NISD Tech. Department FAQ's

Some virus-protection programs, like Norton Antivirus, include a special type of e-mail scanning in addition to their regular virus scanning. Unfortunately, the e-mail scanning of these programs is sometimes problematic. In some cases, it may choose the wrong e-mail program or interfere with your e-mail settings. The solution is to disable the e-mail protection since it is an added feature that is not essential.

Yes, by all means. If a virus damages your hard drive, you may not be able to start your computer. If you have a Resource Disk, you can start the computer from this floppy. Such a disk will allow you to restart your computer even if the virus has damaged the boot sector or another area that makes it impossible to start your computer by regular means.

One year's worth of free updates usually come with a virus-protection software program that you purchase. If your antivirus software came pre-installed on a new PC, free updates may be included for only the first few months. Once the free update time has expired, you will have to purchase the updates, which are sometimes called definitions. Most anti-virus manufacturers sell you access to the updates (which can be downloaded from the Web) on a yearly basis for an inexpensive amount.

In Windows, press the Alt key. While holding it down, press the numbers listed in the chart below in succession on the numeric keypad. When you release the Alt key, the symbol listed next to that number will appear.

On the Mac you press the Option key and another particular key simultaneously. You release both at the same time then press another key, as shown in the chart below. While this may sound slightly difficult, it is actually much easier to use and to remember than its Windows counterpart.

You can also use the Windows Character Map and the Mac Key Cap to insert foreign characters as noted in the next FAQ.

You can find the cent sign as well as the degree sign and other useful symbols in the Windows Character Map. You can also use this tool to insert characters that don't exist in the English language. From the Start Menu, choose Programs-Accessories-- System Tools -- Character Map. Once in the Character Map, you can find a variety of symbols by select different fonts from the menu that will drop down when you click on the down arrow in the Font area. Click on the symbol you want, click on Select, then click Copy. Then go back to the program that you are working in and choose Edit - Paste to paste the symbol into your document. For easy access, you can keep the Character Map window open as you type. Some programs will also allow you to access the Character Map from within the program itself. For example, when working in Microsoft Word, click on Insert, then choose Symbol and the Character Map will pop up. Current versions of Word allow you to simply the process even more by allowing you to choose the symbol that you want and click on Insert without the Copy and Paste efforts. (If you don't see the Character Map in the System Tools menu, see the next FAQ.)

If you are using a Mac, you can find different characters by using the Key Caps application, found under the Apple menu. By pressing various combinations of keys, Key Caps will show you all the characters contained in a particular font.

If you don't see the Character Map, it probably has not yet been installed. Click on Start - Settings -- Control Panel. Click on Add/Remove Programs. Then click on the Windows Setup tab. Scroll down choose System Tools and double-click. A window with more choices will now pop up. Place a checkmark in the box in front of Character Map. Click OK twice and the Character Map will be installed. (The Windows CD-ROM may be needed.)

A driver is a piece of software that the computer operating system needs in order to understand how to operate an attached device. The driver is very important because it also acts like a translator between the device and all programs that use the device. Every device that is attached to the computer including keyboard, mouse, printer, and scanner needs a driver.

Drivers are frequently updated to eliminate bugs and/or to incorporate changes. If your printer is working properly with all of your programs, you don't have to update it. If your printer doesn't work properly when you install new software, you should see if an updated driver is available. Also, if you move your printer to a new computer, you should always visit the Web site of the printer manufacturer to obtain the most current printer driver to install on the new computer.

In Windows, while holding down the Alt key, press the numbers 0162 in succession on the numeric keypad. When you release the Alt key, the cent symbol will appear. Typing the cent sign is much easier on the
Mac - just press the Option key and the key marked $/4 at the same time.

This is a marketing ploy. Ignore it and other messages like it that try to scare you into visiting a Web site or downloading a piece of software. Pop-up screens and messages like this are usually tied to specific Web sites that have advertising/marketing agreements with the ad creators. If this message keeps popping up when you are on a specific Web site, you may want to stop visiting that location.

Internet browsers often use additional programs (sometimes called plug-ins) to increase their functionality, especially for audio, video, and animation. Shockwave and Flash are programs like this that greatly enhance Internet graphic displays and animation. They will add to your Internet viewing pleasure, and, once they are downloaded, you will be able to view any Web pages that use them.

An optical mouse does not need a mouse pad. These mice have an optical eye on the bottom rather than the roller-ball that is found on traditional mice. Optical mice work on any surface except for very shiny ones like mirror and glass.

Occasionally (luckily, not too often) Word and several other software programs seem to lose track of themselves. Close Word and press the CRTL key, the ALT key, and the DEL key all at the same time. A list of programs currently running will appear. You may see that Word is running even thought it does not show up on the taskbar. Highlight Word. Press "End Task," and you'll be back in business.

In Windows 95/98, when you go to the Start button, one of your choices is entitled Documents. When you click on Documents, you are given a list of recently used documents. This is an easy way to open a document you have used recently. To erase your trail, click on the Start button, Choose Settings, then choose Taskbar & Start Menu. Click on the Start Menu Programs Tab. You will see a place where you can clear the contents of your recently used documents folder.

