Monthly Archives: March 2010

sending large attachments via email

Computer Aid Posted on by

I saw a customer that was having many problems with sending emails.

Sometimes the emails would sit in the outbox for hours, until they get deleted.

I looked at many options, and could only see a problem with MS outlook: the automatic send/receive was scheduled to run every minute, rather than every 10 minutes. I changed it to every 15 minutes, as some of the attachments were quite large.

I didn’t realise at first, but I eventually realised that the attachments were quite large.

Given the nature of ADSL, receiving is much faster than sending… so while ADSL1 can receive at about 1.5Mb per minute, it can only send at 0.5 Mb per minute. While ADSL2+ can receive up to 22Mb per minute, it can only send at 1Mb per minute.

This is great for surfing the net (and receiving emails), as most of the traffic is in-coming.

But when you try sending emails, you are limited to 1Mb per minute… so a 22Mb file (which is very quick to copy onto a USB drive), will take at least 22 minutes to send… a 60Mb file will take at least 1 hour.

In this case, the customer had file that varied between 7Mb and 300Mb… all quite large for email… particularly when most ISPs will time-out an email, it it take longer than 30 minutes to send.

So what are the alterntives?

  • A remove internet drive (like dropbox). You get no email timeouts, but can still only send at 1MB per minute. Plus the person at the other end also needs to install the dropbox software… its all a bit clumsy, but can work well if you need to send large files to many people.
  • Write a CD / DVD and post it… a CD can store 700 Mb, a DVD can store 4,500 Mb (ie 4.5 Gb)… This is easily the cheapest solution, but it can take some time to “burn” each CD.
  • write to a USB drive and post it, or take it with you to transfer to another PC. USB drives can store up to 32Gb, are quite quick, but are small and easy (and costly) to lose.

Password protected routers (and WiFi)

Computer Aid Posted on by

A while ago I got called to a client with the complaint of “not able to connect to the internet.”

The setup turned out to be unusual. A PC in the lounge connect via ethernet to a D-LINK router which had a D-LINK wireless (WiFi) adapter added.

There was a second PC at the opposite end of the house connecting to the router via a USB Wireless Adapter and this was the one not working

I found a bunch of malware and evidence of a lot of porn so was not surprised it was faulty.

Returned with it to my workshop and connected to my network, then spent several hours scanning and cleaning with various anti-malware and antivirus programs.

I also was not happy the 3rd Party firewall so uninstalled it and installed a new one. I was able to see my wireless network so I returned to the house and reinstalled the box and found the wireless adapter was working again.

Great!!!!

I had a look at what networks were visible and found 4. Two had unique names and 2 were just D-LINK. All were strong but only one of the 4 was secured so I had the client watch while I powered off the router and restarted it.

As I suspected it was one of the unsecured D-LINK’s.

I went to the lounge computer and tried to get into the router but found it was password protected. It appears he was with a new “Partner” and the Lounge computer was hers. He rang her at work but she had no idea what the password was.

I extracted the email password and tried it but that was no good so we rang again and was told her next day off was the following Saturday.

I suggested that I call then, and we would phone her ISP’s help line and get them to issue a temporary password then I would reset the router and set it all up again. I arranged for her to phone me on the Friday and confirm that she would be home.

I was paid for what I had done and left.

Friday came and nothing…

I rang on Saturday but no reply so called on Monday and she apologised but she had forgotten, so the arrangement was to be repeated the next weekend.

There was no call so I gave up and can only presume it is still running unprotected.

iomega home media network hard drive

Computer Aid Posted on by

I’ve always wanted to test one of these units, and today I finally got one (since the price has dropped significantly since I first saw them).

My main  worry was that it would not support SMB (windows) sharing.

When I first investigated the HMNHD, the only information I could find, would never mentioned SMB, and just mentioned using the iomega “sharing software”.

The last thing I want is to install special “custom” software on each PC in the network… if you add a new PC a few months later… you need to dig out the CDs (if they haven’t been lost), and install the software on the PC… and since MS seems to be churning out a new Windows every other year, there is a good chance that the CD software won’t be compatible… then you need to wander the iomega website looking for the @#$& software.

