Scan it
I have a large collection of colour slides and have tried to scan them, but they come out black. Can I get a piece of affordable equipment to scan them in? Jerry Hathorn
I am trying to scan transparencies and negatives for a PowerPoint display, without much success. I am using a Umax Astra 3450 scanner.
Brian D Lapworth
Jack Schofield replies: Flatbed scanners are designed for scanning printed images. They do not produce high quality results when using an adaptor for negatives or slides, though an Epson Perfection 2400 Photo or similar scanner ought to b e good enough for most PowerPoint displays. It is best to use a flatbed to scan prints and buy a separate film scanner for negatives and slides, but these are much more expensive. Over the past few years, the HP PhotoSmart S20 Filmscan has been one of the cheapest good options, though the Minolta Scan Dual III (for less than £300) probably takes that spot now.
What it lacks is dust removal technology. For serious photographers, the CanoScan FS4000 (for less than £500) has often been the system of choice, with Nikon's CoolScan models also worth considering. See www.ephotozine.com and www.steves-digicams.com for reviews. You can get slides and negatives digitised (scanned and transferred to disc) via most photo shops, but if you have a lot to do, it is cheaper to invest in a film scanner.
Safer Mac
Am I safe from viruses/worms and so on just because I use a Mac? Aidan Byrne
JS: When Macs had a significant market share, there were some very common Mac viruses: WDEF is an ancient example. Macs are more secure than Windows machines, and they no longer represent a tempting target for mal-ware authors, so you have much less to worry about. See the somewhat outdated FAQ at www.sherpasoft.org.uk for details and links. However, it is still important to install Apple's security updates and remain vigilant. Bear in mind that some exploits do not rely on software flaws but on "social engineering": persuading users to run attachments or take other actions that have unpleasant consequences. No system is completely safe.
Sticky Messenger
I thought I'd got rid of Messenger, which sat in my Systray. It's back. Ken Jones
JS: In XP, Windows Messenger combines text, voice and video (originally from NetMeeting) into a single service, which is used for things like online help. Various components are installed as part of the operating system, so XP will attempt to put them back if you remove them. You can stop it loading at start-up by going to Tools|Options, clicking the Preferences tab, and unticking the box marked Run this program when Windows starts. However, it will still start if you run, for example, Outlook Express. Microsoft has a Knowledge Base article: How to Prevent Windows Messenger from Running on a Windows XP-Based Computer (search Google for Q302089 or go to http://support.microsoft.com.
Andy Rathbone's Uninstalling Windows XP's Windows Messenger provides help for the more determined. Note: removing Windows Messenger will not stop pop-up ads from appearing: they use an entirely different messaging system.
Backchat
· On the subject of CD-R/RW discs failing after a few years, Cat Cho recommends an article in Information Week and related discussions in Fred Langa's LangaList Plus newsletter. One lesson is that some brands of CD label destroy data. Paul Montgomery adds: "Another factor to be aware of is the bleeding through of ink, especially when CDs are written on to directly without using labels. One tip is to use minimal marking on the centre, non-data, area." I have not had these problems because my system is neither to label nor write on CD-Rs. I burn an index number on to each CD with the content, and intermittently label the loose leaf pages in which the CDs are stored.
· Ian Cook reported problems with McAfee and its help desk. Ed Bridge says: "I, too, suffer from an identical problem. Whether connected to the outside world or not, the McAfee Update Engine attempts to access its home site about 100 times a minute." Scott Taylor, John Edwards and others reported similar problems, and the help desk could only suggest disabling the automatic updating. However, Ian Cook has now received what we hope is a better answer from Ronald in McAfee's technical support department. Ronald writes: "Please click on Start|Programs|Accessories| System Tools|Scheduled Tasks. Delete all McAfee entries and add a fresh task for McAfee updates. This will certainly resolve your issue."
