can. You just have to log into the router at 192.168.0.1 and configure it through a web browser.
Q: actually we don't remember the wireless password.
A: well, since your laptop gets on, use that computer to go to the router setup and change the wireless password and WRITE IT DOWN!
Caller 4
Q: on a skype video call, my sister's video camera stops working after 15 seconds, audio is fine, and she can see our video fine
A: try to download the latest drivers for the web cam and maybe for the video card. perhaps there is also a problem with a firewall program that might be shutting off the video stream
Caller 5
Q: after returning from a trip, I turn on the powerstrip and the printer and screen are on, but the main system unit will not turn on.
A: try another outlet on the power strip, but it seems that the powersupply might have burned out.
Segment 4
Caller 6
Q: This is Dan Rivers. Got norton AV. Do I remove the old version before I install?
A: yes, that is usually better.
Q: can you install that on two machines?
A: you will have to check the license. some retail copies can be installed on up to 3 computers.
Caller 7
Q: when the computer starts, I hear the hard drive scratching, but then it smooth about about 10 minutes. things are slow until about 10 minutes in
A: some hard drives do make some noise. if the noise changes, then that's what you have to listen to. get the hard drive tested to make sure that it is ok.
Caller 8
Q: the physical power button has broken, I can't turn it on
A: we can look at the switch to see if it can get fixed
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for August 29, 2009
Segment 1
Talking about fake anti-virus popups. There is a screen shot on http://youngstowncomputer.com. If you see this, keep tapping Alt-F4 to close all the windows. If windows still keep popping up, then you are already infected, then seek help to disinfect your computer. Adam asks about how the web sites themselves get infected.
There is a Youngstown Computer fantasy football league starting. See http://youngstowncomputer.com. Adam talks about the Dallas Cowboys' HD screen that got hit by a punt.
Also check out the poll about Senate Bill 773.
Segment 2
Jessica Biel is now the most dangerous search on the internet.
Joe D shares an example of how work occurs at his shop.
Segment 3
Caller 1
Q: lost D and E dvd drives, they don't appear anymore
A: have you checked the cables?
Q: no, but I have been working with msconfig, then I had some problems with a phone sync, I uninstalled the phone software and the drives were gone.
A: try to use tweakui, if you are on XP, to see if the drives are hidden. also try running disk manager to see if the drives are shown there.
Q: I got a error mark when I look in device manager
A: try right-click, remove the device, then restart the computer
Q: any time for the mp3s to be posted?
A: we are working on it
Caller2
Q: got a new vista, but I couldn't run my old dos doom games, so I got a patch, but it does not support the new red light mice
A: Ian would answer that, but he is not here today.
Caller 3
Q: about acer and vista, got a problem with windows explorer, when I try to copy a file to a floppy, I try to right -click the file to check the properties explorer freezes, there is also a dvd rom that I can can't read in vista, but works on XP
A: sounds like a hardware problem,
Q: well, explorer seems slow when going down the folder tree
A: you will have to look at it in the office
Segment 4
boy that was a fast break
Caller 4
was not there on the phone
Caller 5
Q: who benefits from viruses?
A: three reasons: 1. recruitment, that is, use your computer to do their work like sending spam, 2. tricks you into buying something that does nothing, 3. then there are kids that just lash out at society
Caller 6
Q: on XP, sometimes when I try to open something, but everything freezes, but I have to hit Ctrl-Alt-Del and then it works
A: that is strange, we will have to look at it closer
Segment 5
Caller 7
Q: got XP, says i need javascript enabled, like youtube
A: go into the security settings for IE, change it from High or med-high to medium or low. you can also check out the custom settings to check that scripting is enabled
Caller 8
Q: my computer suddenly stops then restarts
A: sounds like windows is crashing, usually a driver is crashing, also the power supply might be failing
Caller 9
Q: can I transfer music from media player into itunes?
A: you just have to itunes where the old music is, it is usually in your "My documents/My Music" (in XP)
Talking about fake anti-virus popups. There is a screen shot on http://youngstowncomputer.com. If you see this, keep tapping Alt-F4 to close all the windows. If windows still keep popping up, then you are already infected, then seek help to disinfect your computer. Adam asks about how the web sites themselves get infected.
There is a Youngstown Computer fantasy football league starting. See http://youngstowncomputer.com. Adam talks about the Dallas Cowboys' HD screen that got hit by a punt.
Also check out the poll about Senate Bill 773.
Segment 2
Jessica Biel is now the most dangerous search on the internet.
Joe D shares an example of how work occurs at his shop.
Segment 3
Caller 1
Q: lost D and E dvd drives, they don't appear anymore
A: have you checked the cables?
Q: no, but I have been working with msconfig, then I had some problems with a phone sync, I uninstalled the phone software and the drives were gone.
A: try to use tweakui, if you are on XP, to see if the drives are hidden. also try running disk manager to see if the drives are shown there.
Q: I got a error mark when I look in device manager
A: try right-click, remove the device, then restart the computer
Q: any time for the mp3s to be posted?
A: we are working on it
Caller2
Q: got a new vista, but I couldn't run my old dos doom games, so I got a patch, but it does not support the new red light mice
A: Ian would answer that, but he is not here today.
Caller 3
Q: about acer and vista, got a problem with windows explorer, when I try to copy a file to a floppy, I try to right -click the file to check the properties explorer freezes, there is also a dvd rom that I can can't read in vista, but works on XP
A: sounds like a hardware problem,
Q: well, explorer seems slow when going down the folder tree
A: you will have to look at it in the office
Segment 4
boy that was a fast break
Caller 4
was not there on the phone
Caller 5
Q: who benefits from viruses?
A: three reasons: 1. recruitment, that is, use your computer to do their work like sending spam, 2. tricks you into buying something that does nothing, 3. then there are kids that just lash out at society
Caller 6
Q: on XP, sometimes when I try to open something, but everything freezes, but I have to hit Ctrl-Alt-Del and then it works
A: that is strange, we will have to look at it closer
Segment 5
Caller 7
Q: got XP, says i need javascript enabled, like youtube
A: go into the security settings for IE, change it from High or med-high to medium or low. you can also check out the custom settings to check that scripting is enabled
Caller 8
Q: my computer suddenly stops then restarts
A: sounds like windows is crashing, usually a driver is crashing, also the power supply might be failing
Caller 9
Q: can I transfer music from media player into itunes?
A: you just have to itunes where the old music is, it is usually in your "My documents/My Music" (in XP)
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show notes for August 22, 2009
Segment 1
Talking about the movie nights in Mathi park. If you have an outdoor movie night, nominate your cause for a drawing for a free movie night.
Talking about online communities vs. real relationships. Joe D asks Ian and Adam if they have noticed if they noticed that youngsters communicate different. Joe D feels it is safer to meet people online than in real life. Joe D wants to see Youngstown as a premier wired city to attract tech workers and youngsters. Adam talks about having community wifi.
Talking about the AT&T network and the iPhone. Their service has gone downhill since the iPhone release. Some cities are switching coverage to a lower-speed, but more robust 3G system to try and improve service.
Segment 2
Caller 1
Q: how can you tell if a wifi router is sending out wifi? I can't seem to get any on my computer
A: sometimes you can turn off the SSID from being broadcasted, so you don't see any wireless networks. log into the router setup screens, and see what the SSID is set to, and you can make sure that the wifi is on. you will have to log into the airport and check the settings. reference your setup instructions for the address to go to on your web browser to log into the settings pages on your wireless access point (airport).
Talking about problems you can have with wireless networks, if a neighbor has the same name SSID as yours, it can cause connection problems. So please, set an unique SSID for your wireless. Ian mentioned that his linksys router seems to go down often.
Segment 3
Caller 2
Q: is there a maximum speed for a wireless connection?
A: wireless G is limited to 54Gbps, and wireless N is about twice as fast. most laptops are G, but some newer ones might have N, otherwise you would need both a new router and adapter
Caller 3
Q: after a virus was cleaned up, some things are not working, like I can't change the background
A: the virus probably set the user policies when you were infected, but when you cleaned it out those policies were not turned back on
Caller 4
Q: I can't get on the internet. IE can't display any webpage. I have roadrunner.
A: you will need an expert to check out the settings, please call into the shop
Caller 5
Q: I got AT&T and they switched security on me, the guy set it up to twice a week check everything out, and I was trying to get one day off, it comes on Sunday and Thursday.
A: to change McAffee scan settings, use file -> preferences, look for scheduling, we will have to look that up
Caller 6
Q: problem with Trend Micro antivirus, it seems to be making temp folders and files. there are over 23,000 files. they recommend to delete them, they are debugging files.
A: yes, go ahead and delete them and turn off debugging.
Segment 4
continuing Caller 6...
try to make a backup copy in a different location, like on a external drive, and reboot and make sure everything works before getting rid of those files.
Caller 7
Q: I think I got infected with spyware. How do I check?
A: unwanted pop-up screens, changed backgrounds, unknown icons on the taskbar, try running a virus scan. Look at the task manager to see if there are any processes that are using a lot of CPU, if any of the names look totally random letters and numbers.
A tip to try and prevent infections, if you get a pop-up that says you are infected, use the Alt-F4 keys to close all windows. Don't try to click on a close button, because it might trigger an install.
Caller 8
Q: using firefox, I can't use the online streaming of your show, but it works in IE
A: use the plug-in called "IE tab". It allows you to load a page in IE but still inside of firefox. You will have to download this extension.
Talking about the movie nights in Mathi park. If you have an outdoor movie night, nominate your cause for a drawing for a free movie night.
Talking about online communities vs. real relationships. Joe D asks Ian and Adam if they have noticed if they noticed that youngsters communicate different. Joe D feels it is safer to meet people online than in real life. Joe D wants to see Youngstown as a premier wired city to attract tech workers and youngsters. Adam talks about having community wifi.
Talking about the AT&T network and the iPhone. Their service has gone downhill since the iPhone release. Some cities are switching coverage to a lower-speed, but more robust 3G system to try and improve service.
Segment 2
Caller 1
Q: how can you tell if a wifi router is sending out wifi? I can't seem to get any on my computer
A: sometimes you can turn off the SSID from being broadcasted, so you don't see any wireless networks. log into the router setup screens, and see what the SSID is set to, and you can make sure that the wifi is on. you will have to log into the airport and check the settings. reference your setup instructions for the address to go to on your web browser to log into the settings pages on your wireless access point (airport).
Talking about problems you can have with wireless networks, if a neighbor has the same name SSID as yours, it can cause connection problems. So please, set an unique SSID for your wireless. Ian mentioned that his linksys router seems to go down often.
Segment 3
Caller 2
Q: is there a maximum speed for a wireless connection?
A: wireless G is limited to 54Gbps, and wireless N is about twice as fast. most laptops are G, but some newer ones might have N, otherwise you would need both a new router and adapter
Caller 3
Q: after a virus was cleaned up, some things are not working, like I can't change the background
A: the virus probably set the user policies when you were infected, but when you cleaned it out those policies were not turned back on
Caller 4
Q: I can't get on the internet. IE can't display any webpage. I have roadrunner.
A: you will need an expert to check out the settings, please call into the shop
Caller 5
Q: I got AT&T and they switched security on me, the guy set it up to twice a week check everything out, and I was trying to get one day off, it comes on Sunday and Thursday.
A: to change McAffee scan settings, use file -> preferences, look for scheduling, we will have to look that up
Caller 6
Q: problem with Trend Micro antivirus, it seems to be making temp folders and files. there are over 23,000 files. they recommend to delete them, they are debugging files.
A: yes, go ahead and delete them and turn off debugging.
Segment 4
continuing Caller 6...
try to make a backup copy in a different location, like on a external drive, and reboot and make sure everything works before getting rid of those files.
Caller 7
Q: I think I got infected with spyware. How do I check?
A: unwanted pop-up screens, changed backgrounds, unknown icons on the taskbar, try running a virus scan. Look at the task manager to see if there are any processes that are using a lot of CPU, if any of the names look totally random letters and numbers.
A tip to try and prevent infections, if you get a pop-up that says you are infected, use the Alt-F4 keys to close all windows. Don't try to click on a close button, because it might trigger an install.
Caller 8
Q: using firefox, I can't use the online streaming of your show, but it works in IE
A: use the plug-in called "IE tab". It allows you to load a page in IE but still inside of firefox. You will have to download this extension.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show notes for August 15, 2009
Segment 1
Joe D talks about the number of lawsuits this week. They talk about the lawsuit against Microsoft that stopped sales of Word 2007. I4I wants $94 per copy. They claim a patent on XML editing. Joe D says a lot of other products use XML technology. Joe D hates patent trolls.
The Psystar case is moving very slowly. They are still in the disposition phase. Adam worries that Apple can break OSX for the people who bought psystars.
AT&T class action suit that says that they claim the phone has MMS, but AT&T has it turned off. Joe D wonders if Apple will move to another provider. Even cheap phones have MMS, but not iPhones don't. Joe D claims that AT&T's network is getting hammered by the iPhone users.
This week has been big on performance issues due to recent service packs and updates like SP3 if you only have 512MB of RAM. This is for XP users. Vista users already should have 1-2GB of RAM.
Lots of power supplies were failing this month. They sort of degrade over time, they put out less power over time.
Segment 2
Caller 1
Q: when I use the mouse to adjust the up down selections on dialogs, the numbers jump around too much, they go up in too big of steps
A: seems that the mouse is set too sensitive
Caller 2
Q: looking for interfaces from computers to automobile diagnostics, any suggestions?
A: you should maybe talk to the car care guys.
Caller 3
Q: ran a full scan on norton and it took 6 hours to run, is that normal
A: depending on your hard drive, this is normal, try to clear out temporary files to speed it up
Caller 4
Q: got a blue screen of death. got a mini acer, got like 96GB of data, stop code 00007E. I got it into safe mode, but the stop code will not go away
A: so it seems that there is a driver problem, like display or network, that is messing up. You will have to uninstall them one by one, until it goes away. try swapping out memory, hard drives, video cards. it could take a lot of work to find out what is going wrong. so check out the drivers, disable all extra devices
ways to maximize your memory:
--reduce some startup applications, download startup inspector to assist you
--defrag the hard drive, multiple times
Segment 3
Adam complains about Vista's defrag. XP needs to have multiple defrags. {joe m: ???? That's like saying alphabetizing my files multiple time makes them more alphabetized.}
Adam is amazed that we still have spinning disks in hard drives. Joe D talks about the solid-state drives, they are still too expensive and too small, but they perform very well. They also have a limited number of writes. Ian is worried about this.
Caller 5
Q: need a backup system, got a usb backup system, but it did not have drivers, went to the delmar site, but everytime I install them they crash. I have windows 98.
A: the problem is that new hardware might not support windows 98 anymore. it would be easier to get an internal drive that works
Caller 6
Q: what is your recommendation, should I get a computer with vista and get a free upgrade to windows 7?
