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I Want a Real Backup Program

June 21, 2011 By

Subscriber Mike Gallagher wrote recently to ask about backing up his computer:


Hi Terry,

I am confused about "backup" your computer. I see all sorts of ads and articles about backing up a computer. Most all of what I see is not a REAL backup. What I mean as a "real backup" is that if a hard drive crashes — even one with the operating system on it, full recovery can be made. This is true even if the disk crashes with sound, smell, and visual effects included — a head crash resulting is lots of nasty noise, circuit board shorts with sparks and nasty smelling smoke. O.K. you get my point.

If I have a REAL backup, I replace the hard drive, load the backup CD or DVD, boot and start loading all the necessary files onto the new hard drive, remove the backup media, re-boot and am right where I was, running, just before the excitement.

Does such a procedure really exist, or is "backup" just a save application programs, but without all the install and run info? It seems that this is what most backup programs do.

I am looking for a backup program, or whatever term you want to use, that allows me to create a CD / DVD, or set of them that I can recover as described above, without having to go find my original install disks for the operating system and the applications as well.

I am running windows 7, 64 bit, home premium.

Thanks,

Mike G.

Mike’s asking for it — and I’m already using it, as a number of Terry’s Computer Tips readers. The solution is an image backup program called Acronis True Image Home 2011.

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Filed Under: Backups, Software, Terry's Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Solving Jerky Streamed Videos

June 2, 2011 By

Subscriber Gordon Shaw wrote for help to solve a problem with jerky streamed video:


Hi Terry

Wonder if you could help. I have a PC with AMD Athlon tm 64 processor 3800+. 2.4GHz, ASUS M2V-MX Motherboard & 2GB Ram. The video card is a NVIDIA Ge Force7600Gs with 256MB of Video Memory. I’m running XP Home 32 bit with SP3.

I recently installed a BENQ G2420HD LCD Monitor with a natural resolution of 1920×1080 but have had to reduce this to 1620×900 as videos I play especially on BBC iPlayer are really jerky. Even now at the reduced resolution it isn’t perfect.

Do I need to replace my graphics card with say 1GB of video memory to achieve the proper resolution? If you could recommend a replacement I would be very grateful.

I wrote to Gordy to suggest that he check the Nvidia web site to make sure he has the latest driver. I also suggested that he check the Benq web site to make sure he has loaded the latest driver for his monitor. While the standard Windows plug-and-play monitor driver may work, and the video card driver in Windows may work, they’re not likely to be optimized.

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Filed Under: Communications, Hardware, Notebook, Terry's Computer Tips, Video

Accessing the Internet While Travelling – 2011 Style

May 31, 2011 By

Several years ago, I wrote an article about how to access the Internet while travelling. It focused on using a notebook computer with dialup access, using a hotel business center’s computer (or a friend’s whom you were visiting) to access your emails. Little more than that

So much has changed…

Now, we have smart phones, whether Blackberry, iPhone, Android, that we can use to check emails and can use to surf the web. The small screen isn’t great, but it works!

We’ve also got the ability to use 3G wireless network adapters for laptop computers (assuming we have a laptop computer), Apple iPad’s with 3G service from AT&T or iPad 2′s with our choice of AT&T or Verizon 3G service (assuming we can find one in stock somewhere, or are willing to order one and wait!).

Finally, the best (in my current opinion) approach — tethering our smart mobile phone that has 3G access to our laptop computer.

I used to do that long, long ago with a laptop and a Motorola flip-phone. But, then AT&T got wise and changed their terms of service to prohibit tethering.

Continue reading Accessing the Internet While Travelling – 2011 Style

Filed Under: Communications, Networking, Terry's Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Problems Installing HP Photo Printer Software

May 30, 2011 By

Subscriber Wanda Armstrong wrote recently to ask for help in installing the driver software for her new photo printer:


I have a HP Photosmart 7760 printer. (NO disk) I found the program and driver file download at HP site. I am running XP Prof.

I have tried multiple times to install the file and it sticks or hangs at 31% every time. How do I get this problem solved?

Don’t know if this would have anything to do with the stall or not but I had HP 4400 printer connected for a while I didn’t uninstall that program or driver.

HP is
of NO HELP on this_ Can you please advise a fix for this problem?

Thanks a Bunch! Wanda

I wrote back to Wanda to suggest that she try shutting down all the other programs, except her firewall and antivirus, when she installs. She may have some particular program running in the background that’s interfering.

Also, I reminded her that HP’s software requires…

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Filed Under: Hardware, Printers, Terry's Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

How Can I Open An Email Attachment?

May 29, 2011 By

Email attachment type – the key to opening email attachments. This week, subscriber Gerry Seebach wrote:

I am having a problem opening some email attachments.

I can open anything to do with media player and you tube. I think the ones I can’t open are slide shows, not sure though.

I get a message saying "This file does not have a program associated with it.For performing this action create an association In the folder options control panel."

How do I do this? Thanks for your help.

Continue reading How Can I Open An Attachment?

Filed Under: Communications, Email, Terry's Computer Tips Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Adding Memory to the HP Color LaserJet CP1518ni

August 1, 2010 By

One of the differences between inkjet printers and laser printers has to do with handling of the data to be printed.

An inkjet printer gets its commands for each printed line, one at a time, from Windows. It prints the line and gets the data for the next line. Sometimes they buffer a little of the data so there’s no hesitation, but Windows is talking to the printer thoughout the whole print job.

