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PRESS RELEASE - 30th May 2007
Have you got Broadband or Fraudband?
The Internet Club have just made another massive investment in Internet hardware. Their whole network backbone and infrastructure is currently being replaced at a total cost of £65,000. The new hardware will push speeds on the network from 11 Mbps to 54 Mbps.
"It was the right time for us," ..........more "It was the right time for us, we were small enough to be able to afford to make the change but big enough to be able to fund the change-over to a 54 Mbps network. The difference that it will make to the operating speed of our Internet connections will be incredible," said Paul Alldred of TIC. In addition to this, TIC have agreed a contract for the supply and installation of a fiber optic cable, connecting them directly to Turkey and Europe.
"This is a very important development" ..........more "This is a very important development for all of our existing Internet Club Members. Over the past 2 years, our Internet connections have been supplied, as indeed have most of the prominent players in this field, by connection to a satellite through a dish. The problem with this type of connection is the amount of time that the signal takes to travel to and from the satellite or the gateway to the Internet. Also, bandwidth delivered by satellite is very expensive because of the overhead cost of putting a satellite into space. Internet Service Providers with this type of connection are forced to tightly manage the bandwidth that each user receives. This results in slower Internet access speeds," said Ronald Gray of TIC. In the UK and the rest of Europe, fiber optic cables have been used to deliver internet for a number of years but have only recently been introduced to the TRNC.
"Users want faster speeds. There is only one way - fiber optic cable" ..........more "Commercial satellite systems are fine where there is no other alternative. Multiple internet connections can be supplied through single earth stations. These connections are then forwarded on to individual users. This type of internet connection is perfectly acceptable in most cases but with users wanting faster and faster speeds, there is only one way to go - fiber optic cable with the ability to support thousands of users with multiple megabit connectivity," said Paul Alldred of TIC." Data travels through a fiber optic cable at the speed of light with minimal delay. Unlimited bandwidth can be delivered at lightning speed. With the fiber optic cable as the primary source of supply and the satellite earth station as a back up, TIC is in a very strong position.
"SIMULTANEOUS Voip, downloading, surfing and UK radio" ..........more "The 1st phase roll out of this service will begin in the next 2 weeks but having supported us loyaly in the last two years, this is reserved for our existing Internet Club Members. We are going to reward everyone for their loyalty with very fast Internet, including SIMULTANEOUS Voip (Internet calls to England and the rest of the world), downloading, web surfing and connectivity to UK radio stations."
"We are also taking reservations for the 2nd phase roll out beginning in 4 - 6 weeks time. In this phase, connectivity will be supplied on a first come, first serve basis. Anyone that is interested in receiving further details should call in at our new office on the main road, near Lemar in Karakum, opposite the Kingfisher fishing tackle shop, or telephone 0533 843 1149 but with installations starting at a minimum of £80 and various bandwidth packages from £30 per month, it's advisable to get your order in early to avoid delay," said Marion and Gwyn of TIC. "We are expecting a rush!" Most internet connections are shared between users but fiber optic cable supports the delivery of uncontended (dedicated) bandwidth for fast internet on demand.
"The business community will greatly benefit from this technology" ..........more "The business community will greatly benefit from our investment in this technology because it means that we are now able to deliver very fast uncontended bandwidth on demand across 128 bit secure links with WPA security between buildings and offices. Business users will receive free voice calls across their local area network, cheap international voice calls and super-fast e-mail hosting packages at their own web domain address with 99.9% uptime guaranteed," said Paul Alldred of TIC.
"This will be a new area for us. To date, we have only supplied Internet connections to home or non-business users but with a business connection costing a minimum of £280 installation and various bandwidth packages available from £40 per month, we are gearing up for unprecedented demand from the business community." The Internet Club have earned their reputation for good customer service by providing seven day a week support. Each Member has the personal telephone number of each of the principles of the business.
"If there is a problem, personal communication is the key" ..........more "All Internet service providers experience difficulties from time to time and we are no different but where we do differ from the rest is that our Members can contact us at any time. We offer telephone support seven days a week and we never leave the telephone ringing, even if we have a problem."
We know all our Members on first name terms and understand each of their Internet and computing requirements. Users can become very frustrated if there is a problem with their Internet service and very angry if they cannot get up to date, accurate information," said Paul Alldred of TIC.
"Our new office, just next to Lemar, will be the hub of our operations in the future. We are building a very comfortable roof terrace garden area where our visitors can sit and enjoy a lovely hot cup of tea or coffee or a refreshing cool drink in the heat of the long hot summer." A large community of retired ex-pats is bound to include more than its fair share of computer, internet and e-mailing novices , some, purchasing and using a computer and the internet for the first time but apparently, they needn't worry.
"It is a very exciting time at the Internet Club at the moment" ..........more "It is a very exciting time at the Internet Club at the moment, on top of everything else, we are also introducing a new level of customer service. We have been working on new software which, at the request of a Member, who, on each occasion, enters their own unique remote access key, allows us remote access to diagnose and fix their PC problems without our support personnel ever leaving the office. The time savings and increased productivity resulting from the introduction of this, will lead to the customer receiving instant support and service. This is definitely something to brag about," said Ronald Gray of TIC. Ronnie and Paul were introduced to each other by another Internet service provider who according to them, eventually chose different priorities to those that had been promised as an incentive for them both to stay. There are no hard feelings however, because this was the catalyst that resulted in the creation of The Internet Club.
"We both consider ourselves to be very lucky in the way that we were introduced and left united with a common cause. This cause is the reason for our success and motivates us every day in our quest to become the BEST Internet service provider in Northern Cyprus. For this, we will be eternally grateful."
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Cyprus Today Article...14-10-2006
Sending photos by e-mail
"When I send photographs as attachments to my e-mails, why does it take so long for the e-mails to send?" ..........more
asks Allan Flaskett of Ozankoy The experts from the Internet Club say: A simple text-based e-mail is small in size and sends quickly, but large photograph attachments take much longer to send.
Early digital cameras were one mega-pixel and produced an image size of 640 pixels by 480 pixels. Today's digital cameras (six mega-pixels or more) produce image sizes of 4,256 pixels by 2,848 pixels (seven times as big.) Attaching a picture of this size to an e-mail, without any picture editing, slows down sending because, put quite simply, there is more data to send.
But why send an image this size when the average PC is set to a screen resolution (maximum viewing size without scrolling) of 1024 pixels x 768 pixels? Firstly, try changing the format of the picture. There are three main picture formats (.bmp, .jpg, .gif) - .bmp produces the largest file size, .gif produces the smallest.
Secondly, try cropping the image to a smaller size. Microsoft Paint (supplied with Windows in the Accessories folder) allows you easily to save an image to a different format or reduce the size of an image.
Alternatively -- a "Top Tip" -- go to Picassa and download Google's Picassa (for free!) Picassa contains some really powerful, one-click picture editing features that everyone finds simple to use. It's easy to install, automatically organises the pictures on your PC and when you e-mail a picture from within Picassa, automatically optimizes it for fast sending as an attachment. |
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Cyprus Today Article...21-10-2006
Passwords
"I do my Internet banking on-line, how do I know whether my passwords are good or bad, or hard or easy for someone to guess?" ..........more
asks Jean Flowers in Ozankoy "The experts from the Internet Club say: "There are a number of important questions that you should ask yourself. Do you take enough care over the choice of your password? Is it at least eight characters long with mixed upper and lower case letters and digits? Is it easy to remember so that you don't have to write it down? Do you change it often? Do you use different passwords for your e-mail, banking and credit card accounts? If you have answered NO to any of these questions, you run the risk of one day, being faced with a major problem if someone targets you and gains access to your private data.
Most people don't realise how enterprising the criminal mind is in gathering your personal information and that computer software programs are used to make it easy to guess your password. Fill in a few of your personal details like your name, maiden name, address, birthday, children's and pet's names etc. and away the program goes and automatically tries all the different combinations in your password field.