So, when I plugged it into my home network, I logged into my router, found out the IP address of the HMNHD (grrr, I wish iomega had given this thing a better name… even something like HoMeNeHa…)

Anyway, I used my browser to connect to the HMNHD, and quickly found that it does support SMB. woohoo!

My next step was to give it the workgroup name I use in my network, and then I could find it in “my network places”, and a test copy and delete of a file showed that it was working well.

Next, I went to search the iomega website for updated firmware.

My unit had V2.040. The iomega website didn’t make it easy, but I finally found what I think is the latest firmware (2.063) at: http://download.iomega.com/english/hmnhd_firmware-2063-d31505205.zip

A few minutes later, the firmware was updated, and by this stage, the unit had been running for 3 hours… yet there was no sign of overheating (which I always look for in 3.5″ external drives)

All up, I’m very impressed with this unit.

It has features that I’m not really interested in, but its useful to know it does interesting things like: facebook uploads, flickr uploads, youtube uploads, auto image resize and “watermark, email distribution list, torrent downloads, FTP, etc

Keep in mind that I haven’t stress-tested the HMNHD, but with 1 Tb of storage, it should be more than adequate for most homes and small businesses.

Lubricating computer fans

Computer Aid Posted on by

This won’t work with some rare fan types but its not hard to try

Common ones are the Power Supply fans and in most cases it is cheaper to replace the power supply than repair it, but when necessary, this is the procedure that I use.

It takes much longer to describe then to actually do it. Having done 100’s I can do one from start to finish in about 10 minutes

To do it, remove power cable (VERY IMPORTANT) then take out the 4 mounting screws and lift out the supply

I leave it all connected if possible to save time, and just sit it on the side of the case

Remove the power supply cover (usually 4 screws) Take out the 4 fan mounting screws and lift it out..

Lay it down with the label side up. Using a craft knife, peel the label off and try to preserve it.

Under the label is a round flexible plug. I use a sharp needle to prise this out.

I put a drop of thin oil into the well and spin the blades manually to work it in.

Refit the rubber plug, then clean around the area and also underneath the label with alcohol.

I use isopropyl alcohol as I have it here, but Methylated spirits will do.

Lastly use a light contact adhesive to re-glue the label.

If the label is damaged or missing, a piece of sellotape or even a circle of paper will do… However it is required to stop the plug working its way out

Refit the fan, the power supply cover and remount the supply.

I have done this with Power Supply, Case fans, CPU, Chipset and Graphics card fans. Graphic Card and Chipset fans are often necessary because these special fans are often impossible to source.

Fixing common Microsoft Office Errors

Computer Aid Posted on by

Microsoft Office suite is a very useful software. Most home and offices, big or small, can not operate properly with out the Microsoft Office. An Office component such as the Word is used in making school works and almost anything that should be written, printed and submitted. The Office spreadsheet, Excel, is an indispensable tool in offices that needs to do computations and compilation of data. Accounting firms and business offices can’t operate properly without it. The PowerPoint is useful in places where presentation is important. So what happens if these applications fail to start up or stop running in the middle of a task? Well that would be a disaster isn’t it?

An average Office user should be equipped with a tool on how to fix common MS Office errors to prevent disaster. It would be good to start the learning process by identifying the problems and find solutions. Here are lists of common Office Problems and some suggested solutions.

Office Start up problem

There are many possible problems that would prevent Microsoft Office from starting up. It could be caused by a missing office component. This usually happens if an important file is corrupted by a virus or mistakenly deleted. An error in the windows registry will also cause the problem. The best possible solution is to use the Microsoft office repair option. You may need the original MS Office installation disk to start and complete this operation. To do this, insert the installation disk, enter setup, choose repair and follow the succeeding instructions.

Missing Office component or feature

During the installation process the user is given a choice to install all Office completely or to choose only those that he may need. Choosing the components to include in the installation is good for those who don’t have enough disk space to include all components. There are times, however, that uninstalled components are needed for special tasks. This will create a problem to a person when he will need to use the feature but an error message will show up that the component is either missing or uninstalled. There is a solution to that because Office has an Add/remove feature. To start the feature you will need the installation disk.

