Blasted
Many of last week's queries were about the MSBlaster or LovSan worm, which attacked "new technology" versions of Windows (NT, 2000, XP). Guardian Unlimited published a lengthy piece on how to deal with it, so if you are still having problems, see www.theguardian.com/online/news/0,12597,1018722,00.html.
Most people should not have been affected because Microsoft published a fix on July 16, and XP users with AutoUpdate turned on should have had their PCs patched automatically. (In a few cases, AutoUpdate failed.) Others should have had the worm blocked by their firewall but, unfortunately, the firewall included in Windows XP is turned off by default. We can expect Microsoft to have it turned on by default in the future. Also, all the leading anti-virus software vendors issued alerts, andseveral offered free Blaster removal tools.
Some people had a "cryptographic service" error message when they tried to install the Microsoft patch. Marc Liron posted a note about this at www.updatexp.com/cryptographic-service.html.
Online reader Geoff Wilkins reports that he solved the same problem by copying a system file, cryptsvc.dll, from a patched machine to an infected one.
Some people had the security hole patched for them by another version of the worm, called Welchia, or Nachi. It works like Blaster but downloads the Microsoft fix. If you have not patched your system, hope that Welchia gets to you before a more malignant version of the same worm. There will be some. This particular flaw seems to have been around since Windows NT4 was launched in 1996, but the code to exploit it is now widely available.
iPod up
Why can't I upload from my iPod? I cannot believe Apple would neglect to allow this crucial feature, when competitors such as Creative Labs do. I use Windows XP with Music Match. Steven Randell
Jack Schofield replies: As a company offering a paid-for music service, Apple presumably doesn't want to encourage people to download songs from one PC to an iPod then upload them to a different PC. There are independent Macintosh utilities that allow you to upload music from an iPod, such as iPod Access but I have not been able to find one for Windows.
Ziff's reviewers said they managed it "by turning on View hidden files and folders, and browsing the iPod's internal directories in My Computer until we found the music. However, when we reconnected the iPod to the primary machine, the device wouldn't mount as a drive or connect to MusicMatch until we reset it." Ziff reckons uploading data should not be a problem if you "activate Enable FireWire Disk. In this approach, the iPod mounts as a data drive, but it hides music files in the default mode" (see reviews.zdnet.co.uk/review/18/14/4138.htm). I don't have an iPod to try it.
Blocked
I can't access secure internet pages with Internet Explorer 6 SP1 and Windows Me. This used not to be a problem. Sue Stillwell
JS: Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. However, following the trouble-shooting tips in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 813444 should solve the problem. Re-registering dll files is a good idea but Windows Me does not have all the ones listed.
Spam
What does spam stand for?
Mike Seymour
JS: Spam is junk email, and perhaps we should call it UCE for unsolicited commercial email (see www.cauce.org. It is also possible to "spam" Usenet newsgroups. The online usage is generally thought to derive from a Monty Python song that pays tribute to Hormel's canned, spiced ham or luncheon meat.
Backchat
· Ron Graves wanted a simple way to clear the clipboard in Windows XP. Mark Pilbeam suggests checking to see if you have the clipbrd.exe file on your hard drive and creating a shortcut for it. If it isn't there, you can install it (with an icon) from the Accessories & Utilities section of the Windows XP set-up, as Dr Martin Bligh and Adam Meredith point out.
· Nick Reynolds wanted some simple accounting software for a sole trader and I suggested DO$H Accounts for Windows. Tania Stewart suggests Cashflow Manager from Burgan Publications, which she says "is a good deal more user-friendly for someone with no accountancy background than either Quicken or the Sage packages". Peter Gregory suggests Clarisys. "You can even use their 'free version of Executive' to provide general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable and invoicing". Finally, BookkeepersEye offers a web-based accounting service that uses a spreadsheet.