--"Top Tip"-- So, to choosing passwords and making them easy to remember. Fortunately, human beings are creatures of habit and tend to do the same things at the same time every day or week. For example, you may take the children to school at the same time each day. You may go to do your shopping at Lemar's every Saturday. You may go to the bank every Friday. Pick some things that you do regularly and write them down for example,...I take my pet dog Lucky for his walk each day at 6am. Then take the first letter of each word "ItmpdLfhweda6" Notice that the Upper case letters have been used where they appear in the sentence. This password would be near impossible to guess and yet, is very easy for you to remember but more importantly, allows you to easily remember several passwords for all your different accounts." |
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Cyprus Today Article...28-10-2006
Top 3 Computer Problems
"My computer is running slowly" ..........more "The experts from the Internet Club say: "Possible causes - too many programs auto starting, spy-ware running in the background, pagefile fragmentation, registry conflicts and/or a build up of unwanted files on your hard drive. "Top Tip" - download, install and run ccleaner (FREE) and Adaware (FREE). Alternatively, a lot of the latest software packages are memory hungry. If you have had your computer for a while, you may have reached the point where you need to add to your RAM (memory.) Only advanced users should attempt to do this. Novices should consult an expert and upgrade in conjunction with downloading and running the aforementioned software programs." "I can't get onto the internet" ..........more Possible causes - check all cables and power supplies to and from your computer including telephone and lan cables. Check your network card. "Top Tip" - click the "Windows Start Button," then "Run," then type "cmd" into box, then "OK," then type "ping 127.0.0.1 -t" You should get "Reply......etc" if your network card is OK. Renew/repair your IP address. "Top Tip" - click the "Windows Start Button," then "Control Panel," then "Network Connections," then "Local Area Connection," locate the appropriate local area network connection, right click and select "Disable," then right click and select "Enable." "My home page has changed itself" ..........more Possible causes - the "home page" settings have changed. "Top Tip" - open "Internet Explorer," then "Tools," then "Internet Options...," then type the location of the home page that you want to appear when you open Internet Explorer into the "Address" box eg. http://www.google.co.uk. Another possible cause is that your browser has been hi-jacked. There are advanced software tools to correct this problem but they are for advanced users. "Top Tip" - Go to spywareinfo and read the published articles before downloading the recommended software (FREE). |
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Cyprus Today Article...04-11-2006
Wireless Routers
"I wan't to use my laptop computer anywhere in the house (including the patio outside.) My internet connection has a wire that I have to plug into my laptop and this makes it impossible to move round the house. What can I do, if anything?" ..........more
Trevor Robinson, Kayalar. The experts at the Internet Club say: "The simple answer is go wireless but there are a few things to look out for. You can purchase a wireless router from most computer outlets. Some routers are more powerful than others but any with 54 Mgbit connectivity will be fine.
"Position the router in a central position within the house, next to a 13 amp plug and the wire for your internet which has to plug into the wan connector of the router.
"Read and follow the instructions carefully or get an experienced person to install the router for you.
"Telephone your internet service provider before you begin and ask them whether there are any IP ranges that will conflict with the their existing network set up and that you should NOT operate in.
"Do not use the default settings for your wireless network set up and make sure that you use either WEP or WPA security, the latter being the better. Choose a good name for your network and choose NOT to broadcast the name. Don't forget to choose and use a strong password and to change it regularly.
"If you do not secure your wireless network correctly, your next door neighbour will be able to log on and use your wireless internet connection FREE. Do you like your next door neighbour enough to provide them with a FREE internet connection?"
This week's 'top tip.' Visit Wireless Routers for help with choosing and using a wireless router."
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Cyprus Today Article...11-11-2006
Organising Your Files
""I have hundreds (maybe a thousand or more) personal files of all types on my computer, how can I identify them, delete what I don't want to keep, organise the remainder and make a backup?" ..........more
asks Tony Cotterill of Esentepe. The experts from The Internet Club say: "Firstly, on your "Windows Desktop" create the following folders. "Documents" "Pictures" "Other" "Delete" To create a new folder, (right click) anywhere on the desktop, then select "New" then select "Folder" and a new folder will appear on your desktop called "New Folder" then type the name for that new folder eg. "Documents"
"Find out the file extensions (types) of all the files that you have saved, for example .doc (Microsoft Word) .jpg (pictures and photo's) etc. Top Tip: Visit Common File Extensions for a list of the most common file extensions.
"Click the "Windows Start" button, then (right click) "My Computer," then click "Search," then click "All files and folders," in the box labelled "All or part of the filename:" type *.doc (or whatever file extension you are looking for) then, in the box labelled "Look in:" select "My Computer" and then click "Search"
"All the files on your computer with a .doc extension (in this instance) will populate the window to the right. You can use this window to navigate around the files. If you don't recognise a file name, double click and it will automatically open in the software program that created it (or one that can read the file type). Examine the file and decide what you want to do with it.
"(Right click) on the file in question, select "Cut" (to delete the file from its current folder) then go to your desktop, (right click) on the folder that you want to put the file into and select "Paste" The file will now be placed into the selected folder. Repeat this process for all the files that you have found in this search and then carry out other searches for the other file extensions and repeat the same process.
"Once you have completed this process, all your files will be in one, or another of the folders that you created on your desktop at the outset. Simply delete the folder called "Delete" and then copy the remaining folders to a CD (or other media)" |
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Cyprus Today Article...18-11-2006
Safeguarding my data
"I have read and heard so much about internet security issues recently that I worry whether someone can hack into my data. Is there anything that I should be doing to safeguard my data?" ..........more The two main areas of concern for anyone are e-mailing and banking and you are right to be worried, especially following recent events locally. There is an obligation on each and every one of us to make sure that all reasonable precautions are taken in making sure that our data is secure. This being said however, a motivated criminal with something to gain will always find a way in if they really want to. It is for this reason that you need to be responsible and make sure that your own data is secure.
The internet is all about layers of security, each layer deters a potential hacker. For banking and emailing etc., always make sure that the web site that you are using is prefixed by https:// as opposed to http:// - The (s) stands for (secure) and means that the data is encrypted at source. For example, go and look at the login page for gmail. Type into internet explorer's browser http://www.gmail.com - You will notice that when the page loads, you have been re-directed to https://www.gmail.com - Any information that you type into this page is encrypted before it is sent and you can feel very safe.
Now type into internet explorer's browser http://www.hotmail.com - Look at the address bar and you will notice that there is no (s) in the prefix. This means that your data (username and password) is not encrypted at source. If you are worried about security, always look for the little (s) when you are typing sensitive data into a web page and only type sensitive data into pages prefixed with https:// - If your e-mail supplier does not have this security and you are worried, change to one that does, such as gmail.
Banking or entering credit card details should always (and only) be done on pages with the https:// prefix but additionally, make sure that the website that you are using is the correct web site and only enter it by typing the address into internet explorer's address bar yourself. Never follow a link to a website without scrutinizing the actual address. For example, if you do on-line banking with HSBC.com, make sure that you are on their web pages and not HS8C.com, which of course, is something completely different and could be a spoofed website, there to harvest your username and password.
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Cyprus Today Article...25-11-2006
Language Problems
"I have recently replaced my UK PC with a locally purchased one and am finding a language problem, particularly when downloading some programmes from the Internet. The completed download is fine except the instructions for use appear in turkish. I recently downloaded picasa but am now frustrated!" ..........more
says Brenda Fletcher The experts from The Internet Club say: "When downloading Picassa, your IP is tracked during the download process and we suspect, because you are using a service provider with an IP address that terminates in Northern Cyprus or Turkey in effect, that support in Turkish is provided by default.
You have two options: First, click the Windows Start button, then Control Panel, then Regional and Language Options, then select the Languages tab and click Details. Make sure that keyboard support for English (United Kingdom) is installed and if not, add support and then remove all other languages. Then try downloading again. If this doesn't work, ask a friend or a member of your family in the U.K. to download the package for you and then e-mail it to you as an attachment."
"I have purchased a new computer and the keyboard layout is Turkish. I just can't get used to using it. Is there any way that I can make one key on the keyboard type another symbol to the one printed on the key?" asks John Moore of Alsancak.
The experts from The Internet Club say: "Thankfully, yes. First, follow the instructions quoted in the answer to the first question, to check/change your keyboard language pack then........, whilst the software that we recommend to do this is free to download and use initially, it costs £25 to buy and use permanently. The initial free download does however, allow you to make four permanent changes to your keyboard. This may well solve the problem that you are experiencing. Visit Keystroke-Converter to download it free. |
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Cyprus Today Article...02-12-2006
Viruses, Trojans, Worms and Cookies
"I am having continual problems with my computer and I am told that viruses, trojans, worms and cookies are the problem. What are these, how do I get rid of them and how do I protect against getting them in the future?" ..........more
asks Colin of Ozankoy The experts from The Internet Club say: "A virus is a program that has the ability to replicate itself and spread to other computers. It usually contains coding that, when activated under certain conditions, has some form of destructive ability. The most dangerous virus will make a copy of itself and then send to all the e-mail addresses in your address book. Viruses can be attached to e-mails or transmitted manually from computer to computer.
"A Trojan is another type of program. Usually embedded within another program, hence the name, it contains coding with a destructive or dishonest capability. Usually delivered to your computer within, what you consider to be a legitimate program but containing files that have been corrupted by a hacker. Files and programs downloaded from peer to peer file downloading programs such as Limewire etc. present the biggest risk.
"A worm, again self replicating, has the abilty to infect whole networks single handedly. It does not need to attach itself to anything, to do this. Worms harm networks by consuming bandwidth, with the net result of making everything run very slowly.
"Cookies can be temprorary or permanent and are usually inserted onto your computer by web sites that you visit so that they can recognise you if you return. They can be used to track your web surfing habits, keeping a record of sites that you visit etc. Too many on your computer can affect the way that it performs.
This week's TOP TIP, visit Grisoft and download a free copy of AVG anti-virus. It's the one that The Internet Club recommend to all their users. When installed, AVG offers many levels of protection and automatically updates daily with the latest virus definitions. Microsoft is making AVG Anti-Virus 7.5 and AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition available via Windows Security Center as a Windows Vista security solution."