A: yes, better if you wait until October and then win 7 pre-installed
more performance things to look at:
if you double-click something and it does not open immediately, the system might be making space for the program to open, if you don't have enough memory
Segment 4
new item: when Google gets threatened, they are developing a new search engine. Joe D sees this as caused by Bing. It is called now Google Caffeine.
Caller 7
Q: I can't burn video to DVD in XP?
A: do you have a dvd burner?
Q: don't think so
A: DVD burners come with software.
Q: I have never updated to the latest service packs
A: check with the DVD burner and see if it came with software
Caller 8
Q: when I ran chkdsk, it found invalid security IDs, it set them all to default
A: Joe D thinks the physical drive is failing
Q: I had everything backed up, so I reformatted
A: so keep an eye on it
Q: I'm afraid to run chkdsk, because it messed up all the security
more news items: some guy is using Limewire to steal identities. Limewire allows you to download and share files. Some people share folders on their pcs that they are not aware of, like accounting information, so he was searching for account numbers. so make sure if you use Limewire, be sure to watch what folders you share so that you aren't sharing sensitive information. Better yet, DON'T USE LIMEWIRE!!
Joe D talks about the number of lawsuits this week. They talk about the lawsuit against Microsoft that stopped sales of Word 2007. I4I wants $94 per copy. They claim a patent on XML editing. Joe D says a lot of other products use XML technology. Joe D hates patent trolls.
The Psystar case is moving very slowly. They are still in the disposition phase. Adam worries that Apple can break OSX for the people who bought psystars.
AT&T class action suit that says that they claim the phone has MMS, but AT&T has it turned off. Joe D wonders if Apple will move to another provider. Even cheap phones have MMS, but not iPhones don't. Joe D claims that AT&T's network is getting hammered by the iPhone users.
This week has been big on performance issues due to recent service packs and updates like SP3 if you only have 512MB of RAM. This is for XP users. Vista users already should have 1-2GB of RAM.
Lots of power supplies were failing this month. They sort of degrade over time, they put out less power over time.
Segment 2
Caller 1
Q: when I use the mouse to adjust the up down selections on dialogs, the numbers jump around too much, they go up in too big of steps
A: seems that the mouse is set too sensitive
Caller 2
Q: looking for interfaces from computers to automobile diagnostics, any suggestions?
A: you should maybe talk to the car care guys.
Caller 3
Q: ran a full scan on norton and it took 6 hours to run, is that normal
A: depending on your hard drive, this is normal, try to clear out temporary files to speed it up
Caller 4
Q: got a blue screen of death. got a mini acer, got like 96GB of data, stop code 00007E. I got it into safe mode, but the stop code will not go away
A: so it seems that there is a driver problem, like display or network, that is messing up. You will have to uninstall them one by one, until it goes away. try swapping out memory, hard drives, video cards. it could take a lot of work to find out what is going wrong. so check out the drivers, disable all extra devices
ways to maximize your memory:
--reduce some startup applications, download startup inspector to assist you
--defrag the hard drive, multiple times
Segment 3
Adam complains about Vista's defrag. XP needs to have multiple defrags. {joe m: ???? That's like saying alphabetizing my files multiple time makes them more alphabetized.}
Adam is amazed that we still have spinning disks in hard drives. Joe D talks about the solid-state drives, they are still too expensive and too small, but they perform very well. They also have a limited number of writes. Ian is worried about this.
Caller 5
Q: need a backup system, got a usb backup system, but it did not have drivers, went to the delmar site, but everytime I install them they crash. I have windows 98.
A: the problem is that new hardware might not support windows 98 anymore. it would be easier to get an internal drive that works
Caller 6
Q: what is your recommendation, should I get a computer with vista and get a free upgrade to windows 7?
A: yes, better if you wait until October and then win 7 pre-installed
more performance things to look at:
if you double-click something and it does not open immediately, the system might be making space for the program to open, if you don't have enough memory
Segment 4
new item: when Google gets threatened, they are developing a new search engine. Joe D sees this as caused by Bing. It is called now Google Caffeine.
Caller 7
Q: I can't burn video to DVD in XP?
A: do you have a dvd burner?
Q: don't think so
A: DVD burners come with software.
Q: I have never updated to the latest service packs
A: check with the DVD burner and see if it came with software
Caller 8
Q: when I ran chkdsk, it found invalid security IDs, it set them all to default
A: Joe D thinks the physical drive is failing
Q: I had everything backed up, so I reformatted
A: so keep an eye on it
Q: I'm afraid to run chkdsk, because it messed up all the security
more news items: some guy is using Limewire to steal identities. Limewire allows you to download and share files. Some people share folders on their pcs that they are not aware of, like accounting information, so he was searching for account numbers. so make sure if you use Limewire, be sure to watch what folders you share so that you aren't sharing sensitive information. Better yet, DON'T USE LIMEWIRE!!
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show notes for August 8, 2009
Segment 1
Live today from the Youngstown Air show.
Joe D talks about last week a call about Windows Vista that was marked as not genuine. If you do call in to microsoft, as long as you can prove that you have a true certificate sticker on your PC (make sure that it is for the same version of Windows you have installed) you should be able to get it activated somehow. You will likely have to activate it over the phone, where they read you a long string of numbers and you type them into windows activation wizard.
Caller 1
Q: Vista, allows me to open AOL, but I can't get to a website. I tried to reinstall IE, but it said it was already installed.
A: could be a malware infestation. Run system file checker to repair. See if that helps.
Joe D talks about the Denial of Service attack on Twitter and Facebook this week. It seems to be an attack on a single person. A network of infected computers (a botnet) can be used to all send requests to a single place, that is what is a Denial of Service attack.
Caller 2
Q: got a message "mode not supported". The system starts up, I see a Windows 98 screen, then that message shows up.
A: that message is from the monitor, it sounds like the computer is trying to set a mode that the monitor cannot be displayed. You can try and go into safe mode to reset the video mode. it sounds like the video card is going bad and needs replaced.
Caller 3
Q: my blackberry cannot play videos or send emails. it says "wrong format".
A: how are playing video attachments?
Q: as a email attachment, but I can't send any emails
A: blackberries can only play certain formats of videos. you'll have to call in the shop to do more checking.
Segment 2
Caller 4
Q: I seem to have "personal antivirus" but I can't get rid of it
A: yes, we have seen this a lot this week. It is tough to get rid of.
Q: I have a handycam with a disk, but I need to get it on a dvd
A: if you bring it in with your computer and we will set you up
Caller 5
Q: problem with adobe flash. I installed the latest version, but the computer does not recognize that it is installed
A: seems like a busted install, you will need to do a more complete uninstall to get rid of settings that might be messed up. you can either look for tools, or bring it into the shop
Caller 6
Q: it takes 15-20 seconds to launch IE8
A: you computer might not be powerful enough to launch it quicker
Q: I can't take it off
A: if you go to add/remove programs in control panel, uninstall it there
Joe D talks about the "personal antivirus" company, it has collected $80,000 a week for not doing anything. Adam talks about all the rogue antivirus programs that are out there.
Caller 7
Q: got a pop up says I can't find Macromedia Flash. It just comes up all the time.
A: you just need to go to adobe.com and download the flash player.
Caller 8
Q: got a dell 2010 desktop, it had a bad motherboard and I replaced it, I was trying to install XP but it was loading, but then it stopped now it does not work
A: could be any of the CPU, motherboard, power supply, any of those could have gone bad. I'm suspicious of the motherboard since you just replaced it.
Segment 3
Caller 9
could not hear because of the airplanes
Joe D talks about the release to manufacturing of Windows 7. It is available right now to MSDN and technet subscribers. It is going to be available on Oct 22 to the public. Adam mentions the family pack -- 3 licenses for $150. {Joe M: beware, you cannot do an in-place upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7, you will have to back up your settings and do a clean install going from XP to 7.}
Caller 9 again
still having sound problems, sounds like he is having problems installing the flash program
Try to make sure that there is nothing else running in the background. Try to turn off your antivirus temporarily to install.
Joe D talks about building computers. They really don't like to build computers, it is usually cheaper to buy off-the-shelf. We focus on the service side. We can advise them on the type of computer to buy, and we can clean up a new computer too.
Caller 10
Q: whenever I get a forwarded email with attachments, and I forward it on, the recipients don't get the attachments
A: you have to set the options in your email program (AOL, hotmail, outlook, etc.) to explicitly include attachments when you forward messages
Caller 11
Q: can I run a simple program called QuickPay on a netbook?
A: yes
Q: i can't find a printer HP 1012 laser drivers for vista or windows 7
A: you will have to find some compatible drivers that are for some other printer model
{ Joe M: here is the driver, right on HP's web site, all vista drivers work in windows 7}
Caller 12
Q: problem with XP, none of the restore points will restore, my computer freezes up
A: Joe D does not like to depend on restore points. Joe D also does not believe in registry cleaners.
Q: I have tried lots of different anti-virus programs but they don't seem to help
A: something got corrupted, you will likely have to bring it in to have us look at it
Segment 4
Joe D talks about the poll for charging for content, Murdoch is talking about charging for their content. Adam says that if everyone does it, then we will have to. It can't be outrageous. Now, there are so many places that offer stuff for free. Joe D wants more for paying, so they better have more features than the free sites.
Caller 13
Q: trying to hookup my computer, I moved it to another place in the house, I just get a blank screen, keyboard beeps
A: sounds like something came loose during moving, check the connections, if you are comfortable, open it up and check inside too for loose cables or chips
Caller 14
Q: on windows mail, I can't send any pictures, it says to provide a server name
A: you will have to get server settings from your internet provider, usually your DSL provider, and you put those server settings into your windows mail program. you can usually find those names on their support web site
Caller 15
Q: on my laptop, I get a generic host 32 error message popping up several times when I shut down
A: sounds like there was a virus infestation, but some things got removed but other things got left behind, use msconfig to turn off un-needed things
Go to Startup Application Knowledgebase to see what things are good and which are bad.
Joe D talks about some common messages: "you are out of virtual memory" - you are exceeding your RAM and the amount set aside on disk, switch your virtual memory settings to "system managed" instead of "custom".
Live today from the Youngstown Air show.
Joe D talks about last week a call about Windows Vista that was marked as not genuine. If you do call in to microsoft, as long as you can prove that you have a true certificate sticker on your PC (make sure that it is for the same version of Windows you have installed) you should be able to get it activated somehow. You will likely have to activate it over the phone, where they read you a long string of numbers and you type them into windows activation wizard.
Caller 1
Q: Vista, allows me to open AOL, but I can't get to a website. I tried to reinstall IE, but it said it was already installed.
A: could be a malware infestation. Run system file checker to repair. See if that helps.
Joe D talks about the Denial of Service attack on Twitter and Facebook this week. It seems to be an attack on a single person. A network of infected computers (a botnet) can be used to all send requests to a single place, that is what is a Denial of Service attack.
Caller 2
Q: got a message "mode not supported". The system starts up, I see a Windows 98 screen, then that message shows up.
A: that message is from the monitor, it sounds like the computer is trying to set a mode that the monitor cannot be displayed. You can try and go into safe mode to reset the video mode. it sounds like the video card is going bad and needs replaced.
Caller 3
Q: my blackberry cannot play videos or send emails. it says "wrong format".
A: how are playing video attachments?
Q: as a email attachment, but I can't send any emails
A: blackberries can only play certain formats of videos. you'll have to call in the shop to do more checking.
Segment 2
Caller 4
Q: I seem to have "personal antivirus" but I can't get rid of it
A: yes, we have seen this a lot this week. It is tough to get rid of.
Q: I have a handycam with a disk, but I need to get it on a dvd
A: if you bring it in with your computer and we will set you up
Caller 5
Q: problem with adobe flash. I installed the latest version, but the computer does not recognize that it is installed
A: seems like a busted install, you will need to do a more complete uninstall to get rid of settings that might be messed up. you can either look for tools, or bring it into the shop
Caller 6
Q: it takes 15-20 seconds to launch IE8
A: you computer might not be powerful enough to launch it quicker
Q: I can't take it off
A: if you go to add/remove programs in control panel, uninstall it there
Joe D talks about the "personal antivirus" company, it has collected $80,000 a week for not doing anything. Adam talks about all the rogue antivirus programs that are out there.
Caller 7
Q: got a pop up says I can't find Macromedia Flash. It just comes up all the time.
A: you just need to go to adobe.com and download the flash player.
Caller 8
Q: got a dell 2010 desktop, it had a bad motherboard and I replaced it, I was trying to install XP but it was loading, but then it stopped now it does not work
A: could be any of the CPU, motherboard, power supply, any of those could have gone bad. I'm suspicious of the motherboard since you just replaced it.
Segment 3
Caller 9
could not hear because of the airplanes
Joe D talks about the release to manufacturing of Windows 7. It is available right now to MSDN and technet subscribers. It is going to be available on Oct 22 to the public. Adam mentions the family pack -- 3 licenses for $150. {Joe M: beware, you cannot do an in-place upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7, you will have to back up your settings and do a clean install going from XP to 7.}
Caller 9 again
still having sound problems, sounds like he is having problems installing the flash program
Try to make sure that there is nothing else running in the background. Try to turn off your antivirus temporarily to install.
Joe D talks about building computers. They really don't like to build computers, it is usually cheaper to buy off-the-shelf. We focus on the service side. We can advise them on the type of computer to buy, and we can clean up a new computer too.
Caller 10
Q: whenever I get a forwarded email with attachments, and I forward it on, the recipients don't get the attachments
A: you have to set the options in your email program (AOL, hotmail, outlook, etc.) to explicitly include attachments when you forward messages
Caller 11
Q: can I run a simple program called QuickPay on a netbook?
A: yes
Q: i can't find a printer HP 1012 laser drivers for vista or windows 7
A: you will have to find some compatible drivers that are for some other printer model
{ Joe M: here is the driver, right on HP's web site, all vista drivers work in windows 7}
Caller 12
Q: problem with XP, none of the restore points will restore, my computer freezes up
A: Joe D does not like to depend on restore points. Joe D also does not believe in registry cleaners.
Q: I have tried lots of different anti-virus programs but they don't seem to help
A: something got corrupted, you will likely have to bring it in to have us look at it
Segment 4
Joe D talks about the poll for charging for content, Murdoch is talking about charging for their content. Adam says that if everyone does it, then we will have to. It can't be outrageous. Now, there are so many places that offer stuff for free. Joe D wants more for paying, so they better have more features than the free sites.
Caller 13
Q: trying to hookup my computer, I moved it to another place in the house, I just get a blank screen, keyboard beeps
A: sounds like something came loose during moving, check the connections, if you are comfortable, open it up and check inside too for loose cables or chips
Caller 14
Q: on windows mail, I can't send any pictures, it says to provide a server name
A: you will have to get server settings from your internet provider, usually your DSL provider, and you put those server settings into your windows mail program. you can usually find those names on their support web site
Caller 15
Q: on my laptop, I get a generic host 32 error message popping up several times when I shut down
A: sounds like there was a virus infestation, but some things got removed but other things got left behind, use msconfig to turn off un-needed things
Go to Startup Application Knowledgebase to see what things are good and which are bad.
