COI Tech Support

Updated June 2007

Common Tasks and Problems

[ Scandisk | Update Virus Definitions | Update Virus Subscription | Windows Updates | Spyware scan with Ad-Aware |  CD Backup | Mozilla Backup and moving a Profile | Block Junk E-mail in Mozilla | Leave Mail on Server |   |  MS Word Problem | Power Down Windows | Get more from your USB Key | Get a free calendar/event/task program |  FireFox Support and tutorial |  Thunderbird | Sync Palm and Thunderbird Addressbook |  Palm Resources |  Palm Support |

Scandisk

( Only on Win98 and WinME) Start> Programs> Accessories> System Tools> Scandisk. Usually select quick method. Select Thorough some times to do a more complete check of the hard drive (every two months or so). You don't really need to do Defrag very often. And Defrag will not fix problems like Scandisk does. So running Scandisk regularly is more important. Don't run Defrag if there are any problems on the disk.

Update Virus Definitions

Your virus software is only as good as your recent virus definitions updates. If the updates are over a month only, you are vulnerable. Most of the time NAV will update itself. But sometimes you have to manually download and install the latest definitions file. Open Norton Antivirus and check the date of the last virus definitions. If it is more than a week old, select the Live Update button in the lower right and follow the procedure to download the latest virus definitions. The date probably won't change until you restart.

Update Virus Subscription

When you update your antivirus annual subscription, you don't need to purchase new software. The subscription will work with the existing software. Be careful when updating from the web site that you do not purchase and download a new program. Although if you can not determine how to do that, buying the software is a better alternative then no protection at all.  Read this document on  how  to update  your NAV subscription. Your versions of  NAV might have a shortcut to updating the subscription too. Check and see.

Spyware scan with Ad-Aware

Spyware becomes more of a problem every day. More PC is running slower and strange things are happening. Read this document on how to scan and remove spyware with one of the more popular anti-spyware programs. Be aware, however, that no anti-spyware program catchers more then 80% or so of problem programs. So problems may still persist after apparently cleaning out the detected spyware. To reduce spyware, don't use Internet Explorer unless you have to. Use Mozilla or Firefox for web browsing. And don't click on a web link in an email message that you are unfamiliar with. Be careful of email that asks you to update, subscribe, or respond to a suspicious problem.

Windows Updates

From G4TV

Here's how to configure Windows XP to automatically download updates:

  1. Single-click the Start Menu and then the Control Panel.
  2. Single-click the Performance and Maintenance icon and then the System icon.
  3. On the System properties dialog, click the Automatic Updates tab.
  4. Click the radio button next to the text labeled "Download the updates automatically and notify me when they are ready to be installed."
  5. Click the Apply button.

The next time you're online and there happens to be an available update, you'll be prompted to install it.

CD Backup

Basically  with any  CD maker  software you are going to  first  select make a new CD. Select  a Data  CD, not  audio or  video. Then select all the files and/or folders that you want to copy. You can also select files that are on other computers over a local network. Those folders have to be set for sharing first, however. Set them up to be shared with a password. Then select the writing speed for the CD disk that you are using. A little slower speed will be more reliable. Then select write the CD.

 

Mozilla Profile Backup

Regularly empty the email trash and compact your folders.

Periodically copy your profile bookmarks and address books to a floppy or a USB key.


Block Junk E-mail in Mozilla and Thunderbird

If you want to use the junk mail controls, you will have to spend some time "training" these new spam blockers. These programs need to see a pattern emerge as to who you let through and who you consider junk. They will never be 100% correct. They only detect patterns based on your selections. And the more samples of your judgments they see, the better the spam controls get. You will have to check your Junk mail folder regularly to see if any "good" mail got sent there by mistake.

To remove mail from server or leave mail on server

In Mozilla and Thunderbird:


Launch your mail as usual. Open Mozilla, Window> Mail & Newsgroups

Select Edit menu> Mail & Newsgroup Account Settings

Select Server Settings

To leave mail on the mail server, check the box "Leave mail on server".

Now mail will stay on the server and you can read it later on other PCs.

To download email on that PC, uncheck the box "Leave mail on server".

Now email will be downloaded and removed from the server and you will not be able check it later on another PC.

Usually users set the work PC to download email, and their home PC to leave mail on the server. Therefore they can check email at home occasionally without leaving important messages at home on the PC. All important messages can only be downloaded at work.

If you work from home you would do the opposite and set the home PC to download email and the work PC to leave email on the server.

If  too much email fills up the server, then uncheck this box and download it on one of the PCs.

System Backup

Very good description and overview at Ahuka Communications


More Resources

7zip File Archiver Software  | Tucows  | NAV updates | Partition Tools |

MS Word problem with low system resources, Microsoft Knowledge Base Article - 307814

WD: Error Message: System Is Dangerously Low on Resources

The information in this article applies to:
  • Microsoft Word 2002
  • Microsoft Word 2000
  • Microsoft Word 97 for Windows
This article was previously published under Q307814

SYMPTOMS

When you use Microsoft Word or another program that uses Word as the default editor, Microsoft Word may stop responding (hang), or you may receive one of the following error messages:
Microsoft Word has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on might be lost.

Restart Microsoft Word

CAUSE

This behavior can occur if the default Word template (Normal.dot) is damaged.

RESOLUTION

NOTE: Because there are several versions of Microsoft Windows, the following steps may be different on your computer. If they are, see your product documentation to complete these steps.

***Basically, find the normal.dot file, rename it and restart. *****

To resolve this problem, rename your global template (Normal.dot). To do this, follow the steps for your version of Microsoft Windows.

