Tiplet expert tips & tech support

February 6, 2009

Repair Files with Chkdsk

Filed under: computer performance,Windows — Tags: , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

File system errors can cause a variety of subtle symptoms, and not so subtle ones. Your system may “feel sluggish.” Your hard drive may seem to be thrashing a bit and the activity light stays on “too long.” Overt signs include files that take forever to load and the blunt message:

The file or directory filename is
corrupt and unreadable.
Please run the Chkdsk utility.

File system errors may be caused by power failures, viruses, an overworked crowded hard drive, and other things. The point is that allowing your system to continue running with file system errors is as dangerous as running a car without oil. Eventually, it will blow.
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February 5, 2009

How to Create a .pdf File

Filed under: applications,online computing — Tags: , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

PDF stands for “portable document format,” and that’s just how we need our documents to be: portable. It’s inconvenient to spend time creating a file only to find out that the recipient cannot open or view it. The beauty of PDF is that anyone can open, view, and print these files, as long as they have one of several free PDF reader applications, such as Adobe’s Reader. But what can you do if you want to be able to distribute files in the PDF format? It’s not quite as obvious how to make PDF files – but it’s not difficult, and you can do it for free.
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Set Up Shared File Folders and Printers in Windows XP Pro

Filed under: computer networks,Windows — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

Sharing files and printers is one of the main benefits of having a network at home or office. A Windows network lets you easily share selected files and printers. This tutorial for Windows XP Pro assumes you have already set up your network and enabled file and printer sharing during the setup process. Now we will see how to share specific files, folders, and printers.
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February 4, 2009

How to Move Your WordPress Blog to a New Host, Using Fantastico and phpMyAdmin

Filed under: blogging,file transfer,Internet,online computing — Tags: , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

There are many reasons to switch Web hosting companies: prolonged or repeated outages, poor customer service, or maybe you just found a better deal. However, if you have a well-established WordPress blog you might find as many reasons to procrastinate on moving your site. You don’t want to start over again with the content, comments, and registered users it took so long to amass. Moving WordPress isn’t impossible, though, and as long as you take your time and follow the necessary steps, it isn’t all that difficult.
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Uses of Windows Safe Mode

Filed under: computer performance,Windows — Tags: , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

What is Windows Safe Mode and what good is it? It looks awful with its too-small desktop and crude graphics. Much of the software you use isn’t available in Safe Mode. Sometimes you can’t even access the Internet in Safe Mode. Why bother with Safe Mode?

Safe Mode is useful for diagnosing system configuration problems and removing some types of malware or malfunctioning legitimate software that cannot be removed in Windows normal mode.
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February 3, 2009

How to Make a Multi-track Recording with Audacity

Filed under: applications,digital media — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Making multi-track recordings was once the province of those with access to a recording studio, but with the help of a free application called Audacity, anyone with a computer and a microphone can record and edit multi-track audio.

Audacity is an open source audio manipulation application that is easy to download and install. Follow the on-screen instructions, and then launch the application. To begin recording, plug a microphone into your computer or check to see if your computer has a built-in microphone and use that. Recording with a microphone is the default state in Audacity, so click the record button and begin speaking or singing. If everything is working as it should you’ll see the level indicators moving. When you’re done recording this first track, play it back to make sure it is the way you want it to be, then save it as a new project by clicking on File, then Save Project As. Give it a name and click Save.
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Create Word Documents from Excel Macros

Filed under: applications,Windows — Tags: , , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

Suppose you have a database of company information and contacts. You want to use an Excel macro to copy addresses and such into different Word documents. How can you make Excel open a specific Word document into which information will be pasted?

Word’s mail merge feature is one solution. But if you are working with multiple Word documents, the mail merge trick won’t work. You will need something more complicated called Office Automation, which allows creation of macros that work with multiple Office applications and not just one, such as Word.
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February 2, 2009

How Can I Tweak Firefox and Thunderbird to Be as Great as People Say They Are?

Filed under: applications,Internet — Tags: , , , — admin @ 6:00 pm

by Gabe Goldberg

One of the Internet’s many beauties is the diversity of choices available — for everything. There are multiple search engines, Web browsers, ISPs (Internet service providers), operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac). This means that no two people have precisely the same computing setup or online experience, which leads to hours of fun-filled arguments about whose choices are best.

In fact, competition works to everyone’s advantage: No matter what your choice is for a given function, the vendor or manufacturer knows that you have alternatives and must hustle to keep your loyalty. The “browser wars” — first when Microsoft pushed Internet Explorer (IE) development to catch innovator Netscape and more recently with Mozilla Firefox stealing market share back from IE (and, of course, with contributions from Opera, Google’s Chrome, and other contenders) — have generated beneficial innovation and evolution.
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How to Record a Cassette Tape Onto Your Hard Drive

Filed under: applications,computer hardware,digital media — Tags: , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

It’s nearly impossible to walk into a music store today and find a cassette tape for sale. Everything is on CD now, and the ’80s mainstay of audiophiles is relegated to the swap shop and garage sales. But if you have a favorite cassette that you just don’t want to give up, never fear: You can make a digital copy and burn it to a CD for everyday use, then pack the cassette away for safekeeping.
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How to Speed Up Internet Explorer

Filed under: computer performance,Internet — Tags: , , — admin @ 9:00 am

by David Hakala

Internet Explorer is full of features, but those features can slow down your Web surfing. If speed is more important to you than amenities, here are five IE tweaks that will make you happy.
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February 1, 2009

How Fast Is My Broadband Internet Connection and What Does Connection Speed Mean?

Filed under: computer performance,Internet,online computing — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 6:00 pm

by Gabe Goldberg

Internet Service Providers (ISPs) like to brag about connection speeds offered and speak glowingly about the wonderful “experience” their services offer. But how honest are their claims and how does connection speed affect what we do online?

The two most important words in any ISPs advertisement or service contract are “up to.” As in, speeds promised are described as “up to X megabits per second.”

(Megabits means “millions of bits” and “megabits per second” is often abbreviated Mbps. A bit is the basic unit of information or data, a “binary digit,” a single unit that is either 0 or 1. Everything on the Internet and all information and software on your computer is composed of bits.)
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