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Cyprus Today Article...09-12-2006
On-line Email v Outlook Express
"Why does my on-line e-mail account work so slowly and my friend's e-mail account in Outlook Express work so quickly and can I configure Outlook Express to work with my e-mail account?" ..........more
asks Brian of Karsiyaka The experts from The Internet Club say, "There are many providers of on-line e-mail accounts (Hotmail, Yahoo, Gmail etc.) With this type of account, composing e-mail and adding attachments etc. is usually completed on-line whilst connected to the server and at times of peak usage, with hundreds of thousands or even millions of users, the server may run very slowly or even disconnect (time out) during a session. We've all, at some time or another, typed a long e-mail on-line and clicked to send, only to find that server has disconnected and the e-mail is lost (as well as your temper.)
"Additionally, most are free services which rely on the advertising revenue received from advertisers. Unfortunately, these adverts, usually animated, may also slow down the speed at which you can work in your e-mail account.
"Running your e-mail account from Outlook Express will definitely improve performance because all tasks are completed in Outlook Express whilst off-line. No high usage troughs, sudden disconnections or slow loading advertisements, but does your service provider allow you to use Outlook Express (provide a Pop3 facility) for your e-mail account?
"One of the free ones that does is Gmail but check with your e-mail account provider to see if they do allow Pop3 accounts. Go to their web site and if they have a site search facility, search for Pop3 settings or alternatively, send them an e-mail asking whether they allow Pop3 e-mail retrieval.
"The Pop3 settings will look something like this, mail.'your service providers name'.com (eg. the-internet-club) and smtp.'your service providers name'.com (eg. the-internet-club) and these, along with your user name and password, are the settings that enable you to configure Outlook Express to work with your e-mail account.
"If your email provider does not allow Pop3 retrieval, either change to one that does or, to speed things up and/or avoid sudden disconnection and loss of your e-mail, compose off-line in Microsoft Word (or similar) then copy your e-mail by left clicking and holding, dragging the mouse over the text, right clicking and selecting 'copy' - this copies your e-mail to the Windows clipboard. Log in to your e-mail account, go to 'compose e-mail' and in the main window (where you normally compose your e-mail) right click the mouse and select "Paste"
"This week's Internet Club's TOP TIP. Go to help with PC's for instructions on how to configure Outlook Express with your Pop3 settings." |
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Cyprus Today Article...16-12-2006
Speeding up your PC
"Recently, I have noticed that my computer runs a lot slower than it used to. What can I do to speed it up?" ..........more
asks Ryan of Gazi Magusa The experts at The Internet Club say: "There are many things that can cause your PC to run slowly. This week we will start with things that you can do to improve the performance of your hard disk drive.
"Check how much free hard disk space you have.
"Left(L)Click 'Start' then 'My Computer' then Right(R)Click 'Local Disk (C:)' then (L)Click "Properties"
"The amount of free hard disk space that you need is determined by the operating system that you have and the software that you have installed on your PC. Generally, a PC running Windows XP, Microsoft Office etc. needs at least 10 GB of free hard disk space to operate efficiently.
"To increase the amount of free hard disk space that you have.
"(L)Click 'Start' then 'My Computer' then (R)Click 'Local Disk (C:)' then (L)Click "Properties" then (L) Click 'Disk Cleanup'
"Initially, this will calculate how much disk space can be retrieved. To clean up your hard disk drive, place a tick in each of the selectable categories, then (L)Click 'OK' then 'Yes'
"Once you have determined the amount of free hard disk space that you have, set your virtual memory to use 25% of the available free space.
"(L)Click 'Start' then 'Control Panel' then 'System' then 'Advanced' then Performance 'Settings' then 'Advanced' then Virtual Memory 'Change' then make sure that there is a dot in 'Custom Size' and enter the appropriate values in 'Initial Size' and 'Maximum Size'
"Set the 'Initial Size' to the 25% value and the 'maximum size' 15% higher.
" Defragging your hard disk drive regularly also improves the speed and performance of your PC.
"(L)Click 'Start' then 'My Computer' then (R)Click 'Local Disk (C:)' then (L)Click "Properties" then (L)Click 'Tools' then (L)Click 'Defragment Now' then select the appropriate drive by (L)Clicking and highlighting in blue, then (L) Click 'Defragment'
"As you use your PC, files on the hard disk drive are moved around and they become fragmented. Running this process re-organises all the files on your hard disk drive so that the files are easier and therefore, faster to retrieve. Run this process at least once a month for optimal performance.
"This week's 'TOP TIP' - Visit Computer Hope for PC troubleshooting and help with all aspects of PC maintenance.
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Cyprus Today Article...23-12-2006
Speeding up your PC - Part 2
"Recently, I have noticed that my computer runs a lot slower than it used to. What can I do to speed it up?" ..........more
asks Ryan of Gazi Magusa "The experts at The Internet Club say: There are many things that can cause your PC to run slowly. Last week we started by taking a look at things that you can do to improve the performance of your hard disk drive. This week we will take a look at the amount of RAM (Random Access Memory) in your computer but first, what is it and why is it important?
The operating system and programs that you run on your computer are all stored on your Hard Disk Drive but they need RAM to run on your computer. RAM runs a lot faster than the memory on your Hard Disk Drive. Your operating system and running programs are loaded into the RAM from your Hard Disk Drive when your computer is switched on. The more programs and processes that you have running simultaneously, the more RAM you require. Adding new, more memory (RAM) hungry programs to a two or three year old computer and running more programs and processes simultaneously will definitely slow down your computer.
To check how much RAM your computer has and how much of it you are using. First, switch on your computer and do all the things that you usually do during a typical session. Then, towards the end of the session:
Right(R)click on the blue bar running across the bottom of your computer screen, just next to the "Windows Start" button. Then Left(L)click "Task Manager" then (L)click on the "Performance" tab. The "Physical Memory" section shows the amount of RAM that you have, measured in Kilo Bytes. To easily convert it to the approximate amount of Mega Bytes that you have, divide by 1000.
Now look at "Commit Charge" which shows the current memory usage of the computer and also the "Peak" memory usage which is the memory usage since your computer was turned on. If the figures here are higher than the figure shown in "Physical Memory," this means you are short of RAM and your computer is using the virtual memory from your Hard Disk Drive. This is fine but remember, the Hard Disk Drive memory does not operate as quickly as the RAM and therefore, your computer will not operate as quickly as it would with more RAM.
This week's TOP TIP - Visit Convert kbs to Mbits to convert your kbs to Mbits." |
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Cyprus Today Article...06-01-2007
Speaker Problems
"We have a problem in that our computer speakers keep 'blowing' - 6 sets to date. Any advice?" ..........more
asks Jenny and Kim Tyler of Alsancak "The experts at the Internet Club say: "Hi Jenny, sorry to hear about the problem that you are experiencing with your speakers. You will appreciate that it is difficult to diagnose what may be an electrical problem without actually seeing your PC but let us pose a series of questions that may help lead you to the fault.
"When the speakers fail, do they lose power all together or do they still power up (light up) but with no sound?
"If they power up but with no sound, it is possible that there is an incorrect Windows sound setting or a problem with your sound driver. This possibility needs to be explored first.
"1. Open Control Panel. 2. Open Sounds and Audio Devices in Control Panel. 3. Click the Audio tab. 4. In the Audio tab click the Advanced button under Sound Playback. 5. In the Advanced Audio Properties window make sure your speaker setup is correct. If you're not sure what to set this setting as, set it to the default Desktop Stereo Speakers option and apply then save the setting.
"Diagnosing a Windows sound setting problem or sound driver problem is too complex to do here but you will find comprehensive help at Computer Speakers Do Not Work and Installing a PC computer Sound card
"If, when the speakers fail, they do not power up at all, it could be a fault with either, the electrical power supply from the mains or a fault with the motherboard or sound card in your PC. The 1500VA UPS is more than adequate for the job but check which input sockets on the UPS are surge protected or even better, consider adding a separate surge protector.
"The next step is to add a voltage regulator but if the fault is on the motherboard or sound card, this may not make any difference.
"Finally, having checked and eliminated the aforementioned, there is a distinct possibility that the fault may lie with your motherboard in the PC (if you have on board sound) or alternatively, with your sound card. If you have a sound card that is removable, try replacing or, if your motherboard has on-board sound, disable it and add a separate sound card. Help with this can be found at Troubleshooting on-board audio and Installing a PC computer Sound card
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Cyprus Today Article...13-01-2007
Paypal e-mail scam
"On Tuesday this week, I received an e-mail asking me to visit a web site and enter my Paypal user name and password. What should I do to report the scam?" ..........more
asks Jean Flowers of Ozankoy "The experts at The Internet Club say: "This week, several Internet Club's Members have received e-mails purporting to be from Paypal. Jean Flowers of Ozankoy was first to notice and report the scam. She received an official looking e-mail that inlcuded the Paypal logo. The e-mail asked her to visit a web site and enter her user name and password details. Fortunately, as an Internet Club Member, Jean receives periodical warnings about this type of "Phishing" scam and is wary of any and all e-mails. We remind everyone to be vigilant when opening and responding to their e-mails and keep a look out for this e-mail in particular."