Attaching the picture is easy. Finding the picture to attach is the difficult part for most people. To attach a file, you simply start your e-mail program and write your message as normal. Then you click on Attachment or on the icon that has a piece of paper with a paperclip on it. You will then see a dialog box that allows you to find the file or picture that you want to attach. Click on the down arrow next to the box that says Look In. You will see a list of all your computer resources. The file you want will usually be on your hard disk (generally C:). When you click on C:, you will see all of the folders on your hard disk. You must either know which folder your picture is in or open various folders until you find it. If you scanned the photo into your computer, it will usually be in a folder with the name of the software program that you used for the scan. For instance, if you used Adobe's Photo Deluxe to scan in the photo, look for it in a folder named Adobe or Photo Deluxe. Remember that the program files are often in a folder named Program Files, so you may have to open up several folders before you find the file you want. If this sounds complicated, it is. However, once you get the hang of it, it is not difficult.

Both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer are free programs. A copy of Internet Explorer can be downloaded at www.microsoft.com; a copy of Netscape Navigator is available for download at www.netscape.com. You can keep copies of both programs on your hard disk at the same time. Your computer can run either or both at the same time. The very same Web page can sometimes look different when viewed by the other browser. Experiment a little to see which program you like better.

Actually, I use both Navigator and Explorer. Since I have readers and clients who use both programs, I need to be familiar with both. After extensive use of the two programs, I find that Navigator is slightly more stable. However, I often find myself using Internet Explorer because I like being able to print a portion of the page (which you cannot do in Navigator). I also prefer the way Internet Explorer handles Favorites (which are called Bookmarks in Navigator). As new versions of these programs appear, they seem to leap frog each other. One comes out with some great new feature and is the best one to use. Then the other adds an even better feature and it gets top honors. Both are good programs. Just choose the one you like and have fun with it.

After you send an e-mail, it goes into the Out Box or the Sent Box, depending on which e-mail program you are using. Just double-click on the icon for the Out Box or Sent Box and you will see a list of all the e-mails that you have sent. You will usually see a checkmark or some other indication that the mail has been sent. If you see a "Q" next to the item, it means your e-mail has not been sent out but has been queued and is waiting to be sent.

When a document is scanned into the computer, the scanner takes a picture or image of the document. You can't change the text on the document because to the computer the entire page is just one picture and the computer doesn't recognize the individual characters that make up the text in the document. You need an OCR (Optical Character Recognition) program to transform the image into a text document so you can work with it in your word processing program. Most scanners come with some type of OCR program.

DPI stands for dots per inch. These dots may be pixels when talking about scanners or dots of ink if talking about printers. The dots per inch are measured both vertically and horizontally. If a machine prints at 600 x 600 dpi, it means that the output will have 600 dots vertically and 600 horizontally for each inch of paper. The more dots, the more defined and detailed the image can be. The higher the number of dots per inch, the higher the image quality.

Highlight the icon that you want to remove by clicking on it. Then press the delete key. You can also drag the icon to the Recycle Bin. Press the left mouse button when your cursor is over the icon. Then hold it down and drag the icon to the Recycle Bin. When the Recycle Bin changes color, let go of the mouse button to drop the icon into the Recycle Bin.

Try an alternative input device like a large track ball or a touch pad. If at all possible, visit a local computer store where you can try out a variety of devices before you buy.

Today, portable computers are just about as powerful as desktop computers. Their smaller size makes them ideal for working in small spaces. But that same small size results in a smaller keyboard, screen, and input device. Laptops also cost more than desktops and are more difficult and costly to upgrade. I usually advise purchasing a laptop only if you will be using it while on the road.

If your computer is operational, don't walk; run to the Web site of your anti-virus software manufacturer where you will find the most current update for your anti-virus program. (If you don't have an anti-virus program installed yet, you can purchase online.) At this site, you will also find instructions for eradicating the virus at this site. If your computer system files have been damaged and your computer is not working properly, you may need a professional to help reformat your hard disk. Don't forget that if your computer has contracted a virus, your information has been compromised. Be sure to change the passwords that you use to access the Internet, to access your bank, or to access your brokerage firm.

Look closely at the icons on your Windows desktop. If an icon has a small arrow in the lower left corner, it is a shortcut. Shortcuts make it easier to access a program or a file.

You can delete a shortcut without affecting its associated program. For instance, if there is a shortcut to Quicken on your desktop and you delete it, the Quicken program itself will not be affected. Because you deleted the Quicken shortcut, to start the program, you now have to go to Start, Programs, and click on Quicken from the list that appears on your screen.

Shortcuts are generally used for one-click access to programs. However, you can also create shortcuts to files, folders, and other objects like printers.

A control panel is the place where you can customize the computer and set system parameters. To access the Apple control panel, click on the Apple menu and click on Control Panels, which will pop-up a variety of different controls. In Windows 95/98, click on Start, Settings, and choose Control Panel. Don't be afraid to change settings in the Control Panel, but be sure to document the changes that you make so that if that change does not meet your expectations, it will be easy to reset the computer to its original state.

