Monday, December 31, 2001		Dr Tribune

Q. I want to know that how to change the logo of the windows that appears when system boots. You told in one of your previous issues of Login that it can be done by renaming logo.sys as logo.bak and renaming any .bmp picture as logo.sys in the windows directory. But I am unable to find the logo.sys file in the windows directory. Rather I have found this file nowhere in my computer. Please tell me the solution. I have windows ME as op. system. Secondly, is there any software (freeware) using which I can use my computer as answering machine while my computer is on. If so, then please mention the site from where I can download it. Also tell me if there is any need of settings that I would require to use my computer as answering machine? 

— Vinay Jain, Patiala.

A. The best solution to change the Windows logo screen is the one mentioned in the previous issues as mentioned by you. However, if you come across any problems, then you can use some shareware/freeware programs like Beveled Welcome Window Startup/Wait/ Shutdown Logo Set v.9x, 1st Impressions available at the site www.gromada.com, LogoSchemes v1.1, SUSD Screens 2000 v1.1 software available at www.moochers.com/index.html?w95startshutscreens.html etc. Using these software also you can change the startup and the shutdown screen of Windows.

Regarding the answering machine software, you can try Active Phone Server software available at www.softcab.com/apserver/scrshots.asp. You can also check out Intelligent Voice Mail, IVM Telephone Answering Attendant software available at www.world-voices.com/ivm. All necessary information including the settings are mentioned on these sites.

Q. I have an assembled P III, 866 MHz with 128 MB RAM, 20 GB HDD and Windows ME as operating system. My first problem is concerned with the following error. Often when I am working on my PC, I get the following error message: "Lexplore has caused an error in KERNEL32.DLL. Lexplore will now close. If you continue to experience problems, try restarting your computer. After receiving this error, the window displaying this error doesn’t vanish despite closing it again and again. Ultimately, I have to restart my computer. Secondly, when I defragment my system after scanning in thorough mode, it just takes 5 minutes to complete up to the extent of 10 per cent. Then it doesn’t proceed even to 11 per cent even if defragmentation continues for up to 4 or 5 hours. Is there any problem in my computer regarding defragmentation? Also, somebody told me that Windows Me is not an ideal operating system. Is this right?

A. Please write the full and exact error message for the accurate solution of your problem as incomplete and inaccurate message are difficult to comprehend. Regarding your problem related to defrag, please make sure that you have disabled your Anti-Virus software and also disabled the screensaver and any video wall paper etc. I hope these measures will solve your problem. Regarding your next query related to an ideal operating system, I would like to say that there is no ideal operating system available as all of them suffer with some or the other points and as far Windows ME is concerned, the idealness of this operating system would largely depend upon its use. For home and small office, this could be a good operating system. Whereas in big organisations, Windows XP and Windows 2000 are better.

Q. I have lots of data downloaded from the Internet on my computer. Now it has become very slow. I want use disk clean and scan disk but this will delete all Internet files as these are temporary files. Please advice me how can I save my files while using these utilities.

A. The data downloaded from the Internet will not get deleted by running disk clean up as it is not a temporary file and is actually the downloaded file. Only the temporary files, gif files, useless recycle bin files are being deleted by disk cleanup and incase you are downloading your Internet files in the temporary directory, then it will not become a temporary file. So, with disk clean up utility you need not worry about your downloaded files. Alternatively, you can take a back up of your files to either a separate medium like CD-ROM or floppy or can save it in some other partition.

Q. I have P III, 850 MHz computer with a Samsung CD Rom Drive and Win ’98 SE as OS. Since last few weeks, when I insert an audio or video CD in the drive, the computer hangs for a few minutes and then stops detecting the drive while all other CDs of games and software are running well. I cannot even clean the lens as the lens cleaner CD is also not running.

A. Please download the latest CD-Driver driver and reinstall it on your system. However, running scan disk followed by defrag before reinstalling the driver would be better as it may resolve your problem more easily.

Q. I have a Celeron 533,128 RAM, 810 e motherboard with Win ’98 OS. Is it possible to use one hard disk on other PC through networking? If yes, please let me know how? Secondly, is there a need of special software to operate the mike of headphone? My third problem is when I double click any icon after 5 minutes of switching on my computer, the PC restarts automatically .Sir, please let me know solution. Also please could you tell me the software that can display and store the phone number of dialler?

