Questions and Answers
SPCUG Answer Guys
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Questions and Answers
Here are highlights from recent Q&A sessions. Questions and responses have been edited for clarity and correctness.
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GENERAL COMPUTING
Q: I have a hard time explaining this to others because I don't understand it myself. When we're talking in computer terms, what is a page?
A: On Intel systems the memory space addressable by the CPU is divided up into virtual pages of 4K bytes per page. The operating system manages the mapping of 4K pages of real RAM to the virtual memory pages being used by itself and the application programs. The operating system swaps pages between the RAM and the "swap file" so that the running applications can address the code and data they need, at the time, while leaving relatively unused pages in the "swap file." Since the swap file has more 4K chunks of space than your RAM (again, usually), you can run more programs than your actual physical RAM can hold.
Q: My computer has a memory leak. How do I find it and fix it?
A: A "memory leak" is when a program or driver asks the operating system for a temporary allocation of more memory, uses it for whatever purpose, but then, when finished, does not properly, if at all, tell the operating system to take it back. These unreturned memory allocations add up until the operating system says there is nothing left to give. Several utilities can help you locate the offending program or driver. Try Sandra, a collection of system-level monitors and utilities (shareware: $29), to help you track down that memory leak.
Q: Is there an easy way to remove the "Documents" and "Favorites" items from the Start Button menu?
A: Take a look at SMCE, the Start Menu Console Editor, available from Software Syntax BBS Software. It is shareware: $10.
Q: I am preparing math material and I need to find either software with math fonts or math fonts that I can load into my PC.
A: The two solutions that come quickly to mind are Design Science's Mathtype 4.0 and the text publishing language TeX. The first, Mathtype 4, is free to evaluate for a limited time and installs several font sets. Hooks are placed into Microsoft Office which allow Mathtype 4 to be called instead of Equation Editor 3.0, the program included with Office. (In fact, the same company wrote both programs. EE3 occasionaly asks if you want more information about upgrading to MT4.) MT4 is very complete in its abilities to write equations and paste them into any of the widely used word processors or to create stand alone graphic images.
TeX was developed, and is constantly being improved, as a typesetting language. Just as HTML is a formatting language for Web pages, TeX is a formatting language for the printed page, typically academic textbooks. Many implementations of TeX are free, as are a number of extensions such as SciTeXt.
While trying to find the homepage of LaTeX, other search hits included MathMonarch and Powermath, which was very expensive, dongle protected, and for the MacIntosh, but their site has free fonts which might be IBM-compatible. TeX and LaTeX are free. There are numerous technical sources on the Web such as Emory and PCTeX. You might also try getting this True-Type font.
There are other applications that do more than what you asked: Mathcad, Euler (free), Maple, Mathematica, just to name a few number-crunching publishing applications.
Q: I need a new computer. Is there anything I should be aware of specifically?
A: The features listed for a typical $1500 system do not cause me any great concern except for these three items-the modem, the install CD, and customer service:
- Modem:
- Insist on a full, hardware-based modem (DSP), not a Winmodem-style software-based modem (HSP). The difference in cost should not be more than about $20. If the sales rep doesn't know what you are referring to, hang up the phone, or leave the store immediately. Software-based modems are an evil scourge foisted upon us by the same type of people as used-car salesmen.
- Installation CD:
- Should you (or someone you hire) ever have the need to perform 'measures of last resort', you must have the capability to restore the machine to its original software complement.
- Customer service:
- Choose a computer built by a company who can provide you with the services you might need: (1) a 'no questions asked' return or upgrade policy; and (2) tech support that won't keep you on hold for hours and can provide immediate low-cost, if not totally free, intelligent, well-thought-out answers. Generally speaking, Dell, Gateway, and all of Sacra Blue's advertisers fall into this category. However, each company, no matter how large or small, will have their occasional unresolved problems. Compaq, Packard Bell, Hewlett Packard, eMachines and other 'free' systems generally do not provide excellent customer service or the install CD.
Q: I have a friend who is coming to the U.S. next year. She is going to buy a laptop in Japan because she is concerned that. U.S. computers will not handle Japanese software. Are Japanese-made computers different than ours?
