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COMPUTER TIP #1: YOUR COMPUTER ISN’T AN ELEVATOR!

COMPUTER TIP #2: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS!

COMPUTER TIP #3: LISTEN TO YOUR COMPUTER!

COMPUTER TIP #4: KNOW YOUR VERSION OF YOUR O/S [ALL LICENSES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL]

COMPUTER TIP #5: WHEN YOUR MACHINE LOCKS UP

COMPUTER TIP #6: WHEN YOUR NETWORK GOES DOWN

COMPUTER TIP #7: IF YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION STOPS WORKING

COMPUTER TIP #8: DO NOT CONNECT HARDWARE FIRST

COMPUTER TIP #9:  NEVER STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INSTALL

COMPUTER TIP #10: TRY TO RUN VIRUS SCANS FROM SAFE MODE

COMPUTER TIP #11: PASSWORD ADVICE

COMPUTER TIP #1:  YOUR COMPUTER ISN’T AN ELEVATOR! We all know that, human nature being what it is, we still punch the elevator up or down button, even though it’s already lit when we arrive.  No one knows why, we just do.  And, if the elevator door doesn’t close immediately, we’ll still repeatedly hit the close button again and again, even though we know in our heart and brain that it’s doing absolutely nothing to speed up the process.  Maybe it just gives us something to do while we’re waiting...However, this is NOT the right thing to do when your computer is slow in responding to your commands.  Repeatedly pressing a key like the <enter> or <start> or <esc> key in an attempt to speed up your computer’s operation may likely have the opposite effect:  It could lock-up the computer, requiring a cold re-boot, possibly losing whatever you’re working on.  Even worse, a partial installation of a program may corrupt your computer’s operating system, maybe even paralyze it permanently.  This is because, each time you command your computer to do something, it stores that command in a “queue,” or line, awaiting the completion of the previous command before moving on to the next, kind of like waiting at  the next-in-line queu at the bank.  Repeatedly pressing the key may well result in a “beep” indicating that the end of the queue has been reached, and effectively locking up your computer.  Just wait, however long it takes, until your computer informs you that it can or can’t complete the task (See, “Never Stop In The Middle Of An Install” below).

COMPUTER TIP #2: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS: I know this sounds self-evident and extremely basic, but keep in mind that software companies often want to slip things past you.  They have cross deals and links with other companies to promote their software.  Most software, especially freeware, often comes bundled with toolbars, trialware, even malware that you probably don’t need or want on your computer.  More now than ever before, at least these companies allow you to check or uncheck boxes or icons to prevent loading unwanted software.  But this means that you do have to READ the installation screens, instead of just blindly clicking the NEXT button at the bottom.  You’ll be surprised at what you’ll find.  You may also find that there are tips for installation of the software that will save you the trouble of uninstalling and re-installing correctly if you discover that the downloaded software adversely effects your system. 

COMPUTER TIP #3: LISTEN TO YOUR COMPUTER! Noisy fans, clicking or other strange noises from your disk drives, constantly blinking hard drive lights, and other such anomalies are indications that things are not quite right with your computer.  Don’t ignore these symptoms.  That would be kind of like ignoring the “Check Engine” light in your car.  Pay particular attention to your hard drives, which generally tend to fail either early in their use (due to manufacturing defects) or late in their life (due to usage), but not ordinarily gradually over time.  NOTE:  In the future, drives with moving parts may become replaced with solid state drives (“SSDs”).  Made of electronics, much like large flash drives, SSDs may last longer, have more shock resistance (important for laptops), use less power, generate less heat and take up less space than traditional hard drives.  They’re becoming available right now, but so far they haven’t been proven to be as long-lasting in everyday computers, which stop and go often, as opposed to servers, where they run continuously.   However, this problem should be resolved eventually.

COMPUTER TIP #4: KNOW YOUR VERSION OF YOUR O/S [ALL LICENSES ARE NOT CREATED EQUAL]:  I know, for most of you it’s difficult  enough for you to remember just the name of your operating system (Windows 98, XP, 2000, Vista, etc.)  But, unfortunately, there’s more to it.  Lately, I’ve noticed that there is a lot of confusion caused by users who don’t know that there are material differences between the VERSIONS of each operating system.  For example, many people may have an OEM version of their operating system pre-installed on their Dell or HP computer (probably without any disk, only a sticker on the side or back of the machine).  Since this type of O/S is tied directly to the motherboard of the machine on which it was installed, it cannot be transferred to another machine.  To do this, you must have purchased the Retail version of the O/S (which usually comes with an actual disk).  Same thing for networking between computers - different versions of the O/S require different “permissions”.  Yes, we can all blame Microsoft for it’s ridiculously complex licensing scheme (as many as eight different versions for an O/S).  On the other hand, as a consumer, you should be aware that the great deal you got on your computer probably included a (cheaper) OEM version of the O/S with limitations.  You’ll also discover that, with the OEM version, you probably cannot get help from Microsoft, which will refer you back to the computer manufacturer for assistance. To find this information, you can refer to the Microsoft sticker which should be somewhere on the case of your computer; also, if you right-click on the My Computer Icon and then left-click on Properties, the resulting window should show you not only the operating system information, but also the latest edition of the Service Pack that has been installed, which is also important in resolving problems when you call for technical support.

