Replies

I find it helpful occasionally to use the MS Baseline Security Analyzer to check for security issues, and in particular any missing security updates, should I be doubtful of anything.

When the program is run, it will check the system and report (eventually) that either no security updates are missing, or that one or more updates, security packs or update rollups are missing. It will report on what is scanned, the result details, and how to correct this. The result details section identifies the missing item(s), the item ID, description and KB number, with clickable links to download.

It may or may not always be useful. I have one update I chose not to install, dealing with daylight saving times, but then I don’t live in Azerbaijan, Chile, Haiti, or Morocco!

As a bonus, MBSA also checks administrative vulnerabilities and suggests way of correcting them.

Or can you recommends a backup app, preferably free (they’re in the starving artist category), that would meet this need? Please bear in mind that they are not especially computer literate. A set (by me) and forget solution is preferred. They really only need a data and settings backup.

Brian (Accidental IT)

You could try Cobian Backup at http://www.cobiansoft.com/index.htm

That should do everything you need, and is quite easy to set up. Use the system task scheduler to set up a regular backup, and it will run automatically; you can choose Full every time, or Incremental + initial Full etc. with quite a range of options.

Garth

I’ve tried most of the other browsers over the years but they have mostly all waxed and waned regarding their ability to open pages with consistent reliability. I still have Opera as an alternative on my main system but find its quirkiness distracting. At the risk of hijacking the thread, anyone out there with ideas of up and coming browser alternatives that I may have missed?(

Chris,

Whilst I too still use Opera, and used to use FF, for the latter I have (many months ago now) substituted Pale Moon. It is a streamlined version of FF, has many less updates, and is able to use most of FF extensions. I can strongly recommend it.

FWIW the Pale Moon team now have a version of Thunderbird, and for me that appears to have less issues than TB. It is known as FossaMail and I have been using it satisfactorily now for several months. I like the way the Pale Moon team operate.

HTH, Garth

I have been doing just that, strange results. Some multi-pages do, some don’t, so I have raised it with ZDNet to see if they can assist.

Tried that, thanks, and it works fine. Appears only to be a ZDNet issue then, until I find any different.

Just noticed that on older ZDNet pages, I don’t get the problem! It was therefore coincidental this happened at the same time I reloaded my OS, and must be a ZDNet originated cause, so far as I can see.

Thanks Sudo. Your link works OK for me, so I’ll have to look round for others. I have only noticed the problem with ZDNet so far, so maybe it is just their site that is the problem.

It is perfectly possible to set things up so that once you have created a new template, you can use it in all cases of opening a new document. Create a new NORMAL template, save it somewhere on your system (e.g. a Templates folder) and then alter the default file location for Word. This can be done via Tools/Options/File Locations, and altering User Templates to point to the folder containing your new NORMAL template.

It is possible for your new template to utilise Macros to create specialised buttons that you want to use regularly, for example viewing at say 200%, or for fractions such as a quarter, half or threequarters if you prefer that over using 0.25 etc. If you do that, you will probably want to modify the button image, which is easy enough although a little time-consuming. Note that if you have the same special button image in Excel, it can be copied from there into Word provided both programs are in Customize mode.

Like some others, I have used PSP for many years, in my case v5 now on Win7, successfully with no issues. I wouldn’t be without it! Also, with ClassicShell the general appearance can be made fairly similar to XP.
For anyone interested, it is possible to download (free) old copies of PSP programs including v5 at
http://www.oldapps.com/Paint_Shop_Pro.php

Garth

You could try SharpKeys as an alternative. I haven’t used it for many changes, but it has always delivered what I wanted, and it is extremely simple to use.

Garth

Caroline,

Slow boot is often partly due to the number of services which are started at boot. Some of them don’t need to be running at all, and simply slow the netbook down. Your best bet is to go to a reputable website, and check through recommendation there. Many services can be placed into “manual” – available when needed, rather than disabled completely.

I can recommend the Black Viper site, as being relatively easy to work through. There are various pages for the different operating systems. This is for XP SP3:

http://www.blackviper.com/service-configurations/black-vipers-windows-xp-x86-32-bit-service-pack-3-service-configurations/

Good luck.

Garth

It is unlikely that sfc /scannow will help, unless Caroline has a copy of the original installation program or its I386 folder. The I386 needs to be specific for the OS loaded, and to be available during the sfc process, otherwise the process will stall when the first error is reached.
It is possible to copy I386 into the netbook, and then to amend the registry to reference that copy, but that will depend on whether Caroline has the folder on the recovery disk.
http://www.updatexp.com/scannow-sfc.html for more info.

Garth

You could always try Real Alternative. Like Medico, I haven’t used Real Player for many years, for the reasons he stated, but “Real Alternative will allow you to play RealMedia files without having to install RealPlayer/RealOne Player.” I haven’t had any problems with Real Alternative, and it is now a standard installation for me.

http://www.free-codecs.com/download/real_alternative.htm

Garth

That’s a suggestion which works with Pale Moon as well as FF, thanks.

I don’t have any add-ons (i.e. extensions) installed, nor any widgets, so the answer is somewhere (else) under the bonnet! Advanced search works OK, as I originally said, so firing up IE8 for the purpose would be more than it’s worth, thanks.

I’ve tried Chrome and several other browsers, but always come back to Opera. I like (for example) its ability to populate address lines etc in web documents with just one button – saves a deal of time compared with Firefox, for example.

Thanks for the responses.

I mentioned that the site worked with IE8 simply to eliminate some possibilities. I know the problems are browser-related settings, and I want to resolve them. There is no way I’m going to use IE regularly, Opera is so much easier for general browsing. I could try a clean install, but it is fairly customised at present, so would be a pain to replace.

Thanks anyway.