A. You can surely use the hard disk on some other computer through networking. In normal networking i.e. peer to peer networking or LAN you can share the files and other resources with other PCs, but you can run the program loaded on the other hard disk. But, by using the software like PC Anywhere you can do networking and can even use the programs loaded on the other computers. Regarding your second problem, there is no need of any program or software to operate the mike in the headphone. All you need to do is insert the jack correctly in the correct socket and check if the mike is enabled correctly in the volume control properties. Regarding you third problem, please reduce the items in your startup directory and in system trey as it could be one of the causes for your trouble. Further clean your system of any clutter and run scan disk followed by defrag. Also please remove some memory resident programs for possible solution of your problem.

Q. I have a Pentium III (993MHz) with 128 MB RAM, 815 motherboard and Windows ’98 operating system. I have the following problems and hope you will solve them:

When I connect to the Internet, my Internet explorer works properly for 10 to 20 minutes but after that a message is displayed that states "Explorer is performing an illegal operation." When I cancel this message, all opened Internet explorers shuts down and a message, "restore your desktop" is displayed on the desktop. When I click on this message, Wallpaper returns back on the desktop. And after that when I start the Internet explorer again it continues to perform without giving such problem again. Please tell me why this happens and what’s the solution. Secondly, my computer is infected by a virus which converts .jpg, .gif,and some other extension files into .exe files. Due to this virus, the options of control panel are not working. Please tell me how can I remove this virus completely from my computer. Is there a way by which I can get the infected files back in original form.

A. There could be many reasons to this kind of problem, however some of the most common causes are opening too many Internet Explorer Windows simultaneously, cache memory not free, corrupt Internet explorer file, etc. Now, in the absence of the information related to exact error message it is difficult to pinpoint the problem. However, generally speaking, please reboot the Windows after switching it off for some time, before you start using the Internet explorer. Second, do not open too many Internet Explorer Windows simultaneously and also other programs. Free up cache memory and disk memory by deleting the temporary files and other clutter from your PC. Ideally, this should solve your problem. Regarding the virus in your system, you must first clean boot your system using a clean (Virus free) Floppy disk/CD-ROM and then load the virus scanner to hunt down the virus present in your system. Regarding getting back your files is concerned, it would be difficult to retrieve them all, and can only be assessed after the virus removal.

Q. Whenever I try to connect to the Internet on my system, the following error comes at least for 20 to30 times before connecting. "Dial Up networking was unable to complete the connection. Error: 629." You have been disconnected from the computer you dialled. Double-click the connection to try again. How can I solve this problem? I also want to know is every time a call wasted during such operation?

Simmi, Amritsar

A. The most likely cause of this problem is the mistyped user name or password. Please take care to fill in the use name and password correctly using the correct case. However, if you are sure that you have used the correct user ID and password, then reset your modem i.e. switch it of and then turn back on.

Also please take care to disable the option, wait for dial tone before dialing in the modem configuration. If you are using a fire wall on your system then check its compatibility with the service. Also, please check in Control Panel>System> Device manager that there is no conflict with your modem and it is working properly. Also check out the network properties for TCP/IP settings. Taking into considerations all these factors your problem will be sorted out. Regarding your query of call wastage, if you are getting the negotiating tone, which is followed by the normal telephone ring, then your call is being wasted. However, if this error occurs while ringing of bell only, then your call is not wasted.

Q. I have an assembled PC with Celeron 300A Mhz, 32 MB RAM, 40x Creative CD ROM, 8.4 GB HDD, Pentium BX motherboard, Windows ’98 SE OS. I am facing a problem while shutting down the computer. When I shut down the computer, the shutdown message appears, "It is now safe to turn off your computer." But my hard disk does not stop to enable me to select standby mode because in standby mode, my hard disk stops properly. I tried to reload Windows ’98 but no effect.

A. Please check the power management setting in the BIOS setup and also enable the stand by mode. This setting will solve your problem. There is no need to reload the Windows in this case.