Joe D talks about some common messages: "you are out of virtual memory" - you are exceeding your RAM and the amount set aside on disk, switch your virtual memory settings to "system managed" instead of "custom".
Saturday, August 01, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show notes for August 1, 2009
Segment 1
Adam apparently does not do the show opening anymore.
Joe D talks about an exploit for all iPhones. Through text messaging, an attacker can issue commands to launch remote commands. There is an update available that fixes this. Ian says that they also exploited Android and Windows Mobile.
For listeners, call in now to schedule work at Youngstown Computer and get $20 off.
Joe D saw the new Adam Sandler movie last night. All during the movie he was noticing all the people texting during the movie. He wants to complain about using technology in inappropriate situations.
Adam tells about using wifi while getting an oil change. Joe D wants to sell that to businesses everywhere.
Segment 2
Joe D talks about the cash for clunkers program, the computer systems were being overwhelmed. Joe D explains how this happens, essentially systems can only handle so many requests at a time.
Caller 1
Q: got an old DOS program, need to have a new computer but I need to run that old program
A: we can set up the emulation for it.
Even though you might feel the need to stay with an old program, you should try to get up to a supported program that runs on modern OS. The problem is migrating the data in the old program into a new one.
Ian explains 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit: it is essentially how much memory the CPU can access.
Windows XP support will expand up to 2014. Next year Windows 2000 will go out of support. They announced this over a year ago.
Segment 3
Caller 2
Q: dell mini tower is not turning on after a power outage. It was turned off at the time.
A: sounds like the power supply.
Question from the chat room: when I booted up, it is asking me to choose an operating system. I don't understand what is happening? What is the BIOS? No hard drives seem to be installed in the system. Ian tries to explain what BIOS does. This sounds like a hard drive crash, or the BIOS configuration data was messed up so that it forgot it had a hard drive installed.
A jury fined another downloader. Pirate Bay is also sued again.
Joe D complains about mechanical mice. He says if you call in with an old mouse, Joe D will give you a new one.
Segment 4
Caller 3
Q: wants to partition a hard drive to install a MAC operating system. so I can learn how to use final cut pro
A: Ian explains how to do a "hackintosh". First, you have to shrink your existing partition. Make sure you do have a backup.
Q from chatroom: how do I get windows 98 to do a defrag? It doesn't want to run. Run scandisk first, then that will usually let you run defrag next.
Caller 4
Q: I am using magic jack, and I have an cell internet connection card. is there anything to do to keep it running while on the road?
A: nothing really
Caller 5
Q: getting a Windows Activation popup in Vista. what does this mean?
A: You can activate over the phone. it sounds like your product key got marked as being illegitimate.
Caller 6
Q: want to download a flash video off of the web
A: it is tricky, it depends on the site. it is helpful if you can get the original source of the video (it is an internal company video). Otherwise search for flash video extractors.
Joe D talks about Google Wave. He sees potential, but doesn't see people switching over.
Adam apparently does not do the show opening anymore.
Joe D talks about an exploit for all iPhones. Through text messaging, an attacker can issue commands to launch remote commands. There is an update available that fixes this. Ian says that they also exploited Android and Windows Mobile.
For listeners, call in now to schedule work at Youngstown Computer and get $20 off.
Joe D saw the new Adam Sandler movie last night. All during the movie he was noticing all the people texting during the movie. He wants to complain about using technology in inappropriate situations.
Adam tells about using wifi while getting an oil change. Joe D wants to sell that to businesses everywhere.
Segment 2
Joe D talks about the cash for clunkers program, the computer systems were being overwhelmed. Joe D explains how this happens, essentially systems can only handle so many requests at a time.
Caller 1
Q: got an old DOS program, need to have a new computer but I need to run that old program
A: we can set up the emulation for it.
Even though you might feel the need to stay with an old program, you should try to get up to a supported program that runs on modern OS. The problem is migrating the data in the old program into a new one.
Ian explains 16-bit, 32-bit, and 64-bit: it is essentially how much memory the CPU can access.
Windows XP support will expand up to 2014. Next year Windows 2000 will go out of support. They announced this over a year ago.
Segment 3
Caller 2
Q: dell mini tower is not turning on after a power outage. It was turned off at the time.
A: sounds like the power supply.
Question from the chat room: when I booted up, it is asking me to choose an operating system. I don't understand what is happening? What is the BIOS? No hard drives seem to be installed in the system. Ian tries to explain what BIOS does. This sounds like a hard drive crash, or the BIOS configuration data was messed up so that it forgot it had a hard drive installed.
A jury fined another downloader. Pirate Bay is also sued again.
Joe D complains about mechanical mice. He says if you call in with an old mouse, Joe D will give you a new one.
Segment 4
Caller 3
Q: wants to partition a hard drive to install a MAC operating system. so I can learn how to use final cut pro
A: Ian explains how to do a "hackintosh". First, you have to shrink your existing partition. Make sure you do have a backup.
Q from chatroom: how do I get windows 98 to do a defrag? It doesn't want to run. Run scandisk first, then that will usually let you run defrag next.
Caller 4
Q: I am using magic jack, and I have an cell internet connection card. is there anything to do to keep it running while on the road?
A: nothing really
Caller 5
Q: getting a Windows Activation popup in Vista. what does this mean?
A: You can activate over the phone. it sounds like your product key got marked as being illegitimate.
Caller 6
Q: want to download a flash video off of the web
A: it is tricky, it depends on the site. it is helpful if you can get the original source of the video (it is an internal company video). Otherwise search for flash video extractors.
Joe D talks about Google Wave. He sees potential, but doesn't see people switching over.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show notes for July 25, 2009
Segment 1
Joe D starts the show.
Joe D got an iPhone 3GS. It is faster than the 3G. Haven't yet used some of the new features. Likes the new camera.
Adam is here. Asks about the new focus system.
New poll: what things do you think will be hooked to the internet next?
Joe D was looking at TVs and they now can be hooked to the internet. You can stream Netflix movies on the internet-enabled TV.
Ian wants to see Media Center extender tech in TVs.
Caller 1
Q: where do you think the digital tv is going to go? Are they going to increase the number of channels? I see that there are sub-channels on digital tv.
A: Joe D sees the demise of local TV.
Q: I'd like to see more range on digital TV. You can't get 45 or Pittsburgh or Cleveland.
Adam speaks up for digital tv. The needed to free up some bandwidth for emergency broadcasts. Joe D thinks that the airwaves are becoming clogged. {Joe M: actually, the digital channels use the same bandwidth as the analog channels, using data compression, they can broadcast up to 4 standard definition broadcasts in the space of one analog channel. }
Segment 2
Joe D saw a big uptick in the requests for having their data backed up.
Caller 2
Q: about an application for viewing powerpoint on iPhone and on a blackberry
A: there are about 4 apps in the app store that should handle that on the iPhone
Joe D talks about all the different types of apps for the iPhone.
Adam asks if anyone can make their phone as popular as the iPhone.
Michael pops in to say that you can convert the powerpoints to quicktime.
This wednesday, at the Youngstown Sports Grill, there will be a fundraiser, we will have gift certificates if you win at some Wii games. For JA.
For MDA, Joe D will be locked up in August.
Mike had a story about "cyber-warriors" that can protect us from cyber attacks from foreign countries.
Segment 3
Caller 3
Q: can I buy a computer where I can put my fingerprint on it and only I can use it?
A: yes, there are some laptops where you can log in with just your fingerprint. You can buy keyboards with fingerprint readers, or just stand-alone fingerprint readers.
Story about free content. Free internet content is coming to a close, it is not sustainable. Joe D thinks that the end user won't see the costs, it will be part of internet access. Ian and Adam both think that ad-supported news will always be available and wont go away. Newspapers wish it would, though.
Caller 4
Q: is it better to have an external hard drive or on-line backup
A: Joe D thinks that the on-line backup is too slow to have a total restore. doing a big restore is faster from a local drive
Q: my external drives failed, so I can put up with the download speeds
Ian was trying out carbonite, it seems to jump in and slow down your stuff when you least expect it. Joe D really doesn't like that it will back up a corrupted file, and not keep multiple version. Ian thinks the best way is to do both.
Segment 4
chat room question: you said to turn off auto updates? should we turn them on now?
What you should do is turn off the full auto operation which automatically installs updates without asking you sometimes at the worst moments like rebooting without asking, but set it to the setting right below to automatically download, but let you choose when to install them.
Caller 5
Q: is there a place that sells used computers?
A: no, sorry
Caller 6
Q: turned on my computer, the wireless card doesn't work, the touchpad doesn't work, and some of the keys don't work on the keyboard
A: sounds like a bad motherboard or corroded connector. might have had a spill of liquid?
We set up a multi-display computer this week. Most laptops allow you use another monitor in addition to the built-in monitor. Adam wonders if you have to keep the laptop monitor on all the time? Ian says that there are special keystrokes to turn off the laptop screen to only use the external screen.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show notes for July 18, 2009
Segment 1
Joe D opens up the show. Adam seems not to be there.
Ribbon cutting yesterday at the new Niles store. Joe D was playing Rock Band.
Caller 1
Q: about the internet connection. When I turn on the cable modem, the hard drive starts going like crazy. What could be going on?
A: When you firs turn on, the network card gets an address, then you'll have to log in. Ian thinks that McCaffe might be slowing things down when it loads the firewall, see if you are too low on memory
Joe tells of an article where Apple is a little irritated with Microsoft's latest ads about people buying computers. Apple did lower their prices a little. Ian is replacing his old Powerbook.
Caller 2
Q: a repeat problem, he is getting messages that the Virtual Memory is low, what is the problem?
A: you can adjust the virtual memory higher, or add some more real memory.
Since memory is cheap, make sure you got enough memory. 2GB is good for Vista, 1GB is ok for XP. Remember that 32-bit operating systems, like XP cannot even see more than 4GB of RAM, so it is possible to put in too memory that your computer will not even use.
Segment 2
Joe D ran into a new Malware called Personal Antivirus, it pretends to be an AntiVirus program. It is pretty difficult to remove. It will ask you for money to install it. If you see this, give us a call to get it removed as soon as possible.
Caller 3
Q: got a Dell, about 5-years old, has ZoneAlarm, also got Norton AV, all of a sudden I can't get online, so I disabled Zonealarm, I tried to get rid of Norton, so now every time I want to go on, I have to disable zonealarm, why does it do this?
A: you only want to have one AV/security program running at a time. Just us a good AV program like Norton 2009, and Windows does have a good firewall.
Talking about some technology flops. Things that were hyped up, but didn't sell. Like the CueCat to scan barcodes. Ian's G1 phone has a program to scan barcodes. WebTV was also on the list. Laserdisk is also on the list. Zip disks are also on the list. and Packard Bell.
Segment 3
Joe D tells that NASA discovered that they lost the original moon footage.
Caller 4
Q: has a acer laptop, has time/warner, have a long wait to get on the internet, they came in to check, and they said the cable and modem were ok, but they said the laptop was "overloaded". what does that mean?
A: We will have to come out and inspect the machine and see exactly what is causing the slowness, we then give you an estimate.
Caller 5
Q: got a Dell laptop, about 3-years old, when online, the fan seems to speed up, is that normal?
A: yes, the fan speed is automatic to keep the CPU cool, so it could be clogged with some dust, or depending on what you do on line, the CPU could get more busy and get hot, and then the fan gets faster. try downloading a program called SpeedFan.
Caller 6
Q: was doing a windows update, it said to download activex, got a security warning, should I do this?
A: windows update is itself an activeX control, so you do need to use activeX when using windows update. if you get activeX warnings on other sites, you will have to be aware
Caller 7
Q: I was looking at getting a new laptop, should I hold off for Windows 7, is there a lot wrong with Vista?
A: windows 7 does look good, though Vista is running fine now on new machines, you can get a free (or low cost) upgrade to win 7 when it comes out.
Caller 8
Q: my spyware program expired, so I got a warning, so I clicked on it, and it offered several different ones, I chose a 90-day trial for Trend Micro, and I hear that you should buy the disk instead of downloading online?
A: we recommend to do a fresh install each year, it doesn't have to be from disk or online. just uninstall the old version, and install the new version, don't do a upgrade. we choose one that works best for a particular situation.
Segment 4
Caller 9
Q: got several old computers, like commodore 64, 128, etc. how do I get rid of them?
A: try selling them on ebay, there are lots of people that like those classic computers. Look for the green team to have a recycle period to take computers for recycling.
Caller 10
Q: I got my daugher a macbook, but she doesn't get the amount of problems we get on the home computer. is that normal?
A: yes, there are not that many viruses and malware that are targeting for macs. So, you do pay a bit more, but you do not have to worry about the level of malware.
Caller 11
Q: leaving my computer on all the time, pros or cons?
A: well, it does use power, so make sure that you set up power-saving modes to shut down the system if it not in use.
Q: do you turn it off at night?
A: Joe D does not say what he does. {Joe M says turn your computer off at night}
Q: I have problems seeing. Are there some programs to magnify the screen?
A: IE can make the text bigger, if you use it.
Q: I downloaded a screen magnifier, but it makes it too big.
A: Joe D recommends IE to zoom in.
Caller 12
Q: had my computer in for cleanup, on the desktop I have an icon on the desktop, like firefox, it takes like a half a minute to come up, is there a way to speed that up?
A: it is tough to tell what could be slowing that down. Firefox has been getting slower and slower with each version.
Q: any search engines you recommend?
A: Ian just uses Google.
There is an add-on called User Agent Switcher to make your firefox browser look like different browsers.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show notes for July 11, 2009
Segment 1
Joe shares a story. He was driving behind a driver that was veering across the center line and was driving slow. He finally passed him, and Joe saw he was texting on his phone. Joe D is now an advocate for stopping texting during driving. Adam asks about hands free things? Joe is ok with that. Adam however took three calls on the way to work today.
YoCo week, grand opening of the Niles store this week. Because of the news this week of denial-of-service attacks this week, YoCo will have an amnesty week. YoCo will check for infections, and check that your computer is running ok. You will save between $25-$75 off of the service if you mention you heard this offer on the radio show.
Ribbon cutting at 4pm Friday and then party starting at 5pm.
Caller 1
Q: After getting my computer cleaned at YoCo, when I go to bring up my email from my Favorites, I used to go right in, now I have to log in every time.
A: You will have to turn on the autosave option and let it save your login info once and then it should remember. Joe D recommends password management software to stop this from happening again when YoCo cleans your computer.
Come and meet all the employees on Friday
Segment 2
Joe D talks about the recent cyber-attacks. They are starting to include self-destructing elements, so that it will destroy all data to cover their tracks.
