Ray Shaw's  Questions  &  Answers  ---  Page 30 22-1-09: Question: Every time I exit Outlook I get the following two messages: Network Connections - Cannot load dialog. Error 623: The system could not find the phone book entry for this connection; and Outlook Send/Receive Progress - 0 of 2 Tasks have completed successfully (displays my address - Sending and my address - Receiving in the detail) Answer: The first error is due to the PC trying to use a dial up connection - this could have been caused by using a 3G or dial up modem at some stage. To fix this problem open Internet Explorer, go to the Tools, Options, Connections Tab. If there are any listings in "Dial-up and Virtual Private Network settings" and you're not using them anymore, remove them. The last issue will probably be solved as well but if it persists check that you have the right email settings for your ISP. Question: I have a Dell Dimension 8200 2.4Ghz PC with 384MB PC800 (264+128). Can I upgrade this and how much should I get? Answer: It uses standard PC DDR2 RAM so you can buy it at most PC stores. Cost is about $25-35 per GB. It does not matter if you buy faster RAM - the system will compensate for it. You can't use more than 3GB so I suggest that you simply buy 2 x 1GB matched RAM and throw away the older RAM. Question: I am running XP SP3 and can access almost every newspaper in the world through Kidon Media-Link www.kidon.com/media-link without any problems, with the exception of "The Courier Mail". No matter how I go into The Courier Mail webpage (via Kidon, The Australian, News Corp, any way) I get an error message (Done but with errors on page). Answer: Try resetting Internet Explorers 6 (or 7) defaults. These are at Tools, Internet Options and on the Advanced and Programs Page. The Kidon link will be useful to readers wanting to access newspapers on line. Question: I'm trying to do a family slide show to give for Xmas. I'm using ULead Video Studio 9 SE DVD programme to arrange the photos and music. Although I can burn them with this programme, I prefer Nero SmartStart Essential. When I convert the file, Nero tells me I must use a DVD-R/RW disc, when all you can get in Australia is DVD+R/RW disks. Answer: DVD-R disks are actually the "standard" in DVD recordable disks and are available in Australia under the Sony, Imation, LG, Verbatim and Kodak brands. DVD+R disks are a little cheaper because they are not subject to the same royalty system and that is why they are on more shops shelves. However I suspect that you have Nero version 6 and earlier versions needed to be updated to recognise DVD-R disks. You may have to update the firmware of the DVD-ROM as well. Go to the manufacturer's web site for this. Question: I have an XP Media Centre Edition which I use to watch movies, TV and .AVI files. The PC randomly restarts - it does not seem to be time related. I've swapped the video card to one with an onboard fan to reduce heat. I've opened the case and put a desk fan on it. I've swapped the RAM in case it's a memory issue. None have fixed the issue. Answer: Random restarting, particularly in a WMCE environment is most likely heat related. Second culprit is memory issues but you have swapped that. Third culprit is power supply and the only way to check this is to borrow another supply (which may not be easy if the case is a Media Centre style case with a custom supply). XP MCE can also be problematic and I have seen random faults caused by software and driver updates, especially if you are using an ATI based video card. The only way you are going to get to the bottom of this is to eliminate items one at a time. If its not too painful try a clean install of XP Media Centre, load all the latest drivers then put the system back together (its not advisable to run a PC without the case on as hot spots can occur). Question: I am a company accountant and I travel a lot so I bought a Netbook (Intel N270 1.6GHz, 8.9" screen, 1GB, 16GB flash drive, weight 1Kg, cost $530) and I am really very unhappy. In order to install software and printer drivers I was forced to buy an external DVD-R/RW drive costing $200. Once I installed new Office 2007, MYOB, Nero Essentials, Canon drivers, Adobe Acrobat and Norton's 360 the netbook took nearly 9 minutes to load Windows and whilst it is doing a full antivirus scan was unusable. After that it was as slow as a wet Xmas. When I surf the net many web sites only display about 70% of the page on screen (I am told that this is something to do with the resolution being 600 DPI instead of the standard 768). It's a god awful machine to use, slow, cramped keyboard, too small a screen (for Excel anyway) poor wi-fi and the claimed 4 hours battery life is a joke - more like 1.5 hours maximum, less if using wi-fi. The store has offered to trade it in on the latest model (a 10.2" screen, 1GB, 16GB flash ram for an extra $500) but I don't feel confident that the netbook will do what I need to do. Answer: Intel have admitted that the Atom processor is not for everyone. It states "Great for Internet, these devices are an affordable option for education, photo and video viewing, social networking, voice over IP, e-mail, messaging, browsing, and numerous other Internet activities and basic applications". In short lousy for anything that requires heavy CPU, mathematical calculations or graphics power. Your point was also that it did not come with a DVD drive and the total cost of $730 was less than $100 off buying a low cost notebook which came with a DVD-R/RW, 2GB ram and a 160GB hard disk. The netbook is cheap (especially the 7" models) and cannot be considered a replacement for a business or even a student notebook or PC. Please note that I have not mentioned the brand of netbook because all brands use the same processor and all suffer accordingly. There are some good value notebooks under $2,000 (screen sizes 12-13") with none of the limitations of a netbook. Some even weigh less than 1.5KG - go for these. Question: As analogue TV will be phased out soon I will have to get a set top box and I have no idea about digital television. I have an LG widescreen TV and an LG DVD/VCR combo. How do these all go together? Answer: A DBV-T (digital broadcast video - terrestrial) set top