A: There are three situations where a language difference could occur:
- The User's Manual
- The Computer's BIOS Setup screen
- The Video Card's BIOS boot message (which you rarely see)
None of these will cause a computer to be unusable in a foreign country. The only item commonly shipped with a computer that is country specific is the pre-loaded operating system (typically Microsoft WINDOWS). Some software distributed in the US/Canada expects to run on US/Canadian versions of the operating system. Some software distributed in Japan expects to run on Japanese versions of the operating system. The vast majority of software packages don't care.
However, be advised that some software cannot legally be brought into the U.S. because of licensing and/or copyright restrictions. Also, modern computer equipment have dual capabilities incorporated into the hardware such as video cards with TV input/output circuits that understand both PAL and NTSC. Some also have power supplies accepting both 117/60 and 220/50 main power. Laptops may have a problem with the power adapter. The owner of the Japanese laptop will probably have to buy a power main-plug adapter to fit standard U.S. wall sockets.
COMMUNICATIONS
Q: When I visit a 'secure' Web site, what makes it secure?
A: An agreed upon protocol is started whenever your browser visits a site beginning with https:// (note the 's'). The Web site ('server') and the browser ('client') initially talk to each other and agree to use a randomly generated 'keyword.' A complicated encryption algorithm uses this keyword to scramble the data while in transit. Even if you then go to some other Web site and later return to that same secure site, a new keyword is generated. (Here is the nitty-gritty explanation.)
Q: With regard to SPAM, when I send a reply demanding that my name be removed, invariably I get a notice saying the e-mail address is invalid. Is it legal to use e-mail addresses that don't exist?
A: There is Federal legislation that requires 'unsolicited commercial e-mail' (UCE, a.k.a. SPAM) originating in the U.S. to follow certain requirements: there must be a statement included in the message identifying it as SPAM; the sender's e-mail address must be valid; and the sender must comply with 'remove me' requests. Practically speaking, the legislation is unenforceable. Spammers outside the U.S. couldn't care less. For other Internet traffic, Usenet newsgroup articles for example, the author's e-mail address is routinely and not illegally 'munged' (e.g., meNO@SPAMisp.com).
SOFTWARE
Q: Why does Windows 98 say "VMM32.VXD Missing or is Unable to Load"?
A: Microsoft has a solution related to a bad driver file for UMAX scanners. If this is your situation, put a comma in front of the line with UMAXIS11.386 in the SYSTEM.INI file until you get the patch from UMAX.
Q: There is a little feature of Office 2000 that Microsoft didn't tell us about. Every time you reboot after you have Office 2000 installed, you get two temporary files put in your WINDOWS directory. The more you reboot the more you get as they are not automatically deleted. These files are about thirty characters long, so you can't miss them. They are all labeled as .TMP files. I talked to Microsoft but they don't' have a solution. The Windows 98 cleanup utility doesn't get rid of them. I even tried putting a SET TEMP in the AUTOEXEC.BAT but it didn't work. Any ideas?
A: Cleansweep will take care of that.
A: There are some pretty nice cleanup utilities that you can configure to delete most anything out there. But, be careful. I had a client who purchased one and had set it to delete her WINDOWS directory the next time she booted. It wouldn't boot anymore.
Q: After recently installing Microsoft Office 2000, I could not find my fax program again. I used to go to File, Printer, (Print or Fax). My Fax program, which was in the printer location, is not there. How can I find my Fax program again and install it.
A: Re-install your fax software. The original fax installation hooked into key locations within the operating system and the prior word processor (if there was one). Office 2000 might not permit the same hookup method. If your system was bundled with software and you do not have the individual applications' installation disks, you might need to contact the computer's customer support to learn how to reinstall selected apps from the emergency recovery CD-ROM (if there is one).
If, at the same time you installed Office 2000, you also installed Windows 98, be advised that W98 does not include MS-Fax as a standard installation item. To reinstall MS Fax in W95, W98, or W98SE, check out this Microsoft Support page.
Q: I would like to know if I can program Visual Basic to make the PC speaker play a short series of notes.
A: Be aware that using the PC speaker is CPU intensive. Everything else that might be going on will take a drastic performance hit. The PC speaker is accessible via direct port (memory address) manipulation. Windows does not have an API call for the speaker. Search VBCode for "sound". In the list of files returned, download SOUNDTAB.ZIP.
HARDWARE
Q: My H-P USB scanner will no longer talk to my graphics applications when I begin the 'aquire' process.
A: Logitech has information that may relate to Hewlett-Packard scanners but refers specifically to their products and their drivers that get overwritten during a Windows 98SE upgrade.