"Paypal (paypal.com) is a sister company to Ebay and Skype. It is a secure online service that enables anyone with an e-mail account to send and receive money. When shopping on-line, you may have noticed the Paypal logo. This indicates that a web site accepts payments using their service. The main advantage behind Paypal is that your personal information need only be given out once. Account holders can then shop on-line, purchasing goods and services using only their e-mail address to buy. The service runs on secure servers and offers several layers of security. Potential customers shouldn't be put off by this type of scam. Paypal is targeted by fraudsters because it is so big and successful with millions of account holders. The fraudsters, having harvested your e-mail address, know that, out of the many thousands of e-mails that they send, some will be received by people with Paypal accounts."
"Never share your PayPal password with anyone. PayPal representatives will NEVER ask you for your Password. The only site you should ever type your user name and password into is paypal.com . If you do receive this, or any other similar e-mail, visit Paypal's web site and report it to them. Include the URL (web site address) that you were asked to visit so that they can act quickly, protecting other potential victims by having the web site closed down. Don't click on any link within the body of the e-mail to visit their site. The official address of their web site is http://www.paypal.com. Type this address directly into Explorer's address bar. Alternatively, forward the e-mail that you have received to spoof@paypal.com" |
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Cyprus Today Article...20-01-2007
Those Annoying Pop-ups
"I'm sick of those annoying windows that pop-up all the time when I am looking at web pages. Is there anything that I can do to stop them?" ..........more
asks Ray of Ozankoy "I'm sick of those annoying windows that pop-up all the time when I am looking at web pages. Is there anything that I can do to stop them?" asks Ray of Ozankoy
The experts at the Internet Club say: "Pop-up windows (a form of advertising) when relevant to the topic on the page that you are viewing, are quite useful. Google have proved this with their Adwords idea which is very successful however, when the product or service being advertised is nothing to do with the subject matter in question, they are not only annoying but use up your bandwidth and your computer's resources. Ad ware or Spy ware causes pop-ups and is usually loaded onto your PC without your knowledge sometimes, just by clicking on a link."
"There are three possible solutions to this problem. If you are using Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) you can block the pop-ups using the pop-up blocker that is included."
Open Internet Explorer and Left(L)Click "Tools" then, (L)Click "Pop-up Blocker" then, (L)Click "Turn on Pop-up Blocker" then (L)click on "Tools" a second time then, (L)click "Pop-up Blocker" a second time then, (L)click "Pop-up Blocker Settings" then, in the "Address of Web site to allow" box, type the addresses of the Web sites that you don't mind viewing pop-ups on (eg. www.cnn.com) then, (L)click "Add". Alter the "Filter Level" using the "Filter Level" box then, (L)click "Close"
"Two handy features in SP2 are that if you visit a web site and you decide that you want to see a pop-up that would normally be blocked, you can temporarily disable the pop-up blocker by holding down the "CTRL" key and secondly, the pop-up blocker will not block pop-up windows containing confirmation details (such as confirming an online order you've just made)."
"If you are not using SP2, you can use anti-spy ware software to block pop-ups. Go to any one of the following to obtain free pop-up blocking software:"
Microsoft Spyware
Spybot
Adaware
Xblock
"Alternatively, you can download a toolbar from either Google or Yahoo (or similar) which has a pop-up blocking feature but read the small print when doing so, because you may object to the information that can be collected from you once the toolbar is installed on your PC (your surfing habits etc.)"
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Cyprus Today Article...27-01-2007
Six of the Best Windows XP Tips and Tricks
When you are viewing a web site containing lots of information or large pictures, try pressing the F11 key. Hey presto! you are now viewing the largest possible screen area available to you (including Explorer's Icons). To go back to normal view, press F11 again.
Do you want to be able to access your favorite programs and/or documents from any XP window? Left(L)click the Windows "Start" button then (L)click "My Computer" then right(R)click the toolbar (near the top of the screen) then (L)click "Links." Look to the right hand side and you will notice that it says "Links." (R)click on "Links" and deselect "Lock the Toolbars." Now, (R)click and delete any of the links that you don't want to appear. Next, navigate to the icon of your favourite program or document and then, (L)click and hold down to drag and drop the icon into "Links." You can do this as many times as you want enabling access to all your favourite (most used) programs and documents from any window.
We all know how to minimize a window to the task bar, but just in case! Open a window and then click the horizontal line in the top right hand corner. Your window is now minimized to the task bar at the foot of the screen but have you ever had two or more minimized windows on the task bar and wanted to view more than one at once? Select the first window by (L)clicking on it on the task bar. Now, hold down the "Ctrl" Key on your keyboard and then (R)click a second window on the task bar and then (L)click "Tile Vertically." Hey presto! Two windows side by side. This is especially useful if you want to compare one document to another or easily cut and paste text or graphics from window (document) to another.
Do you want to access and explore "My Computer" in a flash. No problem! Hold down the "Windows" key on your keyboard and simultaneously press the letter "E" key. Hey presto! Up pops the "My Computer" window.
Do you want to quickly hide your Windows desktop and return to the Windows log in page. No problem! Hold down the "Windows" key on your keyboard and simultaneously press the letter "L" key. Hey presto! Your desktop icons disappear and you are returned to the log in page.
Do you want to instantly minimize a window to prevent others from seeing what you are viewing. No problem! Hold down the "Windows" key on your keyboard and simultaneously press the letter "M" key. Hey presto! The window instantly minimizes. |
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Cyprus Today Article...03-02-2007
Stay with XP or Upgrade to Vista?
"It's been a long time in the making (5 Years) and it's the last new release of a totally new Windows from Microsoft under the stewardship of Bill Gates but first, with so many different versions of Vista available, how much is it going to cost you to purchase a new copy or upgrade to Vista?" ..........more A new, clean installation of Microsoft Windows Vista Ultimate Full Version on DVD costs just under £200 but before you reach for your purse or wallet, ask yourself whether you can upgrade your existing version of Windows and save some cash?
Existing (legal) versions of Windows 2000 and XP can be upgraded to Vista but before working out how much it will cost you, is your existing version of Windows a genuine copy?
If you receive an on-screen message telling you that your version of Windows may not be a genuine copy, then it most probably isn't.
If you purchased your PC, new in the UK, from a reputable outlet, you can be pretty certain that your version is genuine.
If you have installed the service pack 2 upgrade or receive regular updates from Microsoft, you can also be fairly sure that you are running a genuine copy.
If you purchased a new PC here or a colleague, friend or relative installed your existing version of Windows, then it's best to check. Visit Microsoft Windows Genuine to check whether your existing version of windows is genuine.
Assuming your existing version of Windows is either Windows 2000 or XP and that it is genuine, you can upgrade to Windows Vista Ultimate, with the DVD version coming in at £125.
There are also other versions and upgrade possibilities. For a full breakdown with costs, visit Amazon (or similar) and search for "Windows Vista"
Now, what about Vista's features. If you are into security, then you will like Vista because it is very secure. IE7 gets a makeover with a colour coded address bar for pages secured by a digital key and some interesting new anti-phishing filters. Users can also run in "protected mode" preventing unwanted code reaching their system. If nice graphical effects are your thing, Vista will score high with you but don't try and run Vista on an under-powered PC otherwise, you'll be on go-slow. There's a new "instant desktop search" enabling you to quickly search for anything on your PC. or the web. Updates are no longer handled by "Explorer" with a new streamlined management system. Media buffs will like the new bundled version of Media Player, the Photo Gallery and promised DVD movie maker. There are too many features to list them all here but if you like what you have read, Vista maybe the one for you!
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Cyprus Today Article...10-02-2007
Computer slow to start?
"My computer is taking much longer than it used to to start up. What can I do to speed it up?" ..........more
asks Geraldine of Alsancak. The experts at the Internet Club say, "as you add more programs to your computer, you are usually given various options just before completing the installation process, options such as, place the program's icon on your desktop or automatically load the program when Windows starts. It's the latter of the two that you need to take care with because starting too many programs when Windows starts, increases the amount of time it takes to get going."
"Start up your computer and when Windows has finished loading, look at the blue bar to the bottom right of your screen. To expand it, left(L)Click on the < symbol and count how many icons (programs) are open in the systray."
"Usually, you will see an icon for your anti-virus. If you use Messenger or similar, you will see its icon. You may have an icon for an e-mail auto-notifier such as Gmail Notifier etc. You may have a local area connection network icon and various others. All these programs started up with Windows and are running their various processes in the background. Ask yourself whether you need to load all of these programs at start up."
"To look at the full list of programs that are starting up with Windows, (L)Click the Windows Start button, then (L)Click on Run - a white text entry box appears. Type msconfig into the text entry box and then (L)Click OK - a window appears with the heading System Configuration Utility"
"There are six tabs at the top of the window, (L)Click on the Startup tab to display the list of programs and processes that start up with Windows. This is indicated by a green tick in a box. Look under Startup Item to identify the various programs and processes. Removing the green tick from one of the boxes will stop that program or process starting up with Windows. If you recognise a program or process that you decide does not need to start with Windows, remove the green tick from its box. The fewer the number of programs and processes running at startup (the fewer green ticks) the quicker Windows will start but some programs and processes are essential so, if you do not recognise the name of a program or process, type its Startup Item name into Google to find out what that program or process is or does and whether it is essential before deciding to remove it from the startup process." |
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Cyprus Today Article...17-02-2007
The Jumping Mouse!
