Learning to make Windows work for you instead of you working for it can yield many more happy and productive hours using your computer. One highly under utilized feature of Windows is the shortcut icon. Learning to use and manage shortcuts will give you a huge advantage with your computer.
After several months, we think we have all of our newsletter issues corrected. If you haven’t been receiving our free weekly email newsletter, you can now subscribe simply by tying your email address into the box at the top left of any page on HelpMeRick.com.
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I know that downloading can be fun and pop-ups can be enticing. But when it comes to most system utilities (programs supposedly designed to help your computer), just say “NO!” One of the worst add-on utilities you can get is the so-called “registry cleaner”. First, let me try to define the registry. Starting with Windows 95 and all versions of Windows since then, Microsoft has employed a large and complex database that tracks all hardware, software, user settings, drivers, and more for our computer. This “database” of information controls everything we do with our computers from the installation of software, customization of the desktop and more importantly how all the programs we use interact with each other and with Windows.
No, I’m not so obsessive-compulsive that I do things twice. What I’m referring to in the title of today’s Shotgun/Email Tip is that almost all email programs require you to delete your email twice. Whether you use Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail, Thunderbird, AOL, Yahoo, Gmail, or any of the myriad of other email services, when you delete your email, the email isn’t gone. Deleted email ends up in the “Deleted Items” folder or “Trash” folder of your email.
To get rid of your email for good, go to your deleted items folder and use its “empty all” option or delete the individual emails you want to get rid of permanently.
Also, don’t forget that your Sent mail folder also needs cleaned from time-to-time.
Adam and I first mentioned this nasty little virus earlier this spring on our radio show. The email that spreads it poses as an electronic greeting card from your friend or relative. Because the email is so poorly constructed, is never from a known address, and the link it displays in the body of the message is a number (NEVER, EVER Click a link that is constructed of a number, ex: http://91.188.176.15/) we didn’t put much credence in how much damage it could do.
In some cases Outlook doesn't save your password, even if you enable the option to save the password. This error is caused by a malfunctioning of the Protected Storage Space from Windows. To solve this problem, run the registry editor and navigate to the key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider. You will find a key with a long name starting with S-1-5-21 which you have to delete (probably it's save to create a back-up of this key by File, Export). In most cases the problem is solved and next time the passwords will be saved. Be carefull: by doing this you will lose all stored passwords. Read the back-up page how to recover these passwords.
A caller recently inherited a computer with a password enabled for getting into Windows. Here are two ways to disable or delete the required password.
1. Turn on the computer.
2. Immediately begin pressing the F8 key over and over in about half second intervals.
3. A menu will come up asking how you want to boot – choose SAFE MODE.
4. Windows will come up with two user accounts, click on the Administrator account.
5. Once Windows starts up (it will look ugly, but work the same) go to Start->Control Panel.
6. Double-click on User Accounts.
This is where you have two choices:
Reader, Chuck, wrote in and asked our opinion about this "new" feature from Google, which isn't new and isn't limited to Google. In fact, the feature has been around since the phone book was invented. Here's how the too frequently forwarded email starts:
"Google has implemented a new feature which enables you to
One of my favorite tips to teach people is the use of the Quick Launch bar (click here for the tip for all other versions of Windows) for always having your most commonly needed files or programs at your ready. Microsoft made the process harder to accomplish in the new Vista, but it can still be done. Here's how:
Watch the video below to
HelpMeRick.com is not a geek website so I'm not even going to get into what RAID is other than it is something geeks do to their computers.
However, I will say that I have had a number of clients over the years who have had a friend, relative or computer salesman talk them into going with a RAID setup and it has turned out to be a giant problem.
Often RAID is installed as a "backup" system. Essentially this type of RAID setup uses two hard drives. Whatever happens on the first hard drive is automatically duplicated on the second hard drive.