Is it a Hoax?

A friend sent (or more likely, forwarded) you e-mail about some child who's dying and wants to receive e-mail messages, or about a national corporation that committed some grievous sin and should be boycotted. How do you find out whether or not the story is true? Luckily, there are several good Web sites that make it easy to check out the stories that are making the rounds on the 'Net.

http://www.snopes.com

http://urbanlegends.about.com

http://www.scambusters.org/legends.html

http://www.factcheck.org (political content)

http://www.breakthechain.org (chain letters)

Virtual Hospital

The Virtual Hospital is a service of the University of Iowa. It contains a wealth of health-related information. You can search for information by topic, symptom, body location or medical specialty. Then, link to articles to learn more about health conditions.

Most of the information is aimed at adults. But you’ll also find articles that specifically address pediatric health. So parents will find this helpful. Most importantly, articles on prevention will help keep you and your loved ones healthy.

Doctors’ understanding of medical conditions changes regularly. Fortunately, the Virtual Hospital features a news section. The monthly updates will keep you abreast of advances in the medical field.

To visit this site, go here: www.vh.org

From Old App to USB Printer

I have an old DOS-based database program that will print only to the LPT1 or LPT2 ports on my PC. My new printer is strictly USB. How do I print to it from my database application?

I'm becoming more and more convinced that you simply should not buy a printer that doesn't include a parallel port. USB printers have too many limitations. Fortunately, there's a workaround for this problem in Windows XP and 2000 that involves printer pooling, which is meant to allow one logical printer to print to two actual devices.

First, you'll need to open the Printers applet in Control Panel: In Windows XP, select Start, Control Panel, Printers and Other Hardware (if you are using XP's Categories view), Printers and Faxes. If you use Windows 2000, click Start, Settings, Printers. Now right-click your printer's icon, and select Properties, Ports. Check Enable printer pooling near the bottom of the dialog box; then select LPT1: at the top of the port list, and click OK

Windows 98 and Me have what appears to be a built-in remedy--an option named Capture Printer Port on the Details tab of each printer's Properties dialog box. Unfortunately, this function works only for printers on a network, not for those connected directly to your computer.

I want to be able to set up an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network between two computers to transfer files directly from one machine to the other. How do I do this?

Well, this is really two questions. You have to enable file sharing to be able to transfer files, whether you are wired or wireless. Then you also have to set up the Wi-Fi connection. We're going to assume you know how to share files, and have that part configured already.

To set up an ad-hoc Wi-Fi network (which is simply a peer-to-peer network that does not require a Wi-Fi router or access point), you must configure each computer with identical wireless settings. But first, you'll need to set manual IP addresses so that the two computers will be able to see each other on the network. They should each be something like 192.168.2.x, where x is a number from 1 to 255 and different for each computer (more than two computers can be in the ad-hoc group). The subnet mask for each should be 255.255.255.0. Next, switch the settings for each computer's Wi-Fi adapter from "infrastructure" mode (which uses a router) to "ad-hoc" mode. Then make sure they both have a common SSID (network name), and are configured to use the same Wi-Fi channel (from 1 to 11). They should also be in the same Wi-Fi mode, such as b, g or enhanced-g, as applicable -- MIMO card in MIMO-only mode won't be able to talk to a plain-g card, for example. Finally, make sure they use the same encryption method. If it's just a one-time connection in a private spot, encryption is probably unnecessary. Otherwise, turn on encryption, but if you have a problem getting connected, troubleshoot without encryption first. WEP is usually the easiest mode to get working.

Geek Speak

A. "IP"

The term 'IP' stands for Internet Protocol - the rules for getting stuff from us to you in one piece over the Internet.

B. "Title Bar"

Look at your email program right now. Up there at the top of your screen, there's a colored strip with some words in it. The very top of all programs is what's called the Title Bar. This is where the title of the program you are using is shown. The Title Bar is a valuable provider of information.

C. "Target"

You know what a target is ... it's something you aim at. Or the object of some action. Well, on the Web, a target is a web page or file that your browser will open or download. When you right click a hyperlink, a context menu opens. You'll see "Save Target As..." listed there. The target is the page the link is referring to.

D. "POP account"

POP stands for Post Office Protocol. It's simply a set of rules that are followed on the Internet with respect to the arrival of your email in an inbox. You receive mail into a POP account if you use Outlook Express, Eudora, Pegasus, or some other email client to check your mail.

Ok, quiz time!!!!

What is the difference between EIDE and SATA hard drives? Are they compatible on the same computer? Thinking of buying a new machine? Most new computers are using SATA drives. So, can you add your old 250 GB EIDE drives? Or, are they junk

Sometimes. Computers are every bit as complicated as they seem. Just when you think you have them figured out, they throw you a curve! That's what has happened here. For years and years, hard drives were connected to motherboards via IDE (Intelligent or Integrated) Drive Electronics) ports. Then the E (for Enhanced) was added to the IDE. So far, so good.
Then, a few years ago, SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) drives came along. SATA offers the potential for bigger, faster hard drives. They use different ports on the motherboard. As you say, many new computers are sporting SATA drives.

