Dave "Bytes"

Please remember to use your thinker, before you tinker!

May 30, 2005

A Periodic Newsletter for the Members of the Sarasota PC User Group and the World!!

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Let's Start Off With A Windows Tip

How to Find out What Programs are Installed on your Computer

Here's an easy way to get a list of all the Microsoft programs that are installed on your computer:

Click Start | Help and Support.
In the left column of the Help and Support window, under Pick a Help Topic, click Windows basics.
In the left pane, click to expand Core Windows tasks.
Click Searching for information.
In the right pane, under Pick a task, click Get information about your computer.
In the right pane, under What do you want to do?, click View a list of Microsoft software installed on this computer.

The list can be copied and pasted into another document.

BITS

BYTES

Every
Thursday
at
6:00 pm

WLSS Radio
am930

June 2, 2005

Combating Spyware with
CounterSpy Product Manager Phil Owens

Clicking on Dave will take you to the

"Bits & Bytes"

site where you can listen to the most recent broadcast

Listen "LIVE" on the Internet!

My Tech Support Call To Leo LaPorte, The "Tech Guy"

Dave in Sarasota, FL - Error 1606: can’t install or uninstall programs

Dave is the host of a computer talk show on WLSS in Florida. He also has an electronic newsletter from www.davebytes.com. His Windows XP system can no longer install or uninstall software. He gets an Error 1606. Could not access network location message whenever he tries to install. This is caused by an error in the Windows installer. Somehow it modified the file paths for your install directories and it can’t continue. There are several ways to fix this. The easiest is to use TweakUI and fix the special folder locations on your system. Microsoft also has a Windows Installer repair program that can help. Read their tech note on this error for more information. The wonderful Windows Knowlege Base is very useful for these kinds of problems, but their search engine isn’t the best. I use Google to perform the search by adding site:microsoft.com to the search terms.

The "Bytes" Beg, Bargain & Barter Basement

Got something "computer related" to sell? Looking for that rare peripheral? If it's computer related you can submit a short classified ad for exposure in Dave "Bytes". Be sure to include your name and e-mail address in the ad. You can also include a picture of the item. Now some would suggest that there be a charge for this feature but alas, since my bookkeeping skills leave much to be desired I've determined that this will be a free service to all SPCUG members in good standing. "Bytes" is currently sent to almost 1500 homes in the area. Ad requests will be included as soon as possible. I assume absolutely no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of supplied info. All transactions are between consulting adults which leaves me entirely off the hook. Please let me know by clicking HERE when your merchandise is sold so that I can remove it from the listing. I will try to run each ad for a month.

Click Here To Submit Your Ad

All in excellent working condition. All in original boxes.

Hp 5370cxi color scanner w/ slide attachment $20

Hp DeskJet 932c color inkjet printer $20

Brother intelliFAX 770 stand alone fax $15

Or take them all for $30

Call Allan 360-8074

While Wandering The Web

Dropload is a place for you to drop your files off and have them picked up by someone else at a later time.
Recipients you specify are sent an email with instructions on how to download the file. Files are removed from the system after 7 days, regardless if they have been picked up or not.
You can upload any type of file, mp3, movies, docs, pdfs, up to 100MB each!
Recipients can be anyone with an email address

Click the logo to visit

Here's A Quicken Tip

Suppose that one afternoon, you're wondering what the mortgage payment is on one of those gigantic estates; the Quicken Loan Calculator can help.
You know those estates -- the ones with a house that is tens of thousands of square feet, has acres of grounds, cottages for the domestic help, a full-size basketball court, stables, pool house, and so on

To calculate what you would pay on a 30-year, $5,000,000 mortgage if the money costs 7 percent, follow these steps in Quicken:

Choose Planning, Financial Calculators, Loan to display the Loan Calculator dialog box.

Move the cursor to the Loan Amount text box and enter the loan amount.

Enter the annual interest rate in the Annual Interest Rate text box.

Move the cursor to the Number of Years text box and enter the number of years you want to take to repay the loan.

Indicate how many loan payments you plan to make a year in the Periods Per Year text box. For example, if you want to make monthly payments, type 12.

Quicken calculates the loan payment and displays the amount in the Payment Per Period field.

To get more information on the loan payments, interest and principal portions of payments, and outstanding loan balances, click the Schedule button, which appears on the face of the Loan Calculator dialog box. Quicken whips up a quick loan amortization schedule showing all this stuff.

