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PC Club: How to change the default file view in MS Word

November 12th, 2008, 6:47 pm by

North Orange County Computer Club Q&AThe North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. The club, which meets monthly on various topics, has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE.

Question: I’ve got a question for you.  I’m running MS Windows XP Professional with the latest service packs. Whenever I try to open a file on my computer (in MS Word, Adobe Acrobat, or just about anything else), I get an “Open File” dialog box which by default ”Lists” my files.  In order to drill down to the file I am looking for, I then have to click on the “View Menu” and change from “List” to “Details” in order to find my most recent saved items. Is there a way to change the default on this dialog box to always open in the “Details” mode? ~ Greg Beck

PC Club: I was happy to read your question Greg.  I have had the same irritation for a long time and it gave me the incentive to look for an answer.  It turns out that it can be done, but not as simply as changing some obscure parameter.  

The fact that not all programs use the standard Win XP open window complicates the issue.  Microsoft Word and Excel (and some other programs) use their own “Open” window.  

I found two programs that address this issue.  Both of them download as compressed files in the ZIP format, which requires that you know or learn how to deal with ZIP files. Read the rest of this entry »

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PC Club: How to connect two PCs with one cable

November 4th, 2008, 1:00 pm by

North Orange County Computer Club Q&AThe North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers’ cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. The club, which meets monthly on various topics, has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE. 

Question: I have a laptop and a desk top with XP and I am trying to transfer files from my laptop to my desktop to free up disk space. I purchased a CAT 5e crossover cable for a PC to PC connection, (I was told that then the pc would appear just like being on a network). However I am not able to see the PCs as a network PC. Can you advise me what I have to do in order to transfer these files to my desk top computer? ~ Dan

PC Club: Well Dan, what you were told can be true. When two PCs are hooked together with a Ethernet crossover cable, and successfully configured, they are a network. Granted, it’s just a two-PC network but one that offers all the file transfers and other features of a network.

Using a crossover cable or a router are the two most common ways of networking two PCs. The crossover cable is cheap and it is without question the most “computer geek” way to setup a two-PC network. In the past, I did that. When I make a service call now, however, I carry a small travel router if I need to set up a two-PC network. Using a router (a D-Linnk router is pictured on right) is much easier, even though a number of setup steps are the same. In addition, buying a router to install between your computers and the Internet broadband connection is the smart thing to do.

To manually set up the crossover cable network, you’ll need to make a number of configuration changes to your operating system. Setting up the “Workgroup” name, the IP address, the folder and/or hard disk sharing to name a few. I don’t have the space to list all the steps here. If you really want to do this, EasyLI Done tutorials shows you how to do it over 48 detailed steps. Click HERE to see the steps.

The major router manufacturers have some very good tutorials and/or FAQs on their web sites to help you setup a network. Some include an interactive installation CD with their product that automates the procedure. I would recommend this choice. ~ Jim Sanders, NOCCC President

Past Stump the PC Club questions:

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Old Windows PC won’t shut down

October 20th, 2008, 3:26 pm by

North Orange County Computer Club Q&AThe North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. The club, which meets monthly on various topics, has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE.

Question: know it’s a dinosaur, but I prefer the Windows 98SE on my desktop computer to my laptop that has XP.  The problem with 98SE is that it doesn’t want to shut down. This has been going on for the last 10 months or so. The three finger salute doesn’t always work and I end up having to turn it off with the Power button. Also, it won’t defrag. … I have a recovery disc, but nothing that will repair Windows. I know…I know…..my desktop is almost 10 years old and I should replace it. But that “helpful” little dog in XP is annoying and what I’ve heard about Vista is just plain scary! And all my important stuff is on 98SE. Is there any hope? ~ Sandy

PC Club: Windows 98 SE was known to have a number of shutdown problems. So many that Microsoft issued the Windows 98 Second Edition Shutdown Supplement that is available HERE. You might also consider “UNOFFICIAL Windows98 SE Service Pack 2.1a” available HERE. That contains a number of recommended Win 98 SE updates. Standard caveat, backup your computer first!