"The other day I sent an e-mail to a friend and whilst referring to an old school pal of ours (and she was copied in on the e-mail) a "typo" (caused by my jumping mouse) changed her name into a swear word. Very embarrassing! I won't say how except that her second name is Duckworth. I'll leave the rest to your own imagination.
Why, when I am typing in Outlook, a Word document or in my on-line e-mail program, do I look up to see that the letters that I am typing are suddenly being typed somewhere else on the page, usually in the middle of another word?" ..........more
asks Jenny of Karakum. The experts at the Internet Club say: "this is a common and very frustrating problem and we know that a lot of readers will be pleased to see that we are going to provide an answer however, before you all reach for your reading glasses to examine the small print, the cause/s of this problem differ between the various types of hardware and their devices and drivers. Far too many possibilities to cover in this column."
"It's a problem that we know, mainly affects, but is in no way restricted to, laptop computers of various brands. The solutions offered by the various manufacturers usually involve either disconnecting or altering the configuration of the touch pad mouse and removing then re-installing their drivers. Some manufacturers have produced up-dated drivers in an attempt to solve the problem. (Readers, guess what, it's just happened to me as I type this column. Grrrrr!)"
"Various PC and optical mouse manufacturers also suggest that we ditch our multi-coloured mouse pads for more conservative blue coloured pads or even cover them up with a piece of paper to solve the problem."
"Additionally, there doesn't seem to be a "one fix for all" solution to this problem so, we will not offer a fix but a patch. It will take some getting used to but before typing anywhere, move your mouse cursor to a place on the screen that isn't active. For example, outside the typing area in Word or Outlook (I usually move the mouse pointer to somewhere over the blue bar at the top of your screen.) Then, and here's the hard part, get used to moving the typing (flashing) cursor around your document using the arrow keys (instead of the mouse.)" A simple but effective to solution to the problem!
"If you can't get used to doing this or you need a specific solution for your particular hardware, we suggest that you either visit your manufacturer's website and search for a solution or alternatively, inform your friends about the problem so that they do not get offended, especially if you have friends called Billy Tucker or Fay Hart. There's one thing that's for sure, arse the slutoion provi and in the deduture, yo on't ever we umbassarred ainag!"
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Cyprus Today Article...24-02-2007
Organising and preparing a Rat's Nest Spaghetti!
"I have repeatedly asked my other half to sort out the mess underneath and behind his computer". Wires, plugs, extension leads, printers - they are all down there somewhere and what a dust gathering mess. Is there any recognised method of sorting out the rat's nest of tangled wire spaghetti?" ..........more
asks Melanie of Lapta. The experts at the Internet Club say: "First of all, I hope that your "other half" doesn't read this column - he certainly won't be pleased about you referring to him as a "Rat!"
"Before I begin, never roll up or coil cables that are too long. They can sometimes overheat and are a fire hazard!"
"First, there is some shopping to do. You will need: Colour coded or different colours of insulation tape (as many different colours as you can find.) A length of hoover or swimming pool hose, a permanent marker pen, some small, different coloured stickers and some cable ties. Additionally, if you are able or qualified to remove a 13 amp plug, shorten an electrical cable and then re-wire and replace the plug, you may also need several 13 amp plugs, a screwdriver and wire cutters/strippers."
"Make sure that all your computer equipment is turned off and unplugged from the mains supply but leave all peripheral connectors in place ie. printer, mouse, keyboard etc."
"Begin by clearing a space to enable you to pull your desk away from the wall but make sure that you do not stretch any of the cables when you do this. You need unrestricted access to the rear of the computer."
"Look at the rear of the computer. Usually, you will see a mains power lead and then plugs for all the other various types of devices such as, monitor, printer, keyboard, mouse, microphone and speakers. There may also be USB connectors for Voip telephone, digital camera and various other peripherals."
"Identify the mains power supply lead. The power lead will terminate at a 13 amp plug, sometimes through a power transformer. Remove and label or colour code the plug from the rear of your computer. Repeat this process for each of the devices attached to your computer ie. Monitor, Printer, Scanner etc. Keep all these leads together."
"Next, one by one, follow each of the remaining cables to its point of termination, labelling or colour coding each one ie. Monitor, Printer, Scanner etc. All these cables usually carry data and not mains electric. Remove the plugs from the computer and keep them all together. Repeat this process for the various other devices."
"Organise your devices into positions on your desk. If possible, do not put devices such as printers on the floor. Try to position your devices so that the mains power leads for each device are in close proximity."
"Measure the height from the top of your desk to the floor and cut several lengths of your hose. Cut along the length of each hose. Group the power supply cables together for each device in close proximity and place their cables inside the hose. If you can't get all the devices in close proximity to each other, you may need to use two or more hoses."
"Insert the plugs back into the various devices, grouping the data cables together and where possible, place them into a hose but do not mix data cables and mains power cables."
"Once the cables are grouped and inserted into hoses, place cable ties around the hose to hold it shut."
"Those of you that are able or qualified to remove a 13 amp plug and then re-wire and replace the plug can also shorten the mains supply cables to lengths that suit each devices position. You can also shorten the length of the 4, 5 or 6 gang extension lead to suit the run to the mains plug in the wall."
"Finally, don't forget, if you are using a 4, 5 or 6 gang extension lead, make sure that it is surge protected and that it is also advisable to use an un-interruptable power supply and/ or voltage regulator." |
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Cyprus Today Article...03-03-2007
Internet Explorer 7
"Recently, I clicked on one of those messages that periodically pops up at the bottom right hand side of my screen, "Updates are available for your computer" or something similar. I followed the process and ended up with Internet Explorer 7 (IE7). Is it just me or is IE7 slower than the older version? If so, can it be speeded up somehow or, if not, is it easily removed or is there an alternative?" ..........more
asks Kate of Catalkoy. The experts at the Internet Club say: "IE7 does seem to load Internet pages more slowly than the previous version. It also takes a bit of getting used to. It does include some new features that bring it into line with its other browsing competitors such as Firefox. One thing that does slow it down is the anti-phishing feature. When you load an Internet page, it first sends the URL to Microsoft to check against the URL's of known phishing sites and will warn you if the site that you are about to visit is one of them. If you are reasonably confident and don't mind visually checking the address bar yourself, you can turn this feature off which will speed up your IE7 Internet browsing."
"To work out whether IE7's anti-phishing feature is turned on, look at the bottom of your screen over to the right hand side. If you see a small yellow circle with a black exclamation mark and when loading a web page, you see a small, green, animated progress bar behind it, anti-phishing is turned on. To turn it off, right (R)Click on the yellow circle then left (L)Click on Phishing Filter Settings. Scroll down to the bottom of the content window and (L)Click to place the green dot in Disable Phishing Filter."
"If IE7 is causing problems with some of your other programs or you just don't like it, for detailed instructions on how to un-install it from Windows XP, go to IE Vista
"There are other, alternative Internet browsing programs that you can try. Firefox is one of them and has received rave reviews throughout the industry. It is said that, in many ways, Firefox is superior to IE7 and I must say that, having recently downloaded and tried it, I am getting used to the interface and have also noticed that it seems to load Internet pages slightly faster than IE7. Go to Mozilla Firefox to download the latest version, FREE."
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Cyprus Today Article...10-03-2007
Personalising Your Desktop
"In my house there is one PC and four people (hubby, two children and me) - 4 different user log in options. Why do certain desktop icons appear on all of our desktops and others don't and is there a way to easily add, swap or change desktop icons, files and folders between the desktops of each of the users?" ..........more
asks Sue of Alsancak. The experts at the Internet Club say: " The reason that certain icons appear on all of your desktops is that they are flagged as public or shared. Private icons appear only on the desktops where they are created."
"To add or remove desktop icons from one user to another - Left (L)click the Windows Start button, then (L)click My Computer, then double (L)click the hard disk icon which is usually Local Disk (C:) - If the next window says: These files are hidden. (L)click Show the contents of this folder, then, or alternatively, double (L)click the Documents and Settings folder, then double (L)click the All Users folder, then double (L)click the Desktop folder. In this folder are the icons, files and folders that appear on all of your computer users desktops because it is a shared, public folder. Minimize this window by (L)clicking the horizontal white line in the top, right hand corner of your screen."
"Now, to find and open the folder containing a particular users desktop icons etc. - Left (L)click the Windows Start button, then (L)click My Computer, then double (L)click the hard disk icon which is usually Local Disk (C:) - If the next window says: These files are hidden. (L)click Show the contents of this folder, then, or alternatively, double (L)click the Documents and Settings folder, then double (L)click on the particular user's folder, for example Sue etc., then double (L)click the Desktop folder. In this folder are the private icons, files and folders that appear on this particular users desktop because it is a private folder. Now, minimize this window by (L)clicking the horizontal white line in the top, right hand corner of your screen."
"You should now have the two different folders open but minimized at the bottom of your screen. To display both folders side by side to fill the full screen, select the first folder by (L)clicking on it on the task bar. Now, hold down the Ctrl Key on your keyboard and then (R)click the second folder on the task bar and then (L)click Tile Vertically. Hey presto! Two windows side by side. This is especially useful if you want to compare one document to another or easily cut and paste text or graphics from window (document) to another."
