sunny
meh.
- Joined
- Jul 7, 2002
- Messages
- 5,350
- Gender
- Male
- HSC
- 2002
Many questions are asked over and over again in the IT section of BOS. If you have a problem, please check below to see if your problem has already been asked and solved before by using the search function.
Q) I'm having trouble with MSN!
Q) My browser takes me to some porn site/search engine and it won't go away
Q) What can I use other than Internet Explorer / Microsoft Outlook / expensive software?
Q) Whats a good laptop to buy? Whats a good computer to buy? Where can I buy cheap components?
Q) How can I make PDF files?
Q) What is the browser cache? And how do I clear it?
Q) When I play a video, it gives me an error about a codec. How do I get one? I can play the file, but there is only audio, why?
Q) My phone is causing interference with my network!
Q) I can't find drivers for (device), or I need drivers for (device)!
Q) How do I stop my browser from filling out things for me when I go to websites?
Q) I'm having trouble with MSN!
A) Have a look at the user developed FAQ regarding MSN.
Q) My browser takes me to some porn site/search engine and it won't go away
A) Your browser has been hijacked. This could have been done in many ways:
It is also a good chance to download patches and update your Operating System and browser to cover up any security leaks there might be in your system. Remember to update the above tools to make sure they can find the latest trouble makers.
You can read more about spyware in [thread=51902]this thread[/thread].
Q) What can I use other than Internet Explorer / Microsoft Outlook / expensive software?
A) Other browsers you can try (in no particular order):
As for other software, members have suggested many free Open Source alternatives in [thread=46803]this thread[/thread] for email and graphics applications.
Q) Whats a good laptop to buy? Whats a good computer to buy? Where can I buy cheap components?
A) To help us answer this kind of question, you should specify what you want to do with your computer. A computer designed for gaming would be very different to a computer that is just used to read emails. The price you are willing to pay is also a useful indicator of what can be in your computer. Also check out the [thread=17756]Computer Store[/thread] thread.
Q) How can I make PDF files?
A) Several (freeware) solutions are suggested in [thread=30257]this[/thread] thread. You can get straight into it with these programs:
The Microsoft Office replacement suite, OpenOffice, is free and also has built-in PDF creation support.
Q) What is the browser cache? And how do I clear it?
A) Everytime you download webpages, a copy of the webpage is stored in your computer. This allows the computer to just use the saved copy instead of downloading it again and again if you revisit the same page later on. Although this saves time and bandwidth, it could cause problems in the sense that you might see your old local copy of the webpage instead of a new one from the updated website. One of the first things you can try is to force your browser to redownload the page by pressing Control and F5 at the same time. Another solution is to clear your browser's local copy of webpages (the cache). To do this in Internet Explorer:
Tools -> Internet Options -> Delete Files, check "Delete all offline content" and hit OK. Your cache will then be cleared.
Q) When I play a video, it gives me an error about a codec. How do I get one? I can play the file, but there is only audio, why?
Video files are compressed with pieces of software called codecs (compressors deccompressors), the same codec is required to decompress the file when you want to watch it. Your computer may not have the correct codec. There are many many types of codecs, and your video file may be compressed with any one of these codecs. You can download and install codec packs such as the K-lite codec pack that is a collection of commonly used codecs, then try and play the file again.
Q) My phone is causing interference with my wifi!
This post may resolve your issue!
Q) I can't find drivers for (device), or I need drivers for (device)!
Driver Guide has thousands (or more!) drivers for you to download. If you can't find them there, USE GOOGLE! A few minutes or less of googling "(Device) driver download" or something similiar will usually find your driver!
Q) How do I stop my browser from filling out things for me when I go to websites?
You can move your mouse over it and press delete to delete a specific entry in the saved items, or you can turn the feature off completely in Internet Explorer by going to Tools, Internet Options, Content, AutoComplete and disabling what you don't want saved. In Firefox, go to Tools, Options, Privacy, Saved Forms.