Q: My laptop has one PS/2 style connector that will take either a mouse or keyboard. Is there a way to connect both at the same time?
A: Yes. A PS/2 Y-adapter will permit both a mouse and a keyboard to connect to the laptop. Due to the nature of PS/2 connections, you must have these peripherals connected before you turn on the computer. Also, you should not disconnect or reconnect them while the computer is on. Doing so will lock up both the external and the laptop's internal keyboards and cause the mouse to behave erratically, if it responds at all.
Q: I have a Toshiba laptop (465CDX) that came with Windows 95 pre-loaded and has never been updated. Once in a while, Windows will not shut down. I get to the message, "Please wait while Windows shuts down", but it never does. This condition occurs about 2-3 times a week.
A: Barring any specific peculiarity with Toshiba machines, my experience says a program (or a part of a program) is not terminating when Windows 95 tells it to. Before you begin the shutdown process, press the Ctrl-Alt-Delete keys simultaneously and a window will pop up. Write down all the programs that show up in the displayed list. Then go ahead and shutdown. If the computer shuts down, this list will be the "baseline" list. For the next few dozen times (or until you find the culprit), whenever you plan to shutdown, compare this baseline list with the programs currently listed in the window [Ed.: you bring up this "Task Window" by pressing the Ctrl-Alt-Delete key sequence]. If any additional programs are there, consider them suspect until you verify that even with these programs running, the computer shuts down normally. Those additional programs can be added to your baseline list. Eventually, you should stumble across the program that is preventing Windows 95 from shutting down.
Also, do you have any of the Norton products installed and operating? Specifically, Norton Antivirus from the Norton Desktop 3.0 for Windows? There have been reports that many Norton products and several other anti-virus products cause this kind of problem.
You might also want to visit this URL (you might need to "allow cookies").
Q: My Logitech mouse driver loads a program and puts it on the task bar. I can terminate the task without effecting the mouse functions. How do I permanently make the program stop loading?
A: There are eight locations where Windows 95 can be told to load a program. You must look at all eight to find the name of the file being loaded and edit the location(s) as appropriate. If the mouse installation program works like most others, it probably created its own subdirectory-- C:\MOUSE, C:\LOGITECH or similar.
- 1. CONFIG.SYS:
- This is a text file that lists device drivers that Windows should load into memory. Items here usually are not programs that end up on the task bar. But look for anything ending in .COM or .EXE that makes you think it might have something to do with the mouse. This file is at C:\ and in Windows 95+, it might not be present.
- 2. AUTOEXEC.BAT:
- This is a text file that lists settings and programs that Windows should use and run. Items here could be programs that cause a button to be put on the task bar. This file is at C:\ and in Windows 95+, it might not be present.
- 3. WIN.INI:
- This is a text file that lists programs and settings that Windows and certain other programs still use for compatibility reasons. The mouse program will probably not be here but look anyway. This file is where the main Windows executable is, typically C:\WINDOWS.
- 4. SYSTEM.INI:
- This is a text file that lists programs, drivers and settings that Windows and certain other programs still use for compatibility reasons. The mouse program could be here on a line under the [boot] section that reads 'mouse.drv=something'. This file is where the main WINDOWS executable is, typically C:\WINDOWS.
- 5. STARTUP:
- Shortcuts in this sub-directory point to programs that Windows should start after booting. To list the contents of this folder, click Start, Programs, Startup.
- 6. CU\Software\MS\Win\CV\Runonce:
- This registry keyname (highly abbreviated) contains names of programs that should be executed the next time Windows boots. Once the updates occur, this keyname should then be empty. The mouse program should not be here.
- 7. HLM\Software\MS\Win\CV\Run:
- This registry keyname contains names of programs that should be executed when Windows boots. Their icons could be placed on the task bar or in the system tray (where the time is displayed).
- 8. HLM\Software\Win\CV\RunServices:
- This registry keyname contains names of programs that should be executed as background tasks. Their icons are usually placed in the system tray.
To block Windows from acting upon a statement in location 1 or 2, use NotePad to type the word REM at the beginning of the statement, then save the file. To block Windows from acting upon a statement in location 3 or 4, use NotePad to put a semicolon character at the beginning of the statement, then save the file. To remove entries in location 5, click Start, Settings, Task Bar, the 'Start Menu' tab, Advanced, then in the left pane, navigate to the StartUp folder, right-click on the shortcut, select Cut, then in the right pane, right-click on Accessories, and select Paste. Accessories is a convenient place to keep this shortcut if you need it later. To block Windows from acting upon entries in locations 6-8, you must seek the advice of a knowledgeable person who can edit the registry without causing additional problems.