Be sure to always backup your important data since your drive will crash at some point. Ian was trying Carbonite, an on-line backup and likes it. Joe D does not like it since it will take forever to restore it. Also, if it is not able to get all our your stuff uploaded in the time you give it, some things might not ever get backed up.
Caller 2
Q: I left the computer on, and it shut itself off, but then it could not boot again, and then I could not run the recovery disc.
A: we'd have to look at it in the shop to see if it overheated, or the hard drive just crashed
Q: now I bought a new computer, but it is not as fast as the old one.
A: Joe D thinks that it might not have enough ram, Ian says that there might be some crapware programs loaded and YoCo can get rid of them if you bring it in for us to look at it.
Segment 3
questions from the chatroom: servicehost is crashing, you'll have to troubleshoot what service is crashing
a friend is planning on getting a new computer, what should he spend more money on? Joe D says more ram, 4GB. Get up to a 1TB drive, perhaps use an external drive for backups. Don't have to worry about the CPU.
What operating system to go with? Now is a bad time to make a decision. Joe D does not want to use Win 7 right out of the gate. XP is at the end of life, so the only choice is Vista right now. If you can hold off until Win 7 is out for a while, do that.
They think that they will need to keep XP support because of the all the netbooks that are being sold with XP.
Patch tuesday is coming on July 14.
Ian talks about XP vs Vista. If your really need the laptop now, go with Vista, since the differences between Vista and 7 are far less than the differences between XP and 7.
Adam asks about the Google OS. Joe D thinks that it dumbing down your computer, so that most of the smarts will come from the internet instead of using the full power of the computer. Ian does not like the idea just because they already have a OS right now: android.
Caller 3
Q: having trouble with a virus scan, it says it got a virus when I accessed a web site from a Westmorland Library, it keeps coming up and it does not get rid of it.
A: it is probably best to bring the computer in to check it out to see what is really happening.
Segment 4
Caller 4
Q: windows xp, older computer, author DVDs, if I open a video file in media player the computer crashes, but I can play it in the authoring program
A: Ian thinks it is a video card driver problem, try both the newest version, or roll back to a previous version. Joe D suggests reinstalling media player without addins
questions from chatroom: toshiba laptop keeps eating powercords, what is the problem?
If they are burning up, check your room wiring to make sure it is correct
Caller 5
Q: normally I get windows, now I get a black screen saying press F1 to continue
A: something before the system boots is affecting the system. try to shut the computer down, then unplug the computer, hit the power button to release any stored energy, then plug it back in, sometimes the bios gets messed up
Caller 6
Q: reading about on-line backup, read in the paper about Acronis imaging software.
A: the imaging software takes an exact copy of the hard disk, it allows you to recover faster from a crash, you can restore the image onto a new disk, you don't have to re-install everything. it can take a long time to image.
Caller 7
Q: downloaded a large file, ubuntu, 739MB, but it wont fit on a cd?
A: the ubuntu image will fit, no problem. the ISO image is slightly bigger than it will be on disk
Whole week of amnesty checks, if you mention you heard the offer on the radio.
Thursday is movie night at Mauthy park. Friday is grand opening in Niles, 25 Main St.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for June 27
Segment 1
YoCo did a movie night on Wednesday in Struthers. And Joe D bought a popcorn machine. You can hire us for backyard parties. Send in your stories to win a free party.
Be sure to subscribe now to the YoCo newsletter. See http://youngstowncomputer.com for details.
Caller 1
Q: When you click on a email link, Outlook express opens up, but I don't use it.
A: You can tell IE of Firefox you can tell us which program to use for email. However, if you use webmail, you might have to look at the address in the link, or Ian suggests to set up your local email program to use the outbound mail server.
Caller 2
Q: when the screensaver goes on in vista I have to log in, is this normal?
A: Yes, just go into the screensaver properties to turn this off
Q: firefox 3 crashing, is that normal?
A: it is probably an add-on
Joe D and Nick will be "put in jail" for charity. See http://youngstowncomputer.com for details.
Some upcoming classes: July 7 + 9 - starter computer classes
July 14 + 16 - Internet and email
July 23 + 25 - using computers for marketing and selling
Segment 2
Caller during the break: tell us about Netbooks. They are low-cost laptops, small, light, not as powerful as most laptops, just to get you on the internet. Netbooks normally don't have optical drives, that means no CD-ROM or DVD player. They also have small screens, usuall 10" or less. Even the keyboards are not full size. But you can get on the internet and check mail fine. Joe D says they are getting more popular. How can you justfy a $200 OS like Win 7 or Vista on a computer that only costs $300? Ian brings up that you get the OS with the netbooks. Joe D says if it comes with XP, will you go and buy Win 7? Ian says no. (or course, if you order now you can get Win 7 for $49). The costs of repairing are also the same as the whole unit.
Joe D got a blue screen this morning. Probably due to an update to a sprint wireless card.
Caller 3
Q: windows gets all the way to the desktop then it goes to a blue screen
A: you will have to go into safe mode and try installing recent programs. this requires some troubleshooting, perhaps bring the computer in
Ian adds about blue screens, some of the fake AV programs can put up a fake blue screen. Joe D says that some computers will restart automatically on a blue screen. You might want to turn this off in system properties so you can see the error to troublshoot it. Adam asks should you reboot before the memory gets dumped? No, let it finish.
Segment 3
Joe D talks about Bing.com. Ian hates the name. Google seems afraid of Bing. Ian was impressed by the live.com searches. Adam likes the commercials.
Caller 4
Q: is it possible to have two AV programs fight each other?
A: yes, try to only use AV from one vendor instead load up multiple ones. Norton 2009 seems to be good. AV software only helps so much, you must control what you do on the Internet, be careful what you click on
Adam asks about new iMac keyboards that have no numeric keypad.
Caller 5
Q: when I start up IE it comes with a small window.
A: it depends on the program, but you should just have to resize the window, and close out the window so it can remember the window size. Joe D says there have been cases where the user profile is messed up so bad so that the window size might not be able to be saved (could also be caused by some over-protective AV software that is locking out your settings, like having IE save its settings and size)
Segment 4
Grand opening party on July 11.
Caller 6
Q: got put on hold due to audio problems, something about mail attachments not working
Caller 7
Q: problems with a mac G4 with OS 10.3. Internet access is timing out. Programs get shut down after downloading after about 2MB of data
A: we will have to troubleshoot this offline, try to create a new user account and try the same thing
Caller 8
Q: when I first connect to wireless, it get good speed, then the speed drops off
A: there might be some interference with wireless phones and wireless speakers, try another channel, otherwise you might need a rage expander
Adam got a new larger hard drive.
YoCo did a movie night on Wednesday in Struthers. And Joe D bought a popcorn machine. You can hire us for backyard parties. Send in your stories to win a free party.
Be sure to subscribe now to the YoCo newsletter. See http://youngstowncomputer.com for details.
Caller 1
Q: When you click on a email link, Outlook express opens up, but I don't use it.
A: You can tell IE of Firefox you can tell us which program to use for email. However, if you use webmail, you might have to look at the address in the link, or Ian suggests to set up your local email program to use the outbound mail server.
Caller 2
Q: when the screensaver goes on in vista I have to log in, is this normal?
A: Yes, just go into the screensaver properties to turn this off
Q: firefox 3 crashing, is that normal?
A: it is probably an add-on
Joe D and Nick will be "put in jail" for charity. See http://youngstowncomputer.com for details.
Some upcoming classes: July 7 + 9 - starter computer classes
July 14 + 16 - Internet and email
July 23 + 25 - using computers for marketing and selling
Segment 2
Caller during the break: tell us about Netbooks. They are low-cost laptops, small, light, not as powerful as most laptops, just to get you on the internet. Netbooks normally don't have optical drives, that means no CD-ROM or DVD player. They also have small screens, usuall 10" or less. Even the keyboards are not full size. But you can get on the internet and check mail fine. Joe D says they are getting more popular. How can you justfy a $200 OS like Win 7 or Vista on a computer that only costs $300? Ian brings up that you get the OS with the netbooks. Joe D says if it comes with XP, will you go and buy Win 7? Ian says no. (or course, if you order now you can get Win 7 for $49). The costs of repairing are also the same as the whole unit.
Joe D got a blue screen this morning. Probably due to an update to a sprint wireless card.
Caller 3
Q: windows gets all the way to the desktop then it goes to a blue screen
A: you will have to go into safe mode and try installing recent programs. this requires some troubleshooting, perhaps bring the computer in
Ian adds about blue screens, some of the fake AV programs can put up a fake blue screen. Joe D says that some computers will restart automatically on a blue screen. You might want to turn this off in system properties so you can see the error to troublshoot it. Adam asks should you reboot before the memory gets dumped? No, let it finish.
Segment 3
Joe D talks about Bing.com. Ian hates the name. Google seems afraid of Bing. Ian was impressed by the live.com searches. Adam likes the commercials.
Caller 4
Q: is it possible to have two AV programs fight each other?
A: yes, try to only use AV from one vendor instead load up multiple ones. Norton 2009 seems to be good. AV software only helps so much, you must control what you do on the Internet, be careful what you click on
Adam asks about new iMac keyboards that have no numeric keypad.
Caller 5
Q: when I start up IE it comes with a small window.
A: it depends on the program, but you should just have to resize the window, and close out the window so it can remember the window size. Joe D says there have been cases where the user profile is messed up so bad so that the window size might not be able to be saved (could also be caused by some over-protective AV software that is locking out your settings, like having IE save its settings and size)
Segment 4
Grand opening party on July 11.
Caller 6
Q: got put on hold due to audio problems, something about mail attachments not working
Caller 7
Q: problems with a mac G4 with OS 10.3. Internet access is timing out. Programs get shut down after downloading after about 2MB of data
A: we will have to troubleshoot this offline, try to create a new user account and try the same thing
Caller 8
Q: when I first connect to wireless, it get good speed, then the speed drops off
A: there might be some interference with wireless phones and wireless speakers, try another channel, otherwise you might need a rage expander
Adam got a new larger hard drive.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for June 13 2009
Segment 1
The computer show will be at this year's air show at the Youngstown Air base.
Apple dev show was this week. the 3.0 iPhone software will be out next week, new iPhone 3GS in July.
Price drop on some Macs. Snow Leopard will be $29.
Storms will happen, and your electricity will go out. To protect when the power flickers, get some power conditioning. And maybe a battery backup.
Consider unplugging all electronic devices when you go on vacation.
Caller 1
Q: get a message about wanting to download a p.exe file when I start firefox.
A: could be an addon for amazon, or perhaps try resetting your user profile, make a new user and log on and use firefox to see if it still works
You can reset your profile in firefox in the tools menu, you will use all your favorites, so make sure you backup what you want.
Segment 2
Caller 2
Q: I seem to have a lot of hard disk crashes, I just got a new drive, and it crashed. Why?
A: try to keep the disk away from heat
Q: how hard is it to replace drives?
A: just make sure you unscrew it, get the data and power cables connected.
Q: how to reload the data on the disk?
A: it is easiest to use a restore CD rom and boot fromo that. otherwise, you will need to find an install disk and use the key on the computer to reactivate it
question from the chat room: using CA anti-virus, it is not rated well, should I get something else?
A: Joe Danyi does not like CA anti-virus, it slows down the system
Joe Danyi talks about backing up to memory sticks, or external drive. Every version of windows has the "breifcase" folder. Does not explain how to use the briefcase however.
When reinstalling the operating system, you will probably need to either use a driver disk that came with your computer, or go to the web to download. sometimes you don't know exactly what components you got. For Dells, you can go to the web, put in your service tag, and it will tell you the drivers for your specific computer (as it shipped).
NIC = Network Interface Card
Segment 3
Talking about Domain names and domain squatters. Joe reads a list of the most expensive domain names.
Adam talks about installing the Vista SP2 upgrade. He noticed that the sound driver got changed. His settings for default audio in and out got changed. There is always a chance that a service pack install might mess up your settings.
Caller 3
Q: ati2eva2 gives me a blue screen
A: ATI has some buggy drivers. The best bet is to go to the laptop manufacturer's site to get their latest version customized for your laptop.
question from the chatroot: what is the best encryption for his wireless?
A: just use WPA, with a personal shared key. However, it depends on what devices you have, like the Nintendo DS only supports the WEP
Joe Danyi talks about SAAS (software as a service). Each install of software used to be per machine. Now they are thinking about licencing per user instead. Panda anti-virus brings this up with its new cloud anti-virus. Joe does not seem to like this type of licensing.
Segment 4
No computer show next show.
Adam talks about the NHL finals. He is now a fan.
The Niles store is open. The door to go in is the middle door in the suite.
Caller 4
Q: do you teach computers for old people?
A: there are weekly classes. They are all in our office. Contact Nick to get on the mailing list to get a list of the classes.
The computer show will be at this year's air show at the Youngstown Air base.
Apple dev show was this week. the 3.0 iPhone software will be out next week, new iPhone 3GS in July.
Price drop on some Macs. Snow Leopard will be $29.
Storms will happen, and your electricity will go out. To protect when the power flickers, get some power conditioning. And maybe a battery backup.
Consider unplugging all electronic devices when you go on vacation.
Caller 1
Q: get a message about wanting to download a p.exe file when I start firefox.
A: could be an addon for amazon, or perhaps try resetting your user profile, make a new user and log on and use firefox to see if it still works
You can reset your profile in firefox in the tools menu, you will use all your favorites, so make sure you backup what you want.
Segment 2
Caller 2
Q: I seem to have a lot of hard disk crashes, I just got a new drive, and it crashed. Why?
A: try to keep the disk away from heat
Q: how hard is it to replace drives?
A: just make sure you unscrew it, get the data and power cables connected.
Q: how to reload the data on the disk?
A: it is easiest to use a restore CD rom and boot fromo that. otherwise, you will need to find an install disk and use the key on the computer to reactivate it
question from the chat room: using CA anti-virus, it is not rated well, should I get something else?
A: Joe Danyi does not like CA anti-virus, it slows down the system
Joe Danyi talks about backing up to memory sticks, or external drive. Every version of windows has the "breifcase" folder. Does not explain how to use the briefcase however.
When reinstalling the operating system, you will probably need to either use a driver disk that came with your computer, or go to the web to download. sometimes you don't know exactly what components you got. For Dells, you can go to the web, put in your service tag, and it will tell you the drivers for your specific computer (as it shipped).
NIC = Network Interface Card
Segment 3
Talking about Domain names and domain squatters. Joe reads a list of the most expensive domain names.
Adam talks about installing the Vista SP2 upgrade. He noticed that the sound driver got changed. His settings for default audio in and out got changed. There is always a chance that a service pack install might mess up your settings.
Caller 3
Q: ati2eva2 gives me a blue screen
A: ATI has some buggy drivers. The best bet is to go to the laptop manufacturer's site to get their latest version customized for your laptop.
question from the chatroot: what is the best encryption for his wireless?