On most Win 98 SE computers, you have to start Windows in the safe mode and then run the built-in defrag program before it will successfully finish defragging your hard disk. Otherwise, one of the background tasks interrupts the defrag program and writes something to the hard disk which forces the defrag program to start over. After ten restarts, it just gives up. You can read about starting in safe mode here. 

~ Jim Sanders, President, NOCCC

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WordPerfect botching image import? Check the file size

October 14th, 2008, 3:20 pm by

North Orange County Computer Club Q&AThe North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. The club, which meets monthly on various topics, has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE.

Question:  I have recently purchased a Dell 630i desktop with XP Professional Operating System. My previous system was a Dell Dimension 4550 desktop with XP Home. WordPerfect Office 12 is the word processing program I use.

My problem is that when I import jpg images into WordPerfect graphics boxes on the new computer only one half the image is visible, while the other is black. I had no such problem with my previous system. Can you tell me how to correct this problem? I would really appreciate your advice or input. I have enjoyed  reading your column and have gotten many a great nugget of advice from you. Thank you for any help you can give. ~ Bob Redman “Robert Redman”

PC Club: Although you say you are trying to import jpg images, I suspect that in fact you are trying to ‘Copy and Paste’ a jpg image that is too large into your document.

An 8-megapixel camera generates an image that is 3264 x 2448 pixels and at the default resolution of 72 DPI, WordPerfect thinks it is 45 inches wide. WordPerfect allows up to 27-inches. Read the rest of this entry »

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Why CD-RWs crash and don’t burn

October 7th, 2008, 12:36 pm by

North Orange County Computer Club Q&AThe North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE.

Question: I am having problems with a CD-RW disc on my Dell Inspiron 5150 laptop. Over a period of about 3 months, I wrote a large number of files (.jpg and Microsoft Word) onto a CD-RW. There were probably 10 folders with umpteen files of about 82 MB – or less than 12 percent of the available space.

A couple of days ago, while writing another .jpg file to the disc, the program suddenly said that the disk could not be written on, and was probably “unusable.” This has happened before, but on those occasions I immediately rewrote that particular file and burned it to CD without further ado. This time… nothing.

When I tried to run the CD after the mishap, only 1 folder of about 20 files was seen, and it was not the new folder that I had been trying to write in. It was just one of the previous folders.

From the “Properties” tab, I could see the disc had only 419 KB of total space, and that this last folder itself occupied 419 KB. Mighty strange! On my trying to run it again and again, the disc at first indicated that it now contained no folder at all, and finally seemed to just get hung up. Help!

NOCCC: There is a simple solution to your basic problem but no simple answer to your question of why the problem occurred. The solution is to accumulate your files (up to about 600 megabytes) in a folder on your computer’s internal hard disk and/or an external hard drive. Then write them all at once in a single session to the CD. This will give you the back up of your files you want and avoid the problem you encountered. Read the rest of this entry »

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Meet the Orange County PC Club this Sunday

October 3rd, 2008, 11:33 am by

North Orange County Computer Club Q&A

If you’re a fan of this column, you’ve probably noticed that the PC Club question of the week has been absent both online and in print. Questions are still being answered but because the Register has cut back the printed paper, the next PC Club answer keeps getting postponed. 

Since its fate is up in the air, I’ve decided to continue posting answers here online. So, if you haven’t signed up for the ‘Stump the PC Club’ e-mail to get the answer automatically sent to your inbox, you can sign up by sign up HERE. I will post a new answer on Tuesday.

In the meantime, stop by the club’s monthly meeting this Sunday and meet Jim Sanders and the gang — and maybe ask him why he hasn’t answered your question.  

The North Orange County Computer Club meets this Sunday, Oct. 5, at Chapman University, Irvine Hall. The main meeting presenter is at 2 p.m.  See: www.noccc.org for more information.

