Five-minute PC fixes

There is no question about it: PCs are so much a part of our lives nowadays that they are almost indispensable in many homes. That said, they do come with their own problems, and it often seems like the time it takes to fix a PC problem exceeds the time saved by having the computer in the first place.

However, with a little insider know-how, it is often quick and easy to mend common problems. Over the next few pages we take a look at some of the most common problems that afflict PC users, and show you some handy five-minute fixes that will get you out of a jam.

Problem: The computer is running slowly
Your computer works reasonably well but it runs slowly all the time. It was quite a lot faster in the past but it now takes a long time to start up, shut down or get anything done.

Slow PCs can be caused by several things. Make sure all your drivers are up to date (check the hardware makers' websites), and see www.windowsupdate.com for the latest Windows patches.

If you installed any software just prior to your PC slowing down, try uninstalling it to see if that cures the problem.

Make sure that the computer's hard disk is not full. Windows uses parts of the hard disk heavily in daily use for Virtual Memory, so you should have a large part (at least 1Gb, if the drive is larger than 10Gb) free for its use. To change Virtual Memory, right-click on My Computer, select Properties and then click on the Advanced tab. Click on Settings in the Performance box, select the Advanced tab and click on the Change button and then check, and change if required, the settings. Also, try defragmenting the hard disk with the tool built in to Windows. Click on Start, then on All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and finally Disk Defragmenter.

Problem: Can I undo any changes I have made to the computer?
Usually you don't have problems when installing new programs, but there are occasional troubles. Is there a way to go back to how the computer was before installing a program?

Windows includes a tool called System Restore that will do exactly that. It can be used before installing new programs to make a record of how the computer is set up, and if there are any problems, it allows you to revert the system to how it was before.

To use it, click on the Start button, then on All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, then System Restore. Click on 'Create a restore point' and follow the instructions. You may be asked to enable System Restore first, in which case follow the instructions.

To restore the computer after installing an application, go to System Restore again, as above, and click on 'Restore my computer to an earlier time' and follow the instructions. Any recently saved files, email or internet bookmarks should remain as they are and will not be deleted, but any programs installed since the restore point was created will be removed.

Problem: Programs or music CDs always start when I insert a CD in the PC
When you put a disc into the PC it sometimes runs a program or brings up a menu asking what you want to do with the files on the disc. Is there any way to change what happens when you put a disc in, or turn this feature off altogether?

This feature is known as Autoplay and it controls what happens when a CD, floppy disk, USB key or portable hard disk is inserted into the computer. If the disk or device contains certain types of file, these will be automatically started when it is inserted.

To temporarily stop this from happening, simply hold down the Shift key on the keyboard at the same time as you are inserting the disc. Release it once the light on the front of the drive has stopped flashing. To turn it off permanently, you need to download and use TweakUI (/2128680) Driver Files. You will need to know the model number of the printer.

Windows XP includes drivers for some printers automatically - simply plug in the USB and power cables and Windows will search for an up-to-date driver. If it finds one, just follow the on-screen instructions. If the printer uses a parallel port (non-USB) connection, you may still be able to connect it - plug it into the mains and the PC and then click on the Start menu, then on Printers and Faxes. Then click on 'Add a printer' and follow the instructions, selecting the make and model when asked.

Problem: Double-clicking on documents doesn't open them
You are normally able to open documents or spreadsheets from Windows simply by double-clicking on them. This opens up the appropriate program and loads the document automatically. But now, the computer either opens the wrong program or returns a message saying 'Windows cannot open this file'.

Files in Windows are associated with applications, based on the three-letter extension at the end of a filename. Windows XP hides these extensions by default so file names are shorter and less cluttered. Files that end with .doc are Word documents and should open in Microsoft Word, and so on.

These associations can become corrupted or misdirected, but it is easy to fix them. Select the file in question and right-click on it, then select Open With from the menu that appears. A list of programs will appear, along with an item marked Choose Program. Click on this.