COMPUTER TIP #5: WHEN YOUR MACHINE LOCKS UP: First try to save everything you’re been working on.  If the mouse doesn’t work, then try using the keyboard (Alt + F for the File Menu, then the down arrow key to Save or Exit).  Then, COLD reboot - that is, completely power down the machine then wait 30 seconds before re-starting.  You should always do this before calling us for professional help.  Why 30 seconds?  You’re waiting for the residual and static electricity to drain from the boards and components, otherwise you may not really be cold rebooting the machine.  Remember how you can blow out a candle, but still light it even a few seconds later by holding a flame to the smoke trail?  (If you don’t, watch this video.) The same thing can happen with a static electric trail on a computer.  You don’t want to “warm” reboot it, but you want to wait for a “cold” reboot, when you know that the software, caches and components are clear.  If your computer case is open, you may observe that the lights on the mother board actually take quite a few seconds to go out after the machine is switched off.

COMPUTER TIP #6: WHEN YOUR NETWORK GOES DOWN: Same as above, but power down (BUT do NOT RESET) all of the hardware, including the computers, routers, hubs, switches, printers, etc.  Wait 30 seconds, then start the cable or DSL modem, then router, then computer and each peripheral.  You should always do this before calling us for professional help.

COMPUTER TIP #7: IF YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION STOPS WORKING: First, check the cable/dsl/telephone modem and see if the signal is coming in through the modem itself (i.e. it may not be your computer that’s the problem).  If the DSL or the Cable light is not flashing, the cable modem is not getting a signal.  Turn off the power, leave it off for 30 seconds, then turn it on again and wait for a solid light.  If this doesn’t work, hold a pointed object (pen, paperclip) in the “reset” button (usually on the back of the modem for about 15 seconds and then, at the same time, turn off the power.  Wait 30 seconds and turn the cable modem on.  If you cannot get a signal, the problem may be your service provider (Comcast, Verizon, etc.), and you should call their help line to resolve the issue.  Once you have a solid light, cold boot your computer and the internet connection should now work.  You should always do this before calling for professional help.

COMPUTER TIP #8: DO NOT CONNECT HARDWARE FIRST unless instructed to do so when installing new hardware.  Especially USB connected hardware, such as printers and routers.  Usually, you should insert the CD or DVD, follow the instructions, then connect the printer to the computer only when instructed.  To do so otherwise may create additional problems and your printer or other hardware may not work properly.  ON A RELATED NOTE: When replacing hardware (i.e. printers, video or sound cards, modems, etc.), it’s usually a good idea to remove the old hardware and drivers first, to avoid possible software “conflicts”.

COMPUTER TIP #9: NEVER STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INSTALL: Turning off your machine in the middle of an install, especially a download, can irreparably corrupt your machine!  It may seem that your AOL download or HP installation disk is stopped and may be “hanging” but it may not be.  (You may check your hard drive light to see if it’s flashing, meaning it’s doing something.)  It is far better to wait - even overnight - for your machine to give you an actual error message (and a choice of solutions) than to “assume” that the machine is doing nothing and shut it off.  Just WAIT!! (Corollary to this is not to turn off your computer (or even pull your laptop power plug out) while it is shutting down or starting up.  This can also seriously damage your computer’s software to the point that it MAY not re-start again properly or at all.)

COMPUTER TIP #10: TRY TO RUN SCANS FROM SAFE MODE; DISABLING SYSTEM RESTORE; DISCONNECT FROM THE NETWORK:  Your scans for spyware and viruses will run faster, remove more threats and generally be more effective if you run them from Windows Safe Mode (if they let you).  Click the F8 key during boot up and select Safe Mode With Networking, then run the scan from the Safe Mode Desktop.  It’ll be more effective, particularly eliminating files which could not be eliminated because they were being used by the operating system when booted in full mode.  You may also have to disable (and then later re-enable) System Restore (right click on My Computer) in case some infected files are in the restore section of your drive.  So, it’s a good idea to try and go back first to solve any problems you’re having with your computer; Going back to an earlier restore point won’t usually repair a virus problem.  FURTHER:  If your computer is on a network, don’t forget to DISCONNECT the infected machine from the network before cleaning the viruses, otherwise they may migrate to the other computers on the network.

COMPUTER TIP #11: PASSWORD ADVICE:  This discussion became so lengthy that we had to establish a separate page to contain all of the advice, so please click HERE.