A: just use WPA, with a personal shared key. However, it depends on what devices you have, like the Nintendo DS only supports the WEP
Joe Danyi talks about SAAS (software as a service). Each install of software used to be per machine. Now they are thinking about licencing per user instead. Panda anti-virus brings this up with its new cloud anti-virus. Joe does not seem to like this type of licensing.
Segment 4
No computer show next show.
Adam talks about the NHL finals. He is now a fan.
The Niles store is open. The door to go in is the middle door in the suite.
Caller 4
Q: do you teach computers for old people?
A: there are weekly classes. They are all in our office. Contact Nick to get on the mailing list to get a list of the classes.
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for June 6, 2009
Segment 1
Had a movie night on Friday, went good until it started raining. Call in to convince us to come to your house to have a movie night.
On Monday, there will be an announcement about the iPhone. Talking about the Palm Pre, Joe is not impressed. Rumors about the iPhone: a 4GB one for $99 in July.
Calller 1
Q: when watching TV shows online, all the voices sound high-pitched, faster
A: look for a orange icon for your sound card, look for a setting for pitch correction. You might have to uninstall and reinstall the sound card driver.
Caller 2
Q: missing the "My Documents" in vista
A: it is there, there is just "Documents" now. all the other folders that used to be in there are now in the folder underneath, this is the folder that has your user name
Talk about parental controls, Joe likes some new products from McAfee and Symmantec. http://Onlinefamily.norton.com
Segment 2
Online question: should I go for Vista?
Joe has been warming up to Vista. Ian says that windows 7 is so close, wait for it. Adam points out that there will be free update coupons for Windows 7.
Joe starts talking about http://onlinefamily.norton.com. It is free for trying out now. McAffe is also coming out with a similar program.
Caller 3
Q: are there problems with consistently using hibernating or sleep mode all the time?
A: sleep is good for short periods of inactivity, hibernate is for long periods.
Q: should you shut down multiple times during an evening?
A: just leave it on, then just turn it off at the end of the day
Q: what is the difference between having the laptop running all the time?
A: there are power meters you can put on the plug, you can measure the power used there
Adam asks about the shutdown menu on vista, is it still there? Yes, it is small little menu next to the shutdown button.
Segment 3
Talking about Kraftwek music.
Signs are going up for the Niles store, right across from the McKinley Memorial.
Caller 4
Q: getting a "SMART" message from the hard drive when starting up. does that mean it is going to die?
A: yes, that is telling you that your hard drive is about to die. Make sure you got a good backup and bring it into the shop.
Joe talks about how they backup and recover data. If you don't have a backup, they will do it for $25.
Talking about the little parts inside the hard disk. Listen for strange noises from the hard disk, and if disk accesses get very slow.
Caller 5
Q: get a popup that says that virtual memory is low, and it seems that norton is the cause.
A: it could be a damaged program, reinstall the program. in general, you'll have to check to see you have enough ram, and also turn off any unnecessary processes.
Segment 4
Talking about how to speed up your computer. 1. more RAM, 2. cut down on the startup programs. Joe Danyi recommends from http://download.com Startup Inspector. It will highlight which ones are manditory, which are optional, and which are unknown.
Adam asks about the startup items for java and itunes. They are just for updates.
Adam asks about what happens when I run out of space on my disk? Either uninstall some big programs (World of Warcraft) or get a new disk and then you can copy stuff over to it.
Talking about Microsoft's Bing search/decision site. Joe Danyi will check it out this week.
Had a movie night on Friday, went good until it started raining. Call in to convince us to come to your house to have a movie night.
On Monday, there will be an announcement about the iPhone. Talking about the Palm Pre, Joe is not impressed. Rumors about the iPhone: a 4GB one for $99 in July.
Calller 1
Q: when watching TV shows online, all the voices sound high-pitched, faster
A: look for a orange icon for your sound card, look for a setting for pitch correction. You might have to uninstall and reinstall the sound card driver.
Caller 2
Q: missing the "My Documents" in vista
A: it is there, there is just "Documents" now. all the other folders that used to be in there are now in the folder underneath, this is the folder that has your user name
Talk about parental controls, Joe likes some new products from McAfee and Symmantec. http://Onlinefamily.norton.com
Segment 2
Online question: should I go for Vista?
Joe has been warming up to Vista. Ian says that windows 7 is so close, wait for it. Adam points out that there will be free update coupons for Windows 7.
Joe starts talking about http://onlinefamily.norton.com. It is free for trying out now. McAffe is also coming out with a similar program.
Caller 3
Q: are there problems with consistently using hibernating or sleep mode all the time?
A: sleep is good for short periods of inactivity, hibernate is for long periods.
Q: should you shut down multiple times during an evening?
A: just leave it on, then just turn it off at the end of the day
Q: what is the difference between having the laptop running all the time?
A: there are power meters you can put on the plug, you can measure the power used there
Adam asks about the shutdown menu on vista, is it still there? Yes, it is small little menu next to the shutdown button.
Segment 3
Talking about Kraftwek music.
Signs are going up for the Niles store, right across from the McKinley Memorial.
Caller 4
Q: getting a "SMART" message from the hard drive when starting up. does that mean it is going to die?
A: yes, that is telling you that your hard drive is about to die. Make sure you got a good backup and bring it into the shop.
Joe talks about how they backup and recover data. If you don't have a backup, they will do it for $25.
Talking about the little parts inside the hard disk. Listen for strange noises from the hard disk, and if disk accesses get very slow.
Caller 5
Q: get a popup that says that virtual memory is low, and it seems that norton is the cause.
A: it could be a damaged program, reinstall the program. in general, you'll have to check to see you have enough ram, and also turn off any unnecessary processes.
Segment 4
Talking about how to speed up your computer. 1. more RAM, 2. cut down on the startup programs. Joe Danyi recommends from http://download.com Startup Inspector. It will highlight which ones are manditory, which are optional, and which are unknown.
Adam asks about the startup items for java and itunes. They are just for updates.
Adam asks about what happens when I run out of space on my disk? Either uninstall some big programs (World of Warcraft) or get a new disk and then you can copy stuff over to it.
Talking about Microsoft's Bing search/decision site. Joe Danyi will check it out this week.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
The Best Ways to Share Your Digital Photos
There is no doubt that you get the most joy from your photos when you share them. Here is an article that gives a good overview of the different photo sharing services that are avilable.
The Best Ways to Share Your Digital Photos
The Best Ways to Share Your Digital Photos
12 Free Security Tools from PC Magazine
Here is a nice article that starts with an overview of some free anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam, firewall, and password manager software and then follows up with reviews of each.
link to article
link to article
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
The $800 Killer Gaming PC
Over at extremetech.com, they have put together another great gaming PC at a great price. Even if you are not a gamer, but just want to put together your own PC, this is a great starting place: http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2347620,00.asp
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes May 23, 2009
Segment 1
Poll: would you pay for news on the internet?
Caller 1
Q: tried to buy and download a song from walmart.com, now I can't get on the internet.
A: check out that you were not infected with something. you can bring it in to the shop to check it out
A little girl in New Zeleand bought a earth mover. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10247857-2.html
Segment 2
Caller 2
Q: have a digital camera, trying to making a DVD from the movies on the camera, it says to "insert disk" but it does not work. she has a sony cybershot camera
A: XP does not come with a DVD authoring program, try something like Sony Vegas.
Caller 3
Q: how did ActiveX factor into making my computer real slow?
A: you might have some programs that are interfering with each other, perhaps you need more memory, there might be more than one reason, try not to use the online fix-it programs.
What is ActiveX? ActiveX controls are extensions that a web browse can load in to extend web pages. Like Flash player, which allows you to watch videos in the browser, is an activeX control.
Caller 4
Q: mouse seems to be sticking
A: get a new optical mouse
Segment 3
What is clickjacking? When you click on a site but you go somewhere else. They create inline frames that make it look like the links are from the site you are at.
Caller 5
Q: if I put 2 gig of ram on the motherboard, then nothing works, one gig will work though
A: if there is not a problem with the motherboard, maybe one of the ram sticks might be bad.
discussion about installing RAM
Caller 6
Q: videos don't work right on the web, they stop after a while
A: the video has to buffer, try to just start the video, then pause it and wait
Q: can the old windows updates be deleted?
A: just leave them on.
Segment 4
Discussion about how people call hard drives "memory", but that is not correct. Hard drives are considered long-term storage.
Discussion of ReadyBoost. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyBoost
Caller 7
Q: can you give me some info about Avast anti-virus?
A: it is a free anti-virus, it seems to be ok, but you have to keep re-registering every month
Caller 8
Q: I only seem to have one usb that works on the motherboard
A: we have seen this before, it seems that the motherboard might be bad.
Poll: would you pay for news on the internet?
Caller 1
Q: tried to buy and download a song from walmart.com, now I can't get on the internet.
A: check out that you were not infected with something. you can bring it in to the shop to check it out
A little girl in New Zeleand bought a earth mover. http://news.cnet.com/8301-17939_109-10247857-2.html
Segment 2
Caller 2
Q: have a digital camera, trying to making a DVD from the movies on the camera, it says to "insert disk" but it does not work. she has a sony cybershot camera
A: XP does not come with a DVD authoring program, try something like Sony Vegas.
Caller 3
Q: how did ActiveX factor into making my computer real slow?
A: you might have some programs that are interfering with each other, perhaps you need more memory, there might be more than one reason, try not to use the online fix-it programs.
What is ActiveX? ActiveX controls are extensions that a web browse can load in to extend web pages. Like Flash player, which allows you to watch videos in the browser, is an activeX control.
Caller 4
Q: mouse seems to be sticking
A: get a new optical mouse
Segment 3
What is clickjacking? When you click on a site but you go somewhere else. They create inline frames that make it look like the links are from the site you are at.
Caller 5
Q: if I put 2 gig of ram on the motherboard, then nothing works, one gig will work though
A: if there is not a problem with the motherboard, maybe one of the ram sticks might be bad.
discussion about installing RAM
Caller 6
Q: videos don't work right on the web, they stop after a while
A: the video has to buffer, try to just start the video, then pause it and wait
Q: can the old windows updates be deleted?
A: just leave them on.
Segment 4
Discussion about how people call hard drives "memory", but that is not correct. Hard drives are considered long-term storage.
Discussion of ReadyBoost. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReadyBoost
Caller 7
Q: can you give me some info about Avast anti-virus?
A: it is a free anti-virus, it seems to be ok, but you have to keep re-registering every month
Caller 8
Q: I only seem to have one usb that works on the motherboard
A: we have seen this before, it seems that the motherboard might be bad.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for May 2 2009
Segment 1
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/034
Windows 7 might be out on October 23 this year -- http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132464
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/035 -- Will you move to Windows 7?
Joe Danyi getting started on facebook
Getting started with classes for the spring and summer. Please let us know what you want to learn.
Segment 2
Talking about the Psystar Mac clone back in the courts -- http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/05/01/apple_says_psystar_holding_back_info_in_mac_clone_legal_case.html
Talking about Google is getting sued due to the name Android trademark -- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/01/google_android_trademark/
Talking about how a guy learned how to deliver a baby from a youtube video -- http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10231586-71.html
Talking about Vista parental controls -- http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/parental-controls.aspx
Segment 3
Caller 1
Q: My Internet froze up, who should I call, AT&T or my computer maker?
A: usually call AT&T for those type of problems
Caller 2
Q: want to print out a puzzle from Parade's web site, but it has a background that takes lots of ink, can I print it out without the background?
A:
Caller 3
Q: excel is not printing out lines, how do I turn it on
A: use print preview, and use the print options to turn them on
Caller 4
Q: how can I share one printer with two computers
A: there are auto USB switchboxes, or you can share the computer over the network, hook the printer to just one, and right click the printer and choose share
Caller 5
Q: how do i turn off the vista sidebar?
A: there is a small icon that allows you to turn it off. you can even go to properties and tell it not to start up
Segment 4
Adam asks for advice for new graduates.
More features of vista parental controls
Conficker has infected some hospital devices -- http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10226448-83.html
Talking about different categories of viruses -- http://arstechnica.com/security/news/2004/11/malware.ars
spyware=something that tracks you or steals passwords or records keystrokes
adware=creates pop-ups
malware=lies to you or tricks you
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/034
Windows 7 might be out on October 23 this year -- http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9132464
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/035 -- Will you move to Windows 7?
Joe Danyi getting started on facebook
Getting started with classes for the spring and summer. Please let us know what you want to learn.
Segment 2
Talking about the Psystar Mac clone back in the courts -- http://www.appleinsider.com/articles/09/05/01/apple_says_psystar_holding_back_info_in_mac_clone_legal_case.html
Talking about Google is getting sued due to the name Android trademark -- http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/01/google_android_trademark/
Talking about how a guy learned how to deliver a baby from a youtube video -- http://news.cnet.com/8301-17852_3-10231586-71.html
Talking about Vista parental controls -- http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/features/parental-controls.aspx
Segment 3
Caller 1
Q: My Internet froze up, who should I call, AT&T or my computer maker?
A: usually call AT&T for those type of problems
Caller 2
Q: want to print out a puzzle from Parade's web site, but it has a background that takes lots of ink, can I print it out without the background?
A:
Caller 3
Q: excel is not printing out lines, how do I turn it on
A: use print preview, and use the print options to turn them on
Caller 4
Q: how can I share one printer with two computers
A: there are auto USB switchboxes, or you can share the computer over the network, hook the printer to just one, and right click the printer and choose share
Caller 5
Q: how do i turn off the vista sidebar?
A: there is a small icon that allows you to turn it off. you can even go to properties and tell it not to start up
Segment 4
Adam asks for advice for new graduates.
More features of vista parental controls
Conficker has infected some hospital devices -- http://news.cnet.com/8301-1009_3-10226448-83.html
Talking about different categories of viruses -- http://arstechnica.com/security/news/2004/11/malware.ars
spyware=something that tracks you or steals passwords or records keystrokes
adware=creates pop-ups
malware=lies to you or tricks you
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for April 25 2009
Segment 1
Conficker virus starts to be active: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345917,00.asp
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/033
Discussion about the price of Macs vs. PCs
This week's poll: are you energy concious: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/034
Segment 2
More talk about macs vs PCs, gamers don't use Macs.
Discussion about facebook and twitter.
Segment 3
Caller 1
--talking about how he uses MySpace to promote bands and festivals
Caller 2
Q: calling from Florida, can receive mail but can't send email, he is using Armstrong
A: if you are out of state, you might not be able to send out email because it is only for local customers.
