The Geek Squad Guide to Solving Any Computer Glitch

"Contents Introduction Using This Book Chapter One CHOOSING A COMPUTER Comparing Brands: Windows-Based Computers vs. Macintosh Buying a Used Computer Desk-top vs. Laptop Comparing Features The Deciding Factor: Service and Support Buying Printers Service Contracts for Other Items Where to Buy Chapter Two PREVENTING PROBLEMS What Makes Computers Act Weird Why Geeks Have Fewer Computer Problems Getting Along with Your Computer General Software Smarts Backup Basics Preventive Procedures Chapter Three STARTUP PROBLEMS No Power Light Power Light On, Both CPU and Monitor Are On, but You Get No Video Mac: There's Nothing on the Desktop Windows: Reports ""System Configuration Has Changed"" Windows: Reports ""Hard Drive Failure"" Mac: Disk with Question Mark Appears Screen Not as Expected Date and Time Errors Sad Mac Face or ""Beep"" Alarm Immediate Crash: ""System Error,"" Cursor or Screen Locks Up/Freezes, or Other Disabling Event Computer Locks Up/Freezes Ten to Twenty Minutes After Startup Chapter Four THE STUBBORN RAM Reports ""Out of Memory"" or ""Insufficient Memory"" Chapter Five VIDEOVAGARIES General Weirdness Rolling Screen, Static, and/or Lines; No Clear Picture Red-, Blue-, or Green-Tinted Screen Only Partial Image On-Screen Brightness Fluctuates Screen Doesn't Respond to Commands OldMonitor Problems Chapter Six HARD-DRIVE ISSUES Mac: Hard-Drive Icon Missing Silence Knocking Windows: Says ""Insert System Disk"" Windows: Reports ""Hard Drive Failure"" Windows: Reports ""Data Error Reading Drive C"" Reports ""Not Enough Space to Store"" or ""Unable to Write to Disk"" Chapter Seven FLOPPY-DISK FAILURES Can't Read Disks from Other People's Computers Can't Transfer Information to Floppy Disk Is Reportedly Full but That Seems Impossible Every Disk Is Locked Can't Insert Floppy Can't Eject Floppy Disk Errors on Floppy Noisy Floppy Chapter Eight COPING WITH THE CD-ROM DRIVE CD Doesn't Show Up When You Put It In/Can't Read CD Audio CD Doesn't Play Computer Freezes When CD-ROM Is in Use Chapter Nine TERRORS OF THE TAPE DRIVE Installation Trouble Problems Restoring Data Freezes Chapter Ten REASONING WITH THE REMOVABLE STORAGE DEVICE Drive Not Working Can't Read Disk Disk Noisy When Inserted Computer Freezes When Drive Is Used Can't Write to Disk/Error Message Appears Chapter Eleven CALMING THE KEYBOARD Spill on Keyboard Windows: Keyboard Not Working Mac: Keyboard Not Working One Key Doesn't Work Pressing One Key Delivers Another Character Chapter Twelve TAMING THE MOUSE/POINTER DEVICE Mouse Needs CPR ? Windows: Mouse Won't Cooperate with Modem Mouse Lies Down on the Job Chapter Thirteen SCANNER SOLUTIONS Scanning for Beginners Scanning Without a Scanner Scanner Doesn't Scan Scanner Light Isn't Working Chapter Four-teen POINTERS FOR PRINTERS Printer Having a Tantrum Not Printing Produces Blank Page Prints Garbage Paper jam Won't Grab Paper Won't Print from One Particular Program Quality Is Poor Can't Find Supplies for Printer Mac: Printer Quits Partway Through job Printing Sideways Printing Envelopes Chapter Fifteen MAKING THE MODEM MIND YOU Modem Not Working Seems Slow Particular Program Can't See the Modem Dialing Problems Disabling Call Waiting Silent Modem Connection Failure Faxing on Your Computer Chapter Sixteen SOUND-CARD SOLUTIONS No Sound Sound Unsatisfactory Only Some Programs Produce Sound Intermittent Sound Other Sounds Work but You Cannot Play an Audio CD Chapter Seventeen LAPTOP TECHNIQUES Can't Find Battery Battery Won't Charge Won't Turn On Doesn't Recognize PC Card Can't Eject PC Card Doesn't Show Network or Get Dial Tone No Video Video Problems Keyboard Not Working Trackball Goes on Strike Trackpad Doesn't Work/Cursor Is jumpy Won't Go to Sleep Traveling with Your Laptop Making a Presentation Chapter Eighteen APPLICATION/SOFTWARE PROBLEMS Can't Install Software or Upgrade Software Locks Up/Freezes Can't Print from Application Mac: Bomb Appears When You Pick a Different Font Mac: Application Frequently ""Unexpectedly Quits"" Uninstalling/Reinstalling Application Software Identifying Software Version Chapter Nineteen DOCUMENT/FILE DILEMMAS Problems Transferring Files Problems Converting Files Problems Finding a File File Deleted in Error File Cannot Be Opened Mac: Application Is Missing Mac: Processing Is Slow Mac: Calls for Ejected Disk Lost Password on a File Chapter Twenty RECOVERING DATA Limiting Damage in an Emergency Reports ""Document Cannot Be Read"" Getting to Data After a Crash If You Had No Backup Getting Professional Help Chapter Twenty-one USING THE INTERNET Choosing a Provider Trouble Connecting Images Slow to Appear Sending and Receiving E-Mail on the Road Sending and Receiving E-Mail Without Internet Access Sending Files Credit-Card Protection Surfing the Net Downloading Preventing Unwanted E-Mail Controlling What the Kids Can See Crashes/Lockups/Freezes While You Are on the Internet Browser Error Messages ""Transfer Is Interrupted"" Chapter Twenty-two WHEN THE COMPUTER SEEMS TO HAVE A MIND OF ITS OWN Any Odd Behavior Periodic Freezes/Lockups Computer Is Slow Routine Operation Gets Strange Results Program Opens Other Than the One You Tried to Open Mac: Icons Look Strange Random Characters Appear ""Blue Screen of Death"" Mac: Trash Won't Empty Chapter Twenty-three SECURITY ISSUES Password Forgotten Creating Crack-Proof Passwords Preventing Theft Removing Information from Your Computer Before You Sell It Chapter Twenty-four COMPUTER-TO-COMPUTER COMMUNICATION Exchanging Word-Processing Documents Exchanging Quicken Files Exchanging a Database Exchanging Spreadsheets Sending/Receiving a Computer File Using a Fax Chapter Twenty-five GETTING THE BEST SERVICE Guidelines When Calling for a Pickup or Dropping the Computer Off for Repair What to Take to the Service Center When Sending Away a Computer Under Warranty When the Computer Is Not Under Warranty When the News Is Bad Chapter Twenty-six RETIREMENT PLANNING FOR YOUR COMPUTER Upgrade It Sell It Donate It Keep It APPENDIX A BASIC PROCEDURES Minimum System Startup Reinstalling the Operating System Resolving Driver/Extension Conflicts -Reinstalling Drivers/ Extensions APPENDIX B YEAR (Y2K) PROBLEMS Hardware Operating System Software APPENDIX C DEFINITIONS APPENDIX D RESOURCES INDEX"