I am considering getting connected to the Internet and have been looking briefly at modems. I note that prices in shops seem to range from $150 to several times as much, yet prices in Sunday computer fairs in Canberra seem to start at less than $50 - all 56K and V.90 compliant (whatever that is). Working on the premise that one does not get what one does not pay for, what is it that the cheaper units lack (other than fancy packaging)? (more…)

I run Windows 98 from my C drive. I installed Windows 2000 onto my D drive. I had problems with Windows 2000 and had to reinstall it. Now unfortunately, due to some weird phenomenon, it installed on C:. I promptly deleted it and got the space back. The problem is that when I boot I am offered Windows 98 and two options for Windows 2000. The first Windows 2000 in the list won’t function as it points to a non existent copy (the one which was on C but is now deleted). The second option works fine. I just want to delete the middle non working entry for Windows 2000. I have been into the Windows 2000 multi-boot manager but all it seems to let you do is select the default and specify the time to wait before invoking the default selection. Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. (more…)

I am running WordPerfect 9 on a 486 DX100 with 32 RAM and 1 gig hard disk with Windows 95. I have a Canon BJC-2000SP printer. When I use Page Setup to change from portrait to landscape or vice versa the setup screen greys out for a minute and generally after this response times and performance become so hopeless I have to shut down the program. I have made extra space on the hard disk and used the defragmenting program to no effect. I would appreciate your help. (more…)

In one of your previous columns, you gave advice on setting up Outlook Express to retrieve Hotmail messages. I tried the procedure detailed on the website you referred to (httpmail.webhostme.com/exception.htm), but I still get ‘Bad request, error No CCC31…’ message. I have also approached my ISP who advised me to untick ‘use proxy server’ in favour of ‘use automatic configuration script’ but no joy. Any other thoughts please? (more…)

I have an innocuous but annoying problem when opening graphics files attached to emails. I am using a Pentium II with Windows 98, and run Eudora Pro 4.2 for email. When I double click on the graphics file in an email, it opens my chosen default program for viewing which is Kodak Imaging for Windows. The image opens, then Imaging goes to the background and I get a Windows error message saying “Access to the specified device, path or file is denied”. I click OK and then just choose Imaging from the task bar and everything is fine. How can I stop this error message from appearing? (more…)