Thank you Very Much, Robin

Dear Robin,

Thank you very much for your kind comments, I really appreciate your support!

I am currently using the AVG Internet Security 2012 suite instead of the plain antivirus version. With all the different kinds of malware out there these days, many of them not technically viruses, you really need a complete protection package.

As for the spybot Search & Destroy link, you do have the correct company, Safer-Networking.

I went to their site, and while I do see a couple of packages for sale (they have to pay their bills somehow) they do still provide their flagship program, Spybot, Search & Destroy, free of charge.

While you can use Spybot S&D to remove spyware after it has infected your system, it is much more valuable as a preventive program.

When you install Spybot S&D on a clean system, update and then click on the “Immunize” button, it will block against all known malware programs. If you go back and update, then Immunize every few weeks, you will continue to block most of the malware that might be waiting to infect your system.

Elizabeth

PS: Here is a coupon link that will save you 30% on AVG Internet Security 2012:

Save 30% on AVG Internet Security 2012!

Click Here for 30% off AVG

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Debbie

Dear Debbie,

It sounds like you have been infected with a form of malware that is redirecting you to these other websites.

Hopefully, you have a good antivirus program installed, and you can just update it and run a full scan to get rid of the malware, but it is not always that simple.

Once the malware has gotten into your system, it is harder to get it out than it is to prevent it from getting into your system in the first place.

The best tool I have found for getting malware out of a computer is Malwarebytes at:

Once you have downloaded and installed the program, update it, then run a full scan. It should find and help you get rid of the malware. I keep running scans until I get two clean scans in a row.

If that doesn’t fix the problem, you might have to get a clean install of Windows where your hard drive is erased and Windows is re-installed. This is something that I do in my shop for customers quite frequently.

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Katherine

Dear Katherine,

Since I really have no idea where your original shortcuts have gone, I am going to have to tell you how to create a new shortcut to Word.

If you are using Vista or Windows 7, this is fairly easy, not as easy if you are using XP.

Lets start with Windows 7.

1. Open an existing Word document.
2. Once the document is open, right click on its icon in the taskbar.
3. In the context menu, click on “Pin This Program To The Taskbar”.
4. Now when you close Word, the icon will remain on the Taskbar, and you can open Word by clicking once on the icon.

If you are using Vista or 7, this would work:

1. Click on “Start”.
2. In the search box, type “Winword”
3. When Word (it will be named “Winword”) appears on the start menu, right click on it.
4. In the context menu, click “Pin to Start Menu”.
You will now have a new shortcut to Word in your start menu.

If you are using Windows XP:

You will have to find where Office is installed. I can’t know for sure where it is on your system, but it is probably similar to this:

1. Click on “Start” and click on “Computer”.
2. Double click on the “C:” drive, then on “Program Files”.
3. Double click on “Microsoft Office”, then on “Office12″
4. Find the file named, “winword”.
5. Using the right mouse button, drag the “Winword” file to your desktop.
6. When you release the right mouse button, a context menu will appear. Click on “Create Shortcut”.

Hopefully one of these methods will work for you.

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Patricia

Dear Patricia,

Unfortunately, there is no easy way to move a program from one computer to another. In fact, there really isn’t any way at all.

While you can move data files from one computer to another, programs work differently.

When you install a program on your computer, it creates a folder where it installs most of its files. However, it also installs some of the files that it needs to run in the some of the Windows folders.

Those Windows folders contain thousands of files, and there is really no way to know which file goes with what program.

In addition, when you install a program, it makes changes to the Windows Registry. Those changes are also needed for the program to run. Unfortunately, you could search through the registry all day and still not find all the entries that go with one particular program.

So, what are your choices with your Bible program?

1. If it came on a disk, just use the disk to install it on your new computer.

2. If you downloaded it and saved the original file, just copy that file to the new computer, and double click on it to run the installation program again on the new computer.

(Note: When I purchase a program online, I save the downloaded file, and a copy of the license information in a folder together. That way, if I need to install it again, everything I need is right there in one place)

3. If you purchased the program online, try contacting the company. Some companies are good at re-sending download and license information to customers who have already purcahsed a program.

If none of those options will work for you, you can always try esword at: http://www.e-sword.net/ which is a free bible program.

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Thank You, Bonnie

Dear Bonnie,

You can copy files that you have on a flash drive to a CD-RW disk.

In order to copy files to a CD-RW and then make additions as you create new files or edit older ones, you need to format the disk first. Formatting prepares the disk for use. If you copy your files to the CD-RW without formatting it first, you will not be able to make changes to the files.