If the correct program (say, Microsoft Word) appears in the list, click on it, then tick the box marked 'Always use the selected program to open this kind of file' and click on OK. Otherwise, click on Browse and locate the program file itself - it will usually be in its own folder within the Program Files folder. Then click on Open, and OK. Apply this process for other affected files.

Problem: The PC can't print properly from Microsoft Excel
Your Excel spreadsheets look fine on screen but they don't look right when printed out. Is there a way of making sure that the printed output includes the part of the spreadsheet you need?

There are several things you can do to make sure Excel spreadsheets look right when printed. First, make sure you're printing the correct area: click on the View menu and select Page Break Preview. Drag the blue lines to select which parts of the spreadsheet are to appear on which pages - the page numbers will appear in grey over each section.

Then, in the File menu, select Page Setup and make sure the correct print orientation (portrait or landscape) is set. In this dialogue box, the Scaling section is also important: make sure to select the right option, whether it is to limit the print to a certain number of pages, or to adjust it to a certain size.

If you need to fit more on the page, use the Margins tab to adjust how much data can appear on each page. Here you can also choose to make the data appear centred, horizontally or vertically, on each page.

Problem: New blank Microsoft Word documents don't look right
When you open a new document in Microsoft Word the page should be blank, but now the page already has some nonsense text on it, and the default font is set wrongly.

Microsoft Word uses a template to create the blank document when a new document is created. It is possible to modify this template, however, and this is what has happened here. The template file is located in the folder C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Application Data\Microsoft\Templates, where 'USER' is your username on the computer.

Navigate to this folder and several template files will be displayed. The one we want is Normal.dot - you can simply delete this and Word will start all new documents with the original default settings.

Alternatively, you can edit the template to your liking: simply double-click on the Normal.dot file to open it up in Word. At this point, edit it to remove the offending characters, then press Ctrl and A and select the default font you require from the drop-down list. Then save the file and close Word.

Problem: The Internet Explorer Pop-up Blocker blocks too many pop-ups
You use the Pop-up Blocker that comes with Internet Explorer, and it works well but it tends to be a little over-zealous. Sometimes it blocks legitimate windows that you actually want to see, such as when doing online banking.

The Pop-up Blocker is designed to stop unwanted advertisements from appearing in windows, but as you have noticed, it can get ahead of itself, blocking pop-up windows that you might actually want.

To stop it from doing so, click on the Tools menu, then Internet Options, then the Privacy tab, and click on the Settings button. You can then type a web address into the blank space, and click on Add, and no pop-ups from that site will be blocked in future.

Alternatively, when a pop-up is blocked, right-click on the yellow Information Bar that appears at the top of the Internet Explorer window and click on 'Allow Pop-ups for this Site', which will automatically add the current site to the list, as above.

Problem: Attachments in Microsoft Outlook Express can't be accessed
Outlook Express doesn't seem willing to let you see attachments in emails. Instead of being able to see the file, instead you get a message saying the file has been blocked because it might contain a virus.

Outlook Express now includes protection against viruses in the form of blocking attachments that could contain harmful programs. However, the files it blocks include several useful types such as Word documents. To turn this feature off, click on Tools, then Options, and select the Security tab. Remove the tick from the box marked 'Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus', and click on OK.

Because this turns blocking off entirely, you will need to be extra careful when opening attachments - make sure they are expected, and come from trusted contacts. One way around the problem, without switching the feature off entirely, is to click on the Forward button when such an email arrives.

You will then get a new message with the attachment showing, which can be saved separately. Then simply close the new message without saving it. Also ensure you have an antivirus program that scans incoming email messages and that it's kept up to date.

Problem: Some programs can't access the internet because of a firewall
You use the ZoneAlarm or Windows XP firewall to protect your computer from online threats, but it seems to be blocking legitimate programs from accessing the internet. Is there any way to make it give these programs access?