COMPUTER TIP #14: WIRELESS SURFING WARNING:  Sure, it’s a great convenience to use your laptop at hotel, airport and coffee shop “hot spots” to check your e-mail, contact the office or make travel reservations.  But there is a severe downside.  Many of these connections are completely unprotected, or minimally protected with WEP (see Glossary), which can easily be broken by hackers.  This means that anyone else connected to those networks can read your transmissions with very little effort, and use the information later on to hack into your home or business computer(s), possibly causing severe damage.  Now, it’s not my intent to cause a fear of using computers on wireless networks, only to explain how to protect yourself when doing so. First, businesses should usually be using a virtual private network (“VPN”, see the Glossary) for all traffic, so that any interception would yield only a gateway address.  (Check your office site for https (again, see Glossary)).  For personal communications, using an “open” connection (i.e. “free”) on your available list of networks is a serious risk.  For example, if you use webmail (Hotmail, Gmail, etc.), a hacker will have no trouble reading your messages while you are on the network, possibly retrieving internet banking passwords and the like.  Even worse, you may connect to a so-called “rogue” network, one which appears to be legitimate (e.g. “Free Public Internet”) but which can possibly infect your computer or just plain hijack your connection.  Beware of “ad hoc” or “peer to peer” networks, which appear on your available network list as an icon representing connected computers).  Also, use only encrypted websites to transmit data.  Finally, use WPA2 encryption (not WPA, and certainly not 11-yr old WEP, which was broken by hackers years ago) for router encryption.  Unless you really have nothing to lose (you’re a residential customer, don’t access bank or other accounts with passwords, have no financial info on your computer and don’t care who reads your e-mail), my suggestion is to pay the $5 or $10 a day for the private connection offered by the hotel or airport. 

COMPUTER TIP #15: IT’S O.K. TO MAKE MISTAKES, JUST BE CONSISTENT:  We all make mistakes, even more so when operating our computers.  And, eventually, you’ll require professional computer help, either from a help line or a service call.  Here’s a tip from your friendly computer pro:  Nothing makes it harder to correct mistakes than when the client makes the same error in numerous, different (and often quite creative) ways.  This usually means that we have to find and correct each individual way that the user has made the error.  If at all possible, be consistent in the error that you make, even if it’s wrong.  That way, we only have to correct one problem.  For example, if you’re having a problem with an accounting, word processing or spreadsheet program, try to use the same accounts or formulas and save in the same locations consistently; it’ll make it easier to correct if need be.

COMPUTER TIP #16: TIP FROM THE “IF IT’S NOT BROKEN, DON’T FIX IT” DEPARTMENT: You’ll notice a commonality in the Hoaxes, Security and News pages of this site.  It involves the pressure to upgrade software (such as drivers or web or video software) or to install new software (for example, in order to view certain types of video or graphics on a web page, or to install the “latest version” of, say, AOL (which may not even be compatible with your operating system, which they forget to tell you).  Think twice before doing so:  If everything is working fine on your computer, my recommendation is to leave it alone!  You don’t need to upgrade, no matter what you’re told.  If you’re told to download and install software to view or play a webpage or a file, think twice - - There’s a very strong chance that your download may include malware.  Unless it’s from a major player such as Adobe, Macromedia or the like (you can verify this by going to their Home, then Download pages) you should be aware of the risk.  Rethink how badly you really want to view that web page!  So far as enabling the device driver update feature in Windows 7, or just updating drivers when Windows notifies you that they’re available, you can look at it two ways:  First, If Microsoft updates the drivers, they may be more compatible with the operating system.  Of course, they may also be stripped down drivers without the full features of the vendor’s driver.  I just install and leave things be unless there’s a malfunction.  Moreover, you should be aware that updating some third-party (non-Microsoft) drivers can cause your computer to demand re-activation of your operating system because Windows Product Activation (“WPA”) detects hardware changes and thinks you’ve illegally transferred the operating system to a new (second) computer.

COMPUTER TIP #17: HOW DO I CLEAN AN LCD MONITOR: Cleaning the glass on a CRT monitor is easy - just spray with glass cleaner!  But an LCD monitor is a different animal - it’s usually covered with plastic.  You don’t want to use any abrasive cleaner, nor do you want to use any cleaner with ammonia or any harsh chemical because it may fog or scratch the plastic coating.  You can purchase special cleaners, but it’s really not necessary, because a light mixture of ordinary soap and water will do the trick and not result any damage to the surface of the monitor.  Also, never use paper towels or even tissues to clean the monitor because they may cause scratching:  Use a soft cloth, such as microfiber.  I’ve heard that scratches on the plastic face of the monitor can be removed with automotive plastic dressing, but I’ve never tried it.  Finally, when cleaning any parts of the computer, remember to suck out any debris with a vacuum rather than blasting it inside the computer, keyboard or monitor, where it can coat the components, resulting in heat and (if wet by cleaning spray) a short on the circuit board.

COMPUTER TIP #18: DON’T LEAVE EXTERNAL DRIVES ALWAYS ON:  If you’ve purchased a USB or SATA external hard drive to back up your computer files on a periodic basis, it’s a good idea to turn them off between backups.  Even better, unplug the power plugs as well; the transformer boxes to the power cords aren’t usually very high-end and, with continuous use, can degrade to the point where it won’t send sufficient power to the drive case when you turn it on.  It’s almost impossible and quite expensive to find an exact replacement for the transformer box, cord and connector without replacing the entire external drive unit, so play it safe and just unplug the entire device completely unless you’re using it to create a backup.  Unlike the components inside of your computer, external drive boards have a limited life which is much shorter than your computer’s motherboard.  If you really require continuous backups, consider either installing the backup hard drive internally into the computer or going to a RAID configuration, both of which are built for long term continuous usage.  And I don’t recommend the use of flash drives for anything other than the occasional data transfer, as such drives can be notoriously unreliable, failing without warning.  Forget any type of magnetic disks (floppies), as they degrade even faster.