If you're still awake, here's the good news: You probably can mix the two types on a new computer. Most motherboards have ports and controllers for each.
The BIOS probably will want to make the primary SATA drive the master. Windows should already be installed there. I would simply install the old EIDE hard drives, with ribbon cables. Use jumpers on the backs of the hard drives to designate the primary and secondary drives.

When you boot up, Windows should assign drive letters. But with four hard drives and one or two optical (CD and DVD) drives, it may not give them the letters you prefer.

If so, you can change the letter assignments. To do that, click Start>>Control Panel. Double-click Administrative Tools. Double-click Computer Management. Click Disk Management. In the right panel, right-click the drive letter you want to change. Click Change Drive Letter and Paths. Click Change. In the drop down box, select a letter. Click OK>>OK.

Upgrade your PowerPoint Backgrounds

You’ve been using PowerPoint for years now and are probably getting a little weary of the same old tired blue backgrounds and wimpy bullet points. Add some variety to your menu with some new templates from a free source: Brainy Betty. (http://www.brainybetty.com) These range from animated business designs to abstract; sports motifs to spring themes. Once you have selected a template you can tweak the text formatting. Also on the site, you can find lots of icons and useful advice for building your new presentation.

Share large files

Trying to transfer large files is a frustrating experience. Most e-mail accounts have limits on the size of attachments.

However, YouSendIt provides a simple solution. You can upload files up to 1 gigabyte in size. Wow! Then you send a notification to the recipient. Recipients will only see the files they’re invited to view. They also can download the files. Just keep in mind that files are destroyed after one week. Further, the company says safeguards are in place to maintain the security of your files.

To visit this site, go here:
www.yousendit.com

What follows is a question that pops up quite often as old equipment is replaced by newer hardware.

My old computer died, so I bought a new one. I took my old hard drive out of my old computer to use it as a second hard drive in my new computer and to access the data stored on my old drive. After installing the old hard drive on my new Windows XP Home edition computer, I find that the only task the Disk Management feature will let me do is format my drive. Can anyone help or tell me how I can access the information on my old hard drive? My old drive had Windows XP Home edition on it also. Could this be the culprit?

Let's not jump the gun and blame the folks in Redmond so quickly! In all likelihood, you are dealing with a hardware issue.

Windows XP's Disk Management utility is designed to enable you to perform disk-related tasks such as initializing new disks, and creating and formatting new volumes. Having said that, you should have been able to open or explore the contents of the drive through it, just like you would through My Computer. If the only option you were given was to format the old drive, your operating system might be detecting the hardware but not recognizing it correctly. Unfortunately, it is impossible to tell from your description whether the drive is being detected at all. What you are experiencing might be Windows XP's way of letting you know about an incorrect hard disk installation or some other hardware problem. For now, I will assume that your old hard drive is functional--a risky assumption given the first four words in your question: "My old computer died."

The first thing you should do is visit the website of the manufacturer of your new computer, and look for a document discussing how to add a second hard drive to your system. You should find this information in the website's Support Section or Knowledge Base, or in your Owner's Manual under "Adding Parts" or "Upgrading Your Computer." In all likelihood, the document will feature illustrated, step-by-step instructions on how to add a drive. Just as important, it might alert you to potential issues you might encounter and suggest troubleshooting steps. Even if you consulted such a document while installing your drive, it wouldn't hurt to double check to make sure you did not skip any steps.

Hard drives are not exactly "plug-and-play" devices, and adding one requires a bit more work than merely plugging it in. Your computer might be failing to recognize the data present in your old drive if the drive jumper settings are incorrect, you failed to configure the system's setup (BIOS) after installing the second drive, or the latter is incompatible with the IDE data cable in your new computer. Let's examine these possibilities.

Drive Jumper Settings: There are two protocols used to determine the order in which IDE devices (such as hard drives and optical drives) attached to a single data cable are detected by the motherboard. The first protocol is known as the Master/Slave relationship, in which the position of jumper blocks adjacent to the drives' IDE connectors designate one device as the Master or Primary Boot Drive, and the other as the secondary or Slave drive. When you start your computer, the operating system in the Master drive will be loaded by default.

The second protocol is known as Cable Select. It assigns Master or Primary status based not on jumper block position, but rather on the location of a hard drive along the IDE data cable. The device plugged at the end connector of the cable is the Master drive, whereas that on the middle connector is the Slave drive.
Chances are your new PC supports the Cable Select protocol. But your old, defunct computer might have not, in which case the jumper setting on your old hard drive might be the cause of your present problem. If this is the case, visit the website of your old drive's manufacturer to find out the appropriate jumper configuration, and reposition the jumper block. Often times, the different jumper settings will be labeled on the drive itself.

