windows

Infopackets Reader David R. writes: " Hi Dennis! A while back, I was playing around with a program and my drive letters somehow got re-assigned. My CD ROM drive (D) became E, and E became F. I am trying to put in a Video input card ... and every ... time I try to do the driver install, the PC says it cannot access drive D. Since Drive D became Drive E, there is no disk in D and thus installation cannot be performed. Is there a way I can reassign the Drive letters or reassign the default CD Rom? I posted this message on the message board at Tech TV and here is the response that I got: ' Do ... (view more)

Update 02 / 23 / 2005: Registry Mechanic 4.0 has just been released. Click here to read the newest review of Registry Mechanic 4.0 (including screenshots), or continue below to read Jake Ludington's review of Registry Mechanic version 2.0. -- The ... most common cause for system instability, crashes, and performance degradation is a poorly configured or un-optimized Windows Registry. Maintaining the Windows Registry using WinGuide's Registry Mechanic can avoid erratic system behavior, while improving overall PC performance. Let's start with the basics: What is the Windows Registry? The Windows ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Doug D. writes: " Dear Dennis, I get a lot out of your newsletter and hope you can help me. There are many files listed in my Windows Startup, and some of the names appear more than once. I even have programs listed on my computer ... which no longer exist! How do I remove any unneeded listings? I removed the programs from the register using a RegCleaner, but they are still listed in the Startup. " My Response: I get asked this question quite often, and have commented on it before in the newsletter. The truth is that many of the programs listed in the Startup can be ... (view more)

I'd like to discuss a security threat which was recently discovered in Internet Explorer. Mike Healan of Spywareinfo.com forwarded an article to me today. The article urges all Windows users to take the necessary precautions to secure their browsers ... from a nasty exploit recently discovered in Internet Explorer. The exploit allows hackers to gain control of a system and execute harmful code. http://www.spywareinfo.com/articles/htasploit/ Without further adieu, here is the article by Mike Healan (edited): -- Members of the SWI support forums have uncovered a very nasty flaw in Internet Explorer ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Ray M. asks: " I had a program that allowed me to play piano notes using my keyboard [on my old computer] ... [unfortunately I can't remember the name of the program] ... and would like to install one on my new computer. If you ... can [suggest] a program [which plays piano notes on the keyboard], I would greatly appreciate it. " My response: I didn't know of any piano programs off of the top of my head, so I searched Google and came across a site which provided an extensive list of shareware piano programs. http://pianoeducation.org/pnodsoft.html#IBM Many of the ... (view more)

A while back, I was asked to review and critique a new program from Li Utilities: the same company who created WinTasks Professional and WinBackup. For the purpose of this article, I will explain basic tweaking terminology and how it applies to ... SpeedUpMyPC: all in Simple English. If you really want to learn about computer hardware and how tweaking can make a world difference -- you will definitely find this article an interesting read! OK, so what is SpeedUpMyPC? SpeedUpMyPC is a utility which runs quietly in the system Tray Bar. It monitors system resources, optimizes Internet connections, ... (view more)

In light of our recent discussions on PC Privacy and Security, I've decided to write a review on Webroot's Windows Washer after receiving a few emails from Readers who recommended the program. What is Webroot's Window Washer? With web browsers and ... other applications constantly recording personal tidbits of information -- such as documents and pictures you've viewed, plus web sites recently visited -- maintaining privacy while using your PC can be a daunting task. Webroot's award-winning Window Washer is a comprehensive, simple-to-use utility which protects user privacy and maintains system ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Jerry D. writes: " Dear Dennis, I hope you can help me! I [would like to know how to] delete the 'Play List' from my Windows Media Player. I think I have version 9. Do you know how can I delete it? " My Response: I wasn't sure how ... to go about doing this, so I did some research using Google and found 2 viable solutions. Both suggestions I found came from reputable sources. Solution #1: Modify values the Windows Registry Close Windows Media Player (if it's running). Click Start -> Run, and type in: regedit.exe Open up the branch HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ ... (view more)

Yesterday's Visitor Feedback question was sent in from Arlene M. In a nutshell, she asked if it was possible to make a window *always* stay on top of other windows, even after clicking or moving other windows. My response stated that, "If a window ... is active (IE: in use), it will remain on top of all other windows. Once another window is clicked or moved, it becomes the active window [and all other windows fall behind]." I also provided Arlene with some great keyboard shortcuts to make flipping through windows a real snap: A quick way to cycle through active Windows? Today, I ... (view more)