COMPUTER TIP #19: BEWARE POWER PROBLEMS WITH USB:  With more and more devices (keyboards, mice, scanners, cameras, printers) connecting through the USB port, and the demise of serial, PS2 and parallel ports, there has been greater use of USB hubs to increase the number of USB connections, particularly on older computers.  Unfortunately, there can be some loss of power to the USB device from a hub, as opposed to a connection directly to the computer.  If your device does not install or is not recognized when installed through a USB hub, try disconnecting and installing directly to the computer.  If you have a Type 1 USB connection, make sure you have an electrically powered hub, as opposed to one that gets its power only from the computer itself.  Also, the USB ports on the front of your computer are also wired and not “direct” to the main board (into a card slot), so it will may be slower or non-responsive.  If the device doesn’t install either way, you can always install a Type 2 USB card directly into a PCI slot on your computer, which would add a number of additional USB ports directly from the main board.

COMPUTER TIP #20: MY PRINTER STOPPED PRINTING, WHAT CAN I DO?  This only applies to injket printers: Before bringing it in for service, you should check a couple of things:  First, many (but not all) printers can refuse to print at all even if only one of the print cartridges is empty.  You may have one of those.  If the lights are on, meaning there is power to the printer, you may want to insert new cartridges, it may do the trick.  If you haven’t used the printer in a while, the print heads may be clogged.  To solve this, remove the cartridges and hold the (usually copper) print head for 15 seconds against a folded paper towel soaked in very hot water.  (Watch out not to get the ink on you, your clothes or any surfaces.)  Also, some of the printer “toolboxes” have a utility to blow out the printer head (e.g. HP Photosmart Toolbox>Maintenance>Clean Cartridge.) Use this as well.  This may loosen any clogs.  If the power lights are off on the printer, physically disconnect the power and printer cables, leave off for 15 minutes or more, then reconnect and see if the machine cycles on again.  Also, don’t forget to clear the queue (select “cancel all print jobs”) before fixing, or you may print out 100 pages of waiting print jobs from your multiple attempts to print before the repair!  If these tricks don’t work, then bring in the printer for service.  [Laser printers, because they have fusers, drums, more circuit boards and the like, should always be brought to a professional for service.]  Inkjet printers are basically give-aways, the true cost made up on the replacement ink cartridges, so it’s usually less expensive to replace the printer than repair it.

COMPUTER TIP #21: WHERE IS THE “ANY” KEY ON MY COMPUTER?  Believe it or not, we are asked this quite often.  Of course there is no “any” key; you can just press “any key” on the keyboard.  But, just for the sake of humor, here’s what it might look like:

COMPUTER TIP #22: A NOTE ABOUT PRINTERS AND SURGE PROTECTION:  While it’s O.K. to plug an inkjet printer into a surge protector, you should never plug your LASER printer into a surge protector or UPS.  THE REASON:  Laserjets run a repeated heating cycle, drawing current every minute or so, spiking and then going back down again.  Your surge and UPS have specific current ratings and usually a circuit breaker as well.  The repeated fluctuation can not only trip your breaker and crash your system, depending on the amount of equipment connected into the multi-outlets and the power rating, but the constant adjustment to the protection circuits can also cause tremendous wear to your printer, shortening its life.  THEREFORE:  Plug your laser printer directly into the wall outlet and not your power adaptor.  If possible, try and connect it to a different circuit than the computer itself, although in homes this often isn’t possible.

COMPUTER TIP #23: WHAT IS SYSTEM RESTORE AND WHAT DOES IT DO? System Restore is a very useful feature on many versions of Windows.  (The glossary definition states where it can be found if you have this feature.)  It is also, however, one of the most misunderstood features in Windows.  The original intention of this feature was to correct  or “roll back” a corrupt installation of software, updates, drivers and the like.  It is used to “restore” the “system” to a previous restore “point” that is either automatically or manually set.  System means the “system state,” which includes the registry, COM+ Class Registration database, boot files and certain specific additional file types.  [Click HERE for a list of all files, which includes many .exe and .dll file extensions.]  But it by no means restores ALL of your files, only a core set of system and application files.  It is not a BACKUP of your computer!  Most important, it does not monitor changes to your personal data files or programs, such as documents, email, pictures, graphics, internet favorites, cookies, or the like.  For example, the My Documents file is not backed up.  Nor are data files or programs which may be resident on your desktop.  So, if your system has a problem and can be restored to a previous point, the data files and programs will still be current, and will not be restored to an earlier version such as the date of the restore point.  For a discussion about operating the System Restore Utility by Microsoft, click HERE.  As a practical matter, System Restore shouldn’t be used very often, it at all, as it may make it all but impossible to make further repairs to the operating system after it has been used.  Usually, it’s best to use it only after other repair methods have failed, and just before taking the drastic action of wiping the disk and reinstalling everything again.

