PC problems: 45 FAQs - Part 1

There's nothing more frustrating than struggling with a problem on your PC that you have no idea how to diagnose, let alone solve, only to discover that the solution is really quite straightforward, given a little background knowledge on the subject.

In the past you might have had to resort to phoning a pricey technical support helpline to help fix the glitch. Now you can ward off panic when you encounter a problem and put things right yourself with the Computeractive guide to computer troubleshooting.

We've taken the most frequently encountered computing crises and provided you with a handy compendium of solutions.

WINDOWS

I want to change my computer's hard disk but I have heard that Windows XP will stop working if I do. Is this really true?
Windows XP requires 'activation' when it is installed. This can be performed either automatically over the internet or by telephoning Microsoft to request a special code, which you'll need to tap in on your keyboard when prompted by Windows.

If you later make major changes to your computer's original configuration, such as replacing the hard disk, Windows may request that you repeat the activation process. All you need to do is contact Microsoft again for a new code. More information on this can be found here.

When I start Windows I get error messages saying that 'ctrlpan.dll' was not found. If I let it continue loading everything works normally. What does this mean?
These messages are caused by spyware. There are ways to get rid of this manually but to do it all in one clean sweep, download and run either Spybot Search and Destroy or Ad-aware. For more information on removing spyware from a computer, take a look at our Combating Spyware feature here.

I have been emailed a file with a .zip extension. What is it, and how do I use it?
Zip files provide a means of packaging up a lot of files into one and then reducing the overall size. This is useful for emailing several documents or sets of pictures, for example. Windows XP lets you access the contents of Zip files without any problems: just double-click on the file as normal and it will open to reveal what's inside.

For other versions of Windows you will need to install software to do this, which is available free of charge here. Be wary of opening any file that has been sent as an email attachment, particularly if you weren't expecting it. The contents may harbour a virus.

How do I find out how much space I have left on my hard disk?
Double-click on the My Computer icon on the computer's Desktop (or for Windows XP users, go to Start, then click on My Computer). You will see a set of icons representing the computer's disk drives. The primary hard disk is usually labelled '(C:)'. Right-click on it and select Properties from the pop-up menu. A dialogue box will appear showing how much free space is still available.

If it is nearly full you can free up space by deleting unwanted personal files and folders, such as word-processor documents or image files. However, be careful to remove only those files you know can be safely deleted (if in doubt, leave well alone).

In addition, use the Disk Cleanup feature in Windows to remove temporary internet files and other unwanted detritus. You can launch this by clicking on Start then going to Programs (All Programs in XP), Accessories and System Tools.

My Desktop in Windows is bigger than the size of the monitor, so if I move my mouse to the edge, the whole Desktop moves with it. How can I stop this happening?
This usually happens with flat-panel (TFT) displays, which have a 'native' (a fixed maximum) resolution. The problem occurs if your Desktop size is set to a greater resolution than the monitor's native resolution.

On your keyboard, hold down the Windows key and press D to minimise all the windows open on the screen. Right-click on the Desktop and select Properties, then click on the Settings tab. You will see a slider marked Screen Area. Try moving this to the left one notch, and click on Apply. Repeat this until the screen is the correct size, then click on OK to close the dialogue box.

Some of the applications on my PC, such as FreeCell and Calculator, have vanished. How can I get them back?
Click on Start, then Settings, then Control Panel. Choose Add/Remove Programs and click on the Windows Components tab. You can then choose applications to install by ticking the appropriate box next to them. Calculator and FreeCell are stored in the Accessories section. You may be asked to insert your Windows CD at some point, so have it to hand.

I have an application installed on my computer but it's not in the Start menu or on the Desktop. How do I run it?
Go to My Computer and double-click on your hard disk (normally C:). Double-click on Program Files and then see if you can find a folder labelled with the name of the application in question.

If you can, open the folder and look for the program itself, which will have a.exe file extension, then double-click it. For the future, right-click on it and click on Create Shortcut, then drag the shortcut that appears to your Desktop.

I can't put my notebook computer into standby mode because the option is missing from the Start menu. How can I resolve this?
Although the following instructions might sound irrelevant, they should fix the problem. Right-click on the Desktop and select Properties, then select the Settings tab. If the Display section says 'Standard VGA' then you will need to install the driver for your graphics card. The manufacturer should be able to supply this. Otherwise try Microsoft's support website here for further options.

APPLICATIONS

Whenever I double-click on an image, Windows says that it can't open the file. How can I get round this?
Find an image file and, instead of double-clicking on it, hold down Shift and right-click. Choose Open With from the menu that appears and then select from the list the application you want to use to open the image.

If you know the name of your image-editing application, look for that. If not, try selecting Photoshop, Paint Shop Pro, Imaging or ACDSee if any of those are in the list. Make sure you tick the box marked Always use this program to open these files.