Caller 3
Q: cleaned up my computer from a virus, but explorer.exe is not starting,
A: try making a new profile, see if that new profile works, otherwise is might be a registry problem
Caller 4
Q: computer does not want to start up this morning
A: do some basic troubleshooting, but it sounds like a blown power supply
Caller 5
--you can send mail through Armstrong's web mail service
Caller 6
Q: my laptop cannot connect to the internet unless I place it next to the router
A: it seems that your computer for some reason is trying to connect to another wireless network that happens to be stronger at your location. try removing all wireless profiles and renaming your wireless network
Caller 7
Q: the computer seems to take 15 minutes to get into windows, has a weird "USBd" message
A: you will probably need to bring that in to check it out
Segment 4
Update on the Niles store: AT&T did not show up to hook up service, so we cancelled and went with VOIP from Time-Warner
Will have a boot camp for novices probably first weekend of May at the new store.
Conficker virus starts to be active: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2345917,00.asp
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/033
Discussion about the price of Macs vs. PCs
This week's poll: are you energy concious: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/034
Segment 2
More talk about macs vs PCs, gamers don't use Macs.
Discussion about facebook and twitter.
Segment 3
Caller 1
--talking about how he uses MySpace to promote bands and festivals
Caller 2
Q: calling from Florida, can receive mail but can't send email, he is using Armstrong
A: if you are out of state, you might not be able to send out email because it is only for local customers.
Caller 3
Q: cleaned up my computer from a virus, but explorer.exe is not starting,
A: try making a new profile, see if that new profile works, otherwise is might be a registry problem
Caller 4
Q: computer does not want to start up this morning
A: do some basic troubleshooting, but it sounds like a blown power supply
Caller 5
--you can send mail through Armstrong's web mail service
Caller 6
Q: my laptop cannot connect to the internet unless I place it next to the router
A: it seems that your computer for some reason is trying to connect to another wireless network that happens to be stronger at your location. try removing all wireless profiles and renaming your wireless network
Caller 7
Q: the computer seems to take 15 minutes to get into windows, has a weird "USBd" message
A: you will probably need to bring that in to check it out
Segment 4
Update on the Niles store: AT&T did not show up to hook up service, so we cancelled and went with VOIP from Time-Warner
Will have a boot camp for novices probably first weekend of May at the new store.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for April 18 2009
Segment 1
Last show's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/032, it was the biggest response of any poll so far, what won was fines equal to damages.
The fallout of the conficker virus. Paralells between cybercrimes and real-world crimes.
Segment 2
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/033, why don't you own a Mac?
Facebook to make money? http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-10222191-82.html
Pirate Bay got busted: http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/musik/fredrik-soderling-the-pirate-bay-sentence-is-surprisingly-harsh-1.846920
Psystar - selling Mac clones: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/psystar-open-3-manages-to-ship-gets-unboxed-by-lucky-customer/
Segment 3
Caller 1
Q: trying to replace hard drive, but it won't recognize the new hard drive
A: try a different cable, or try a different machine, sounds like a bigger problem, so call the office
New office shaping up in Niles: 25 Main st.
Caller 2
Q: my computer is running really slow, I tried to reinstall windows with the restore CD, but it does not seem to "accept it"
A: first, try to see if it really is infected, check the process list to see what is taking up too much CPU. you can also try to hit F12 when you boot up, to choose what device to boot from
Caller 3
Q: on my laptop, I can't get it to power up, the power light flashes 3 times
A: you did all the right steps, it sounds like the video card is shot
What is Ian's last name? Bergmeyer, or Bergie!
Caller 4
Q: can't delete messages on Gmail?? on an iMac?
A: the old web browser on OS9 is probably not supported anymore, there is a slower HTML-only version that might work
Segment 4
We are big fans of Firefox, there is an add-in called IE tabs, that allows you to run IE in a tab for sites that won't work with Firefox. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419
Macs are not immune, there appears to be a Mac botnet: http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=25756
Still looking for a new tech for the Niles store, please send resumes to joe@youngstowncomputer.com
Last show's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/032, it was the biggest response of any poll so far, what won was fines equal to damages.
The fallout of the conficker virus. Paralells between cybercrimes and real-world crimes.
Segment 2
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/033, why don't you own a Mac?
Facebook to make money? http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-18438_7-10222191-82.html
Pirate Bay got busted: http://www.dn.se/kultur-noje/musik/fredrik-soderling-the-pirate-bay-sentence-is-surprisingly-harsh-1.846920
Psystar - selling Mac clones: http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/16/psystar-open-3-manages-to-ship-gets-unboxed-by-lucky-customer/
Segment 3
Caller 1
Q: trying to replace hard drive, but it won't recognize the new hard drive
A: try a different cable, or try a different machine, sounds like a bigger problem, so call the office
New office shaping up in Niles: 25 Main st.
Caller 2
Q: my computer is running really slow, I tried to reinstall windows with the restore CD, but it does not seem to "accept it"
A: first, try to see if it really is infected, check the process list to see what is taking up too much CPU. you can also try to hit F12 when you boot up, to choose what device to boot from
Caller 3
Q: on my laptop, I can't get it to power up, the power light flashes 3 times
A: you did all the right steps, it sounds like the video card is shot
What is Ian's last name? Bergmeyer, or Bergie!
Caller 4
Q: can't delete messages on Gmail?? on an iMac?
A: the old web browser on OS9 is probably not supported anymore, there is a slower HTML-only version that might work
Segment 4
We are big fans of Firefox, there is an add-in called IE tabs, that allows you to run IE in a tab for sites that won't work with Firefox. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419
Macs are not immune, there appears to be a Mac botnet: http://www.macworld.co.uk/news/index.cfm?newsid=25756
Still looking for a new tech for the Niles store, please send resumes to joe@youngstowncomputer.com
Friday, April 10, 2009
25 Golden Rules of E-mail
Before there was the web, there was e-mail. Some people still haven't figured it out. Here's a list of 25 things that you should know about e-mail.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2344692,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2344692,00.asp
Saturday, April 04, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for April 4 2009
Segment 1
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/031
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/032 What should be done with virus authors?
Chat room today! See link on website http://www.youngstowncomputer.com/chat.htm
The conficker virus did not do any damage on April 1st, despite the hype.
Caller 1
Q: computer tech that came to fix my computer, removed mcaffee and put on avast. is this a problem?
A: avast is not bad, if you control your behavior, you will be ok. norton 2009 seems to be the best right now.
Segment 2
Talking about different anti-virus products to use in different situations
Caller 2
Q: his friend has DSL but cannot connect. what can they do?
A: you have to run the setup CD first to activate the modem, so check that first. then check to see if the filters are correctly installed
Caller 3
Q: has a dial-up connection, got SP2 from her daughter, how can I do SP3?
A: SP3 is going to be larger, so you should have someone else download it for you
Q: any news about more broadband to rural areas?
A: the costs are higher, maybe when they start rolling out 4G networks, the president also has broadband plans
Caller 4
Q: got a flash drive full, so I moved off the pictures, but the system still says it is full, yet there are no files appearing
A: there might be some hidden files, the quickest way is to just format the drive
Segment 3
Status report on new niles office, looking for a new computer tech
Caller 5
Q: should I leave a computer off after a few hours of use, then turn it on later on in the day?
A: it is just a matter of personal perference, recommend to let the computer go into sleep mode during periods of no use
Q: any notes about IE8? it seems to take a long time to load, of course I have an older P4 1.5Ghz
A: Ian seems to like it ok, it seems faster than IE7
adam asks should we download IE8 now? Ian kind of likes it, it is more standards compliant.
Caller 6
Q: some software is not running unless I take off the "spyware"?
A: some anti-virus software does block some internet access software like web cams, so you might have to disable your anti-spryware to have the webcam work
In Europe, the people blocked the Google street view. You can have pictures removed from streetview if you submit a complaint, so it is easy enough to protect your privacy. http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/angry-british-villagers-block-google-street-view-car-incident-c/
Segment 4
when you run a conficker removal tool on vista, you need to run as admin
Caller 7
Q: I tried this removal tool, but it seemed to be running too long
A: it might run about 45 minutes
Q: on AOL dial-up, for some reason, it says we are always not protected, we have to always click "to fix"
A: you probably should upgrade to a better product like norton 2009
Caller 8
Q: got a umbuntu dual boot system, the initial install was ok, but it is not stable, can I change the default boot to XP instead?
A: in the system, administration, there should be a option for the boot manager, then you can tell which partition to be the default.
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/031
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/032 What should be done with virus authors?
Chat room today! See link on website http://www.youngstowncomputer.com/chat.htm
The conficker virus did not do any damage on April 1st, despite the hype.
Caller 1
Q: computer tech that came to fix my computer, removed mcaffee and put on avast. is this a problem?
A: avast is not bad, if you control your behavior, you will be ok. norton 2009 seems to be the best right now.
Segment 2
Talking about different anti-virus products to use in different situations
Caller 2
Q: his friend has DSL but cannot connect. what can they do?
A: you have to run the setup CD first to activate the modem, so check that first. then check to see if the filters are correctly installed
Caller 3
Q: has a dial-up connection, got SP2 from her daughter, how can I do SP3?
A: SP3 is going to be larger, so you should have someone else download it for you
Q: any news about more broadband to rural areas?
A: the costs are higher, maybe when they start rolling out 4G networks, the president also has broadband plans
Caller 4
Q: got a flash drive full, so I moved off the pictures, but the system still says it is full, yet there are no files appearing
A: there might be some hidden files, the quickest way is to just format the drive
Segment 3
Status report on new niles office, looking for a new computer tech
Caller 5
Q: should I leave a computer off after a few hours of use, then turn it on later on in the day?
A: it is just a matter of personal perference, recommend to let the computer go into sleep mode during periods of no use
Q: any notes about IE8? it seems to take a long time to load, of course I have an older P4 1.5Ghz
A: Ian seems to like it ok, it seems faster than IE7
adam asks should we download IE8 now? Ian kind of likes it, it is more standards compliant.
Caller 6
Q: some software is not running unless I take off the "spyware"?
A: some anti-virus software does block some internet access software like web cams, so you might have to disable your anti-spryware to have the webcam work
In Europe, the people blocked the Google street view. You can have pictures removed from streetview if you submit a complaint, so it is easy enough to protect your privacy. http://www.engadget.com/2009/04/03/angry-british-villagers-block-google-street-view-car-incident-c/
Segment 4
when you run a conficker removal tool on vista, you need to run as admin
Caller 7
Q: I tried this removal tool, but it seemed to be running too long
A: it might run about 45 minutes
Q: on AOL dial-up, for some reason, it says we are always not protected, we have to always click "to fix"
A: you probably should upgrade to a better product like norton 2009
Caller 8
Q: got a umbuntu dual boot system, the initial install was ok, but it is not stable, can I change the default boot to XP instead?
A: in the system, administration, there should be a option for the boot manager, then you can tell which partition to be the default.
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for Mar 28, 2009
Segment 1
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/030
This week's poll: How much do you rely on email? http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/031
Caller 1
Q: can't get the start menu, or start page, when I click on "owner" to log in, nothing happens
A: hold down F5 to go into safe mode, then see if things work, it can get complicated if things are really messed up, then you should go to get the computer serviced.
Phone poll: when you call in, we will ask you if you are exclusively cell phone, or voip, or land-line
Segment 2
article from John C. Dvorak: email is dead? http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343209,00.asp
1. ever-changing address
2. spam
3. empty box?
4. email tourist
5. useless filter
Computer pranks for April fools
- try hitting Ctrl-alt-down to flip the screen upside down
Caller 2
Q: have anti-virus for his apple, but it has run out. anything to get?
A: we will check with Ian to see what he reccommends
Q: to clean, use disk utility, repairing permissions, is there a way to get rid of temp files
A: try just going and clearing the cache in the internet browser
Caller 3
Q: when I plugged in the magic jack, MacAffe it said I was not protected, it said the "register" is open?
A: you do have to open your firewall to let magic jack work
Segment 3
virus to execute on April 1? conficker
To protect yourself:
1. turn off autoplay, that will stop the virus from spreading
2. make sure you have the latest patches from windows update
3. get an anti-virus software
4. and make sure it has the updated definitions
another prank
- mess up the auto-correct settings in Word or other word processor on your co-worker's machine
Caller 4
Q: I got a message from verizon breifcase, it is going away, what does this mean?
A: it sounds like you have some sort of on-line backup, run a restore to a local drive to get your files off of there, then you can cancel it.
Segment 4
Caller 5
Q: the battery for my laptop doesn't hold a charge, it that a problem with the battery
A: it seems a little soon for the battery to go, but that is what happens eventually
Caller 6
Q: talking about techonolgies
Paul Pantone - fuel technology
Rex research
Tesla Tech
A: we will look into those
http://kineticresume.com/: try out to make your resume to network yourself
another prank:
- download clippy prank program, make your own text file with questions to have clippy ask
http://www.youngstowncomputer.com/files/clippy.zip
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/030
This week's poll: How much do you rely on email? http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/031
Caller 1
Q: can't get the start menu, or start page, when I click on "owner" to log in, nothing happens
A: hold down F5 to go into safe mode, then see if things work, it can get complicated if things are really messed up, then you should go to get the computer serviced.
Phone poll: when you call in, we will ask you if you are exclusively cell phone, or voip, or land-line
Segment 2
article from John C. Dvorak: email is dead? http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343209,00.asp
1. ever-changing address
2. spam
3. empty box?
4. email tourist
5. useless filter
Computer pranks for April fools
- try hitting Ctrl-alt-down to flip the screen upside down
Caller 2
Q: have anti-virus for his apple, but it has run out. anything to get?
A: we will check with Ian to see what he reccommends
Q: to clean, use disk utility, repairing permissions, is there a way to get rid of temp files
A: try just going and clearing the cache in the internet browser
Caller 3
Q: when I plugged in the magic jack, MacAffe it said I was not protected, it said the "register" is open?
A: you do have to open your firewall to let magic jack work
Segment 3
virus to execute on April 1? conficker
To protect yourself:
1. turn off autoplay, that will stop the virus from spreading
2. make sure you have the latest patches from windows update
3. get an anti-virus software
4. and make sure it has the updated definitions
another prank
- mess up the auto-correct settings in Word or other word processor on your co-worker's machine
Caller 4
Q: I got a message from verizon breifcase, it is going away, what does this mean?
A: it sounds like you have some sort of on-line backup, run a restore to a local drive to get your files off of there, then you can cancel it.
Segment 4
Caller 5
Q: the battery for my laptop doesn't hold a charge, it that a problem with the battery
A: it seems a little soon for the battery to go, but that is what happens eventually
Caller 6
Q: talking about techonolgies
Paul Pantone - fuel technology
Rex research
Tesla Tech
A: we will look into those
http://kineticresume.com/: try out to make your resume to network yourself
another prank:
- download clippy prank program, make your own text file with questions to have clippy ask
http://www.youngstowncomputer.com/files/clippy.zip
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Spring Cleaning your PC and other gadgets
Here is a series of articles that give some helpful tips to do some spring cleaning on your PC and other tech gadgets.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343264,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343264,00.asp
How To Buy a Cheap Desktop PC
Here is an article from pcmag.com that discusses how to buy a new PC for $500 or less. They also review some promising candiates.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343538,00.asp
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2343538,00.asp
Monday, March 16, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for Mar 14, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show
March 14, 2009
Segment 1
Story on NYC 24-hour crackdown on driving while on cell phone, 9000 tickets
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03132009/news/regionalnews/nypd_cell_phone_crackdown_yields_thousan_159415.htm
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/027
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/028 Are you interested in giving Linux a try?
