Solutions to Common Computer Problems or Questions

• How to backup your email
• Computer Freezing
• OE Removed
• Sound problems
• Slow Wireless Internet
• Joke Lists
• Jdbgmgr.exe  virus warning
• Sulfnbk hoax
• Klez Worm
• Webmail vs Outlook
• Quota Message
• Outlook Email password will not save in Windows XP or 2000
• Outlook or Outlook Express password will not save in Windows 95 or 98
• How to remove Xupiter
• .eml attachments will not open in Outlook Express

How to backup your email

• http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q270670 

Computer Freezing

Usually, a computer freezing up is caused by some piece of software not working correctly. The hard part is figuring out which software is responsible. There is no quick fix for this type of problem. Take a look at the following options.

If the computer freezes up while using different software programs, then it is probably Windows itself that has a problem. Usually, this means you need to reinstall Windows.

If it freezes up only while using a particular program, then it is likely there is something wrong with that program.  If something is wrong with the particular program, uninstall it and reinstall it. If it still happens, then it is probably a poorly written program, and you should avoid using it.

Sometimes, it is a combination of programs. For example, some programs do not shut down properly and will cause programs that you start later to fail. These are tough to solve.  Usually, the only solution is to reboot the computer after using the problem-causing software.  One way to figure out which program might be problematic is to keep a daily log of what programs you start.  We know it is a tedious thing to do, but it is a good way of figuring out which program may have started the problems.  Once you have figured out what program is causing the problem, you are more than half way to fixing it.

The best solution to greatly decrease computer freeze-ups is to purchase Windows XP.  This version of Windows software rarely freezes.  Just be sure to read the instructions/documentation about the programs that are important to you in order to make sure they work with Windows XP.

Attachment error message - OE Removed 

If you receive a message, when you click on an email attachment, that says it cannot open the program because "OE Removed ....", then 

1. Open Outlook Express 6.0.
2. Click Tools, point to Options, and then click the Security tab.
3. Uncheck "Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus."
4. Click OK.

Sound

Troubleshooting why you cannot hear sound:

Your first step is to make sure the speaker cord is securely plugged into the speakers as well as into the back of your computer tower.  Also make sure the speaker cord is plugged into the right hole at the back of the computer (there is sometimes a speaker icon stamped beside the correct place for the plug; on the wireless computers from Chase 3000, the right place is coloured green).  Make sure the power cord for the speakers is plugged into an outlet and the power button on the front of the speakers is turned on (a light should be on above the power button, if the speakers are turned on).  Make sure the volume is turned up (another button on the front of the speakers). 

If all that looks okay and you still do not have sound, double-click on the volume control icon in the "tray" (lower right-hand corner of your monitor screen, beside the clock). 
The icon should look like this: 
(If you don't see such an icon, go to the START button (lower left corner of your monitor screen), select "Settings" from the menu, and "Control Panel" from that menu.  In the Control Panel, double-click on "Multimedia" and make sure there's a checkmark in the box that makes the volume control icon show up on the taskbar.)

Anyway, when you double-click on the volume control icon, a window should pop up.  This has multiple volume controls.  If any of the white boxes below the volume control slide bars are checked to "mute" sound, uncheck those boxes and left-click the "x" in the upper right corner of the window in order to close the window.  If any of these volume controls are pulled way down toward the bottom, left-click and "pull" the slide up the bar in order to increase the volume.  Left-click the "x" in the upper right corner of the window to exit the window.

See if sound works now.  If not, follow the instructions on this website:

http://www.rvvs.com/techpages/soundcard.htm

If none of these things do the trick, toss your computer out the window!  (Just kidding! (smile))  You may need to reinstall the sound drivers.

Slow Wireless Internet (It is not normal for it to be slow.)

First, make sure that your connection to the Internet is stable.  To check this, double click on the vertical bars in the corner by the clock.  Then, go to "Advanced" and "Link Test."  On the left hand side, you will see "Sent," "Received," and "Lost."  As long as the Lost is less than 5% of the Sent, you will be happy and you have a stable connection.  The color of the bars is determined by the SNR, which is the signal to noise ratio.  That simply is the signal strength minus the noise.  If the SNR is too low, then your connection will be lost.  Usually, this is because the "test partner," which is the radio at my end, is not receiving a strong enough signal back from you.  This is often caused by your antenna being out of alignment or the cable where it plugs into the computer being loose or something being between your antenna and our antenna.  Please check your connection at the back of the computer and look at your antenna to verify they are properly connected and aligned.  If the bars go to 1 red and 4 gray, that means the connection has been lost and there is a problem.  Please call us when this happens.  However, if your loss is a low percentage, then you have a good connection.

If you experience a slow wireless connection, be sure to give us a call.  It is not normal for it to be slow, anytime, so there would be a reason.  Call us.