COMPUTER TIP #24: I CAN RECEIVE EMAIL, BUT SUDDENLY I CAN’T SEND IT.  WHAT’S WRONG? This is becoming a common problem, as more and more ISPs are blocking Port 25 of its subscribers computers.  Ports are an important part of email communication:  To communicate, computers need to know not only the server name (e.g. mail.verizon.net) but also the Port (e.g. 25), kind of like dialing into a large company on the main telephone line (e.g. (941)302-2000), but having to specify a numbered extension (e.g. 1212) in order to be connected to the person you seek.  If your party moves extensions, or the extension is pulled from the wall jack, your message won’t get delivered.   Similarly, when your ISP changes the mail port, your email will not be delivered either. There was an excellent reason for this:  A few years ago, it was discovered that hundreds of millions of spam emails were being transmitted over Port 25 each day.   So many of the ISPs changed their Outgoing Mail Server to stop the spam.  Many, such as Comcast, have switched to Port 587.  Verizon, Port 1025.  Others use Port 2525.  Often, you receive no notice from your ISP, but if you call tech support, they’ll tell you what to do.  Resetting the port is relatively easy:  In your email program, go to the Internet E-mail Settings window, to the Advanced tab, and change the port number within the Outgoing Server (SMTP) box.  Also, don’t forget to go to the Outgoing Server tab and check the box that says “My Outgoing Server (SMTP) Requires Authentication” as well.  Save and exit all windows and you should be good to go.  [Further information, click HERE and HERE.]  Aside from this problem, the most common cause for this type of sending error is that the e-mail address you are using is incorrect:  Either it contains an improper character (i.e. a “+”, or “=”, or “\” or something like that) or a space, or else the address is no longer valid because the recipient has possibly changed providers.  This type of problem is usually the senders fault - erase the mail from your Outbox, or copy it to the Draft box then correct the e-mail address.

COMPUTER TIP #25: WHAT TO DO IF YOU SPILL SOMETHING ON YOUR COMPUTER: This includes spilling a drink on your computer, dropping it in a puddle, even having it rained on.  The first thing to remember is NOT TO TURN IT ON.  If it is on, turn it off IMMEDIATELY.  You don’t want to restart the computer until it is completely dry.  If it’s a desktop, it’s usually easier to substitute a new, dry keyboard.  If it’s a laptop, it will require disassembly, drying, cleaning with alcohol and even blow-drying.  There are even special “bags” on the market these days that are sold to wick the moisture from hard drives if they get wet.  Since laptops (like many Apple computers) can be like a Chinese puzzle to disassemble and reassemble, better leave it to the professionals.  If you’re lucky, once everything is dry, it’ll work again.  If not, it could mean that you’ve allowed liquid to bridge the contacts on the main or other circuit boards, drives or the like, shorting the board.  Depending on the circuit, repair could be  prohibitively expensive, replacement a much less expensive option.

COMPUTER TIP #26: ALWAYS TRAVEL WITH YOUR LAPTOP IN ITS CASE.  This point is related to the one immediately above (what to do if your computer gets wet).  Laptops especially must be kept dry.  They’re much more moisture sensitive than you might think.  Even the slightest amount of water on the keyboard or through the air vents on the side or the back of the machine can possibly cause shorts and even permanent damage to the machine.  Don’t use the laptop in the rain.  Don’t take the computer, even to your car, if it’s raining, without enclosing it in a waterproof case or bag.  You’re taking a big risk.  (Also, don’t throw the laptop on any hard surface, like the floor of a car, as it could damage the drive head.  But that’s a separate subject.) 

ALSO, if you’re traveling by airplane, check the search laws (click HERE) regarding laptops and other electronic devices (smart phones, ipads, etc.), which basically allow officers some “reasonable” (though undefined) degree of suspicion to justify examining your laptop (with specialized software) not only for terrorist tendencies (e.g. documents, even a newspaper, written in farsi; your search history), but also anything else that they may find, such as kiddie or adult porn, tax or business records, photos, diaries, drug dealing or the like, in order to provide them with a “digital portrait” of you and your activities.  Last year (2010), a total of 6,671 travelers, 2,995 of them American citizens had their electronic gear searched. And they can keep your laptop, sometimes for weeks.  Moreover, you can expect this treatment each time you travel afterwards.  Traveling with the data on your USB drive may not solve the problem - they search that, too.  Perhaps safest is to retrieve your data from the cloud, but remember to professionally erase the data and history before returning to the U.S.

COMPUTER TIP #27: REMEMBER WHERE YOU SAVE FILES IF YOU WANT TO FIND THEM AGAIN: Due to the lack of even basic computer education about file management (i.e. “your computer is basically like a large electronic file cabinet”) on the part of first-time computer users, it’s not surprising that even though users know that they have to “save” their work in order to print, edit or send it later, they still have lots of trouble finding files or downloads when they decide to look for them.  Personally, if I’m going to download a file, particularly if I’m going to look at it once then discard it, I usually select the ‘Save To” option as the “Desktop”.  It’s easy, as Desktop is the very first location on the drop-down menu enabled by the arrow at the right of the “Save In” window.  That way, it’ll be there as soon as I get out of the program or the Web and I know it will be right there, somewhere on my Desktop.  I can look it it, send or print it, the drag it to the Recycle Bin and dump it.  Same for text files and the like:  If you save it to the Desktop, you’ll always know where to look for it, and you can always drop-and-drag it to My Documents or some other destination.

