Go away
What laptop and peripherals do I need to access email and the internet abroad? I plan to buy a Dell but they tell me I need a high-end model, which takes PCMCIA cards. I am with AOL so can use their International service. Penelope Burton
Jack Schofield replies: You do not need a high-end notebook PC or any peripherals to use the net from overseas, except for a modem. I currently use an obsolete IBM ThinkPad 240X which does not have a built-in floppy or CD-Rom. You do not need a PCMCIA card slot if the notebook has a built-in modem, but it is important to have one for Ethernet network and wireless cards. You should, however, get a US-style modem lead with a UK adapter, not a cable with a UK plug. Many places now have US sockets and it is usually easy to obtain US adapters. If you cannot plug into a wall socket, you may be able to plug into a data port on a phone. (Beware: sometimes these degrade the signal.) For temporary access, AOL's service has proven to be the best choice in almost all the places I have visited, though there is a surcharge for overseas use. International access numbers are available on the web at http://intlaccess.web.aol.com/Access.htm
For other equipment and information, check Teleadapt's website.
Only delete
I have received an email but when I click on it to read it I get an error message saying the program will be closed down - and it is. How can I delete the offending email? Donald Lovell
don.lovell@btinternet.com
JS: I have already suggested turning off the Preview Pane in Outlook Express (go to View|Layout and untick) so perhaps I can assume you have tried that. Another trick is to search for something unique in the Subject line of the offending message, using Edit|Find|Message. When it appears highlighted in the search box, simply press the delete key.
Clipboard
Is there a quick way to empty the contents of the clipboard in Microsoft Office? Caroline Devlin
Caroline.Devlin@prudential.co.uk
JS: The clipboard does not appear unless you do something else between normal copy and paste actions, such as typing. This behaviour is not obvious and confuses most people. However, simply highlight any piece of text and press Ctrl-C twice in succession. This abnormal behaviour will cause the clipboard to appear, and you can click on the cross icon to clear it. Reg cleaning I have bought three second hand computers. I would like to clean up the registries to make them "as new" as possible. In particular, I want to purge anything from the previous owner's history, URLs etc.
Jer Deveney
Deveney95@btinternet.com
JS: The easiest way, perhaps the only way, to get a PC back to "as new" condition is to reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows from scratch. (Take a back-up first in case something goes wrong or Windows lacks drivers for some hardware.) There are also several programs that will "clean up" Windows such as Evidence Eliminator, but I have not tried any myself. See the section on Disk Cleaners at DaveCentral for a wide range of options. The same site also has a range of Registry hacking tools including RegVac, which looks promising.
Snooping?
Is there something sinister going on with Windows XP? Zone Alarm has identified a program which is both trying to access and act as a server to the internet! It is a Generic Host Process for Win32 Services called svchost.exe. Attempts to shut down or deny access for this program block your own access to the internet. Is this Microsoft's attempt to snoop into home machines? Jonathan Oppenheim
jon@oppy.fsnet.co.uk
JS: No, there is nothing wrong with svchost and it has been part of Windows 2000 for years. It is actually a service for running (hosting) a variety of programs. You can read about it in two articles. Go to microsoft.support.com and search for Q250320 and Q263201. Mac to AOL A freelance designer colleague and I often have to exchange formatted text and images. Despite the fact that we both work on Macs - which should make our systems compatible - sending or receiving attachments via her AOL account is a nightmare.
Don Keller
donkeller@waitrose.com
JS: AOL started as a proprietary online service and it still has not converted to internet standard email. There is no single answer (unless a reader knows better). However, there is a good discussion of the problems of sending Mac attachments at www.macresolutions.com/report1.html, and this includes coverage of AOL. Your friend could also try Etresoft's Decoder (go to www.etresoft.com and click Downloads).
Backchat
John Scutt wanted to scan in his grandfather's negatives and I recommended two scanners. Tim Hughes of Cyclographic Publications says: "If they really are the old postcard size (140 x 80mm) they will be too long for the Epson 1240 scanner - which I think is in any case no longer available - or its replacement. These only go up to 5 x 4in (102 x 127mm). The newer Epson Perfection 2450 Photo has a longer scan (up to about 225mm), and 2400dpi resolution into the bargain."
