On starting my Windows XP machine Notepad always opens with the following line displayed: ‘[.ShellClassInfo] LocalizedResourceName=@%SystemRoot%system32shell32.dll,-21787′. I have no idea what this refers to let alone how to prevent it continually reappearing. (more…)

Is there anyway to save and reuse Windows updates which are downloaded from WindowsUpdate? I have multiple PCs on my home network and this would save time and avoid excess download charges from having to download the same information more than once. Both machines are running Windows XP Home. (more…)

Recently when I opened MSN Messenger screen and clicked on a name so that I could send a message, the window rapidly went to the left hand side of the screen and disappeared. I decided to run Disk Defragmenter which suffered the same fate. The windows are on the task bar, but when the task bar button, for the program, is clicked the window rushes off the screen. Can you help? (more…)

Recently a relative visited us from The Netherlands. He used our computer a few times, emailing friends and downloading pictures from his digital camera. Last week I used the Windows Help and found that the headings were all in Dutch! The body of the text is still in English, but I have found other settings on the computer in Dutch as well. How do I remove the Dutch and reinstate English? (more…)

When copying CDs I use the inbuilt Windows XP CD writing software. When I drag the files to the CD-RW drive, they are stored as temporary files. Then, a balloon appears above the system tray saying ‘You have files waiting to be written to the CD. To see the files now, click on this balloon’. I then have to either click on the balloon or go to ‘My Computer’ and write the files to CD using the CD Writing Wizard. How can I eliminate the extra step (of saving the files as temporary files) and write the files to CD in one step? (more…)