Double-click on the time in the lower right hand corner of your screen. You will see a box that says, "Automatically adjust for daylight savings changes." Make sure that there is a check mark in that box. By the way, this is also the place where you can adjust the time and date if needed.

BlueMountain Arts and many other Web sites use Windows media player to produce sounds. After you upgrade to AOL 5.0, you may need to reinstall your Windows media player (MIDI plugging software).

You can download the Windows Media Player at www.microsoft.com/windows/mediaplayer (a Mac version is also available). When downloading, choose "Save to Disk" rather than running the program from its current location. After downloading, double-click on the file to install it, and your sound should be back.

Windows 95/98's built-in safeguard for accidentally deleting files is called the Recycle Bin. If you delete a file and realize later that you need it, it can be recovered from the Recycle Bin. Double-click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop. A list of all the files and folders that have been deleted appears. Locate the file you want and click on it. Then click the Edit menu and choose Undo Delete or Restore. The "lost" file will be returned to its original location. CAUTION: Be sure to leave any deleted files or folders in the Recycle Bin for a few days to be sure you don't need them. Once you have emptied your Recycle Bin, all deleted files are permanently removed.

Both Windows 95/98 have a built-in CD player. After inserting a CD if yours doesn't play automatically, follow these instructions. Right-click on My Computer and choose Properties. Click on the Device Manager tab. Double-click the CD-ROM heading. Then double-click the name of your CD-ROM drive. Click the Settings tab and enable the Auto Insert Notification option by checking the box next to it. Finally, restart your computer.

If you are the single user accessing Windows on your computer, you can remove the aggravating box that asks for a Windows password every time you start your computer. Go to Start. Choose Find. Then choose Files or Folders. When the Find box appears, search for *.pwl. (Make sure you are looking in your main hard disk drive, usually C.) When the file with the pwl suffix appears, click on it and press the delete key. When you restart your computer, the password prompt should be gone.

These two terms are used interchangeably in everyday applications, but the World Wide Web is really only a part of the Internet. The Internet is the vast collection of inter-connected networks of computers. The World Wide Web is the colorful, graphical part of the Internet.

Some say that turning your computer on and off several times a day can cause unnecessary wear on the on-off switch, hard disk and other mechanical parts. Others worry about using unnecessary electricity by keeping the computer on all the time. The new energy-saving features on the current personal computers help reduce the power consumption but both of these are still real concerns.

Here's a good rule of thumb. If you know you will not be using the computer for 12 hours or more you might want to turn it off. Otherwise leave it on.

Avoid turning your computer off and on constantly. If you do leave it on all the time, it's a good idea to turn it off once a week to let the computer reset itself. And, even with a good surge protector, it's added insurance to turn your computer off when there's a lightning storm in the area.

Your computer can perform many functions at the same time. While you are reading something on the Internet, it may be performing other normal tasks. Also many programs like virus protection programs and other utilities work in the background. These programs may be reading or writing files to your hard disk while you are doing something else. This is normal and is nothing to worry about.

Cut, Copy, and Paste allow you to move or copy text (words, sentences, paragraphs, pages, and complete documents) to another location. The Cut function removes the text from one location, and Paste puts it someplace else. Using the Copy function, you can copy text to a new location without removing it from the original location.

For example, if you have created a letter in your word processor and one of the sentences is out of order, you can move it to the correct place. Using your mouse, place the cursor at the beginning of the text you want to move. Click and hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor to the end of the text. You now have several ways to cut the selection:

1) click on the Cut icon (the scissors) on the toolbar,
2) select Cut from the Edit Menu,
3) type Ctrl X, or
4) use your Delete key. After you have cut the text, place your cursor at the correct location.

Again, there are several choices to "paste" the text:

1) click on the Paste icon (the clipboard on the toolbar),
2) select Paste from the Edit Menu, or
3) type Ctrl V. Any of these three choices will "paste" the selection in the new location.

If you want to copy some text and place it in another location, select the text as mentioned above. Your choices for copying are:

1) click on the Copy icon (the two pieces of paper on the toolbar),
2) select Copy from the Edit Menu, or
3) type Ctrl C.

As before, place your cursor at the location you want to insert the copied text and either:

1) click on the Clipboard on the toolbar,
2) select Paste from the Edit Menu, or
3) type Ctrl V. This will "paste" the copied text in the new location.

Locate the clock in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. Place your cursor on it and click with the right mouse button. Choose Adjust Date/Time from the menu. Under the circular clock, position your cursor over the minute or hour in the time bar. A click will highlight the minute or hour portion of the time bar you wish to change. To adjust the time, click on the up or down arrow just to the right of the time bar. When the correct time is shown, click OK.

To change your mouse from the default right-handed configuration to the left-handed, follow these steps. Click on Start, Settings, Control Panel. Double-click on the Mouse icon. Under Button Configuration, select and click the bullet beside Left-handed and click on OK. Now you southpaws can scurry around your desktop.