Are white pages still needed?
http://www.slate.com/id/2187035/
Super-charging batteries
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/03/fast-charging-battery-2-3-year.html
Taking calls about Linux with Ian today.
Segment 2
Special guest today: Ian talks about Linux
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux
Segment 3
Question from Adam: What is your favorite Distro?
Ian: runs 3 distros, rccommends Umbuntu
Do we need printed phonebooks anymore?
New updates for the iPhone: tethering available (rumored), MMS, copy/paste
Caller 1
Q: there is a program called newcatch that will open up quicken files
A: yes, there are lots of replacements for PC programs
Google is revitalizing their Grand Central product it bought. https://www.google.com/voice/about
Segment 4
Question from Adam: I'm running out of room on my windows partition, how can I get more room?
You will need to resize some partitions and move things around
Caller 2
Q: how much to fix a power jack on a laptop?
A: we will have to complely break down the laptop, usually costs about $200
Caller 3
Q: my computer does not seem to be able to handle video editing of home videos to get them from a hi-8 camera to DVD, what can I do to make this easier?
A: try saving smaller clips from the camer, that will make it easier to work with. You got a dazzle external capture device, try to get a PCI card or firewire device, try pinnacle products
Looking at a new space in Niles, looking at having a home theater seminar, operation Java is still coming.
March 14, 2009
Segment 1
Story on NYC 24-hour crackdown on driving while on cell phone, 9000 tickets
http://www.nypost.com/seven/03132009/news/regionalnews/nypd_cell_phone_crackdown_yields_thousan_159415.htm
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/027
This week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/028 Are you interested in giving Linux a try?
Are white pages still needed?
http://www.slate.com/id/2187035/
Super-charging batteries
http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2009/03/fast-charging-battery-2-3-year.html
Taking calls about Linux with Ian today.
Segment 2
Special guest today: Ian talks about Linux
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux
Segment 3
Question from Adam: What is your favorite Distro?
Ian: runs 3 distros, rccommends Umbuntu
Do we need printed phonebooks anymore?
New updates for the iPhone: tethering available (rumored), MMS, copy/paste
Caller 1
Q: there is a program called newcatch that will open up quicken files
A: yes, there are lots of replacements for PC programs
Google is revitalizing their Grand Central product it bought. https://www.google.com/voice/about
Segment 4
Question from Adam: I'm running out of room on my windows partition, how can I get more room?
You will need to resize some partitions and move things around
Caller 2
Q: how much to fix a power jack on a laptop?
A: we will have to complely break down the laptop, usually costs about $200
Caller 3
Q: my computer does not seem to be able to handle video editing of home videos to get them from a hi-8 camera to DVD, what can I do to make this easier?
A: try saving smaller clips from the camer, that will make it easier to work with. You got a dazzle external capture device, try to get a PCI card or firewire device, try pinnacle products
Looking at a new space in Niles, looking at having a home theater seminar, operation Java is still coming.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Next Meeting March 17 2009
The next meeting will be on March 17, at 7:00 pm at the Canfield Prebyterian chrurch.
Some things we will talk about:
Check our web site at http://mahccc.blogspot.com for additional items that are posted between meetings.
As always, we will also try and answer any other computer questions you may have. I hope to see you there!
Some things we will talk about:
- Vice President Dick Wilson will show off his new Flip Video camera.
- I'm going to talk about using Google more effectively. More than any time before, the Google search page is usually the first place to look for stuff on the Internet. I think it is worth it to go back and look at how you are using Google, and how you can use it better. We'll look at simple things you can do to search better, then we will look at the more advanced things you can do with Google search.
Check our web site at http://mahccc.blogspot.com for additional items that are posted between meetings.
As always, we will also try and answer any other computer questions you may have. I hope to see you there!
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for Mar 7, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show
March 7, 2009
Segment 1
Last Week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/026
This Week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/027
You pet peeves for tech support calls.
Poker tournament tonight.
Tech support tips:
1. pick your times -- pick the time you think that it is less busy
2. do all the logical things on your side first
3. gather up the info for the computer
4. make sure your important stuff is already backed up!
5. get your computer connected to the internet before you call
6. pay attention to where you are in the phone menu trees
7. verify that you are indeed talking to the right department
8. share all the troubleshooting steps you have done already
9. as they are doing stuff, if you object with what they are doing, LET THEM KNOW!
10. if you have to ship stuff back, make sure you back up data, and don't send stuff like cables or external devices unless they specifically ask for them.
Segment 2
Caller 1
Q: got two computers, but how do I get the wireless internet on both?
A: you do have to set up the wireless routers before they work, you will have to get the settings correct first.
Caller 2
Q: how to password a folder so that someone would have to enter in a password?
A: you could use the different windows accounts to create separate users and they have their own set of folders
Caller 3
Q: what should I look for in a laptop? for just small business use
A: you don't need a quad tier, just go for a dual core, get enough memory, for vista get at least 2 GB of ram. a core 2 duo, 4GB of RAM, 500 GB of hard disk is great
Windows update restarting your computer without your permission? We will cover this next.
Segment 3
Tech support call this morning was to just send in a laptop to replace the touchpad.
Article in CNET about testing Norton 360. They were offered to have a symantec professional install the software correctly for and additional charge of $80. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2342634,00.asp {Actually the article was from PC Magazine. They were trying to install Norton 360 on an already infected machine. --JoeM}
Caller 4
Q: when playing an online game, it says to clear out the browser cache. is that safe?
A: yes, that is a normal thing to do. you shouldn't have to re-install the browser except in very bad situations
Caller 5
Q: skype is starting up automatically on mac os
A: check the on-line knowledge base, or maybe uninstall it {Let me Google that for you: http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/2008/07/disable-skype-auto-start-on-mac.html -- JoeM}
Q: open office was re-installed and now it is slow starting up
A: there might be a bigger problem, like a hard drive or memory problems, download a test program
Kumo is a new search service by Microsoft that is in testing right now. Only available inside of microsoft. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10186108-56.html
Segment 4
Hulu.com to see Nick Burns the computer guy. http://www.hulu.com/watch/19050/saturday-night-live-nick-burns
Windows Update settings: you have four options, I reccommend the setting to automatically download but let you choose when to install them so that they don't interrupt your work.
Outlook Express and Windows Mail cannot handle mail files bigger than 2GB, so make sure you clean those out.
March 7, 2009
Segment 1
Last Week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/026
This Week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/027
You pet peeves for tech support calls.
Poker tournament tonight.
Tech support tips:
1. pick your times -- pick the time you think that it is less busy
2. do all the logical things on your side first
3. gather up the info for the computer
4. make sure your important stuff is already backed up!
5. get your computer connected to the internet before you call
6. pay attention to where you are in the phone menu trees
7. verify that you are indeed talking to the right department
8. share all the troubleshooting steps you have done already
9. as they are doing stuff, if you object with what they are doing, LET THEM KNOW!
10. if you have to ship stuff back, make sure you back up data, and don't send stuff like cables or external devices unless they specifically ask for them.
Segment 2
Caller 1
Q: got two computers, but how do I get the wireless internet on both?
A: you do have to set up the wireless routers before they work, you will have to get the settings correct first.
Caller 2
Q: how to password a folder so that someone would have to enter in a password?
A: you could use the different windows accounts to create separate users and they have their own set of folders
Caller 3
Q: what should I look for in a laptop? for just small business use
A: you don't need a quad tier, just go for a dual core, get enough memory, for vista get at least 2 GB of ram. a core 2 duo, 4GB of RAM, 500 GB of hard disk is great
Windows update restarting your computer without your permission? We will cover this next.
Segment 3
Tech support call this morning was to just send in a laptop to replace the touchpad.
Article in CNET about testing Norton 360. They were offered to have a symantec professional install the software correctly for and additional charge of $80. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2342634,00.asp {Actually the article was from PC Magazine. They were trying to install Norton 360 on an already infected machine. --JoeM}
Caller 4
Q: when playing an online game, it says to clear out the browser cache. is that safe?
A: yes, that is a normal thing to do. you shouldn't have to re-install the browser except in very bad situations
Caller 5
Q: skype is starting up automatically on mac os
A: check the on-line knowledge base, or maybe uninstall it {Let me Google that for you: http://snapvoip.blogspot.com/2008/07/disable-skype-auto-start-on-mac.html -- JoeM}
Q: open office was re-installed and now it is slow starting up
A: there might be a bigger problem, like a hard drive or memory problems, download a test program
Kumo is a new search service by Microsoft that is in testing right now. Only available inside of microsoft. http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10186108-56.html
Segment 4
Hulu.com to see Nick Burns the computer guy. http://www.hulu.com/watch/19050/saturday-night-live-nick-burns
Windows Update settings: you have four options, I reccommend the setting to automatically download but let you choose when to install them so that they don't interrupt your work.
Outlook Express and Windows Mail cannot handle mail files bigger than 2GB, so make sure you clean those out.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for Feb 28 2009
Youngstown Computer Show
February 28, 2009
Segment 1
Last two weeks' poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/025
New game server at youngstown Computer: counterstrike server
New poll: keyboarding: What is your level of typing skill? http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/026
Caller 1
Q: Chrome is crashing when trying to install flash
A: it might take several times, but it will eventually install, try to install the latest version of Chrome too
Amnesty Weekend: grab your computer and bring it into the shop today, there will be pizza too, and a Q&A session. Two sessions: 2:30-3:30 covering Windows, and 4:00-5:00 covering the internet.
Segment 2
More about the session: $75 for the session and cleaning
Magic Jack, how much is power is consumed because you have to keep your computer on all the time. $28 a year for a laptop, or $96 a year for a desktop.
FinallyFast.com, if you can't connect to the internet, then how can you get to finallyFast.com?
Poker night: http://youngstowncomputer.com/pokerhelp.htm
Caller 2
Q: got wireless, but it only seems to work fine at home, seems flakey at other hotspots
A: the best things to do is to remove all the stored profiles, except your home settings, so that there not a chance of having conflicting settings because other hot spots could be named the same.
Caller 3
Q: if the power goes out, do you need a UPS to keep 911 access?
A: yes, plus you have to power all your cable modem, router, etc to make sure your internet stays up
News articles on 4G rollout. 50-60Mpbs. Will be coming out in a few years.
Segment 3
SSID = the name of the wireless network
Tale of a hard drive seizing up, the platter would not spin, so they had to send away the drive to another place that has a clean room for about $800
Solid state hard drives: no moving parts. much more expensive
Caller 4
Q: gets a window that there is an execution engine error, how do i get rid of it
A: take a look at the event logs to see what program is causing that error
Caller 5
Q: is there a way to save your favorites from chrome so you can keep them for a reinstall
A: don't know off-hand, check google
Caller 6
Q: outlook express had a message that it needed to compact files
A: if you want to get the archive files back, try the import function {JoeM: I think that this is just normal message, no mails will be lost, there is nothing to import, it is just cleaning up unused space}
Segment 4
Caller 7
Q: any good free anti-spyware?
A: if you have good discipline, then the free ones are ok
Caller 8
Q: screen keeps scrolling/jumping
A: the problem might be with your monitor or video card, try another monitor
Caller 9
Q: laptop will not charge the battery, it won't recognize the battery
A: sounds like the battery needs to be replaced
Caller 10
Q: how to make a wireless network secure?
A: log into the router over the network, and set up a password on the wireles network setup section, each brand of router has slightly different set up screens.
February 28, 2009
Segment 1
Last two weeks' poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/025
New game server at youngstown Computer: counterstrike server
New poll: keyboarding: What is your level of typing skill? http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/026
Caller 1
Q: Chrome is crashing when trying to install flash
A: it might take several times, but it will eventually install, try to install the latest version of Chrome too
Amnesty Weekend: grab your computer and bring it into the shop today, there will be pizza too, and a Q&A session. Two sessions: 2:30-3:30 covering Windows, and 4:00-5:00 covering the internet.
Segment 2
More about the session: $75 for the session and cleaning
Magic Jack, how much is power is consumed because you have to keep your computer on all the time. $28 a year for a laptop, or $96 a year for a desktop.
FinallyFast.com, if you can't connect to the internet, then how can you get to finallyFast.com?
Poker night: http://youngstowncomputer.com/pokerhelp.htm
Caller 2
Q: got wireless, but it only seems to work fine at home, seems flakey at other hotspots
A: the best things to do is to remove all the stored profiles, except your home settings, so that there not a chance of having conflicting settings because other hot spots could be named the same.
Caller 3
Q: if the power goes out, do you need a UPS to keep 911 access?
A: yes, plus you have to power all your cable modem, router, etc to make sure your internet stays up
News articles on 4G rollout. 50-60Mpbs. Will be coming out in a few years.
Segment 3
SSID = the name of the wireless network
Tale of a hard drive seizing up, the platter would not spin, so they had to send away the drive to another place that has a clean room for about $800
Solid state hard drives: no moving parts. much more expensive
Caller 4
Q: gets a window that there is an execution engine error, how do i get rid of it
A: take a look at the event logs to see what program is causing that error
Caller 5
Q: is there a way to save your favorites from chrome so you can keep them for a reinstall
A: don't know off-hand, check google
Caller 6
Q: outlook express had a message that it needed to compact files
A: if you want to get the archive files back, try the import function {JoeM: I think that this is just normal message, no mails will be lost, there is nothing to import, it is just cleaning up unused space}
Segment 4
Caller 7
Q: any good free anti-spyware?
A: if you have good discipline, then the free ones are ok
Caller 8
Q: screen keeps scrolling/jumping
A: the problem might be with your monitor or video card, try another monitor
Caller 9
Q: laptop will not charge the battery, it won't recognize the battery
A: sounds like the battery needs to be replaced
Caller 10
Q: how to make a wireless network secure?
A: log into the router over the network, and set up a password on the wireles network setup section, each brand of router has slightly different set up screens.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Best Bang for the Buck PC with a Core i7
If you didn't know, the latest Intel CPU is call the i7. It is the successor to the very popular Core 2 chips. The guys at Extreme Tech tried to make a best bang-for-the-buck PC with the i7 CPU for under $1,200. They almost succeeded.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2341244,00.asp
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2341244,00.asp
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Next Meeting February 17 2009
Next: This meeting we will try to operate with out our President he is taking some additional training out of town to help him do a better job at his work.
We will go a little deeper into a program that Joe talked about once before, but I find out this is one of those programs that is really great.
I will go into a little more in detail to show you how to really use this to your advantage: Windows Movie Maker.