"Now, to MOVE an icon, file or folder from one desktop to another, (L)click and hold down the mouse button on the icon, file or folder to be moved and drag it across to the other window, into the other users folder or, to COPY an icon, file or folder, do exactly the same whilst holding down the Ctrl key on your keyboard. You can now move or copy any amount of files, folders or icons between any or all of the users on your computer." |
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Cyprus Today Article...17-03-2007
Periodic Internet Browsing Maintenance
"Is there anything that I should be doing on a regular basis to keep my computer system running in tip top condition, so that it runs at its best with my Internet connection?" ..........more
asks Kate of Girne. The experts at the Internet Club say: the more you surf the Internet, the more rubbish accumulates in Windows. Keeping Windows free from rubbish can significantly improve the performance of your Windows operating system. This will help Internet Explorer to run better and faster.
Disconnect your computer from the Internet and then start up. Close all running programs in the system tray, usually at the bottom right hand side of your screen (Skype, e-mail notifier, etc.) Do this by right (R)clicking on each icon in the system tray and then left (L)clicking on "Exit" or "Quit" or similar.
(L)click the Windows "Start" button then (L)click "My Computer." Alternatively, "My Computer" can also be accessed by double (L)clicking the icon on your Windows desktop. Double (L)click the local disk drive icon, usually "Local Disk (C:)." (the location of your Windows operating system files.) Double (L)click the "Windows" folder and then double (L)click the "Temp" folder. Press the "Ctrl" and "A" key simultaneously to select all files and folders in the "Temp" folder and then press the "delete" key on your computer keyboard.
Now, just to be sure, open Windows Explorer and (L)click "Tools" at the top then (L)click "Internet Options" before (L)clicking "Delete Cookies" and "Delete Files" (don't forget to include "Delete all offline content" in the process.) In addition, the "Clear History" button when pressed, will remove the list of sites that you have visited from the drop down menu of Windows Explorer's address bar. You may or may not want to delete this list, depending upon your own personal preferences. If you have more than one or many users on the same computer, don't forget to repeat this process for each of the other users.
In "Internet Options," you will also notice a text entry box entitled "Home Page." This contains the address of the page that Internet Explorer loads every time that you open the program. Sometimes, this address can accidentally get changed by you or purposely hijacked by another program that may result in a different page being loaded each time that you start Internet Explorer. If this is the case, enter the address of the page that you would like Internet Explorer to default to on opening (in the format http://www.myfavouritepage.com) and then (L)click "Apply" and then "OK."
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Cyprus Today Article...24-03-2007
Inserting a picture into an e-mail
"Occasionally, I receive e-mails with graphics at the top. My friend has made her own letterhead and puts it at the top of all her e-mails. It looks fantastic. Can you give me instructions how to do this?" ..........more
asks Peter of Karsiyaka. The experts at the Internet Club say: Peter, you didn't say which e-mail program you use so I will assume that you are using the most popular one, Outlook Express.
I should highlight the difference between attaching a picture to an email and inserting a graphic within the body of an email. Most of us are familiar with sending (attaching) pictures to emails. Peter's question relates to something different. He wants to insert a graphic at the top of all his emails.
Firstly, create your graphic in Microsoft Paint or similar. Your graphic should be 800 pixels wide by 100 pixels high. You can use your favourite picture as the background and insert your contact details using Paint's text editor. Save the graphic in either the .bmp, .jpg or .gif format but remember, whilst the .bmp format gives better results, the file size is much larger than the other two formats and could slow down the speed at which your e-mals are sent. The .jpg format is good for photo style backgrounds and produces a smaller file size than the .bmp format. For graphics with just text, no pictures, the .gif format produces the smallest file size of all and will minimize the affect on the speed that your e-mails are sent.
Start up Outlook Express and Left (L)click "Tools" at the top then select "Options" from the drop down menu and then the "Send" tab. In the section headed "Mail Sending Format" place the green dot into the "HTML" radio button and then (L)click "HTML Settings" and make sure that there is a green tick against "Send pictures with messages" then (L)click "OK" then "Apply" and "OK"
Now, (L)click "Create Mail" to compose your message. Complete the "To" and "Subject" fields as usual and then (L)click in the window where you type your message. Now (L)click "Insert" at the top then "Picture" and then browse to the place on your computer where you have saved the graphic. (L)click to select the graphic then "Open" and "OK" |
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Cyprus Today Article...31-03-2007
Backing up Outlook Express Settings and Mail
"My computer recently developed a problem and I took it into a computer shop for it to be fixed. When I returned, they told me that they had formatted my hard drive and re-installed Windows XP to fix the problem. I wasn't worried because I had recently backed up my personal photo's and documents however, I was horrified when I realised that I didn't have a back up of my Outlook Express address book or my e-mails. How do I back them up?" ..........more
asks Derek of Catalkoy. The experts at the Internet Club say: to backup your Outlook Express accounts, information and settings, open Outlook Express and left (L)click "Tools" at the top, then (L)click "Accounts." (L)click the "Mail" tab and then choose the e-mail account that you want to backup by (L)clicking on the account name. A blue rectangle will highlight the account name. From the list on the right hand side of the window, (L)click on the "Export" tab and save the settings in the .iaf file format ( eg.mye-mailsettings.iaf)
To restore the saved settings to Outlook Express, follow the previous instructions to the point of (L)clicking the "Mail" tab but then, from the list on the right hand side of the window, (L)click on the "Import" tab before selecting the previously saved file ( eg.mye-mailsettings.iaf) and (L)clicking "Open" to restore the mail settings.
To backup your e-mail messages, open Outlook Express then open the folder containing the e-mails that you want to save. (L)click on any of the e-mails listed before pressing the "Ctrl" and "A" keys simultaneously on your computer keyboard. This selects all of the messages in the chosen folder. With the messages selected, (L)click "File" then "New" then "Mail Message" (as though you were going to send an e-mail.) The new window will appear over the top. Now, (L)click on any one of the highlighted messages and drag your mouse on to the new mail message window (where you would normally type the contents of your e-mail.) This adds all the selected messages as "attachments" to the email. Now, (L) click "File" then "Save As" and save the file in the .eml format ( eg.mye-mails.eml)
To restore the saved emails to Outlook Express, double (L)click on the saved file (eg.mye-mails.eml) and select the attached e-mails by (L)clicking in the "Attachments" window and then pressing the "Ctrl" and "A" keys simultaneously. Now, open Outlook Express so that you can see the folder that you want to restore the saved e-mails to. Now, (L)click on any one of the highlighted messages and drag your mouse on to the desired folder. Your e-mails are now restored.
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Cyprus Today Article...07-04-2007
My Copy of Windows is Not Genuine!
"Over the past few months, when I start Windows, a pop-up has been appearing telling me that my copy of Windows is not genuine however, the other day, I received a message saying that the VLK has been blocked and my cursor keeps freezing. I have to re-start my computer to get it going again and it works for a while but then freezes again. Is there anything that I can do to stop this from happening," ..........more
asks Peter of Ozankoy. The experts at the Internet Club say: there are various methods of getting rid of the message telling you that your version of Windows is not genuine and we have covered some in previous articles but quite honestly, the best way to solve your problem is to enter a genuine product key into your version of Windows.
VLK stands for Volume License Key and is Microsoft's term for a product key that can be used to register multiple installations of Windows. Microsoft has a database of the keys that have been leaked and when you go on-line, your key is checked against this database, if it matches any of the entries, your license key will be blocked.
Go to Petri and download Magical Jelly Bean Keyfinder. This program does not generate illegal keys but you can use it to find the key that was entered in a genuine installation of Windows so, let's say you have a laptop running a genuine version of Windows and a desktop that isn't, this program will allow you to obtain the license key from your laptop computer which you can then enter into your desktop computer.
Once you have obtained your license key, to use it on a computer without having to re-installing Windows:-
1. Choose "Run" from the Windows "Start" menu, type "regedit" and click "OK" - then navigate to: HKey_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Current Version\WPAEvents. On the right, double click on "oobetimer" and change at least one digit of this value to deactivate windows.
2. Choose "Run" from the Windows "Start" menu and type in this command: "%systemroot%\system32\oobe\msoobe.exe /a" (without the " ") - this brings up the activation screen. Go to the second option which is "activate by phone."
3. In the new screen choose the option to "change product key" and type in the new product key.
4. Close that window, reboot your system and enter the command in step 2 for the second time to verify your activation , you should see "Windows is already activated" |
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Cyprus Today Article...14-04-2007
Summat for Nowt
It's nice to get "summat for nowt" every now and then. Here's a list of free Windows XP utilities that are available from Microsoft ..........more The links to each of the program's download pages are all at Microsoft Windows - Visit this page and download the selected program from the right hand column.
Color Control Panel Applet - helps you manage Windows color settings in one place.
SyncToy - helps you automate copy, move, and synchronize different files, folders and directories.
RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer - Are you a serious photographer? Now you can organize and work with digital RAW files in Windows Explorer.