Q: I just converted my Epson 3260 printer to color with the Epson upgrade color package Version 2.10. However, everything still prints in black & white. The color ribbon moves up and down but not at the print head. Is there something missing?
A: I have not been able to find any technical schematics or illustrations of the Epson Action Printer 3260 (no big surprise), so I am going to discuss the Epson LQ-2550 24-pin impact printer with color capability. I can force the printer to print black-only by either of two methods: a control panel setting and the printer driver's settings page. The printer driver, of course, overrides any control panel setting. Make sure the ribbon cartridge is securely attached to its cradle.
Click on My Computer, Printers, right-click on the AP-3260 and select Properties. Then click the Color... button on the Graphics tab. Make sure that "Print in Black and White Only" is unchecked. Click OK. Then click the "Print Test Page" on the General tab.
When the printer is printing, the Windows driver cycles the cartridge (raises and lowers the ribbon at the print head) through the four different colors of the ribbon for each line of print. If this is happening, then the hardware is working right, the driver is working right, but the graphics application might not be set correctly. There might also be a switch inside the printer or a front panel setting that needs attention.
Q: I purchased an Epson 440 Color Stylus printer and found that after printing less than 50 pages the black ink cartridge shows almost empty and the color cartridge is half empty.
A: Of course, cartridge life depends strictly on how much ink is put onto each page. Artwork uses a lot more ink than a page of printed material. Epson CS models monitor the amount of data received and guess-timate how much ink was required to print the documents. The CS models can (and, based on my experiences, do) indicate incorrectly the amount of ink remaining in the cartridge. Let me restate: the Color Stylus models guess, based on the print job data sent by the computer, how much ink has been consumed.
R: I complained that the printer was using too much ink and that based on the price of the cartridge, it was costing 50 cents a page whereas Epson shows the specifications as 5 cents a page.
A: With respect to the 'miles-per-gallon' figure stipulated on new car price stickers, your actual mileage may vary depending on your driving habits (and other conditions). The figure is based on an average consumption rate for an average driver. When I was experimenting with my Epson Stylus Color 600, I ran the cartridges dry in two days. I was printing whole pages of artwork experimenting with the photo-quality super-slick glossy papers. I printed much less than 50 pages. I don't think it was as much a case of 'short-fill' cartridges as it was exuberance at printing images whose quality was incomparable to the dot-matrix printers I used before.
(By the way, the Stylus Color uses variable ink dot technology which means that at the highest print resolution, less ink is used than at the lowest resolution. The image quality is highly dependent on the paper used.)
R: I was informed by [the store's] assistant manager that cartridges provided with a new printer have "short loads" of ink, designed to run out quickly so that you have to go back and buy a "regular" cartridge soon after.
A: I have no conclusion to this theory. I would have to obtain an unused cartridge straight from the printer's box, a separate replacement cartridge, and weigh the two. But there is no way the printer can tell the difference between the cartridge shipped with the printer and a replacement cartridge. I would also take into account that the first cartridge installed needs to fill the print head channels, something replacement cartridges don't have to do. How much ink is required to fill the channel, I do not know, but I feel it is an insignificant percentage. However, forcing the printer to go through 'cleaning cycles' will waste significant amounts of ink. For additional information, you might want to peruse the Usenet newsgroup comp.periphs.printers. You will find numerous discussions on the many and varied aspects of printers and printing.
Q: I get an 'Out of paper' message on my Epson 600 print spooler and the printer's red 'Out of paper' light goes on and stays on. I can detect no paper jammed anywhere. When I look where the paper should be feeding in, there are two sled-like gadgets that are as far up toward the front of the printer as they will go.
A: The Epson 600 does not report an out-of-paper condition right away. At the bottom of the sleds are 'resting platforms', white on the left, black on the right, where the bottom edge of the paper rests. The bottoms should actually be depressed toward the back of the printer. A white cam at the extreme left edge of a black x-shaped shaft keeps the sleds pushed away from rakes. When the printer wants to feed a sheet, it will rotate the shaft so that the cam will let the sleds spring forward. Then the grippers, buried inside the rakes, move one sheet of paper off the stack. Put the printer through a cleaning cycle. That should also reset the paper feed mechanism to its normal standby mode.