Microsoft Windows XP:
  1. Quit all instances of Word, including Microsoft Outlook if Word is set as your e-mail editor.
  2. Click Start and then click Search.
  3. In the Search Results dialog box, under What do you want to search for?, click All files and folders.
  4. In the All or part of the file name box, type Normal.dot.
  5. In the Look in box, select your local hard disk (or an alternate user template location if you are running Word from a network server).
  6. Click Search to search for the file.
  7. For each occurrence of Normal.dot that appears in the Search Results dialog box, right-click the file. Click Rename on the shortcut menu. Type a new name for the file, such as OldNormal.dot or Normal-1.dot, and then press ENTER.
  8. On the File menu, click Close to close the Search program.
Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition (Me) or Microsoft Windows 2000:
  1. Quit all instances of Word. If you use Word as your e-mail editor, be sure to quit Microsoft Outlook also.
  2. Click Start, point to Search, and then click For Files or Folders.
  3. In the Search for Files or Folder Named box, type Normal.dot.
  4. In the Look in box, select your local hard disk (or an alternate user template location if you are running Word from a network server).
  5. Click Search Now to search for the file.
  6. For each occurrence of Normal.dot that appears in the Search Results window, right-click the file, and then click Rename on the menu that appears. Type a new name for the file, such as OldNormal.dot or Normal-1.dot, and then press ENTER.
  7. Close the Search Results window. Restart Word normally (without using the /a switch).
Microsoft Windows 95, Microsoft Windows 98, or Microsoft Windows NT 4.0:
  1. Quit all instances of Word. If you use Word as your e-mail editor, be sure to quit Microsoft Outlook also.
  2. Click Start, point to Find, and then click Files or Folders.
  3. In the Named box, type Normal.dot.
  4. In the Look in box, select your local hard disk (or an alternate user template location if you are running Word from a network server).
  5. Click Find Now to search for the file.
  6. For each occurrence of Normal.dot that appears in the Find dialog box, right-click the file, and then click Rename on the menu that appears. Type a new name for the file, such as OldNormal.dot or Normal-1.dot, and then press ENTER.
  7. Close the Find dialog box. Restart Word normally (without using the /a switch).
If Word starts correctly, you have resolved the problem. In this case, the problem is a damaged Normal.dot template. You may need to change a few settings to restore your favorite options.

If the Normal.dot file that you renamed contains customizations, such as styles, macros, or AutoText entries that cannot be easily recreated, you may be able to copy those customizations from the old Normal.dot file to the new Normal.dot file by using the Organizer.

For more information about using the Organizer in Word 2000 or Word 2002, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type using the Organizer in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

For more information about using the Organizer in Word 97, click Contents and Index on the Help menu, click the Index tab in Word Help, type the following text

using the organizer

and then double-click the selected text to go to the "Use settings from another document or template" topic. If you are unable to find the information you need, ask the Office Assistant.

MORE INFORMATION

More than one copy of Normal.dot may reside on your computer if multiple users are enabled, or if there are multiple installations of Word (for example, on different operating systems). It is important that you rename the correct copy of the Normal.dot template file.

Use the following path information to select the correct location and instance of Normal.dot:
  • Profiles enabled (multiple users use this computer and each user must use individual credentials to log on):

    drive letter:\Windows\Profiles\your user name\Application Data\Microsoft\Template

  • Profiles not enabled:

    drive letter:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates

To further narrow the search, use the following criteria:
    • Look at the time and date when the file was last modified. These variables should correspond to the time and date when the problem first occurred.
    • The size of the damaged file is often well in excess of 100 kilobytes (KB).

Power Down Windows

If Windows does not shutdown, try holding the Shift key when selecting Shut Down.

Windows power down automatically, Restarts instead of shutdown, When I choose Shutdown it hangs at Please Wait.

Performance: Performance tips,

Annoyances: Menu,  Folders don't remember settings, MS Word causes "low system resources", and see below.

Email

Configuring Your Email Client to Check A Mailbox

You can configure an email program such as Thunderbird or Mozilla to check a new mailbox's email account. Listed below are the basic server settings to configure your email program, plus a link to detailed step-by-step instructions for the most popular programs.

Name: Type the name, as you want it to appear next to your email address.

THUNDERBIRD SUPPORT

At this point you can now uninstall the Contacts Sidebar if you want - HotSyncing will still work.

SPYWARE

Here are sites that can identify processes that are spyware: Lavasoft's Adaware,  Audit my PC, Anti-Spy Info, Castle Cops,  Malicious software removal tool for XP,

Try Adaware, Spybot Search and Destroy, Bazooka, to remove spyware.

BURNING RIGHTS

Nero buring rights, ftp://ftp6.nero.com/NeroBurnRightsInstaller.exe
http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1053540001

GET MORE FROM YOUR USB KEY

You can run program from your USB key (thumb drive) so that any networked computer that you plug into becomes your personal computer (laptop). Download some useful, open-source programs from Portableapps.com, the website for programs that you can "take with you". Their motto is "Your Digital life, Anywhere". You can get Firefox for web browsing, Thunderbird for email, and Sunbird for your personal Calendar. Take your settings and configuration wherever you go on your USB key.

CALENDAR PROGRAM FOR FREE

Sunbird is a great, free calendar program that you can install on your PC, or your USB key and take with you. It will schedule events and tasks. See Portableapps.com for the latest version for USB keys. Check out the other free programs there too. You might be amazed at how much you can run from your USB key. You can also install these programs on your desktop PC.

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Get Toshiba driver for copier/printer

 Dell Factory Outlet | Computer Buying Guide | Software Outlet |

COI © 2001. Contact I. Rushing. v.6.0. Updated May 2007.


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