If you are using Windows XP, you cannot format a CD-RW with Windows. You will need to have a CD burning program like Nero or Roxio.  You would be able to follow the directions  that come with those programs for formatting a CD.

If you are using Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can format the CD-RW with these directions.

1. Insert a new CD-RW disk in the CD or DVD drive.

2. In the dialog box that appears, click “Burn Files to Disc Using Windows”.

3. The Burn a disc dialog box will appear, type a name for your disc.

4. Click on “Show Formatting Options”

5. Select “Live File System” and click the “Next” button.

6. Click the “Yes” button if you are prompted.

7. When the formatting is complete, a window will open. 

8. Open your flash drive and drag the files from your flash drive to this CD window.
 

You can drag new or changed files to this disk any time you want.

You will be able to read the files on your disk and write new files to it as long as it is in the computer, but you will need to close the disc if you want to read it on another computer.

Once the disc is closed, you will not be able to make additional changes to the files on the disc, and you may not be able to read the files on older computers, or CD and DVD players.

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Thank you, Prem

Dear Prem,

Page Plus is a desktop publishing program that I have been using for the past 10 years or so. I have used it to create everything from business cards, to post cards, flyers, papers for classes, and even my recent ebook, 7 Things was created in Page Plus.

Page Plus is the product of a company named, Serif Software.

You can find Page Plus using this link:

Click Here for PagePlus

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Thanks, Matt

Dear Matt,

I have run into problems installing an older version of Office when a newer version is already installed, and the only way I have found to solve is is to completely remove Office 2010 before installing the older version.

Since you have already installed Office 2003, I have one thing you can try before you start un-installing programs.

1. Click on the “Start Orb” and click “Default Programs” in the start menu.
2. In the Default Programs window, click on “Set your default programs”.
3. If Word 2003 appears in the programs list, click on it, then click “Set this program as default” on the right.
4. Repeat with Excel 2003.

If Word and Excel 2003 don’t appear in the list, go back to the “Default Programs” window, and click on “Associate a file type or protocol with a program”.

This dialog box will allow you to click on word files ( .doc) and then click the “Change program…” button to associate Word 2003 instead of 2010.

If these steps don’t work, your best option is to go to the control panel and completely uninstall all versions of Office. Reboot (click on “Start” point to the arrow to the right of “Shut Down” and click on “Restart”) the computer. Then, only after you have rebooted the computer, you can install Office 2003.

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Thank you so much, Hazel

Dear Hazel,

Over the past couple of years, Microsoft has made some changes to their office software offerings.

In the past, when you bought a computer, you had several choices for word processing programs.

Many computers came with Microsoft Works which is a scaled down version of Office, or you could purchase Works for just under $100. If you needed a more powerful office suite, you could purchase Microsoft Office for several hundred dollars.

The biggest problem with using Microsoft Works, is that it created files that could not be used in Office, and Works was unable to read or edit Office files.

Recently, Microsoft stopped selling Works, and at first, provided a 30 or 60 day trial of Office on new computers. With the introduction of Office 2010, they included a Starter version of Office. While the starter version does not expire, it only includes a limited version of Word and Excel.

If the Office Starter works great for you, and meets all your needs, then you are all set. If, at some point you find that you need some of the more advanced features of Office, or you need more than just Word and Excel, you will need to upgrade or purchase a full version of Microsoft Office.

If you have purcahsed a full version of Office, make sure you un-install all the Office Starter programs from your computer before installing the new version of Office.

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Thanks so much for your help! Jan

Dear Jan,

I can’t be sure, but, based on what you have told me, I am guessing that you accidentally clicked on something that changed the size of the View in Word.

Here is how to change it back to something you can read again.

1. With your document open in Word, click on the “View” tab at the top of the window.

2. Find the “Zoom” section near the middle of the ribbon (The toolbar in Word 2010 is called the ribbon).

3. The quickest way to get your document full size again, is to click the “100%” icon in the zoom section.

4. You can also click the “Zoom” icon, and then enter any percentage.

One thing to remember is that any settings you change in your view do not change the size of text when you print your document. The View settings only change the size of the document as displayed on your screen.

Hope this helps, Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.

Best, Judi

Dear Judi,

The only thing I can think of is perhaps the footer is outside of the printable area for your printer.

You can try an experiment to see if this is the case. Just move the footer up about an inch and try to print the page. If the footer prints, that was your problem.

I do have some lessons for Windows 7. Just go to this website:

http://www.stretcher.com/subscribe/subscribeTCL.cfm

and sign up for Computer Lady Lessons

Elizabeth

It’s Your Turn: What do you think?
…. Share your experience in the comments box below.