COMPUTER TIP #28: DON’T FORGET ABOUT YOUR CREDIT CARD WARRANTY:  Just because your computer equipment, camera or other hardware dies just after the manufacturer’s warranty expires doesn’t always mean that you’re completely out of luck.  Don’t forget to check your credit card warranty provisions.  In many cases, if you purchased the product with a credit card, you automatically get the added benefit of an extended warranty, in some cases double the original warranty.   Also, many jurisdictions (Maine, for example) have “implied” warranties that may take precedence over the manufacturer’s warranty, stating that the article must be usable for the purpose intended for the length of time most such articles are useful.  Check HERE for a list of consumer protection offices.

COMPUTER TIP #29: WHY CAN’T I INSTALL MY DOWNLOADED PROGRAM?   Lately, I hear this a lot.  When you attempt to install a downloaded program or open a downloaded file, you get a message like “access denied” or “virus risk” or “malware infection”.  It’s probably your anti-virus or anti-spyware program, blocking the file or program.  More and more, to be on the safe side, anti-virus and anti-malware programs block downloads as “riskware” and don’t allow you to access them.  Time was, you could disable the anti-virus spyware from your toolbar and opt to install.  More often, nowadays, you have to either edit your program settings direcly or else do a complete uninstall of your anti-virus software to effect the install.  Sorry.  Or, if it’s not the anti-virus, if you right-click  on the file to install and select “run as administrator” that may solve the problem as well.

COMPUTER TIP #30: DON’T FORGET TO DISABLE CELL PHONE APPS IF YOU’RE LEAVING THE COUNTRY: Traveling outside of the U.S. with your cell phone? BEWARE if you travel internationally with your cellphone!  If you don’t turn off your data apps, like the radios on your Windows mobile devices, they will continue to download & update data, in addition to your high per-call roaming charges . Your bill may be a big surprise, easily topping $1000!   There are ways around this.  Verizon and Sprint (which use CDMA, not the GSM technology favored by Europe) will lend you a phone if you’ve been a subscriber for over 6 months.  Or you can buy an inexpensive phone from Telestial or PlanetOmni for less than $50.  You may be able to change your rate plan with your current carrier to account for your travel.  You may also be able to obtain a SIM card for your phone (unless, of course, you have a carrier like Verizon, which doesn’t use such cards), but it won’t let you keep your own phone number.  You can sign up for VoIP services from Skype or Boingo to reduce your costs.  Finally, you can always use a calling-card, some of which have discounted rates for international calls.  Just be sure to make plans ahead of your trip if you need to be connected from outside the country.  Supposedly, the EU is working on eliminating these problems, scheduled to be installed by 2014.  Also, click HERE for other useful airline travel apps.  See below for the proposed rates:

Source: European Commission. All prices exclude VAT.

COMPUTER TIP #31: WHAT TO DO IF YOUR HARDWARE WON’T INSTALL OR STOPS WORKING:  First, completely uninstall the software for the device.  Either go to the program list and see if it has an “Uninstall” feature or else go to Start>Control Panel>Add and Remove Programs (or Programs and Features if it’s Vista or Win7), then follow the instructions and reboot the computer.  Then, reinstall the software for the device.  If that doesn’t work, go to the website for the manufacturer (say, Linksys, if it’s a router or HP, if it’s the printer) and check to see if you’re using the latest software (it may be called “firmware”) if it’s for a hardware device.  If all else fails, call the help desk for the manufacturer of the device.  They should be trained to solve most issues and, besides, you’ve paid for their support when you purchased the device.  Don’t want to bother with all of this, call a pro for on-site support.

COMPUTER TIP #32: DO I ALWAYS HAVE TO SHUT DOWN MY MONITOR OR PRINTER OR OTHER EQUIPMENT? Some of you may remember many years ago when we were instructed to start up our computers, first with the printer, then the monitor and, finally, the CPU, in order to avoid power surges to the computer when turning on the peripherals.  Shutting off was the reverse order for the same reason.  Of course, due to technological advances in equipment, this is no longer necessary.  Similarly, there’s no need to turn off the LCD monitors, or even the inkjet printers, completely each time you shut down.  They go into sleep mode or else use so little power that you could leave them on for a year and only consume a nickle worth of electricity and cause no damage to the equipment.  I see people all the time shutting down their LCD monitors completely, for instance, even though it will put itself in standy mode automatically.  It’s an unnecessary step.  In the old days it did, in fact, pay to shut off the CRT monitors, since they did not shut down completely, using electricity and generating lots of heat. For more advice on how often to shut down your computer system, click on FAQs HERE.