If the red indicator light comes on immediately, there may be a hardware failure or, if there is a scanner sharing the printer port, confusion on the signal lines.
Q: I have had a problem resulting from daisy-chaining a printer through a Visioneer Scanner. I get a distorted incomplete image. I can eliminate this problem by connecting directly to the computer. When daisy-chained, the printer made funny noises and seemed to shake slightly.
A: Many instances occur where a 'talking' device, such as a scanner, when in-line with a printer, will misinterpret data intended for the printer as a command for itself and begin 'responding.' Or vice versa. The result is 'bus contention,' causing data to become corrupted, garbage to be printed, and images incomplete. Some of this garbage may include printer commands that activate functions and features not normally encountered in such sequences. The best solution is to add a second parallel card to your computer and dedicate the scanner to it.
SYSTEM PROTECTION
Q: I have DSL and modem software with firewall protection built in to it. It can even limit the IP addresses. Is that enough protection?
A: You can go to the Gibson Research Web page and click on the Shields icon at the top of the page. The program attempts to hack into your computer to tell you how vulnerable your particular system might be.
Some of you may remember the BeadleNet presentation we had a couple of months ago on their little device that did the firewall for DSL and for cable modems. I called Olivier, who did the presentation, to order one of his firewall devices ($390) after finding that the five DSL-connected systems in my office were wide open.
I called PacBell about the problem of being wide open and was told it was not their problem. I was just curious about what they had to say as an ISP. They didn't say much, just that it's your DSL line and that's it. I contacted another company, which shall remain nameless, that offers DSL lines to a number of my business clients. They told me I did not have anything to worry about. I humbly disagree.
For those of you who have DSL or cable, I strongly suggest you run the test yourself and look into software or hardware fixes. There is stuff out there. If you go out to some of the crackers' Web sites, that would just put a good scare into you. Your computer is wide open and they could be into your system the same day you get your DSL line.
A: Any time you have a static IP address, a single IP that is assigned to your computer and is the same address every time you connect to the Internet, the crackers are eventually going to find it. [Hackers are the good guys and crackers are the bad guys.] All they have to do is keep trying until they find a box that is wide open, usually a Windows 98 or NT machine.
A: It is not just that there are crackers out there, it's that they have computers with automatic scanner programs that scan through thousands of IP addresses, the equivalent of a small country, in a few hours!
A: One thing to note about hardware and software solutions for firewalls is that even though they are an implementation, they may not, by default, have blocked all the different port numbers. There are a myriad of port numbers for different things within the Internet and you may find that the software or hardware packages have one or more doors open by default that you need to slam shut. So, be careful! Even some of the operating systems, NT, LINUX, or any else, have certain defaults and certain default passwords assigned to some operations. For example, if you buy LINUX or some Unix, you have a lot of root privileges that are based on some passwords that you need to go out and change. Some of those software packages check to see if those default passwords have been changed.
A: I suspect that more and more computers are going to be coming with some kind of firewall built in. I am very disappointed at the number of Internet providers in town who provide high-speed access and do not think any of us have anything to worry about. That concerns me greatly. This time next year I venture to say quite a few of us will have high-speed access lines and hopefully some of those providers will be savvy enough to provide you with the protection you need.
Q: I do not have much in the way of protection on my computer. The system is on when I am not there but I throw a switch and physically disconnect it. The modem is no longer plugged into the wall. Can that be done with DSL or do you lose something at the other end?
A: That's a good question. Can you simply pull your DSL line away from the DSL modem and therefore not be connected? I would have to say 'yes'. I do not see why not. In an office like mine, with five people, I could come in the morning, connect the line, and we're ready to go. When the computer is not on, no one can get in. My concern would be that the line is so fast and your hard drive is often chuckling away for no apparent reason anyhow, that people could be getting into your system without your knowing it. Someone could even get in and format your drive without your being aware.
I do not think the home end user has a whole lot to worry about. But small business owners like myself, that retain client lists and credit card numbers and who knows what else, should be concerned. I never had to consider it before, but I have client information that I would never want to share. All of a sudden I have to start worrying about it because I now have an open line to the rest of the world. That's why I did not hesitate to buy a hardware firewall. I considered the software solution, but I didn't feel comfortable with it though it may solve the problem. I'm a hardware sort of guy and hardware always seems to be the ultimate answer.
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