THIS week I will deal with some questions submitted by readers.
My
family bought me a laptop that has Vista as the operating system.
I was used to XP. Can I go back to XP?
Yes, you can. You will need an XP disk with a valid licence. You will
need to format or wipe the hard drive. If this is partitioned it would
be better if these partitions were removed. You will also need the
disk that has the software for the various utilities on the laptop
This should be in your package and is distinct from the disk that
contains Vista. It should be possible to download software –
other than XP – from the Internet if you do not have a ‘drivers’
disk. Seek professional help if you have had no experience of installing
an operating system. Let me know if you need further guidance.
I have a computer that has Windows Millennium (ME). Is
this worth upgrading?
My initial reaction would be not to upgrade. The cost of upgrading
might be better going towards a new computer. Basically your system
is eight years old.
It is not just the operating system that is eight years old. The hardware
and the software match: they are an integrated unit. That means you
have an old motherboard and processor.
The memory is probably low and the hard drive is unlikely to have
large capacity. You could have the machine professionally assessed
and make a decision based on the report.
I read an article about Vista last week. The writer said
it had been improved by Microsoft. How can I get the improvements?
Microsoft has released Vista Service Pack 1. This is designed to remove
the ‘bugs’ in the system. You can download it from the
company’s website: www.microsoft.com. If your computer has been
set to take automatic downloads it should come when you access the
Internet.
You can switch on the auto facility in the control panel. There is
a lot in SP1; it will take some time to download. Let’s see
if it cures the problems.
The BBC reported on a survey indicating that keyboards
can be a source of infection. Have you any information about this?
This report was given wide coverage and was based on an investigation
by the magazine Which? I have looked at the article and it does make
disturbing reading.
The two main sources of the problem are using the keyboard without
washing your hands after going to the loo and eating beside the keyboard.
You can buy cleaning equipment from companies such as Maplins, Viking
and Amazon. You need a mini-vac and special cleaning cloths. Be careful
if you are cleaning a screen. You cannot use ‘normal’
cloths; you will need special wipes.
The average cost of a cleaning kit is £10. You can make a purchase
over the Internet if you cannot find a store that has what you need.
I hope to join a class that will help me with photo editing.
Can you recommend any software?
There are some ‘freebies’ that might help. Have a look
at www.freeserifsoftware.com (Serif PhotoPlus 6); www.adobe.com/uk
(Adobe Album Starter Edition 3.2) and www.gimp.org (Gimp). Good luck
with the course.
Keep in touch and let me know if I can help you in any way.
itquestions@hotmail.co.uk; Tel 4372 2257 or 07753 820085.