Q) I'm having trouble with MSN!
Q) My browser takes me to some porn site/search engine and it won't go away
Q) What can I use other than Internet Explorer / Microsoft Outlook / expensive software?
Q) Whats a good laptop to buy? Whats a good computer to buy? Where can I buy cheap components?
Q) How can I make PDF files?
Q) What is the browser cache? And how do I clear it?
Q) When I play a video, it gives me an error about a codec. How do I get one? I can play the file, but there is only audio, why?
Q) My phone is causing interference with my network!
Q) I can't find drivers for (device), or I need drivers for (device)!
Q) How do I stop my browser from filling out things for me when I go to websites?
Q) I'm having trouble with MSN!
A) Have a look at the user developed FAQ regarding MSN.
Q) My browser takes me to some porn site/search engine and it won't go away
A) Your browser has been hijacked. This could have been done in many ways:
- a program was downloaded and installed in your computer changing these settings
- you visited a website and agreed to some terms that allowed them to change your settings
- Ad-Aware (a free version is available for download)
- Microsoft Antispyware Beta
- HijackThis
- Spybot
- SpywareBlaster
- SpywareGuard
- Swat it
It is also a good chance to download patches and update your Operating System and browser to cover up any security leaks there might be in your system. Remember to update the above tools to make sure they can find the latest trouble makers.
You can read more about spyware in [thread=51902]this thread[/thread].
Q) What can I use other than Internet Explorer / Microsoft Outlook / expensive software?
A) Other browsers you can try (in no particular order):
As for other software, members have suggested many free Open Source alternatives in [thread=46803]this thread[/thread] for email and graphics applications.
Q) Whats a good laptop to buy? Whats a good computer to buy? Where can I buy cheap components?
A) To help us answer this kind of question, you should specify what you want to do with your computer. A computer designed for gaming would be very different to a computer that is just used to read emails. The price you are willing to pay is also a useful indicator of what can be in your computer. Also check out the [thread=17756]Computer Store[/thread] thread.
Q) How can I make PDF files?
A) Several (freeware) solutions are suggested in [thread=30257]this[/thread] thread. You can get straight into it with these programs:
The Microsoft Office replacement suite, OpenOffice, is free and also has built-in PDF creation support.
Q) What is the browser cache? And how do I clear it?
A) Everytime you download webpages, a copy of the webpage is stored in your computer. This allows the computer to just use the saved copy instead of downloading it again and again if you revisit the same page later on. Although this saves time and bandwidth, it could cause problems in the sense that you might see your old local copy of the webpage instead of a new one from the updated website. One of the first things you can try is to force your browser to redownload the page by pressing Control and F5 at the same time. Another solution is to clear your browser's local copy of webpages (the cache). To do this in Internet Explorer:
Tools -> Internet Options -> Delete Files, check "Delete all offline content" and hit OK. Your cache will then be cleared.
Q) When I play a video, it gives me an error about a codec. How do I get one? I can play the file, but there is only audio, why?
Video files are compressed with pieces of software called codecs (compressors deccompressors), the same codec is required to decompress the file when you want to watch it. Your computer may not have the correct codec. There are many many types of codecs, and your video file may be compressed with any one of these codecs. You can download and install codec packs such as the K-lite codec pack that is a collection of commonly used codecs, then try and play the file again.
Q) My phone is causing interference with my wifi!
This post may resolve your issue!
Q) I can't find drivers for (device), or I need drivers for (device)!
Driver Guide has thousands (or more!) drivers for you to download. If you can't find them there, USE GOOGLE! A few minutes or less of googling "(Device) driver download" or something similiar will usually find your driver!
Q) How do I stop my browser from filling out things for me when I go to websites?
You can move your mouse over it and press delete to delete a specific entry in the saved items, or you can turn the feature off completely in Internet Explorer by going to Tools, Internet Options, Content, AutoComplete and disabling what you don't want saved. In Firefox, go to Tools, Options, Privacy, Saved Forms.
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