Subject: 2 Questions
I have tons of lost hardware space on my computer and can't recover it.
My C:\ is partitioned at 2.5GB but only 1.5GB is available... I’ve disabled System Restore and when I right-click/properties the C:\ it says only 1.5GB is being used, but for some reason there isn't 1GB shown as “Free Space”.
Second question, I can't get my Java RunTime Viewer working on IE 6.0. I can't even uninstall IE 6.0 so I can reinstall everything, any way you can help?

Help Desk: Without knowing which operating system or whether this is a new or replacement drive in an older machine, we can only answer in general terms.

Hard drive problem: try Partition Magic to resize the partition or maybe SPINRITE. Bring your system to the “Build or Buy” SIG for help. Your BIOS may not support drives larger than 2 GB.
IE 6 JAVA problem: If Windows ME, try going to Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, find Microsoft Internet Explorer 6.0 and Internet Tools and click to remove it. A menu should appear; then click REPAIR. Let it repair IE. Once that’s done, reboot. If that doesn’t solve it, check the Microsoft Knowledge Base for more information.

If it’s Windows XP, try running System File Check (SFC). Go to Start, RUN, type in SFC /scannow (have your Windows XP CD available) and let it scan for errors. Check also Todd Rosen’s column, Are You Xperienced?

Subject: how do I get rid of those horrible ads?
How do I get rid of those horrible ads that pop up every time I sign on through Internet Explorer? I try to type in my web site and they just keep popping up, three or four of them EVERY time. I always want to scream!!!!!!!!

Editor: You should get the free Spybot Search and Destroy (download from www.tucows.com/preview/310138.html) and Lavasoft's AdAware (download from www.tucows.com/preview/236049.html) to remove the source of those ads from your system. Often adware can leave stubs behind when they are removed that will continually try to reinstall them unless every trace of them is removed from your hard drive and the Windows Registry. Then get the new Google tool bar, which offers a pop-up eliminator button in addition to its searching capability. You can read more about it and download it from www.toolbar.google.com/. You’ll need at least IE 5.5 to use it.

Subject: question
I’m new on PC (worked on a MAC for many years). Where can I find a list of copyright marks, trademarks, registered, etc. using the keyboard to make them? On the MAC to make the copyright symbol you would type (apple G). Anything like that on the PC? Help.

Editor: Windows does have a “symbol” font that includes the trademark, etc. In Microsoft Word, there are several ways to insert symbols, one of which is described on the web page at www.opac.com/mous/word2000/textpages/text15.htm. A shortcut can be assigned to those symbols, or you can view the preset keystrokes for inserting a special character on the second tab of the same dialog box. The third way would be to set the autocorrect feature to change ordinary letters of your choice to the correct symbol as you type.

Subject: Windows 98SE
I am currently running windows 98 and have just purchased a new Gigabyte GA-7VA motherboard only to find that the onboard USB does not support my current operating system and it requires Windows 98SE (this was not specifically clear on Gigabyte's product spec at the time of purchase). As a result my scanner connected to USB from the new motherboard no longer works.
But I only want the USB driver patch from the SE version and nothing else. So I was wondering if you would know whether there was any freewares on the web for a Windows 98SE USB driver patch that can be downloaded on my current 98 to make the scanner works?

Editor: The driver from Win 98 SE will not work on Win 98 First Edition, and it’s not very easy to locate drivers for Windows 98 First Edition anymore since Microsoft support has ended for that version of Windows. Check www.usb-drivers.com/drivers/46/46574.htm for information about Win98USB4101998.zip or www.usbman.com/Drivers%20and%20Patches.htm#Windows for Win98 Service Pack1 with the USB Update included. You might also try to find a driver on the web site of the scanner manufacturer.

Subject: Re: Fw: Address Book
I received this email from my sister-in-law. Tell me if this works are not. Thanks a million.

-------Original Message-------
I learned a computer trick today that's really ingenious in its simplicity.
As you may know, when/if a worm virus gets into your computer it heads straight for your email address book, and sends itself to everyone in there, thus infecting all your friends and associates.
This trick won't keep the virus from getting into your computer, but it will stop it from using your address book to spread further, and it will alert you to the fact that the worm has gotten into your system.
Here's what you do:
First, open your address book and click on "new contact," just as you would do if you were adding a new friend to your list of email addresses.
In the window where you would type your friend's first name, type in "A".
For the screen name or email address, type "AAAAAAA@AAA.AAA".
Now, here's what you've done and why it works:
The "name" "A" will be placed at the top of your address book as entry#1.
This will be where the worm will start in an effort to send itself to all your friends.
But, when it tries to send itself to AAAAAAA@AAA.AAA, it will be undeliverable because of the phony email address you entered. If the first attempt fails (which it will because of the phony address), the worm goes no further and your friends will not be infected.
Here's the second great advantage of this method:
If an email cannot be delivered, you will be notified of this in your In Box almost immediately. Hence, if you ever get an email telling you that an email addressed to AAAAAAA@AAA.AAAA could not be delivered, you know right away that you have the worm virus in your system. You can then take steps to get rid of it!
Pretty slick huh?
If everybody you know does this then you need not ever worry about opening mail from friends.
Pass this on to all your friends.

Editor: There may be a time when this suggestion would have alerted you to a problem. But unfortunately the latest crop of email viruses is more sophisticated and “spoof” the return addresses, inserting bogus addresses to disguise the identity of the true sender. In fact, some even appear to come from Microsoft, when they actually do not.