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Unable to Write to Flash Drive

October 18, 2011 By

Jerome Safer wrote recently about a problem with his USB flash drive:

Terry,
I have a 4GB USB flash drive I am trying to use in my USB 2.0 port on the front of my Compaq Presario computer.

When I try to save something to it I get a message “I don’t have authorization for this drive”, “Contact the Administrator”. I am the Administrator and I am logged in that way.

Do you have any suggestions on this.

Thanks,
Jerome Safer

First, I wrote back to Jerome to ask if he was a subscriber – I don’t normally respond to questions from people who don’t subscribe to my free newsletter. If they’re not interested enough to subscribe, I don’t have time to provide free consulting for them.

So, I asked Jerome if he was a current subscriber? I don’t see this email address subscribed to my newsletter. I see an old “bellsouth.net” one subscribed, but you’ve apparently moved to a different ISP.

Jerome responded…

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Filed Under: Hard Drive Recovery, Hard Drives, System, System Repair, Terry's Computer Tips

Uninstalling and Reinstalling Programs

July 3, 2011 By

Every once in a while, we decide to uninstall a program because we don’t need it any longer. We go to Start / Control Panel / Add or Remove Programs. After Windows shows the list of programs we can uninstall, we select the one and click on the Remove button. Sometimes, we have to go to the Start Menu section for that program in order to find the uninstall program.

The process is usually very easy. Some programs, unfortunately, do not always clean up after themselves properly when they uninstall themselves.

“When they uninstall themselves?” Yes; although you might believe that Windows is actually uninstalling a program when you use the Add/Remove Programs tool, all you are really doing is running the program’s own uninstall routine. The programmer has to create the uninstall program and register it with your copy of Windows for it to show up in that list.

There are some third-party programs that are designed to monitor program installations so that they know what to “put back” if you use the third-party program to do uninstalls. Norton CleanSweep is one that comes to mind. You can buy it separately or as part of the Norton Systemworks package.

Sometimes, though, the uninstall completes but leaves your computer disabled in some way. Norton Antivirus 2002 was such a program — on some computers, it would uninstall perfectly. On others, it would not remove one of its settings in the Windows Registry. I had NAV2002 uninstall perfectly on two computers and fail to remove a registry setting on two others.

Unfortunately, the setting told Windows not to …

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Filed Under: Operating System, Software, System, 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…

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

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

Router Seems to Have Failed

August 28, 2009 By

A reader wrote recently that he was havig problems with his router on his DSL connection:

Terry,

I have been using Linksys DSL wireless router (4 data ports and 2 analog phone ports) for over one year. Lately, I can’t access to the internet (via this router). I did run a quick DSL speed tests, the download speed was good ~2340Kbps, but the upstream test had problem to finish the test? As long as I bypassed the router, then I can connect to the internet, but I could not use my Vonage VoIP phone.

Please advise and thank you so much in advance.

I wrote back to suggest how he might solve the problem.

He could try logging into the router’s administrator control panel and writing down his customized settings. Then, he should use…

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Filed Under: Networking, Performance Tweaks, System, Terry's Computer Tips

ReImage for Windows XP

June 8, 2009 By

I received a question from Adam, a Terry’s Computer Tips web site visitor recently, who was having problems with two of his computers:

Hey Terry, just read your XP SP3 woes, got another one two for you. i have a small home network running with shared internet connection. When SP3 came out both computers immidiately downloaded the update. on PC1 the same happen to as did to your previous writer with the dvd-rom issue (gave up and bought another) on PC2 my onboard network adaptor, uh, mulfunctioned and my computer no longer registers any outside computers from my network port. i do not want to use system restore point. is there a way of repairing online? SP2 cd does not work

I wrote back to Adam to tell that there is a new online service about which I have been reading, that might be what he was looking for. InformationWeek, NetworkWorld and eWeek had very interesting articles about it. I also advised him that I have not tried ReImage yet.

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Filed Under: Driver Corruption, Operating System, System, System Repair, Terry's Computer Tips, Windows XP

IP Addresses and Security

February 26, 2009 By

A reader wrote me to ask about IP address security. I’m not really sure whether he meant keeping his IP address a secret, or whether he was asking if someone could break into his network and use his ISP connection with his IP address, so, let’s first look at the idea of keeping one’s IP address a secret…

Terry,I just recently came across your site and have joined your online email newletter. I have a question relating to I.P.addresses.I have a home network,router(encrypted /password required ),a firewall (not Win xp),several antispyware programs.The other day my ISP sent me an email,alleging I had violated copyright laws and had downloaded a movie from some place in [identifying information removed - Terry].I called my ISP and we discussed it,I did not download any movies and never heard of the film co.in question,my concern was how would they obtain my IP address,as it is like a fingerprint.I asked my ISP is there any way a 3rd.party could gain access to my wireless network and they could not provide an answer as to how this happened and advised me to disregard it.Is there a way for a 3rd.party to obtain my IP address ?? this is a security concern to myself and my wife. Thank you for your time

I wrote back to him to explain thatt the real question is not how they got his IP address, but how they tied that IP address to him. Only his ISP can do that, unless you logged in somewhere (or used an ID that linked to his name or email address) or in the program used to access it.

First, let’s go through how TCP/IP works – how the computers communicate like …

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Filed Under: Communications, Networking, Security, System, Terry's Computer Tips

HOWTO: Open a Program in a Maximized Window

January 17, 2009 By

With some programs, we always may want to open them in maximized (full-screen), or even minimized (hidden), mode. Windows allows us to accomplish this via a setting in a program’s shortcut.

Continue reading HOWTO: Open a Program in a Maximized Window

Filed Under: Operating System, Performance Tweaks, System, Terry's Computer Tips, Usability, Windows XP
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