That’s not the way that laser printers work. A laser printer has to get all the data for a whole page before it starts to print that page.

What happens if there is so much content, shapes or colors, that the printer’s memory can’t receive the entire page? You can’t print it. You have to add memory.

Continue reading Adding Memory to the HP Color LaserJet CP1518ni

Filed Under: Hardware, Networking, Performance Tweaks, Printers, Sales, Speed Tweaks, System, Terry's Computer Tips

Upgrading the Router in Preparation for DOCSIS 3.0 Speeds

July 20, 2010 By

Subscriber Gene Philbrick posted a question via my Terry’s Computer Tips blog, asking:

Subject: Routers Compatible w/Motorola SURFboard eXtreme Modem SB6120, DOCSIS 3.0——

I have two Dell computers (an XP & VISTA) wired in one room. The above new modem is enroute to replace Comcast’s Motorola 11b modem. Expect I may have to also upgrade my router (currently a Linksys BEFSR41 v.2).

I have been reviewing two $80 routers…

Continue reading Upgrading the Router in Preparation for DOCSIS 3.0 Speeds

Filed Under: Hardware, Networking, Shopping Deals, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Wireless

Reinstalling Windows XP Upgrade On An Old Computer

June 10, 2010 By

Subscriber Louis Zarowin wrote this week to ask for some guidance. Louis needs to reinstall Windows XP on an old computer that had been upgraded to Windows XP.

At a time like that, we always worry about whether we’ve found all the needed disks and files, so we can make sure that all our software and hardware works again.

Terry:

I have a somewhat older computer I still use (Dell Optiplex GX-110) and I recently was told by “Dell Tech. Suport” who was on line screen sharing with me that I need to re-install the operating system on it all over again.

It originally had a “Windows 98 S. E. on it” then before I actually got it, it was upgraded somehow to “Windows XP Professional” but the problem with just going ahead and re-installing the “Windows XP Professional” all over again is that the “Drivers/Drives” aren’t directly there, so I was advised that if I can re-install the “Windows 98 S. E. again” then “Upgrade to Windows XP Professional” this would be fine as the “Drivers/Drives” for that older operating system can simply be downloaded from the “Dell Website” as they still have them for that older operating system, but they don’t have them for “XP Professional” from what they told me already.

Microsoft will be sending me the “Disc to Upgrade to XP Professional” shortly but I need the “Windows 98 S. E. Original Disc” and that may be difficult to find right now.

Do you have any further information and/or possible suggestions that can help me?

I trust that you will reply to me about this issue when you have a chance and thanks for the assistance in this.

Yours Very Truly,

Louis R. Zarowin

I wrote back to Louis to suggest that he try to get a replacement Windows 98 SE cdrom from Dell. That’s his best bet if he can’t find his original Windows 98 SE cdrom..

Whether you have to install Win98 before installing WinXP or not…

Continue reading Reinstalling Windows XP Upgrade On An Old Computer

Filed Under: Operating System, Software, System, System Repair, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Windows Updates, Windows XP

Wireless Problems Solved with New Router

June 7, 2010 By

Readers of my online newsletter will remember Bev’s problems of several weeks ago. Bev upgraded to Windows 7 Home. However, she was no longer able to get to Pogo.com to play games…

I had corresponded with Bev and made sure she had updated to the latest verison of Java (from www.java.com). But, Bev continued to have problems.

My last request to Bev had been that she write to tell me how she ultimately solved the proble.

This week, she wrote back to report that the problem was solved — and in a way that was quite surprising to me:

Hi Terry, Just wanted to update you on my Pogo.com issue that I wrote you about.

I ended up talking to Microsoft and they remotely assisted but after two days they couldn’t resolve the problem, called Linksys who wasn’t any help as router is outdated, called Pogo and they didn’t have any answer and called my ISP.

I finally called my friend who is super busy as computer tech and he did a few things like trying to download update firmware for my router of which wasn’t available any longer and his last fix worked, buy a new router as Windows 7 did not like my old router. So he had me buy a Netgear WNR2000-100NAS.

I did the switch and setup all by myself as their setup disc is so simple and by golly everything is working great besides being fast router for desktop as well. Thank you Terry for all your help, you are a trooper for sure. Happy Thanksgiving early.

The solution was surprising, but perhaps should not have been. Linksys has had a lot of versions upgrading and improving their WRT54G router that Bev used. Her’s was about …

Continue reading Wireless Problems Solved with New Router

Filed Under: Communications, Networking, System Repair, Terry's Computer Tips, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Wireless

A First Look at Windows 7

November 15, 2009 By

Well, the install was a pain. Not really — but my initial install worked extremely smoothly until Windows rebooted.

At that point, it simply failed to boot with an ambiguous error message that was less than helpful. It told me to reboot the installation DVD and select the Repair option.

When I did selected Repair, there were five new options that showed up. Fortunately, one seemed appropiate — automatically fix the windows installation (or something like that). Unfortunately, it didn’t work. The only good thing was it told me that it was unable to fix it.

Here’s what the real problem was, which was not identified by the Windows 7 RC installation: I was trying to install Windows 7 on a Logical drive within an Extended partition. So far, every Windows version has required that it be installed in a Primary partition.

Continue reading A First Look at Windows 7

Filed Under: Operating System, Software, System, System Repair, Terry's Computer Tips, Windows 7
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