Solving common software problems

Forgotten Thunderbird password
Q I have upgraded from the Thunderbird 2 email program to Thunderbird 3 but can’t access my email because I have forgotten my password. Thunderbird 2 didn’t ask for my password so I never learned it. I have tried all the combinations I can think of. Is there any way of retrieving the password?

A If you still have your copy of Thunderbird 2, it is quite a simple job to retrieve the password. Click on the Tools menu and then on Options. Click on the Privacy tab and then on the Edit Saved Password buttons.

If you do not still have Thunderbird 2, your only option is to contact the company that supplies your email address. You will have to identify yourself but it should be a fairly simple process for them to reset the password and you won’t lose any email as a consequence.

Switching anti-virus package
Q I tried installing some new security software but decided to stop the installation when it asked me to first uninstall my current anti-virus package. Since there are so many viruses out there, will I leave myself open to attack during the time between uninstalling my old software and installing the new one?

A You are right in saying your PC will be open to attack during this period but as long as you install the new software as soon as the uninstall process on the old software has finished you should be fine.

If you want to be extra careful, download the installation file for the new software and then disconnect your computer from the internet by turning your router off. Once you have installed the new software, switch the router back on again.

Program won’t uninstall
Q In an attempt to speed up my computer, I have been uninstalling applications I no longer use. Annoyingly, there are a few programs listed in XP’s Add/Remove Programs window that won’t uninstall and instead bring up an error message.

I have located the relevant folders within the Programs folder and am tempted to simply delete them. Is that advisable?

A Although deleting the folders will free up disk space, most programs have associated files in other folders as well as entries in the Registry. As a result, deleting a program’s folders can result in error messages.

Uninstall errors are usually the result of missing files or a corrupt installation, so one option is to try re-installing the software. If a Repair option appears during installation, select it; otherwise, follow the installation process through.

Once it has finished, restart the computer then try removing the program again. If it still fails, contact the developer of the software as it could be a known issue with an appropriate fix.

4: PC Myth – Is AVG Free being discontinued?
Q When checking the status of my AVG Free software I saw a notification that there is a new version now available.

However, upon clicking this link I was directed to a website that only appeared to have a paid-for version available. I had heard rumours that AVG Free was being discontinued, has it finally happened?

A AVG Free is a popular anti-virus utility and we have heard nothing to suggest it’s being discontinued.

However, these rumours often circulate, and the company that develops AVG Free is understandably keen to move people onto the commercial versions of its software.

To get the free version of the software visit http://free.avg.com, or, alternatively, you can always download the latest free version from the Computeractive website.

5: Slow startup
Q Is there any reason my PC takes so long to start up? I often have to wait a good 10 minutes from switching it on before I can use Windows.

A There could be many reasons for this but one of the most likely is that a large number of programs are all being loaded at startup. The best first step towards remedying this is to uninstall programs you no longer use.

To do this in Vista and Windows 7, click Start, type uninstall a program and press Enter. In XP, click Start, Control Panel and then Add/Remove programs. Scan through the list, removing any you no longer use but be careful not to uninstall Windows updates as this may leave your computer vulnerable to attack.

Baffled by jargon? See our free online Jargon Buster.