COMPUTER TIP #33: WHAT DO THE WINDOWS ERROR MESSAGES MEAN?  It’s inevitable that, after you’ve used a Windows computer for a while, you will encounter an error message.  It’s also probable that the message will look like gibberish to you.  Even if you Google the message number (yes, we pros do that all the time), the answer might still be incomprehensible to you, or you might not have the confidence to attempt the fix.  In that case, call for professional computer help.  However, a few guidelines may be helpful toward understanding the issue:  (1) “Stop” messages means that Windows has literally stopped (as if you need Microsoft to tell you that!).  They generally look like this: “STOP 0x0000000A.” The hexadecimal numbers may be in parenthesis, and if you’re lucky, it may give you a somewhat cryptic english message as well, e.g. “DEVICE_QUEUE_NOT_BUSY.”  Since most of these messages deal with hardware issues, if you’ve just installed a hardware driver, try rolling it back, it may well solve the problem.  Or, if you know how, remove the cover and check to be sure that all of the hardware cables are in securely.  (2) System Error Codes, which are numbered from 0 through 15999, cover just about everything in the O/S.  For example, “ERROR_REVISION_MISMATCH 1306(0x51A)” means that two revision levels of software are incompatible.  A listing of these error codes and their meaning can be found HERE.  Or Google them.  This is difficult stuff, but at least now you know what the messages mean.

COMPUTER TIP #34: WHAT SHOULD I DO IF I’M NOT GOING TO USE MY COMPUTER FOR A WHILE?  Unplug it.  What’s “a while”? I’m talking if you’re going to be gone more than a week or so.  If you’re taking a two week cruise, leaving Florida until next season or the like.   Why?  Computers are designed to be used.  If you don’t use them for some period, but leave them plugged in, they may not work perfectly when you return.  The hardware may require you to pull out cards or cables and re-seat them.  More often, if you completely unplug the computer, these things tend to happen less.

COMPUTER TIP #35: IS THERE ANY WAY TO GET AROUND THOSE ANNOYING CELL PHONE MENUS? You know, when you call someone and you get a long menu even after hearing the answering machine message of the person you called.  You already know what to do.  Do you have to suffer through the menu every time?  Not if you know the code to jump past it.  At the moment the codes are as follows:  For Verizon and Cingular, press * ; For Sprint, press 1; and for TMobile, press #.  

COMPUTER TIP #37: HOW DO I DECIDE BETWEEN PAID AND FREE SOFTWARE?  For years, I’ve advocated the use of certain free software where I believe that it is equal to or better than paid software.  For example, I believe from experience that AVG anti-virus software is equal to or better than most of the paid software on the market; in fact, because it takes up far less system resources than, say, Norton or McAfee, your computer will actually perform better. AVG finds the new viruses about as fast as the other software, and that’s what counts.  Now that Windows 7 has arrived, Microsoft has built in several software utilities which may obviate the need to look elsewhere for paid programs to perform certain tasks.  Which ones?  Anti-Virus - Microsoft Security Essentials.  Some like it, some don’t.  Still, I use AVG; I think it offers more, catches more (rootkits, malware).   Defragmenter - Win 7 automatically defragments once a week by default, can be customized.  Backup - works much better than previous versions and has several useful options. Disk partitioning - the built in partition manager performs many basic tasks easily.  Firewall - it’s only incoming, but it prevents intrusions, and can also be somewhat customizable.  Thankfully, there is no registry cleaner in Win 7, and that, to me, is a good thing:  Registry cleaners often don’t do very much (although on earlier versions of Windows they may have been somewhat more necessary), and can seriously (possibly irreparably, if you haven’t backed up the registry) mess up your computer.  Instead, find out what the registry fix is and apply it, or hire a professional to solve the problem.  Most “registry cleaners” (which show up on virtually every search for software downloads) goad you into running a free scan, then finds tons of “errors” to correct, demanding payment for the software to “correct” those errors.  Most of those errors, particularly in earlier versions of Windows, are orphaned files and registry entries from incompletely deleted software, which might or might not speed up your system and probably won’t hurt it.  To me, that’s just “scareware”  (for more, see SPYWARE).  The features discussed above are already included in Windows 7, and they may be more than sufficient for ordinary residential users.  If you have a business, however, you may require much more protection (e.g. outgoing firewalls, better anti-virus protection, more partitioning capabilities) and you may have to spring for specific paid programs for those purposes.  But, for the average home user, Windows 7 provides more than adequate protection if you’re so inclined.

