Date: 04/23/05 (Computer Help)    Keywords: php, software, browser, web, google

I have a few computer problems. If you can’t help me with all of them, that’s understandable. If you could just answer any of the questions, I’d really appreciate it.

1) Tweak will let me set special folders but warns me about moving them. I'm assuming that this is really just a standard warning as I've moved the folders a few days ago and they all seem pretty harmless. (Including the Start Menu which I previously asked here and had a round robin suggestion. Anyways) Is it mostly harmless re-setting folder locations using programs like Tweak and/or TuneUP Utilities?

2) I need to remove something off of "File" menu when you open a folder. It's driving me nuts. Well, I wouldn't mind if I could re-set the hot alt key. Does anyone know a program that controls what items appear on a folder’s File menu? Does anyone know a program that allows you to set “alt” letters?

3) On Tuesday I downloaded Itunes. Ever since, the mp3s on my winamp playlist have gotten quieter and I don't know why that is. The wma’s play at normal volume on winamp but I have to turn up the volume way up to listen to any mp3. (almost like a throwback to my 2003 speaker problem.) As my playlist is a mix of both, I find myself constantly adjusing the songs. Does anyone know of software that checks what went wrong? I’ve already been in control panel sound and even system; all the drivers check out.

4)
a - I guess it goes without asking that if I have an old win 95 deluxe edition of Norton, there's no way I could successfully install it and get live update to work, right? I'll just have to purchase a new version, right?

b - so, in saying that, what version of Norton includes crash guard and first aid. I love first aid. I've never had to do it but I love the idea checking everyday system functions.

5) Start menu is driving me nucking futs. It keeps hiding programs i haven't used. i hate hate hate this. so i believe i turned this function off yesterday. I thought it was TuneUp but I guess not. How can I turn this function off.

6) Tweak doesn't work when trying to prevent IE from stealing focus. I asked this question last month when i was still using win 98. I knew I'd be upgrading soon so I didn't fuss when the advice didn't do anything to help. Now I'm using win mx, i've installed tweak and yet again, it does nothing to prevent IE from stealing focus. Can anyone recommend another program that can help?

7)
a - Internet Explorer has gone weird. I can't load lj userinfo pages correctly on the 3rd or 4th attempt. example, i open ie on my userinfo page and it loads properly. So whenever I say "new window" by doing ctrl n, instead of getting the "journal" menus at the top, i get < ************ > with the menus at the bottom. If i'm at download.com and i'm looking at my search results, i'll click on "by user rating". if at any point during this specific action i hit alt + tab to switch screens, ie crashes. no joke. so i have to sit and wait patiently while my slow 28kb connection loads that page. Has anyone else using XP experienced a similar problem? Is there an older version of IE that you think is better?

b - In addition, IE will sometimes automatically open a new window directing to a non-existing website: http://www.turbotones.net/uk/index.php . I will have hit ctrl + n ONCE (i don't do things twice) and my google search will have opened in a new window (whatever I was previously searching). After a few seconds, that page will open. I've searched all text in all files "word or phrase in the file" for "turbotones" to see who on my pc is asking to pop up to this page and this yielded no results. Can anyone help?

NOTE Please don't give me advice like "don't use IE" because that's not advice; that's just annoying. It's like saying "you shouldn't use automatic, you should use a stick shift" (or vice versa). Each browser has its own quirks and I've already gotten used to IE. In addition, I use IE at work, therefore I can mirror whatever I'm doing at work with what I'm doing at home.

8) I want to remove "Local Area Network" from the system tray. There used to be a great program. I think it was simply sys_tray manager from a few years back. Does anyone have a copy? I also want to get rid of quicktime. I've uninstalled it but it's still lurking about. It's also in my system tray and it's annoying! Can anyone recommend a good, fast, free system tray manager program?

9) Speaking of annoying, XP has reset the Page down/page up function to skip down/up "x" lines when using a drop down menu. I want to reset this figure. Does anyone know how?

10) I have an old excel spreadsheet that i've opened. I've already said that the columns should be mm.dd.yy. for whatever reason (well, i'm based in the uk now not the us) excel has decided that despite my previously setting the column properties, it should be dd.mm.yy (the uk format) What other automatic changes should I look forward to (gulp) ? btw, language changes (example, us to uk) are easy to find in word. does anyone know where I can find it in excel?

11) The last problem is quite generic. I have a few USB ports in the back that are working fine, but the ones in the front are fucked. I found under system, there's "code 28" error. I've searched for the drivers online but they are all no good. Initially when putting this PC together last Sat, it said something like "service pack #" with a link. Fair enough, I though. I didn't have a modem on me then so I couldn't connect my pc to the link. I just assumed that I'd get the link again. Well, I just made an ass out of me and me because lo and behold, I'm here trying to install the driver for the umpteeth time. Doesn't make a difference to me personally cause I have four in the back in working condition. The ports came with the tower and I don’t have a disk for the tower. Now I'm hoping someone out there has a link to driver installation file.
I was hoping this would help. But I guess not.

12) I have to keep an eye on my hard drive temperature. I have 3 fans so hopefully it'll always be all good, but if not, what's a bad temp? currently, it's at 33.

Thanking you all in advance. Please let me know if you need further information!!!

cross posted to ladiorange, computer_help and livejournal_uk.

Source: http://www.livejournal.com/community/computer_help/381463.html