Office cannot open a file

There are many version of Office and some versions are not compatible with another especially in saving and opening files. Files that are saved in a particular Office version will cause an error when tried to be opened in another version. Some people know the problem and save the file to a compatible file type. But there are instances that this problem is neglected and only found out when the file is being opened to another computer using a different version. This can be solved by downloading the Ms Office

File compatibility pack or use file conversion software. This problem is commonly encountered by people who use Microsoft Office 2007. Files saved using this version usually creates problem when opened in earlier version of office. Files saved in MS Office 2007 should be saved using a file extension that is recognized by earlier versions.

Beware using compressed air to clean computers

Computer Aid Posted on by

A word of warning re fans just in case you have never had the experience.

If you are using canned compressed air, its no problem, BUT if (as I did) you are using an “proper” air compressor, there can be a problem.

The first time I struck this I was doing an onsite investigate of a desktop that would start acting up after 30+ mins running.

Suspecting overheating, I checked and found the case full of dust, and moreover, the CPU fins were clogged.

I used the clients workshop compressor to blow it all out, BUT got a bit exuberant and allowed the CPU fan to spin too fast and literally blew the blades off.

I quick trip back to my workshop and found an old CPU fan… fitted it and all was OK.

Since that day, I always blocked the fan in some way.

With P/S fans, a strip of folded paper works a treat.

CPU and case fans are easy as a finger is all that is needed.

However a couple of years later, I had a blocked HP laptop.

I was doing the same and somehow did the same thing, but didn’t realise it until I restarted it and got this nasty vibration.

Luckily I managed to get a dead laptop from a colleague and apart from a couple of hours unpaid time, got it sorted 2 days later.

Again I learned, and after that I always tried to “winkle” a long piece of thin plastic sleeving into the fan

Sometimes this is not possible and in those cases I just used very short bursts of compressed air.

Keeping Windows Vista Error Free

Computer Aid Posted on by

Microsoft introduced the Windows Vista operating system early last year, boasting of a whole new line of improvements and features. Vista is more advanced than its predecessors but this does not mean that it is exempted from system errors. It would be a good habit to carry out regular registry clean-ups to prevent crashes and errors. This way, your PC could perform with maximum efficiency.

The following are some useful maintenance tips to keep your Windows Vista operating system safe and secure at all times.

Scan regularly for spyware and viruses.

Viruses and malicious software have been around since the dawn of computers. It would prove a smart move to invest in reliable anti-virus and anti-spyware tools. Make sure you get ones that are compatible to Vista. Such tools must be kept updated because new viruses and malicious software emerge everyday.

Look for tools with real-time protection features to combat security threats as they come. You could also command anti-virus and anti-spyware tools to perform in-depth system scans at regular intervals. They will get rid of harmful software and prevent others from coming in at the same time.

Update your computer.

Manufacturers of software, device drivers, and operating systems like Vista release security updates regularly. You may have noticed this already. It would help to accept these updates because they will serve to protect your PC from malware. Updates include patches and enhancements for your PC.

Detect and address registry errors immediately.

The registry, if damaged by unwanted data and malicious entries, is a major cause of computer crashes. It is therefore a component that should be handled with great care. The registry supports all your computer’s hardware and software devices and programs. It is vulnerable to unwanted information brought about by frequent and careless downloading activities.

The accumulation of unwanted registry data files over a period of time is bound to result in corruption and damage. Computer technicians and experts highly recommend registry cleaners, such as the Windows Vista registry cleaner, to fix these problems. Registry cleaners are designed to scan, clean, and repair your whole system. Use them to defrag your registry and create registry backups, regularly.

Take advantage of Vista Maintenance Tools.

Get to know your Vista operating system better and find out what it has to offer in terms of maintaining your PC system. Examples of useful utilities are the Disk Defragmenter, Disk Cleanup, and System Restore features.

The Disk Cleanup function helps remove unwanted programs and data files from your hard disk. It frees up disk space by compressing your files. The Disk Defragmenter is best used after cleaning up the hard disk. It consolidates all your folders and files, making them more compact, so that your system can run more efficiently. The Defragmenter command in Vista could be scheduled to automatically run at specific time intervals.