See you Tuesday
Dick Wilson
We will go a little deeper into a program that Joe talked about once before, but I find out this is one of those programs that is really great.
I will go into a little more in detail to show you how to really use this to your advantage: Windows Movie Maker.
See you Tuesday
Dick Wilson
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for Feb 14 2009
Youngstown Computer Show
February 14 2009
Valentine's day backgrounds:
http://youngstowncomputer.com/images/vd1.jpg
http://youngstowncomputer.com/images/vd2.jpg
http://youngstowncomputer.com/images/vd3.jpg
This week's poll: What would you like to know more about: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/025
Poker during the breaks today:
http://74.219.220.138:8087/
choose head-to-head to play JoeD.
password = 570
Caller 1
Q: I have a computer that has Fat32 on the hard disk, but XP is running on there
A: XP can run on both. it was probably upgraded from WinME.
There can be some problems upgrading, but there are some built-in tools to help you convert.
Caller 2
Q: Can you make MP3s into a regular audio CD?
A: very simple, just tell your burning software to make an audio CD
Caller 3
Q: Question about google earth, put my address in and it came up very good, then I put in my neighbor's address about a quarter of a mile away, and it keeps coming up to my address. Is there something I can delete?
A: it is possible that the mapping software is mapping two address that are close enough to the same point on the map
Segment 2
For the caller from last week, there is now an article about how to make better google searches: http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=136861
Caller 4
Q: Running XP, I have a word document in Microsoft office word, and I went to "save as" and I put it there, and then I went to "My Computer" , and then when I click on the D: drive, where I normally store stuff, I get a message the says "The selected drive is not in use, check to make sure a disk is in the drive" even if there is a disk is in there it is not letting me record to the disk.
A: sounds like something has changes in the way the packets are sent to that CD drive, I'm wondering if something else is linking to the D: drive like a flash drive or a card reader or something like that. I usually try to make a test folder on the drive to make sure that the drive is receiving data. I would check and see that another removable drive is not kicking the CD-rom drive to another letter that Word does not recognize.
What is RSS? Really Simple syndication: It is a way for web sites to publish new items, like articles, or pictures, or audio files (podcasts) or videos (video podcasts or vlogs). You just use an RSS reader to subscribe to these feeds which will let you know when something new is available without you having to view the site directly.
Everyone make a blog. We will collect the feeds and show them on the youngstown computer site.
Caller 5
Q: got the virtuMonde virus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vundo
A: this is the one of the toughest to get rid of. you will have to bring it into the shop to have it cleaned up.
Caller 6
Q: any reccommedations for a new laptop? do tax work, spreadsheets, etc. no gaming, but like a fast computer
A: Alienware has great, top of the line laptops. look at dell, HP, and alienware, compare what you get for the money.
Caller 7
Q: problem with an external hard drive. have about 850Gb of data, but I can't see any folders, but in DOS I can
A: don't know, please call the office
Segment 3
Bad advice from salespeople and tech support people:
Looking for video driver from Dell was told: you will have to replace your motherboard
running the restore disk, and they lost all of their stuff
Caller 8
Q: put in a new motherboard, but the restore disk will not get windows started
A: you will need to install windows from the windows install disk and get the correct drivers for the new motherboard, try different memory chips
Caller 9
Q: I tried to change the ink in a cannon printer, is there someone that could fix it?
A: it is possible to fix, but it is probably better to buy a new one
Segment 4
To improve your clicking speed, improve your mousing skills, try playing games, like this diner game on Yahoo games.
Soon to have a branch of Youngstown Computer in Austintown.
Caller 10
Q: converted my old movies to DVD, is there software to take an image from a DVD movie and just turn it into a picture that I can use for like a cd cover?
A: most capture software can do this, search download.com for programs that capture images from video. Adam recommends using Alt-printscreen to capture the image {however this might not work because video players usually use directX to play video, and those images will not show when you use the printscreen button -- JoeM}
Internet Cache - most internet browsers save pictures and all parts of web pages on your local computer to make loading of the web page faster the next time. Sometimes, if the site changes its pictures very often, to force your browser to ignore your cached data, use Ctrl-F5 to refresh from the internet.
The Ruckus service, which served lots of university campuses, has closed its doors.
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-college-online-music-service-ruckus-closes-down/
February 14 2009
Valentine's day backgrounds:
http://youngstowncomputer.com/images/vd1.jpg
http://youngstowncomputer.com/images/vd2.jpg
http://youngstowncomputer.com/images/vd3.jpg
This week's poll: What would you like to know more about: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/025
Poker during the breaks today:
http://74.219.220.138:8087/
choose head-to-head to play JoeD.
password = 570
Caller 1
Q: I have a computer that has Fat32 on the hard disk, but XP is running on there
A: XP can run on both. it was probably upgraded from WinME.
There can be some problems upgrading, but there are some built-in tools to help you convert.
Caller 2
Q: Can you make MP3s into a regular audio CD?
A: very simple, just tell your burning software to make an audio CD
Caller 3
Q: Question about google earth, put my address in and it came up very good, then I put in my neighbor's address about a quarter of a mile away, and it keeps coming up to my address. Is there something I can delete?
A: it is possible that the mapping software is mapping two address that are close enough to the same point on the map
Segment 2
For the caller from last week, there is now an article about how to make better google searches: http://www.google.com/support/websearch/bin/answer.py?answer=136861
Caller 4
Q: Running XP, I have a word document in Microsoft office word, and I went to "save as" and I put it there, and then I went to "My Computer" , and then when I click on the D: drive, where I normally store stuff, I get a message the says "The selected drive is not in use, check to make sure a disk is in the drive" even if there is a disk is in there it is not letting me record to the disk.
A: sounds like something has changes in the way the packets are sent to that CD drive, I'm wondering if something else is linking to the D: drive like a flash drive or a card reader or something like that. I usually try to make a test folder on the drive to make sure that the drive is receiving data. I would check and see that another removable drive is not kicking the CD-rom drive to another letter that Word does not recognize.
What is RSS? Really Simple syndication: It is a way for web sites to publish new items, like articles, or pictures, or audio files (podcasts) or videos (video podcasts or vlogs). You just use an RSS reader to subscribe to these feeds which will let you know when something new is available without you having to view the site directly.
Everyone make a blog. We will collect the feeds and show them on the youngstown computer site.
Caller 5
Q: got the virtuMonde virus
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vundo
A: this is the one of the toughest to get rid of. you will have to bring it into the shop to have it cleaned up.
Caller 6
Q: any reccommedations for a new laptop? do tax work, spreadsheets, etc. no gaming, but like a fast computer
A: Alienware has great, top of the line laptops. look at dell, HP, and alienware, compare what you get for the money.
Caller 7
Q: problem with an external hard drive. have about 850Gb of data, but I can't see any folders, but in DOS I can
A: don't know, please call the office
Segment 3
Bad advice from salespeople and tech support people:
Looking for video driver from Dell was told: you will have to replace your motherboard
running the restore disk, and they lost all of their stuff
Caller 8
Q: put in a new motherboard, but the restore disk will not get windows started
A: you will need to install windows from the windows install disk and get the correct drivers for the new motherboard, try different memory chips
Caller 9
Q: I tried to change the ink in a cannon printer, is there someone that could fix it?
A: it is possible to fix, but it is probably better to buy a new one
Segment 4
To improve your clicking speed, improve your mousing skills, try playing games, like this diner game on Yahoo games.
Soon to have a branch of Youngstown Computer in Austintown.
Caller 10
Q: converted my old movies to DVD, is there software to take an image from a DVD movie and just turn it into a picture that I can use for like a cd cover?
A: most capture software can do this, search download.com for programs that capture images from video. Adam recommends using Alt-printscreen to capture the image {however this might not work because video players usually use directX to play video, and those images will not show when you use the printscreen button -- JoeM}
Internet Cache - most internet browsers save pictures and all parts of web pages on your local computer to make loading of the web page faster the next time. Sometimes, if the site changes its pictures very often, to force your browser to ignore your cached data, use Ctrl-F5 to refresh from the internet.
The Ruckus service, which served lots of university campuses, has closed its doors.
http://www.paidcontent.org/entry/419-college-online-music-service-ruckus-closes-down/
Bargain All-In-One Printers (via PCMag.com)
PC magazine has a list of some great savings on some all-in-one printers, if you are looking for a new one:
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2340851,00.asp?kc=BG021209N-2
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2340851,00.asp?kc=BG021209N-2
The 20 Best Free PC Games (via ExtremeTech.com)
Looking for some cheap entertainment? ExtremeTech has a list of 20 free games for your PC. I'm going to have to give some a try.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2340696,00.asp
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2340696,00.asp
MCCC Next Meeting: February 17 2009
I tried to get a local person to come to our meeting and speak to us: Joe Danyi, he has a local radio program on Saturday afternoon. I called him 3 times and sent him an email. The result: he did not even call or say he didn't want to do it.
So if this is the way he answers his trouble calls I guess we don't need his help.
Next: This meeting we will try to operate with out our President he is taking some additional training out of town to help him do a better job at his work.
We will go a little deeper into a program that Joe talked about once before, but I find out this is one of those programs that is really great.
I will go into a little more in detail to show you how to really use this to your advantage: Windows Movie Maker.
See you Tuesday
Dick Wilson
So if this is the way he answers his trouble calls I guess we don't need his help.
Next: This meeting we will try to operate with out our President he is taking some additional training out of town to help him do a better job at his work.
We will go a little deeper into a program that Joe talked about once before, but I find out this is one of those programs that is really great.
I will go into a little more in detail to show you how to really use this to your advantage: Windows Movie Maker.
See you Tuesday
Dick Wilson
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Youngstown Computer Show Notes for Feb 7 2009
Segment 1
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/018
This week's poll: Your Safety Zone, how much do you do online
http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/019
Joe D had a bad week: car, furnace, GPS, laptop screen all failed
Joe D talks about his adventures about buying a new power cord for his GPS on bestbuy.com.
Youngstown Computer 330-259-7278, 71 Terrace St. Suite 104
Caller 1
Q: I can't play the eAudio books from the library on his iPod
A: try http://download.com , search for DRM stripper.
Segment 2
We don't advocate the use of DRM stripping software, however, that stuff is out there.
Caller 2
Q: how can I search better, for more focused searches?
A: there is an article about that we posted a while back, we will post it later.
Caller 3
Q: where is my email stored? locally or on the server? when I get a crash, I lose all my emails
A: you will have to see where msn stores your local mail folders and make sure you back those up
Caller 4
Q: when I copy my resume from Word to an online job application, all the formatting is messed up
A: try paste it into Notepad first, then copy and paste that into the web application. web apps usually cannot take bold, underlining, etc.
Caller 5
Q: he wants to take files from one computer to another
A: try using a flash drive, copy the stuff you want onto the flash drive, then put the flash drive into the new computer and copy the files to the new computer
All of your personal stuff is stored under "Documents and Settings\[username]" on XP, "users\[username]" on vista.
Weekly poker game: http://www.youngstowncomputer.com/pokerhelp.htm
Segment 3
Adam had a karaoke debut.
News:
Magic jack has had a lot of good reviews, but...as more people are getting into it, there are more problems. There is no call-in tech support. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2340417,00.asp
Joe D does not look at beta software, so he has not looked at Win 7 beta. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx
IE 8 release candidate is out though, and he does seem to like it. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/beta/default.aspx
Caller 6
Q: my ISP says that I need a new driver, or uninstall/install it
A: this is a tough thing to troubleshoot, try another ISP to see if that is the problem
Caller 7
Q: your history thing? what were you saying about it?
A: yes, IE 8 has a privacy mode that turns off the history
Caller 8
Q: vista recovered to an earlier restore point, and now norton won't update itself, and the microphone won't turn on
A: Joe D thinks that there might be more than one problem, you should bring it into the shop
Segment 4
Apps on the iPhone.
http://pmsbuddy.com/
ipod stungun: Stun-O-Matic http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=301317579&mt=8
google latitude http://www.google.com/latitude/intro.html
http://supportyoungstown.com
Caller 9
Q: can't find an worksheet that I got as an attachment and worked on and saved, but I can't find it
A: go to the start ment and choose search or find, then search for the name or part of the name, you can also look in the contents, so look for something that you know is in the file and not in others. it is probably in the temporary files folder
Last week's poll: http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/018
This week's poll: Your Safety Zone, how much do you do online
http://jdany.freepolls.com/cgi-bin/pollresults/019
Joe D had a bad week: car, furnace, GPS, laptop screen all failed
Joe D talks about his adventures about buying a new power cord for his GPS on bestbuy.com.
Youngstown Computer 330-259-7278, 71 Terrace St. Suite 104
Caller 1
Q: I can't play the eAudio books from the library on his iPod
A: try http://download.com , search for DRM stripper.
Segment 2
We don't advocate the use of DRM stripping software, however, that stuff is out there.
Caller 2
Q: how can I search better, for more focused searches?
A: there is an article about that we posted a while back, we will post it later.
Caller 3
Q: where is my email stored? locally or on the server? when I get a crash, I lose all my emails
A: you will have to see where msn stores your local mail folders and make sure you back those up
Caller 4
Q: when I copy my resume from Word to an online job application, all the formatting is messed up
A: try paste it into Notepad first, then copy and paste that into the web application. web apps usually cannot take bold, underlining, etc.
Caller 5
Q: he wants to take files from one computer to another
A: try using a flash drive, copy the stuff you want onto the flash drive, then put the flash drive into the new computer and copy the files to the new computer
All of your personal stuff is stored under "Documents and Settings\[username]" on XP, "users\[username]" on vista.
Weekly poker game: http://www.youngstowncomputer.com/pokerhelp.htm
Segment 3
Adam had a karaoke debut.
News:
Magic jack has had a lot of good reviews, but...as more people are getting into it, there are more problems. There is no call-in tech support. http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2340417,00.asp
Joe D does not look at beta software, so he has not looked at Win 7 beta. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx
IE 8 release candidate is out though, and he does seem to like it. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/internet-explorer/beta/default.aspx
Caller 6
Q: my ISP says that I need a new driver, or uninstall/install it
A: this is a tough thing to troubleshoot, try another ISP to see if that is the problem
Caller 7
Q: your history thing? what were you saying about it?
A: yes, IE 8 has a privacy mode that turns off the history
Caller 8
Q: vista recovered to an earlier restore point, and now norton won't update itself, and the microphone won't turn on
A: Joe D thinks that there might be more than one problem, you should bring it into the shop
Segment 4
Apps on the iPhone.
http://pmsbuddy.com/
ipod stungun: Stun-O-Matic http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=301317579&mt=8
google latitude http://www.google.com/latitude/intro.html
http://supportyoungstown.com
Caller 9
Q: can't find an worksheet that I got as an attachment and worked on and saved, but I can't find it
A: go to the start ment and choose search or find, then search for the name or part of the name, you can also look in the contents, so look for something that you know is in the file and not in others. it is probably in the temporary files folder
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