Here's A "Neat Net Trick"

Click the Smart Computing Banner to Subscribe

(be sure to choose the Sarasota PC Users Group where asked)

Keep Your Mouse Clean

Particularly if you have a mechanical mouse, keeping it clean can make a significant difference in your mousing experience. If your mechanical mouse does not move when you think it should or it starts to move irregularly, check for a dirty mouse ball. A panel on the bottom of most mice twists off to free the mouse ball. Inside the mouse, after your remove the panel and the mouse ball, you'll find two or three rollers, the number and design depending on the brand and model. When the mouse ball rotates due to mouse movement, the relative movement of these two rollers determines the mouse pointer position on-screen. With the mouse ball removed, use a plain pencil eraser to remove built-up dirt. While you have the mouse open, look inside to see if there are any noticeable foreign particles. Remove any you see. After you clean the ball and put the mouse back together, test it to see if you've solved the problem. If not, possibly something is damaged inside the mouse, in which case it's time to buy a new mouse. Optical mice can get dirty, as well, but returning them to full accuracy is usually as simple as wiping the dust and debris away from the optical lenses on their undersides. If your mouse needs cleaning often, it's time to look at your desk or workplace. A mechanical mouse usually only gets dirty to the point of interfering with smooth operation if the surface on which you are using it is dirty. Things such as dried spilled liquids, dust, cigarette ashes, and food particles can quickly turn an otherwise free-rolling mouse ball into a sticky glob.

"Reprinted with permission from Smart Computing. Visit http://www.smartcomputing.com/groups to learn what Smart Computing can do for you and your user group!"

While Wandering The Web Part II

The Process Library

The free online knowledge website that describes fully the processes running on computers to provide an invaluable security service to millions of users worldwide.
Deep in the recesses of any computer, innumerable processes are running silently in the background.
Some hog system resources, drastically slowing computers down; others harbor spyware and Trojans violating privacy and giving hackers free reign on compromised systems.
Processlibrary.com is a free online resource for anyone who immediately wants to know the exact nature and purpose of every single process. This popular easy-to-use service is provided free-of-charge by Uniblue Systems. Developed from the information feature of the award-winning WinTasks, the process library has proved crucial to anyone who uses computers.
Written in plain English, Processlibrary.com gives you immediate access to an extensive online database of comprehensive process description to help you understand what is truly running on your computer invisibly, in the background. The explanations are accompanied by exhaustive advice on whether you should terminate processes or leave them untouched.
With over 2500 unique process and dynamic link library file definitions proceslibrary.com will enable you to identify:

• Unnecessary processes such as residual processes from uninstalled programs (e.g. such as schedulers or audio players) that are harmless to your system. However, they impede the stable operation of your computer and result in slow downs and eventual crashes. With this information you can take the necessary action to improve performance of your system.

• Processes that are harmful and constitute a security threat. Reports show that 90% of computers are infected by background processes that pose a direct threat to system security, data integrity and personal privacy while compromising the performance of your computer.
Attacks come in the form of spyware, adware, keyloggers, viruses, trojans and worms. The detailed process definitions and advice provide you with the information you need just by performing a simple online search.

• Legitimate processes that are crucial to the operation of the system.
Processlibrary.com gives you a clear and comprehensive description of each process including its author, role and function. It advises that the program is important for the stable and secure running of the system and that it should not be terminated. Processlibrary.com also notes whether there exists malware with the same or similar process name. In addition, Processlibrary.com suggesting sites and products that help eliminate threats.
All information given on the site is updated regularly on a weekly basis and during May will be increased by 500 new definitions and explanations.
With millions of page views every month and 300,000 individual searches every day, Processlibrary.com has grown to become the primary reference point for anyone who needs comprehensive information on the process running on any computer. Process definitions are featured on a large number of affiliate sites and in USA Today, Yahoo! and The Washington Post.

Processlibrary.com is truly an invaluable easy to use online knowledge resource that provides comprehensive details of all of the processes running on any computer.

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While Wandering The Web Part III

Computer Talk Audio Links
(includes the Bits & Bytes Computer Show)

OK, I admit it, I am a Computer Talk Radio Junkie (or geek if you prefer). Over the past few years I have come across many Computer Talk Shows that stream over the internet. In addition many provide archives of previous shows. I find many of these shows both entertaining and informative. I have compiled the following to make a concise list of available audio links.

Click Here to Visit

Pause For Thought