box (STB) can range in cost from a single Standard Definition tuner (SD - well under $50) that receives digital versions of ABC, 7, 9, 10 and SBS) to a High Definition (HD) version that also receives the SD stations as well as the HD stations (cost from $100-200). Some more expensive STB's have dual tuners (to watch one station and record another), hard disk recorders, DVD players/recorders, USB ports, Ethernet ports etc. In practice the TV signal comes from your standard aerial (as usual) and goes first into the STB. The STB then provides an Audio/Video (AV) out feed via either SCART, Composite, AV, S-VHS or HDMI cables to the AV input sockets on your DVD/VCR Combo. The Combo recorder then uses the same cables it has used to connect to your TV set so it is not hard to set up. You will no longer use your existing analogue tuners in the LG or Combo - instead the Combo is set up to receive on its AV channel from the STB and TV on its AV channel (not its program channels) from the Combo. You control what you see via the STB remote control, not the other devices. If your existing CRT/LCD/Plasma TV's has an AV input socket it will display SD digital TV broadcasts (about 480 lines minimum or 720 x 486 resolution) and the picture, being digital will be appreciably better (no ghosting or snow to start with). Many existing TVs will not display HD resolution (720 lines of resolution or greater i.e. 1024x768, 1280×1024, 1920x1080 with refresh rates from 50 to 200Hz). A 50Hz system scans (refreshes) at 50 frames per second etc. The faster the refresh rate the better the picture quality. If you are buying an STB go for the HD version as it will do SD anyway and will be more future proof as it will have an HDMI output for your next TV or DVD recorder. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7-2-09:                    Question: Why are automobile GPS so much cheaper than a Marine GPS? Don't they use the same satellite system? Answer: Marine GPS use similar electronic circuitry to any other GPS but they are designed for use aboard marine vessels requiring a rugged waterproof design, able to use a less consistent power supply and may also need to float. Marine GPS devices often include both onshore and offshore maps (at extra cost), chart-plotting functions, and a screen that's clearly visible in harsh conditions. As for the price difference it is all about economy of scale and cost of maps. TomTom for example manufacture hundreds of thousands units per month and use standard lower cost road maps. Any GPS however can calculate your latitude, longitude, speed and distance above sea level - it is just what you do with that information that's counts. Question: I have XP and contemplating buying a Mac as I am told it is easier to use than Windows Vista which has "problems". I only need Office and internet access - nothing more. Answer: Vista is not a problem on a new PC. I have been using it since mid 2007 without a hitch and would not go back to XP. It is faster, more feature rich and more secure. It only has issues if you try to install it on an older PC as you must have the right drivers for everything. Yes there is a slight learning curve going from XP to Vista but not nearly as much as going from XP to Mac OSX. A Mac will do the job and Office and internet are not too different but Macs and their software are usually more expensive than Windows. Stick to a Windows PC or notebook as the additional cost of Mac for what you do won't justify the move. Question: I have an Acer Veriton 5500 PC XP, P4 1.6GHz, 512Mb PC2100 Ram. I would like to increase the Ram using 2x1Gb DDR2 sticks. Answer: You cannot use DDR2 ram - you will need to buy the older DDR PC2100, PC2700 or PC3200 ram. If you buy two matched sticks of the same speed you should not have any problems. Question: I receive daily spam which appears to be sent from my email address to my email address. Subject recently has been "Your order status". I am requested to click a window to open a website. I delete it. I have entered my email address in the blocked senders list, to no avail.  Can you suggest any solutions? Answer: Never, repeat never, respond to spam - it merely alerts the sender that your address is live and they can sell it to other spammers for more. The email you mentioned can install a Trojan virus/malware on your system if you go to the web site so please ensure that your Anti-virus and Anti-spyware is up to date. If you are in doubt run an on-line scan from http://housecall.trendmicro.com/au/ or http://www.kaspersky.com/virusscanner. Using Block senders probably won't work as your address has been spoofed. Setting up a rule on Outlook/Express to reject that email may work best. Question: I received a new Dell notebook, Vista and a built-in NextG wireless broadband card.  I have been unable to connect to the Bigpond site (with this or using my old NextG Modem). Telstra suggested it may be a Dell issue and I have made numerous calls and emails to Dell Tech Support and have had NO RESPONSE. You can imagine the frustration. Apart from the woeful after sales support, I am at a loss as to resolving the issue. Answer: Welcome to "Dell Hell" - may this be your last experience with them. It sounds like a firewall issue blocking the modem. Turn it off (just this once) to check if that works. If that does not work I suggest that you back up your data and do a clean Vista install on the Dell. Then install the Telstra driver/software before anything else then install the AV software etc. Question: We installed SPAMFIGHTER (free version) on our system and we haven't had any spam for probably 6 months.  Answer: Spamfighter is OK but the free version is simply there to try and get you to buy the paid version and I don't really support that. See the differences at http://www.spamfighter.com/Payment_Group_List.asp. In addition it does not appear to stopping spam early enough - you are still downloading from your ISP to your PC. That is why I recommend Mailwasher (free or Paid) as it allows you to reject spam before you download it from your ISP. http://www.mailwasher.net/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Back to: HOME   Back to: Computers  Back to: Ray Shaw (29)    Forward to: Ray Shaw (31)