 

Joke Lists

It is polite to ask people if they want to be added to your joke list.  While you may enjoy the joke and while it may be a good one, many people do not want to receive these every day.  They consider them junk.  It is ok to send people an occasional one; but before you start sending them to people on a daily basis, make sure they want them.  Assume most do not.

 

A lot of people complain to me because they are afraid to say anything to their friends.  They don't want to offend their friends.  At the same time, they don't want all of the things that get forwarded to them.  It varies from person to person; so while some like what you forward, others don't.  So, ask before you assume.  Since email is so different than other types of communication, not everyone knows the ettiquette.  As we are the Internet provider, we take it upon ourselves to be the bad guy in sharing such information with you, on behalf of email buddies everywhere.

jdbgmgr.exe  virus warning

If you get an email message from your friends telling you that you have jdbgmgr, then do not follow the instructions. It is a hoax. If you delete the file it tells you to, you will disable some java functions on your computer. It is good practice to Ignore 99% of the warnings you get from your friends. This site tells how to get back the file that you might have erased due to this hoax.  This virus is often called a "gullibility virus" because it relies on you to believe the message and do the damage yourself.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;Q322993

Also, before forwarding such warning messages to people, it is important to check your favorite anti-virus site to see if the problem is real.  This is a good website to review, too:  http://hoaxbusters.ciac.org/

You may get a message from Mdaemon, saying that someone sent you the Klez worm.  It is okay to ignore it.  The Klez worm infects a computer.   It then sends the virus to everyone in the address book; but instead of correctly identifying who the message is coming from, the worm randomly selects a name from the address book and says it is coming from them.  This effectively hides who the real sender is and blames the wrong person.  It is really coming from one of your friends who happens to have both you and the name you don't recognize in their address book.  As a result, it isn't easy to track down.  The only real way to stop it is for providers to do like Chase 3000 does -- require all senders of mail to submit a legitimate local address in order to be allowed to send.

Webmail vs Outlook

There are two general types of mail systems. 

 

1.  Web Mail or other types of web based mail programs, such as hotmail, yahoo, etc.

2.  Outlook Express or other POP3 mail programs such as Outlook, Netscape Mail, Eudora

 

Web Mail stores the messages on the mail server.  When you ask for the mail via your browser (Internet Explorer or Netscape), then you are shown a list of headers including who sent the mail, the subject, the date, and the size.  If you ask to see a particular message, then the contents of the message are retrieved from the server and shown to you.  If you delete the message, it is deleted from the server.  If you simply view the message but leave it alone, then it stays on the server and can be viewed again by you from any computer connected to the Internet.  This message stays on the server until you tell it to be deleted.

 

POP3 mail systems use the same mail server; but when you ask for the mail, the message is actually transferred from the server to the computer making the request.  When the transfer is completed, the messages are deleted from the server and the only location where the messages exist is on the machine you moved them to when you checked your mail.

 

The advantage of the Web Mail method of viewing your mail is that the messages are stored on the mail server and can be viewed from any computer with a connection to the Internet.  This is helpful if you want to check mail from more than one location.  Another advantage is that if there are multiple people using the same computer, it is easy to keep each person's mail separate.  The disadvantage of the Web Mail system is that there is a limit to the number of messages that can be stored on the server.  That limit for Chase 3000 is 300 messages.  This includes messages in the trash.  There is also a time limit that you can be connected to the server without activity, this is currently set to 20 minutes.  If you take longer than 20 minutes to compose your message, then you may lose your connection to the server.  Thus, if you have not copied the unfinished message to a clipboard (highlight text and Ctrl-C), you will have to retype the message.

 

The advantage of using the POP3 system is that there are no limits to the number of messages or the time it takes to compose the messages.  You have functions and features that may not be available via web mail, such as spell checking and message management.  The disadvantage is that once you have downloaded the mail to your computer, you must have access to that same computer to view the messages since this is the only place they exist.  They have been erased from the server at the time of the transfer.  If you only have one computer in your life, this is not really an issue.

 

You are welcome to use one or both methods. 

 

If you do not like the layout or format of Web Mail you can adjust this by clicking on the Options icon (wrench), Personalize, Theme, and changing it to something you prefer such as Standard.

Quota Message

You may get an email from your ISP that says your account has exceeded its quota.  In most cases, the quota was probably triggered by someone sending you a very large file. Most providers give you only 1mb space in your mailbox. Chase 3000 gives you 5mb. That is a large mailbox. Usually the very large file someone is trying to send to you is some type of picture they scanned. If these are not properly compressed, they can be huge files that would take you a long time to download. So, ask your friend to send you files that are less than 5mb in size.

Back up your computer files

• Surefire ways to avoid a data disaster

• Use a reliable backup program to automate your backups to CD or disk