Don Lewis, marketing director for Paragon Software Group in Irvine will demonstrate the firm’s Drive Backup program.  There will also be a drawing for a copy of the program.

Past Stump the PC Club Q&As:

  • How to get control of CTRL
  • Stump: How to send a large calendar by e-mail
  • Make Outlook Express work with AT&T e-mail
  • Stump the PC Club: Remove .NET update annoyance
  • Stump the PC Club: Organize DVDs, media with free database software

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    Stump the PC Club: Diagnose powerless USB port

    September 16th, 2008, 1:07 am by

    North Orange County Computer Club Q&AThe North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. The club, which meets monthly on various topics, has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE.

    Question: I have an HP s7700n running Windows Vista. The unit works flawlessly in all areas except the USB access has stopped working! There are 9 USB ports on this PC and none will acknowledge when anything is “plugged” into the slot. This includes standard USB ports as well as Multicard reading slots.

    It worked flawlessly until one day I tried to use the USB port and it would not respond. I then tried all the card slots and still no response.

    I’ve tried all the fixes I could think of – removed and reinstalled the drivers and checked and installed any USB updates. Nothing seems to have any effect on the problem. Is this a hardware problem and will I have to have a tech rewire something or do you have an alternative?

    NOCCC: We hope that your motherboard is still under warranty.

    We had a case recently where the keyboard and USB ports failed while the mouse worked fine. The five-volt power source was missing from the USB and keyboard ports.

    You can check the power supply with one of those reading lamps powered by the USB port. Alternately, if you have and can use a volt meter, carefully measure the voltage between the two outside pins of the USB port. It should read right at 5 volts.

    Our Taiwan-manufactured motherboard troubleshooter said the fault was a “voltage controller” but did not supply information on a replacement part, nor steps to have it repaired.

    Since USB ports are “hot pluggable” the five volt supply has to be current limited. You are fortunate that your computer is an HP. They offer on-line tech support for the S7700N and can supply in or out of warranty replacement parts. The S7700N is BIOS USB capable which is very good for USB keyboards or mouse but is sometimes confusing to set up to work with XP. Go to www.hp.com. That site has downloadable FAQ and repair manuals that could help. - Leonard Prince, Member, NOCCC

    Have your own quandary? E-mail gadgetress@ocregister.com and put “Help ME!” in the subject line. Please include your computer’s operating system and amount of memory. Visit the archive and subscribe to answers via e-mail at ocregister.com/gadgetress/stump.



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    How to get control of CTRL

    September 9th, 2008, 3:29 am by

    North Orange County Computer Club Q&AThe North Orange County Computer Club helps The Gadgetress tackle the multitude of readers cries for help. NOCCC group has experts in Windows, Word and all sorts of computer topics. The club, which meets monthly on various topics, has been in existence since 1976. Visit the club’s site at noccc.org. To get this answer delivered to your computer automatically, sign up for the e-mail update HERE.

    Question: I am having a problem using my CTRL key when on the Internet and trying to select multiple categories. On certain Web sites, I need to hold down the CTRL key to choose more than one item. My control key works off line just fine. Have changed keyboards, and it is not the keyboard. No one seems to know how to help me.

    NOCCC: The problem is not the keyboard or your computer. The problem is the Web site that is instructing you to hold down the CTRL key while choosing more than one item.

    Web sites that do let you use CTRL to make multiple selections are coded to (1) accept the CTRL selection or (2) select additional items without deselecting previously selected items. Sites that don’t follow these simple rules don’t work.

    If you have this problem again, e-mail the Web site administrator to change his code or the multiple selection instruction. Make sure to point out which multiple selections are not allowed. This is an excellent question since it examines the functions of your computer vs. the functions of the web site server, both rapidly becoming more complex every day. - Leonard Prince, member NOCCC

    Have your own quandary? E-mail thegadgetress@ocregister.com and put “Help ME!” in the subject line. Please include your computer’s operating system and amount of memory. Visit the Q&A archive at ocregister.com/gadgetress/stump

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