System Restore

Last but not least, the System Restore tool is a reliable monitor of your Vista system. It detects changes in Vista and your files and preserves snapshots and restore points. In the event that your system crashes, you could easily revert your system to certain restore points. System Restore takes snapshots of restore points on a daily basis. You could set manual restore points especially before you install large applications to your computer.

slow network after removing malware and norton personal firewall

Computer Aid Posted on by

Continuing from my last post about norton personal firewall: I found that the internet was very slow.

A broadband speed test showed that the internet was running slightly faster than dialup speeds (ie 100 to 300 Kbps (ADSL1 goes from 256Kbps to 1500Kbps).

The PC next to this one, was measuring 3600Kbps, so it wasn’t my internet connection.

Next step was to do a file transfer. I copied mrt.exe from the system32 folder… on a normal PC, it takes 16 seconds to copy… but on this PC, it took 16 minutes.

After some searching around, I decided to reset the TCPIP stack (command prompt from XP):

netsh int ip reset resetlog.txt

Wow, it worked.

Not sure if this was caused by the infection, or by the incorrect removal of norton personal firewall, but now the PC and network are at full speed.

0x80072EFD and other internet problems with Norton Personal Firewall

Computer Aid Posted on by

I was in the process of cleaning a PC from multiple nasty Malware infections, when I needed to start XP normally, in order to install and update Windows Defender, Avira Antivir, MalwareBytes, and SuperAntiSpyware.

The strange thing was that Malwarebytes could get internet updates, but SAS, defender and antivir could not.

Internet Explorer seemed to be working normally.

Defender would give a 0x80072EFD error

SAS would say something like: Make sure your firewall is not blocking superantispyware.exe

Nothing on the internet helped.

But then I started to look at the services carefully, and I noticed that some Norton / Symantec services were disabled.

I eventually found out what happened:

someone had tried to uninstall Norton Personal Firewall (NPF), but it didn’t complete (I’m not surprised), or it was removed incorrectly.

In the und, I found that the norton/Symantec services had all been disabled, and the c:program filesnorton personal firewall folder had been removed.

But had been overlooked was: c:program filescommon filessymantec shared

Once that folder had been deleted, internet access returned to normal, and I could finally use SAS to remove any remaining infections that Malwarebytes had missed.

HP A220a PC won’t start

Computer Aid Posted on by

I was working on a HP Pavillion A220a PC (removing an infection). I got to the point where I decided to stop for the day, and continue “tomorrow”.

So, the next day, I go to start up the PC, and nothing happens.

I look carefully, and I notice that if I plug in the power cord, it will seem to start (light on & fans spin) for about 2 seconds, and then everything stops.

I know many PCs will do a “test spin” of the fans when power is applied, so it seemed normal.

I replace the power supply, but I get the same problem.

I unplug everything I can (HDD, DVD, PCI modem card, front USB, but still no go.

Next, I re-seat the RAM, but that doesn’t help.

I swap some RAM around, but it doesn’t seem like a RAM issue.

I clean the CPU fan & check that the CPU & heatsink are making good contact, but that doesn’t help either

I’m starting to run out of ideas.

I look at the troubleshooting section of the HP website, and one suggestion is to unplug the front panel wires (unlabelled, and all in one plastic block), and check the wire that goes to the front power switch.

I don’t like the idea of having to pull off the front panel, just to find out which pair of wires belong to the power switch… but I have no other choice.

After taking the front panel off, I eventually find that the spring in the power switch is broken (so the switch remains in the “on” position)… so I replace the switch… not an easy task.

And finally I can continue where I left off the night before!

Grrr

Malware cannot be removed without internet access

Computer Aid Posted on by

I just had an interesting experience, where a customer got a malware infection, and shortly before I arrive, their ISP decides to block their internet access.

So I get myself set up, to remove the infection via UBCD4win, and I cannot get spyware signature updates.

So I found myself in the situation where I couldn’t fix the problem without taking the computer back to the office (where I had a working internet connection), in order to remove a malware infection!

But then again, it shouldn’t be a big surprise… the internet is the main vehicle for spreading malware in the first place, so it follows that you need the same internet access to disinfect a PC.