COMPUTER TIP #38: WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT MY PRINTER PAPER AND INK?  Not all paper is created equal.  How your printed page looks has a lot to do with the paper you use.  For example, photo quality paper will display graphics and photos far better than even good quality paper, because the ink will bleed perceptibly and cause a lack of “color separation” (colors may overlap each other) when applied to lesser quality paper.  Poorer quality recycled paper may absorb more moisture and cause it to jam, particularly when fed through vertical-feed printers because it is more porous than higher clay content paper, thus it wicks in moisture.  So what do you look for when purchasing paper?  First of all the weight.  20 pound (20#) is fairly normal for copy paper, but 22 & 24 pound (24#) is slightly heavier, better for reports and correspondence.  Above that is “cover grade” paper, but be sure that your printer can physically handle papers over a certain thickness.  Read the manual or check on the Internet at the manufacturer’s website.  Also, check the “brightness” of the paper.  Brightness is rated between 1 and 100, 100 being the brightest.  Copy paper is about 80 to 90, while photo and high grade paper are between 90 and 100.  Even a small difference, say between 94 and 96, can make a visible difference.  Don’t be fooled by manufacturer’s descriptions such as BrightWhite or UltraBrite, they’re meaningless. And don’t be fooled by the “European” scale, which goes higher than 100.  You might want to keep two grades of paper around, one for junk copying (say off the Internet) and another for business or correspondence.  So far as INK, you’ll always be safe using your OEM’s ink.  But, since it can cost more, many folks purchase refilled cartridges.  So long as they’re not refilled more than three to six times each (depending on the cartridge, ask your refiller), and are done by someone knowledgeable (or you follow directions if you do it yourself), you should be O.K.  Personally, I’ve had bad luck with color separation and color consistency with refilled cartridges, and the 25% savings isn’t therefore worth it.  But if you’re not using the printer for printing business brochures or photographs, and only print the occasional web page at home, it may not matter as much, particularly if you don’t print very often and the cartridges tend to dry out and become useless anyway.  Other ways to save money on printing:  Use recycled paper (but not for photos or graphics, they’ll “bleed”; print only what you require (print a “selection,” rather than printing “all” pages in the file; print in grayscale or in fast draft mode; print front and back of pages, or use one side then re-insert for the other.  Aside from the cost, apparently U.S. citizens are making progress - A 2010 report by the DoE says that 63.5% of paper consumed was recycled, and that while ten years ago, citizens used 700 lbs of paper a year and paper made up 34% of landfills, by 2009 paper made up only 28.2% of landfills. That’s progress!

COMPUTER TIP #39: IF YOU USE WINDOWS ENCRYPTION, SAVE YOUR CERTIFICATE ELSEWHERE  With the introduction of EFS file encryption in Windows XP, and available in Vista and Win 7 (renamed BitLocker), we’ve seen a problem with file restoration where the hard drive crashes and the user attempts to restore the encrypted data on a new machine.  Please be aware that YOU MUST export your certificate and private key and keep them in a safe external location in order to decrypt the data.  Otherwise, it is likely that the data will remain encrypted forever and be useless to you.  If, for example, your hard drive crashes, you can replace it on the same or a different computer, but your backed up data may not have the key and certificate with it.  A cloned drive may have them, but you will have to go to some time and expense to retrieve them, if it can even be done.  Most of the programs that you can buy rely on the assumption that you can boot your old hard drive (which may be useless if it crashed), brute force (which can take forever and may not work) or master keys (which may not be the keys for your encryption).  The whole purpose of encryption is to prevent someone else from opening your data, so it makes sense.  Just automatically assume your drive will crash someday and keep your keys to the kingdom elsewhere, and you’ll be safe.

COMPUTER TIP #40: HOW CAN I MAKE MY LAPTOP COMPUTER LAST LONGER?  Maybe this should be stated in the converse: What shouldn’t I do to damage my computer.  Computers, especially laptops, are particularly susceptible to three things - power fluctuations, heat and dust.  A good surge protector can take easily care of the first problem.  The others just take some common sense.  For example, despite their name, laptops aren’t made to sit on your lap.  Or your bed, or a pillow or, anything else that will block the ventilation slots on the bottom of the machine.  Doing so will cause the machine to overheat and shut down or at least shorten the life of the laptop.  (That’s why you can by those ventilation “pads” at your computer store.)  Also, it may place the hard drive at a less than horizontal angle, which can also cause undue wear.  The hard drive may also be damaged by moving or walking with the laptop while it is running (some laptops have gyros to prevent this) or failing to assure that the drive has completely “winded down” before shutting the cover or throwing the machine into a briefcase or car.  If it hasn’t stopped spinning, the actuator arm (which searches the drive for data) could scratch the disk, damaging it or rendering it unreadable.  (If you hold a drive in your hand while it is starting up or winding down, you’ll be amazed at the strength of the centrifugal force it exerts.  See Hard Drives.)  If you do leave your laptop plugged in all of the time, using it like a desktop, See FAQs 24, 27 and 28 for information about this.  Also, never expose batteries to extreme temperatures, as they can cause a degradation of its internal chemicals, shortening its life.  Another common issue is the power cord:  Don’t yank the cord, pull it from the connector.  Pulling the cord damages the connector’s pins and the internal attachment to the laptop’s main board.  At the least, it can shorten the re-charging time.  At the most, it will disable the connector, requiring disassembly and soldering, which can be expensive.  Dust can damage a computer by causing it to overheat.  But not just ordinary dust.  Office dust, say from shredders or printers, can easily cause problems.  Vacuum or blow out the air intakes and exhausts frequently.  But never use commercial cleaners, they can cause corrosion.  And be gentle.  Finally, even if you use the laptop as a desktop, shut it down every few days (at least once a week) just to clear out the cache and short term memory, install necessary updates and update other software and drivers.  It may also remove any errors.  And watch what software you install - installing a second anti-virus program in addition to the one already installed on your computer isn’t twice the protection, it’s half the speed.

MURPHY’S LAWS OF COMPUTING #4:  When the going gets tough, upgrade.

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