ClearType Tuner - Use ClearType technology to make it easier to read text on your screen. Installs in the Control Panel for easy access.
HTML Slide Show Wizard - This wizard helps you create an HTML slide show of your digital pictures.
Open Command Window Here - Adds an "Open Command Window Here" context menu option on file system folders, giving you a quick way to open a command window.
Alt-Tab Replacement - In addition to seeing the icon of the application window you are switching to, you will also see a preview of the page.
Tweak UI - Gives you access to system settings that are not exposed in the Windows XP default user interface, including mouse settings, Explorer settings, taskbar settings, and more.
Power Calculator - Graph and evaluate functions as well as perform many different types of conversions.
Image Resizer - Enables you to re-size one or many image files with a right-click.
CD Slide Show Generator - View images burned to a CD as a slide show. The Generator works down-level on Windows 9x machines as well.
Virtual Desktop Manager - Manage up to four desktops from the Windows taskbar.
Taskbar Magnifier - Magnify part of the screen from the taskbar.
Webcam Timershot - Lets you take pictures at specified time intervals from a Webcam connected to your computer and save them to a location that you designate.
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Cyprus Today Article...21-04-2007
Tabbed Browsing
"I have upgraded to Internet Explorer 7 but I can't seem to get used to the new method of tabbed browsing. In the old Internet Explorer I was used to the way that it worked. I knew how to open a new Internet Explorer window etc. and then navigate between the various open windows. Have you got any tips and tricks that will help me," ..........more
asks Margaret of Alsancak. The experts at the Internet Club say, tabbed browsing does take a little getting used to. In the old Internet Explorer, new web pages opened in the existing window, unless that is, you, or the web page coding forced a new window to open. Switching between windows (web pages) was easy using the "alt" and "tab" keys on the computer keyboard. The basics of browsing in IE7 are the same but instead of some web pages opening in a new window, they open in a new tab instead. Therefore, one window but several or more tabs (web pages within the window)
Open Internet Explorer and let a web page load. Look to the top of the page and you will notice the currently opened web page in the first tab and a smaller tab to the right. Hold your mouse over this tab and left (L)click to open the new tab. A new tab opens giving the option to open a new web page. You can easily and quickly open up and leave open several or more web pages and switch between them as and when required.
Here are some time saving tips that you can use with IE7 to improve your tabbed browsing experience:-
1. (L)click on any link whilst simultaneously holding down the "ctrl" key and the requested page will open in a new tab.
2. Hold down the "ctrl" key on your keyboard whilst simultaneously pressing the letter "t" to open a new tab.
3. Hold down the "ctrl" key on your keyboard whilst simultaneously pressing a number 1-10 to open the respective tab.
4. Right click, at the top on any open tab to display a list of options for tabbed browsing. |
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Cyprus Today Article...28-04-2007
Who's Spamming Who!
"Downloading from the internet is on the increase with peer to peer file sharing generating enormous amounts of traffic but what else are we downloading along with our list of your favourite music files when using programs such as Limewire?" ..........more Spamming trojans can infect our computers and turn them into Zombies, secretly spewing out hundreds, thousands and maybe millions, of spam e-mails. We don't know anything about it until our IP is blacklisted and our ability to send and receive e-mails is affected. Even worse, if our e-mails are sent through a shared IP and the majority are, we may also have affected the ability of others to send e-mails.
Nearly everyone receives spam on a daily basis and we all moan and groan about how much spam clutters up our mail boxes but imagine how silly we would feel if we were to find out that some of it was coming from our own PC or imagine being confronted by hundreds of people, all suffering because our PC was infected, sending out thousands of e-mails and our shared IP address had been blacklisted.
A computer worm is a self-replicating computer program. It uses a network to send copies of itself to other nodes (other computers on the network) and it may do so without any user intervention. Unlike a virus, it does not need to attach itself to an existing program. Worms always harm the network (if only by consuming bandwidth)
We all experience slow internet connections periodically but when we do, what do we do, do we look for someone to blame or do we run a PC scan using our anti-virus/spyware program?
If we use Peer to Peer file sharing programs to download from the internet, we must all make sure that we have anti-virus software with up to date virus definitions installed and make sure that we allow it to scan our PCs regularly. Even if it means stopping our download to do it!
Keeping our computer's anti-virus and anti-spyware up to date has never been more important. We recommend AVG anti virus and spyware program which can be downloaded free from AVG
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Cyprus Today Article...05-05-2007
E-mailing, it's funny and it's safe
"A favourite internet pass time nowadays is to send funny jokes, pictures and video clips to our friends and there's nothing wrong with that but when sending an e-mail to multiple recipients, are we using "CC" or "BCC"?" ..........more If you are member of a group, club, a circle of friends or other social network and you receive email or regular e-mails as a multiple recipient and the person sending out the e-mails uses "CC," all the recipient's e-mail addresses in the list are visible to everyone receiving the e-mail. This is OK as long as the e-mail stays within the group but when it is forwarded to someone's friend (outside the group), so is the list of e-mail addresses. Eventually, a spammer get's hold of the list and everyone in it starts receiving spam.
To hide everyone's e-mail address from the rest of the recipients, use "BCC" (Blind Carbon Copy) instead of "CC" (Carbon Copy.) Further, instead of simply forwarding the e-mails that you receive as a multiple recipient, keep and maintain our own personal e-mail address list and send using "BCC" instead of "Forwarding." It's a simple way of ensuring that lists of e-mail addresses aren't flying around the internet, eventually to be intercepted by a spammer. If your e-mail address appears in one of these lists, it's likely that you'll end up receiving spam.
Outlook/Express users should click "Create Mail" then "View" and make sure that "All Headers" is ticked. If it is, below the "CC" line, you will now see "BCC." When sending e-mail, enter one e-mail address in the "Send To" field in the usual way, then add all other recipient's e-mail addresses in the "BCC" field. Each recipient will only see their own e-mail address. It's more personal and more secure! |
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Cyprus Today Article...12-05-2007
Picture this...
"When an email has an attachment of photographs and they are too large for the screen. To view them I have to slide the horizontal bar accross and the vertical bar down. How can I make them smaller. I have Adobe and Kodak programs installed." ..........more
asks Jean Burton.
"I have received several attachments which I need to print off but they are too large to do and too large to read on screen without frenzied toolbar manipulation. Is it possible to reduce these to at least A4 size for printing purposes. I have frequently received pictures with the same problem but printing wasn't necessary in these cases but it would be helpful if they could be reduced also, ..........more"
asks Jim Geddis of Catalkoy I've recommended Google's free download of Picassa in a previous column. It really is a fantastic program which organises all the photos on your computer and allows you to edit and e-mail them easily. Go to picasa to download it free.
You don't have to bother re-sizing your photos before e-mailing them from Picassa. The program does it automatically for you, as well as optimizing the file size helping to send your e-mails fast. If you do want to re-size a photo for another reason however, use the "crop" feature within Picasa.
Picasa automatically fits your pictures perfectly onto the paper used by your home printer. It's easy to print wallets, 4×6, 5×7, full pages, more sizes and even more than one picture on a page.
Visit Picasa and take a full product tour before downloading it free but let me say from the outset, you will be amazed by the way that it locates, organises and displays the photos on your computer.
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Cyprus Today Article...19-05-2007
I can't get on to the internet
I switched my computer on yesterday and there was a red cross on the two little computer screens in the bottom right hand corner and I couldn't get on the internet. Instead, all I got was "page cannot be displayed." Can you help? ..........more
asks Peter of Karsiyaka The experts from the Internet Club say: " the two small computer screens in the bottom right hand corner are the LAN (Local Area Connection) icon. They indicate whether you are connected to a network and whether data is flowing in and out from your computer. There are several possible reasons for there being a red cross on the icon but the most common is that there is a power failure somewhere."
"Check that there is power going to the power over ethernet adapter (usually a small black box with three cables plugged into it - two data and one power). Check that it is plugged in, switched on and that any green lights on the power supply are illuminated."
"Unplug and then re-plug all three cables going into the adapter and then do the same with the single cable going into the back of your computer. Switch off your computer and then re-boot."
"Check at each stage, whether the red cross has dissapeared. If the red cross is still there, unplug and check the data cables a second time. Unplug each cable, hold the RJ45 connector firmly and make sure that the cable is correctly seated into it. Wriggle it to and forth whilst pushing it into the adapter."
"If this doesn't work, it is possible that one of the cables or connectors are faulty. Usually under your computer desk, it is easy to catch them accidentally or knock them with a hoover for example. The cables may need new RJ45 connectors fitting which requires a special tool."
"Check that the power supply to the power over ethernet adapter hasn't blown. Power surges and repeated power cuts can damage the power supply."
"Finally, with everything else checked and no improvement, it is possible that your network adapter (a card inside your computer or, a device built into your computer's motherboard) has developed a fault eg. it is worn out, not seated correctly in the motherboard or it is not is not getting power. Checking this and replacing it if faulty, is a specialist job and you may have to telephone your internet service provider for help." |
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Cyprus Today Article...26-05-2007
Trouble Free Data Backup
"After losing yet another batch of pictures of my grand daughter, I am determined not to lose another but what is the easiest way to automatically backup the pictures and files that I don't want to lose? ..........more"
asks Alison of Kayalar. Nowadays, with USB sticks (removable disk space) costing as little as ten pounds, there's no excuse if you lose any data and with free software to automate the backing up procedure, it couldn't be easier to back up your important data.
