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Computer Tips

Always check the cables

Two customer visits this week took less than 10 minutes after I arrived on the scene. When printers, speakers, keyboards, mice, etc stop working and I get a call, the first thing I ask is whether the cables/cords are all plugged in correctly or at all. About 50% of the time, I’m told either “yes they are” or “I don’t know how to check them and want you to do it.” I show up and check the cables, attach them securely to their correct spots and then everything works.

The next time you lose sound, can’t print, lose your keyboard or mouse function follow these steps to save you lots of time, frustration, and money:

Start programs automatically in Ubuntu – Video Tip

Windows user can use this tip to start programs automatically when they boot up their computers. This week I learned how to do the same thing with Ubuntu Linux (and its derivatives). Since my goal for this site is to impart all the knowledge I have in my brain to you, here is how to start programs on boot up in Ubuntu Linux:

1. Click System –> Preferences –> Sessions from the menus
2. Click the Add button in the Startup tab (should be already open)
3. Type the name of the program you want to start
4. Click the Browse button next to the Command box
5. Browse to the /usr/bin folder
6. Find and double-click the name of the program you want to start
7. Click OK
8. Click Close

Then next time you restart your Ubuntu machine, it will start the program you added. Of course, you can also uncheck the boxes next to programs you don’t need to start automatically just as easily.

It’s not as complicated as it sounds in writing. Watching the video below (2 minutes) will demonstrate the tip for you.

Use the Task Manager to troubleshoot program problems – Video Tip

While Windows is far from a perfect operating system, it does provide some tools to help deal with its imperfections.

One of the tools you can use to shut down a troublesome program without having to completely restart your system is the Task Manager.

For instance, if a program happens to freeze or stops responding to your mouse clicks or keyboard strokes, try this technique before reaching for the power button:

  1. Push Ctrl+Alt+Delete on your keyboard to brink up the Task Manager window (Close Program window in Windows 95, 98, and Me)
    • NOTE: Windows Vista users:  Ctrl+Alt+Del will bring up a screen where you have to click the Start Task Manager button before moving to the next step.
  2. Find and click ONE time on the program that is giving you trouble, then click the End Task button
  3. The program should close and disappear from the Task Manager list.
  4. If not, wait a few seconds and you should see another window pop-up…click the End Task button again or preat step #2

Using this technique should allow you to return to Windows and continue on with your computing…again, without the need for a full reboot of your system. It doesn’t work one hundred percent of the time, but it does work often enough that you will be rebooting your computer less. Watch the short video below to view this technique in action and learn a few other tricks not outlined here:

How to fill out a PDF form with your computer

I fielded a call from a client today who wanted to know how to transfer a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) form he received via email to Microsoft Word so he could fill it out using his computer, save it, then email it back. My short answer was that he couldn’t do it.

Technically, it can be done through a series of computer hocus-pocus, Jedi mind tricks, a great deal of knowledge about the Windows clipboard, Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Word and a lot of time. Knowing that this client didn’t have these tools at his disposal, I elected to tell him that it couldn’t be done.

Adobe Acrobat forms (PDF files) are not easy to edit or annotate because the purpose of a PDF is to preserve the formatting and integrity of the original document. Some PDF form designers can make their forms fillable using our computers, if they choose to do so. For example, many government sites like the IRS have forms that can be downloaded and printed or filled out right from our computers. Again, these forms are designed this way and not all PDF forms can be filled in via computer.

It bothered me all day that I still didn’t know of a better solution for this common question; how to fill in a PDF (Adobe Acrobat) form on the computer. I did some research tonight and found that our new favorite PDF reader (Foxit Reader) has this capability built-in (see illustration). However, the free version will let you fill it in, but if you save, print, or email the filled in form, it will have some verbiage along with it stating that the feature is a pay feature. If you pay Foxit $40, you can use the feature and not have the trial verbage printed on your form. If you need to fill out a lot of PDF forms, this looks to be a great solution.

I write and talk about Web 2.0 all the time and lo-and-behold there is a

How to backup using SecondCopy – Video Tip

One of my favorite programs of all time is SecondCopy. SecondCopy offers a flexible and easy to use automatic backup program for any Windows computer user. You need to have a spacious backup drive that will hold what you want to backup like an external hard drive, flash drive, etc.

I recommend using this product for automated daily or weekly backups, but I still think it is imperative that you copy the backups this program makes to optical media (CD-R or DVD’s_ that can’t have electrical or mechanical failures on a regular basis as well.

Watch this short 3 minute video to learn how to use this great data saving program, Second Copy:

Missing file names under documents or photos in thumbnail view

Lately, more than a few people have had trouble with missing file names in the thumbnail view of some of their folders. It isn’t entirely apparent why this happens, but fortunately the cure is pretty simple. If you are one of the poor souls who happens to be missing their file names, follow these steps:

  1. Open the offending folder to see the thumbnails
  2. Click View from the menus (or the view button on the toolbar), and click Details
  3. Hold the SHIFT key down on your keyboard and Click View from the menus (or the view button on the toolbar), and click Thumbnails


You should now see thumbnails with file names under them.

Backup…yes, again

I’m late in writing my daily Shotgun report because I have four computers sitting in my office in various forms of failure. Fortunately, at some expense to the owners, I was able to extract some valuable data from two of the machines. The other two machines didn’t fair as well and nothing was salvageable.

Today’s lesson? BACKUP!!!!!!!

I just searched HelpMeRick.com and found no less than 15 articles and tips directly related to

Print just what you want…

I am resurrecting this great tip from my archives. This tip first appeared about four years ago on the show and then the web site. I wanted to share it again because of our new listeners and the extreme usefulness of the tip.

Printing information from the web can sometimes be frustrating. A long web page yields reams of paper when you only wanted a couple of pages. Read on to learn how to print only the pages you want!

Firefox/Internet Explorer/AOL

  1. Highlight the part of the page you want to print with your mouse

  2. Click on File —> Print

What everyone ought to know about downloading security software

Already this week, I ran into five different customers who were bitten by security software impostors. Since security problems are rampant on Windows’ computers, many degenerate computer programmers and sheisters have come up with spyware and virus spreading software disguised as security software. And the worst part is that unsuspecting computer users know the name of good, legitimate software and these impostors sound correct to them so they download and install the software.

Another parental reminder

We mention this tip as often as possible on our show, but I felt it was necessary to bring it to the attention of our web visitors again: Parents, please install and use only Mozilla Firefox for your web browser. Kids, especially teens, plus Internet browsing with Internet Explorer spells disaster.

Too many Internet degenerates target their spyware and virus spreading programs at teens and teen related web sites. Also, teens tend to be drawn to bogus warnings, the lure of free ring tones or electronics, and online games. The technologies that allow these computer anchors to take root in your system simply don’t exist in Mozilla Firefox therefore providing you a great extra wall of Internet security.