Tiplet expert tips & tech support

March 12, 2009

How to Install Java

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

by Tina Gasperson

If you’re online, you will need to install Java because so many interactive applications use Java encoding, which makes it possible for the applications to run on any kind of computer.

You’ll know if you don’t have Java installed, or if you have the wrong version installed, because the site or application you’re trying to access will tell you that you need to install the latest version of Java. It used to be a bit tricky to find and install Java, but that’s no longer the case. Now, it’s as easy as clicking a few buttons and you’re done.
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How Can I Control What Installing or Updating Software Does to My PC?

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

by Gabe Goldberg

After you start most software installation and update processes, perhaps after accepting whatever terms and conditions the vendor imposes, you see buttons with labels such as “Express (Recommended)” and “Custom.”

If you wouldn’t let an amateur handyman work on your house without detailed instructions, or let a car salesman pick your automotive options and accessories, you should learn advantages of the “Custom” choice.
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March 11, 2009

How to Detect Potentially Malicious Processes Running on Your Computer

Filed under: computer performance,privacy & security,Windows — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 6:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

If there’s one constant with Windows computers and the Internet, it’s that one must always remain vigilant. The Internet is a dangerous place for computers because some people with too much time on their hands are always looking for ways to exploit weaknesses in your system, whether those weaknesses come from your computer itself, or from operator error. One way you can stay on top of the nasties is to keep an eye on running processes to make sure nothing malicious is there.
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Best Ways to Get Microsoft Windows Updates

Filed under: computer performance,privacy & security,Vista,Windows — Tags: , , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by David Hakala

Microsoft Windows needs to be kept up to date to close newly discovered security vulnerabilities and patch bugs that can degrade performance or crash your computer completely. There are several ways to get Microsoft’s frequently released Windows update packages, including one that works with Web browsers other than Internet Explorer.
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March 10, 2009

How and Why to Keep Data and Applications on Separate Drives

Filed under: computer performance,data storage and recovery,Windows — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by David Hakala

When you create a user account under Windows, the operating system sets up a number of different folders to contain data specific to that user. These folders are placed on the same drive with the Windows operating systems files by default. There are some good reasons to change the location of these user files to a drive other than the one which Windows resides.

First, it makes backup operations faster and more efficient. User data changes very frequently, while the operating system changes seldom. If you make backups daily, as you should, then your backup program must a) work to sort changed files from unchanged files before backing up only the changed files, or b) back up unchanged files unnecessarily. Either way, backups take longer and consume more system resources while they are running, slowing down other things you may be doing.
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March 9, 2009

How Can I Print the Contents of a Windows File Directory?

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

by Gabe Goldberg

Anyone who’s used a PC more than briefly has wandered through the fundamental directory/folder/file structure underlying Windows’ graphical user interface. And any PC that’s been used for a while likely has convoluted structures of user files — text, photo, spreadsheet, music, video, etc.

So it’s occasionally necessary to print the contents of Windows file folders (directories) for chores such as listing user folders and files contained in data backups, keeping family/hobby/volunteer material separate and organized, tracking files changed by software patches and installs, and noting file details when reporting problems.
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March 8, 2009

What to Do When You Cannot Connect to Your Email Server

Filed under: computer performance,e-mail,Internet,online computing,Windows — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by David Hakala

Email is as vital as a tongue to some people. They can’t imagine getting through a day without communicating via email. For others, checking email is just an occasional thing. But in either case, when people click that “send/receive” button they expect something to happen. When, instead, you get an error message that says in part, “cannot connect to server,” here are some potential solutions to try.
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March 7, 2009

How to Convert PowerPoint to Video to Post to YouTube

Filed under: applications,digital media,Internet,photos and video,Windows — Tags: , , , , , , — admin @ 6:00 pm

by Tina Gasperson

Q: How can I convert my PowerPoint productions to video so I can post to YouTube? — Marie

Converting the PowerPoint file format (.ppt) to a video format such as .avi or .wmv is possible, but it will probably cost you money and getting good results can be tricky whenever you’re making such a drastic change to the way a file is encoded. I recommend that instead of converting the file format, you download and install a free program called CamStudio.

CamStudio is a freeware screen recorder. It records all activity on your computer screen for the length of time you want, and saves it as an .avi file, suitable for replay and for uploading to a service such as Youtube.com. To use CamStudio, download and install it. Double-click the shortcut for CamStudio that was saved on your desktop.
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Help, My Task Manager Is Disabled

Filed under: computer performance,data storage and recovery,privacy & security,Windows — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by David Hakala

Windows’ built-in Task Manager is a pretty useful tool. It can help you shut down programs that are frozen or misbehaving. It can even shut down background processes that may be causing problems. Many people use Task Manager almost every day, so they are startled when they click on the Taskbar or press Ctl-Alt-Del and get something like this:

“Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator.”

If you work in an office that has a systems administrator go talk to him or her about the problem. But if you don’t have an administrator, how did Task Manager get disabled and how can you turn it back on?
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March 6, 2009

How to Disable Internet Explorer

Filed under: computer performance,Internet,Windows — Tags: , , , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by David Hakala

Internet Explorer (IE), Microsoft’s free Web browser included with all versions of Windows, is by far the most widely used browser just because it’s free and it’s there. Some people don’t like it, and install an alternative browser such as Firefox, Opera, or Google Chrome. Some people really hate IE and want it off their computers entirely.
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March 5, 2009

How to Delete or Move a File That Is “In Use By Another User Or Program”

Filed under: applications,computer performance,data storage and recovery,Windows — Tags: , , , — admin @ 2:00 pm

by David Hakala

Have you ever encountered one of these error messages when you tried to delete or move a file on your Windows machine?

Cannot delete file: Access is denied
There has been a sharing violation.
The source or destination file may be in use.
The file is in use by another program or user.
Make sure the disk is not full or write-protected and that the file is not currently in use.
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