There are several local computer shops where you can purchase a USB memory stick. They vary in size from 256 KB to 4 MB (for a normal key ring size stick)
The USB stick fits any of the USB slots on your computer. With the computer switched on and Windows running, insert your USB stick into one of the slots. Windows will automatically recognise the USB stick and assign it a drive letter.
A window pops up with the assigned drive letter in brackets eg. "(F:)" Select "Open folder to view files, using Windows Explorer" and then mimimize the window to the task bar.
Simultaneously press the "Windows" key and letter "E" on your keyboard to open a "My Computer" window and look in the left hand column. You will see your USB stick with the assigned drive letter under the "My Computer" icon. Right click on the USB drive letter and then left click on "Rename" and type a name for your USB stick eg. Backup Stick. Minimize the window to the task bar.
Now, visit google.com and search for "sync toy." Visit the first link result page (Microsoft) and download the Sync Toy program - FREE (971 KB) Once downloaded, click "run" and follow the instructions to install the program.
Once installed, open the program and on the opening screen, select "Create New Folder Pair" and then browse to, and select the folder on your computer containing the files you want to automatically back up and then click "Next". Now browse to your USB stick and click "Next" - You are now presented with five options. Highlight each option to display an explanation and then choose the option that best suits your requirements and then click "Next." Now, name your "Folder Pair" and click "Finish."
To remove your USB memory stick from your computer. First, hold your cursor over each icon in the systray (bottom right hand corner) until you see "Safely Remove Hardware" and then left click on the icon and select "Safely Remove USB Mass Storage Device." Your USB stick can now be removed from your computer.
Now, any additions or alterations in the chosen folder on your computer will automatically be carried out (depending upon which option you selected) on your USB memory stick every time you insert it into your computer. Your USB stick now contains an up to date copy of your most important files and pictures.
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Cyprus Today Article...02-06-2007
Yellow Triangle!
"Periodically, a yellow triangle with an explanation mark appears in the bottom right hand corner of my computer screen and when it does, I can't get on to the internet. Why does this happen and is there anything that I can do to stop it from happening?" ..........more
asks Gerry from Malatya. The experts from The Internet Club say: the yellow triangle and explanation mark usually means that your computer hasn't not got an IP address from your Internet service provider.
In Northern Cyprus, most internet connections are provided wirelessly using a CPE (client premises equipment) usually fitted outside on the roof. This is connected to your computer via a cable into a POE (power over ethernet) adapter. When you switch on, your computer connects to your internet service provider's remote access point (base station) and requests an IP address (to allow it acccess to the internet.) If your computer doesn't receive an IP address, it receives an automatic (169.---.---.---) address from Windows and because this is not an IP address that has been handed out from your Internet service provider's server (your gateway to the Internet,) you can't get on to the Internet.
There can be a number of reasons for this:-
1. your ISP's server is not working or has stopped for some reason,
2. something has changed that is causing a problem with the security handshake between your computer/system and your ISP's server,
3. there is a break in connectivity somewhere beyond your CPE meaning that your computer/system can't connect to your ISP's server,
4. there is a problem with your computer/system that is stopping you from getting your IP address.
Turn off your computer, (if you have a wireless router, turn it off and on whilst your computer is switched off) check all cables and connections (unplug and re-plug them,) including the main power supply to your CPE and then switch your computer back on. As Windows loads, watch the two small computer screens in the bottom right hand corner of your screen. If switching the computer off and on and checking the cables has solved the problem, you will get an IP address and status will show "connected," if not, a small yellow dot will flash backwards and forwards for a while, whilst your system is trying to obtain an IP address. If it doesn't receive one, right click on the yellow triangle and select "disable" then click the Windows "Start" button, select "Control Panel" then "Network Connections." You will see an icon for your LAN (local area connection) saying "Disabled" - right click and select "Enable." Watch the icon in the bottom right hand corner to see if you obtain your IP address.
If all this fails, telephone your ISP and see if there is a general issue that is causing the problem.
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Cyprus Today Article...09-06-2007
Back to Power
"In our very first problem solver column, we answered a question relating to power supply problems. Recently, we have experienced an increase in the amount of power cuts and with this, an increase in the amount of reported computer hardware problems." ..........more To work faultlessly, your computer and the equipment that you use to connect to the Internet needs a constant, regulated power supply. There are limited safeguards built into all electrical devices but if your data is important, or you want to avoid down-time or costly repairs - protect your equipment!
Over recent weeks, we have all experienced regular power cuts. Sudden loss of power is bad enough. Let's say that your computer is left switched on and that Windows is set to retrieve automatic updates and during an update, there is a loss of power?
We have all turned on our computers to see a message that tells you that Windows was not closed down correctly but with power cuts, come periods of low voltage, power surges and ocassions when the power comes on and then goes off several times within a short period of time.
Your computer equipment may be able to handle isolated occurences but repetitive power anomilies over a prolonged period, eventually brings disaster! Loss of your operating system or data, or even worse, loss of hardware.
So, you switch on your computer as normal but nothing happens or, instead of Windows loading, the boot up process stops with a black or blue screen and a warning message or, you switch on your computer and Windows loads normally but you can't get onto the internet and a red cross appears over the network icon in the bottom right hand corner.
Who do you turn to for help? Who can you blame, or how will you react when told that power anomolies are the cause and that your equipment guarantee exempts them? In most cases, the equipment was probably purchased or brought from the UK in any event. Why take the risk? - protect your equipment! Power surge extension lead - £11, uninteruptable power supply - £55, voltage regulator - £66.
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Cyprus Today Article...16-06-2007
Red Cross - Yellow Triangle
"I read your articles recently about the "Red Cross" and "Yellow Triangle" and, although I can't get on to the Internet sometimes, I don't see either of the warning icons as you described them or the two small computer screens in the bottom right hand corner. Is there a setting that I can change to show the icons or receive the warnings when I haven't got an Internet connection?" ..........more
asks Kevin from Tatlisu. The experts at The Internet Club say: Click the Windows "Start" button, then select "Control Panel" (in older versions of Windows, you may have to select "Settings" first) In "Control Panel" make sure that you are in "Classic View" and not "Category View" (you change this on the left, near the top of your screen) select "Network Connections" and you will see your "Local Area Network" icon. Right click the icon and select "Properties" (a window opens called "Local Area Connection Properties.) Near the bottom of the window there are two check boxes "show icon in notification area when connected" and "notify me when this connection has limited or no connectivity" make sure that both of these check boxes contain a tick and then click "OK" The local area connection icon (the two small computer screens) will now appear in the bottom right hand corner of your screen and if you ever have a problem with your Internet connection, you will see the appropriate warning icon over the two computer screens. |
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Cyprus Today Article...23-06-2007
I can't get onto secure sites?
"Suddenly, I can't get onto secure sites (the ones with the "s" after "http") such as my banking site and any site that I have to enter a username and password that uses secure authentication. I can't understand why? In the past, I haven't had any problems! Can you help with any suggestions? ..........more"
asks Kerry of Ozankoy. The experts at the Internet Club say: If your problem happened suddenly (one day everything was OK and the next it wasn't) the problem may have been caused by a change to settings or a conflict between programs as a result of either, a download, or installation of new software. You may not have physically or knowingly downloaded or installed anything yourself. It may be the result of an automatic setting within Windows or another program, that is set to automatically check for updates or downloads.
Windows Service Pack 2 caused some issues concerning access to secure web sites. Some users got "Page Cannot Be Displayed" when trying to access secure sites. This issue could be being caused by a single setting/conflict or any number or a combination of settings.
1. Run your anti-virus software and remove any viruses or spyware.
2. Check Microsoft for any system patches that you may not have installed. In Internet Explorer, click "Tools" then "Windows Update."
3. Check whether your browser is set to access secure web sites by going to Verisign. You will be told whether your browser is 128-bit ready and whether you should install any critical fixes.
4. In Internet Explorer, click "Tools," "Internet Options" and "Advanced" then scroll to the bottom of list and make sure "Use SSL" and "Use TLS" options (all versions) are checked.
5. In Internet Explorer, click "Tools," "Internet Options" then the Security tab and select "Internet" and "Custom Level" and set to "Medium" or "Low"
6. Click on "Start," "Help," then "Undo changes to your computer with System Restore." Rolling back your computer to a date before the problem arose, may cure the problem.
7. Disconnect your wireless router (if you are using one) and connect the cable direct into your computer to determine whether the problem lies with your PC or not. If that solves the problem, check your router's manual to see if it can block or unblock certain ports. It's unlikely, but it may be configured to block port 443, which is used to make secure connections.
8. If you are running a firewall, disable it and try. Some software firewalls can also block port 443.
9. If you are still having problems visit Microsoft Support for information on how to repair or re-install Internet Explorer and Microsoft Support for how to troubleshoot problems accessing secure Web pages with Internet Explorer 6 Service Pack 2. |