I know I should periodically save documents and files I'm working on, but is there a way to automatically save my work?
In certain applications you can set up an auto-save function to save your work every so often. In Word, go to Tools, then Options. Select the Save tab in the dialogue box, and tick the boxes marked Allow Background Saves and Save Autorecover Info Every. You can then enter a time period in the Minutes box according to your preference. Normally, saving every 10 minutes is sufficient to avoid most disasters.

I've been told to use PDF documents if I'm emailing my work to other people but, although I can view PDF files, I can't create them.
PDF documents can be read using Adobe's free Acrobat Reader software. To create PDFs on a regular basis, however, you need to buy Adobe Acrobat Professional, which is quite an expensive option. Alternatively, Adobe's website lets you convert up to five documents into PDFs free of charge.

You need to register and then upload your document, which will be emailed back to you as a PDF. If you need to create more PDFs, you can subscribe for $10 (just under £6) per month for unlimited document conversion.

I have Windows Media Player, RealPlayer and QuickTime installed on my computer. Do I need all of them? How do I set files to be viewed in only one of them?
There are some files that can only be viewed in one of these players. Windows Media files (those that end with .wma or .wmv) need to be played with Windows Media Player, while RealMedia (.ra, .ram) files need RealPlayer and QuickTime (.qt, .mov) files need QuickTime.

If you want to view your files in Windows Media Player, open Media Player, go to the Tools menu and select options. Under the File Types tab select all the file types you want Media Player to play, then click OK. But remember that it won't play QuickTime or RealPlayer files.

SECURITY

I opened my email box one morning to find lots of emails from companies telling me that I had sent them a virus. I've never even heard of some of these companies. Has someone hacked in to my PC?
If the people emailing you are not in your address book, then you have nothing to worry about. Some viruses 'spoof' where they're coming from. In other words, they choose a random email address.

In this case your email address has been spoofed from somebody else's address book. You probably haven't been infected or hacked but it's safest to run a full virus scan anyway.

I use a web-based email address and sometimes when I send a message I get one back saying it couldn't be delivered because I am on an open mail server. Other messages tell me I have no 'reverse DNS'. What's going on?
It sounds like your email provider has not set up its mail server properly, meaning that the system is susceptible to being used by spammers. Some mail servers block email from such servers on the ground that they are dangerous. You should contact your provider's technical support department and ask them to secure the server appropriately.

My computer shuts itself down when I'm working, usually when I connect to the internet.
This is a symptom of the Sasser virus. You should run a full scan with an up-to-date virus checker, and install the patch from Microsoft, which is available here.

MODEMS AND THE INTERNET

Can I use my voice/fax modem as a hands-free telephone via the PC?
Some voice modems allow you to use them as speakerphones, although most will only let you receive voice messages. If you did not get any voice software with the modem, try your manufacturer's website for advice and downloads.

When someone sends me an email with an attached file, Outlook Express tells me that the attachment has been blocked.
If you know the file is safe, in other words if you were expecting it from a trusted source, go to the Tools menu, choose Options and in the Security tab uncheck the box marked Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus, then click on OK and close Outlook Express. When you relaunch Outlook, you will be able to access those attachments.

Whenever I start up my computer a box appears asking me to connect to the internet.
A program that starts with Windows is trying to access the internet. It may be your virus checker trying to update or something equally innocuous. To be safe, run a full virus check and run Spybot Search and Destroy or Ad-aware which will pick up any malicious software.

If I move to another computer entirely, is there any way I can take my email and favourites with me?
In Internet Explorer, click on File, then Import and Export. Follow the instructions to make a file containing your favourites. You can then copy or email the file to another computer and import it using the same menu option. For instructions on backing up your Outlook Express email and addresses see Microsoft's support website here.

On some websites I get an error saying that I need Java to use the site properly. I have looked on the Microsoft website and on Windows Update for a Java upgrade, but I can't find one.
Because of an ongoing lawsuit Microsoft has removed Java from its website. You can download it here. You will need to click on 'yes' on the box that pops up.

I have moved from Internet Explorer to another web browser, Opera. I really like it, and I would like to remove Internet Explorer from my system.
It is possible to remove Internet Explorer but it is not recommended. It controls the way Outlook Express and some other programs display text and graphics, so deleting it would mean that parts of Windows would stop working. You can safely delete the shortcuts to it from your Desktop and Start menu by right-clicking on them and selecting Delete.

My computer can't connect to the internet. If I try to connect it says there is no dial tone.
Check that the modem is correctly connected to the computer, and that it is plugged in to your phone line. Make sure there are no kinks or breaks in the cables, and that the telephone service is working. You might also want to check that the phone line isn't in use by another member of the household.