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| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT COMPUTERS
What's behind the rule that you must close all running software programs before installing a new program? It's not unusual for a software program to require a computer user to restart his or her computer before its installation is complete. If you're installing such a program, you don't want to have to interrupt the installation process to shut down other applications that are running concurrently. What's more, files are often replaced during a software installation or the installation process requires computer resources that are already in use. When you close all your open applications, you free up any resources that are needed and avoid software conflicts. And finally, sometimes things can go wrong with an installation and your computer may suddenly freeze or crash. If that happens and you have other programs running, you might lose data in them or corrupt them. Why take the chance of that occurring when you can easily close out of all programs before installing any new ones?
Is it OK to delete shortcuts to files? Deleting those shortcuts shouldn't cause any trouble. Shortcuts are merely pointers or "aliases" to files and programs on your computer. You can delete them without removing the files and programs themselves. If you ever need shortcuts to files, it's easy to recreate them.
Do I ever need to clean my floppy drive? How? Experts do recommend that computer users take the time to clean their floppy drives every once in a while if they are used a lot because dust can build up inside over time, making it more difficult for data to be read. You can clean your drive by purchasing a drive-cleaning kit, which can typically be found in an office-supply store for less than $10. To clean the drive, you'll need to insert the cleaning disk into the drive, which removes dust and any other particles that may have built up inside of it. You also might want to use a can of compressed air to blow dust out of the computer case and drive areas.
Can a floppy disk be damaged by being in a room that's too hot? You should avoid exposing your floppy disks to extraordinarily hot or cold temperatures because the extreme elements could affect the data that's on the disks or make it unreadable. Heat can be particularly dangerous because it can cause a floppy disk to warp, making it unable to fit into the drive or causing it to become stuck inside the drive.
How do I empty my Recycle Bin manually? The Recycle Bin can be a lifesaver and an annoyance. Files you delete are automatically placed in the bin instead of immediately being deleted. The bin is wonderful because you can recover files you accidentally delete, but there's a downside. Files aren't deleted from the bin until you empty it, so they take up valuable space on your hard drive. So you must empty it by either clicking the right mouse button on the bin's icon and choosing the Empty Recycle Bin command, or open the bin and choose the same command from the File menu. You can select which files to "empty" (delete) from the bin by highlighting them individually (control and click) and hitting the delete key. This leaves in the bin files that you have second thoughts about deleting permanently.
Why do the changes I make to font size in Word not remain when I close and reopen? The reason you have to keep making the changes each time you launch the program is because the default font size has not been changed. The next time you change the size of the text, make that size the default setting. It's easy to do; in fact, you should see a tab marked "default" in the popup screen you use to change the size of the text. Go to the Format menu, click on Font and then change the size of the text. Look on the bottom left-hand corner of that screen and you'll see the Default tab. Click on it and the program will make your changes the default so you shouldn't have to go through the process of changing text size in the future.
What is Windows' safe mode and how is it used? Sometimes, when you've closed down your PC without shutting down Windows, your computer boots into a menu where you are asked to select one of several different emergency start-up options. One of these is the "Safe Mode," which is used to by-pass device drivers that may be causing Windows to not start correctly. This mode is used by technical persons to assess problems with the operating system and to attempt corrective measures. If your computer is continually booting into this screen, contact your network administrator.
What does the key with the flag on my keyboard do? That's the Windows Logo key. Press it once and your Start Menu opens. Combine the Windows Logo key with another letter to access other shortcuts. Here are some to use. Press the Windows Logo key and D to minimize all open windows and show the desktop. Press the Windows Logo key and D again to go back to where you were. You can open Windows Explorer by pressing the Windows Logo key and E. Find files or folders on your PC by pressing the Windows Logo key and F. Finally, need help? Press the Windows Logo key and F1. These commands work in Windows 98, Me, XP and 2000.
I occasionally pick stuff up from the Web and paste it in to Word. Sometimes I want to leave part of it formatted as it was on the Web. The rest I want formatted as a Word document. Is there a way to do this? Copy the information from the Web pages you want and paste it into Word. At that point, it will be formatted as it was on the Web. Then highlight the portion you want to use Word's formatting. From Word's menu bar, select Format, then Styles and Formatting. In the task pane, click Clear Formatting.
I've been getting viruses that Norton AntiVirus puts in quarantine. Why are they there, and can I get rid of them? Norton puts infected and dangerous files that it cannot repair into quarantine. Rather than removing them, Norton puts them there so you can see the problem. In most cases, you don't want them. Deleting the files is a multistep task. In Norton AntiVirus, click the "View " button and select Quarantine. Select the files in the right pane, right click and select Delete Permanently, then Yes. |