Double-click on the ZoneAlarm icon in the Notification Area, which will open the program console, and click on Program Control, then click on the Programs tab. You will see a list of programs - select the program in question and notice that instead of a tick, a question mark or a cross will be displayed in the Access columns. Click on the symbol and select Allow from the menu that appears , and then close the console.

To do the same thing for the Windows XP Firewall, open the Control Panel by clicking on Start, then on Control Panel. Then double-click on Windows Firewall (if this is not an option, click 'Switch to Category View' first). Click on the Exceptions tab and tick the box for the application you wish to grant internet access. If it's not in the list, click on Add Program and select it from the list that appears. Click on OK to close the dialogue box.

Problem: The mouse pointer moves erratically on the screen
Most of the time your mouse pointer moves around the screen quite normally. Sometimes, though, it shoots off in a random direction and you have to move the mouse again to get it back how it was.

First, if it is a wireless mouse, check the batteries and for interference from other wireless devices - move other radio-frequency devices (such as radios, microwave ovens, other mice) away and see if the problem is cured.

Then make sure the mouse settings are correct - check the Mouse Properties, by clicking on Start, then Control Panel, then either double-click on the Mouse icon or click on 'Printers and Other Hardware', then Mouse, then the Pointer Options tab.

Move the Motion slider and see if this fixes the problem, and click on OK. If it still shoots off, there may be a graphics problem - hold down the Windows key and press D to clear the screen, then right-click on the Desktop and click on Properties.

Click on the Settings tab, and the Advanced button and the Troubleshoot tab. Move the slider one notch to the left and click on OK. See if this cures the problem - if not, try moving it one more notch and click on OK. Do be aware that each move to the left will slow down graphics performance in general.

Finally, if you use an optical mouse, make sure the surface it is on (either a mouse mat or desk) is clean and not too shiny or patterned as sometimes the optical sensor can get confused by reflections and cause the pointer to jump.

Problem: The CRT monitor often causes headaches or tired eyes
Your monitor is an older CRT model (not a flat screen). It works fine but the image on the screen flickers quite a lot and sometimes you get a headache or tired eyes after long periods of using it.

CRT monitors work by drawing and redrawing the screen several times every second, to make it look like the image is moving on the screen. The rate at which the monitor draws each time is called the refresh rate, and it is measured in Hz. A refresh rate of 72Hz means the picture is drawn 72 times per second.

A rate lower than this is considered quite slow, and the flickering it causes will be noticeable to the eye (above this rate the image should be rock-steady to human eyes). This can also cause headaches or the feeling of tired eyes.

To fix it, go to Display Properties by pressing the Windows key and the D key together to clear the screen, then right-click on the Desktop and click on Properties. In the Settings tab, click on Advanced and on the Monitor tab. Make sure the tick box on this page is ticked, and click on Apply if necessary, then select a number higher than 72 from the list, and click on OK and follow the instructions.

Problem: The flat screen monitor display is fuzzy and unclear
You have recently switched to an TFT flat-screen monitor from an old-fashioned CRT monitor, but the quality of the display is terrible. Everything is blurred or fuzzy and the overall quality is much worse than it was on the older monitor.

TFT monitors, unlike CRT ones, can only operate at one resolution, known as its native resolution, which needs to match that set in Windows. If Windows is set to a lower resolution than the screen's native resolution, the screen will zoom the image to make it fill the whole monitor. This results in everything looking fuzzy and indistinct.

To fix this problem, hold down the Windows key and press D to clear the screen, then right-click on the Desktop and click Properties, then the Settings tab. Adjust the slider to the screen's native resolution (you will need to check the monitor's manual or the manufacturer's website for this, but for a 17in flat panel it is usually 1280 x 1024 pixels, and for 17in widescreen models it will usually be around 1280 x 960).

Then click on OK and follow any instructions that appear on screen. To further improve the display from TFT monitors, try the ClearType tool.

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