Just as incorrect jumper settings will prevent your motherboard from detecting your drive, so will incorrect cable connections. Make sure your old drive is compatible with the data cable being used in your new computer, that the cables are oriented properly, and that they are securely in place. Again, the drive's manufacturer should provide the necessary information in its website.
If you rule out both drive jumper settings and incorrect connections as culprits, check your computer's BIOS. Configuring your BIOS (Basic Input/Output Service) is often, though not always, a necessary step when adding a second hard drive, and one that can be easily overlooked. Consult your computer's documentation or manufacturer's website for information on how to enter setup and configure your BIOS. I know I am being repetitive, but there is a good reason for my not providing step-by-step instructions here: The BIOS is critical to your computer's performance, so you need to carefully follow the instructions for your specific computer and BIOS version. Generic advice in this area might leave you with another dead PC!

If everything else fails, consider the possibility that your old hard drive is defective - that the reason your old computer "died" was that your old hard drive kicked the bucket. You might be able to obtain diagnostic tools from its manufacturer's website to corroborate or rule out this conclusion. You might be able to salvage most (if not all) data, though you will require the services of a company that specializes in that sort of thing. It might be easier - and considerably cheaper - to restore your data from your back up discs. You have been backing up your data, right?

Hopefully your old drive is fine and you will be able to access it after tweaking the jumper blocks or performing another of the aforementioned troubleshooting steps. I would strongly suggest that you copy its contents to the newer drive, especially since it is likely to be larger and faster. Then use your old drive as a place for backups (though you should still consider removable media for this task), or as a dedicated drive for storing multimedia files or pictures.

Q. I'm going to be replacing my old Windows 98 notebook. It's not really worth much anymore. Are there any places that take computers, like places that take cell phones? It still works, so I'd feel pretty guilty throwing it away.

A. You'll face a couple of problems disposing of your old computer. First, you have to find someone to take it. And you need to protect your personal information.

Unfortunately, many machines are simply thrown away. That could be an ecological disaster. Computers contain toxic materials, including quantities of lead. The toxic material can seep into the ground.

It doesn't have to be that way. Somewhere, someone's bound to want your computer. And there are many charities that accept and redistribute old computers. Most are not interested in antiques. But a computer less than five or six years old is worthwhile.

You can start with the National Cristina Foundation. It has non-profit partners in all 50 states. They do list some minimum requirements for donated computers. But the requirements are very forgiving.

UsedComputer.com lists many other charities that need old computers. Among them are such well-known organizations as the Salvation Army and Goodwill.

If your computer is just too old, it may not find a home. Even so, don't throw it out. A recycling company can take it. Recycling companies can salvage usable parts and recycle the toxic materials.

Electronics Recycling keeps a directory of diverse electronics recycling companies. Some of them charge nothing to accept your equipment. But others do, or are picky about what they'll take. You can search for recyclers by ZIP code or by state.

Some computer manufacturers also handle recycling. Both Dell and Hewlett-Packard offer such programs. They charge small fees to take your computer.

Hewlett-Packard also offers a trade-in program. It contracts with a third party to buy your old computer. But you won't get rich from your trade-in. Few things depreciate faster than computers. The site offers an online estimate for your computer.

Be sure to protect yourself by removing personal information from your hard drive. You never know where the computer will eventually end up. And regular deleting isn't enough. Check out the tip on deleting files for good here: http://komando.com/tips_show.asp?showID=8837

If you've got an old printer, you can recycle it, too. Check with the manufacturer's Web site. For example, Lexmark and Epson will recycle their printers. Lexmark's service is free aside from shipping. Epson charges $10, which includes shipping.

Finally, don't forget about your neighborhood. You might find a neighbor, church, or school district that needs more equipment.

Browser hole affects Firefox 1.0.3 and 1.0.4

Secunia reports a frame-injection vulnerability in Firefox 1.0.3 and 1.0.4.  Mozillazine has details, including a comment that you can  close the hole (until 1.0.5 is released) by clicking Tools, Options,  Advanced, Tabbed Browsing and changing "open links in a new window"  to "open links in a new tab in the most recent window":
http://www.mozillazine.org/talkback.html?article=6762

A Secunia bulletin also notes that a similar hole has existed in Internet Explorer 5.x and 6.x since June 2004 and has not yet been patched by Microsoft (but there is a workaround): http://secunia.com/advisories/11966/

XP Service Pack 2 causes "Page cannot be displayed" errors

Microsoft reported on June 7 that XP SP2 causes an unexpected error when you click the Back button in Internet Explorer to go to a page on which you previously submitted form data.  A hotfix is available and there's also a workaround as an alternative: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;890178

Windows XP SP2 and 2003 SP1 cause errors browsing Web sites

Microsoft says installing XP Service Pack 2 or Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 causes error messages when browsing or editing local Web sites hosted on IIS 5.1 or 6.  This also affects ASP.NET projects in MS Visual Studio 2003.  There are two possible workarounds: http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;896861

Enough for now, its time for me to start packing my bags.