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Remember to Logout from Financial Sites

Millions of computer users now bank and trade online. The convenience of online banking and trading is not disputed, but some still wonder about safety. All large banking institutions take the time and effort to shore up security from their end to protect you and your transactions. They also know that if they don’t provide the best in security that they won’t be in business very long.

 However, no matter how safe our banking and trading institutions make the process, we computer users still have some responsibility as well. To insure your safety online when performing financial transactions, follow these steps:

Using Help

When you Click on Help and then Help Topics from most Window programs, you see this type of screen: 

Simple Advice to Protect Your Computer and Your Sanity

This tip, if followed, could substantially limit the number of phone calls we get on the radio show and put a dent in my computer troubleshooting and training business. I can sum up the entire tip in one phrase you have heard me utter many times on the radio show:

"If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it."

 

I know ain’t isn’t a word, but if AOL can say "You’ve got mail", please allow me a little latitude.

Computers present the largest potential money and time pit ever created. Because the computer age is still very much in its infancy, the myriad of new upgrades and gadgets make it difficult too leave our machines alone. My advice to computer users every where is to take a step back and look at what you do with your computer, what you would like to do and how does it all fit.

Re-installing a problematic program

Sometimes a program that is giving you trouble will work better after reinstalling it. Here are some tips to help make that process a little easier and more successful.

  1. Uninstall the problematic program by using the Add/Remove programs applet in the Control Panel in Windows
  2. Restart your computer via Start–>Shutdown and restart; even if the computer doesn’t ask you to do so.
  3. After Windows reloads, shut down all extra utilities and programs
  4. Put in the installation disk and start the installation.
  5. The most important part of the tip: When the installation shows the ‘path’ or destination of the program (usually something like:  C:\Program Files\Intuit\Quicken), change something in that path to force the installation into a different directory than the original. I usually just delete the Program Files part or add a ‘2’ to the end of the path.
  6. Then proceed as normal with your installation and reboot the computer when finished

Tip within a Tip:  If you are using Windows XP, just shut down any running programs, RIGHT click and exit what utilities you can from the system tray, and disable your anti-virus in place of step 3.

How to Format Your Hard Drive and Reinstall Windows

WARNING:  I have done my best to outline the steps in this somewhat arduous task, but undertake this procedure at your own risk. Because of the vast differences in hardware and software, I cannot possibly cover every nuance. Please use this Tip as a guide and not the end all. AND BE SURE TO BACKUP ANYTHING YOU DON"T WANT TO LOSE PRIOR TO UNDERTAKING THE TASK!

Since many of the sites that I used to refer listeners to regarding this subject have either disappeared or no longer have the information, I am starting a multi-part tip outlining the steps to reformat your computer. In this week’s tip, I’ll explain the what, why’s, and when’s?

What does it mean ‘format my hard drive’? Formatting a hard drive erases all current information (for all practical purposes) and let’s your computer start with a clean slate. Formatting deletes all applications AND data from your computer. The process itself requires very little technical know how. What comes after the format involves the techy knowledge.

Why would I need to format my hard drive? If your computer uses Windows 95/98 or Me, I recommend formatting and reinstalling Windows at least every two years as a maintenance routine. Performing this routine purges your computer of any little errors and irritations that have cropped up and thus makes your computer feel and run like ‘new’ again. You also would need to format and reinstall if you have encountered innumerable error messages or encounter a runaway virus.

When should you perform this purging and restoration of your computer? I answered that question along with the ‘why’ above….at least every two years for any Windows version but Windows XP. Windows XP appeared almost two and a half years ago and has proved to be quite stable and resilient so I’m reserving judgment as to how often it should be done for XP.

If you use a name brand computer like HP, Compaq, E-Machines or even some Gateway systems, they come with a disk or disk set (on CD’s) called "Restore Disks". These disks make the process very easy. Put the disk in, shut your computer off, turn it back on and follow the on-screen instructions. REMEMBER, this will erase all data on your computer, so backup anything you don’t want to lose.

Daily Diary…or at least important notes

If you have the need to jot down a few notes and have them automatically dated for you, then using Notepad may be a simple answer for you.

Notepad is included in all versions of Microsoft Windows and contains a nifty little feature of being able to "time stamp" your entries. Here’s how it works.

  1. Click on Start –> Programs–>Accessories –> Notepad (or RIGHT click on your desktop and choose New Text document)
  2. Push F5 on your keyboard
  3. The current time and date are displayed, now simply press Enter and type in your note.

Save this file some where easy to find (or better yet, on the desktop). Each time you need to create a new entry, just open the file and push F5 on your keyboard before entering in the new text.

Create Calendars Easily and for Free

If you have been frustrated at trying to create an attractive and simple monthly calendar, then you have come to the right place. 

Days Ease is a free program from the folks at PC Magazine. It allows you to create and print customized monthly and yearly calendars…easily! You can add your own text to the days, customize titles, fonts, colors and more. Follow these steps to start using Days Ease today:

  1. Click on this link to initiate the download of the program 
  2. When the ‘save as’ box pops up, click in the Look in box and click Desktop
  3. Click Save
  4. Wait for the download to finish (approximately 4-6 minutes with a 28.8 connection) and close your open programs
  5. Find the ‘daysease’ icon on your desktop and double-click on it
  6. Click OK
  7. Click Unzip
  8. Click OK
  9. Click Close
  10. Double-click on My Computer
  11. Double-click on your "C" drive
  12. Double-click on the "daysease" folder
  13. Drag the Days Ease icon to your desktop
  14. Close any open windows and then double-click on the Days Ease icon to start printing calendars!

 

Our Top Internet Information Sites 2005

We started publishing this list about three years ago. I fully admit that I am an information junkie and enjoy finding the answers to questions as soon as they come up. I tend to use a core group of sites to find my information. In this list you will see some perennial favorites and some new ones that I started using over the past year.

In no particular order, my favorite information gathering web sites are:

  • Google – Hands down the best place to start when you are searching the Internet

Making the most of a dialup connection

This tip has the dual function of teaching you how to not only get around the Internet faster, but also understand how Windows can allow you to do more than one task at a time.

First, when you use a search engine, it returns many different answers for you to sift through.  The common way to sift through these is to click on one of the answers, examine it and then hit the back button on the browser to return to the list.

A quicker way to find what you are looking for is to:

  1. Right Click on a link from the answer list
  2. Click on the open link in a new window option

This starts a brand new window for you to load the page.  So, instead of waiting for it download, immediately push Alt+tab on your keyboard OR click on the alternate browser button on your taskbar to return to the list of answers.

Repeat this process as much as five times to open up web pages simultaneously. 

Close all your applications at the same time

If you use multiple programs at the same time, when you’re done working on your computer for the day, you probably close each open application one by one. This week’s tip will show you how to shut down all open programs at the same time.

Follow these steps to close all your programs at one time:

  1. Hold down the Ctrl key on your keyboard and click on each application button on your taskbar (the bar next to your Start button)
  2. You will notice that each button remains selected. 
  3. Once you’ve selected all the application buttons on the taskbar, RIGHT click on any one of them
  4. Click Close from the shortcut menu that pops up. 
  5. Now all your applications will close. 
  6. If you have any application in which an open file hasn’t yet been saved, that application will prompt you to save the file.

One more tip to keep in mind is that the keyboard shortcut of Alt+F4 will also exit out of any open window or program. If no windows are open, then Alt+F4 will bring up the close windows dialog box.