Monday, October 16, 2000		Dr Tribune

Dr Tribune: You could have the following problems:

1) A device command to install Himem.sys (or other compatible extended-memory manager) does not appear before the device command that installs the EMM 386 expanded-memory manager in your Config.sys file. Make sure you install Himem.sys before EMM 386.exe

2) Not enough memory was available to install the EMM 386 expanded-memory manager. Make sure that the device command in Config.sys file that installs EMM 386.exe appears after the device command that installs the Himem extended-memory manager.

3) Your Config.sys file contains a device command that installs an expanded-memory manager before the device command that installs EMM 386.exe. EMM 386.exe cannot run if an expanded-memory manager is already present.

4) Unable to set page frame base address. The EMM 386 expanded-memory manager could not find 64K of contiguous space for the page frame. Try to relocate one or more adapters in the region between 640K & 1 megabyte to free up some space for the page frame. Or if you know that E000 is free, you can specify FRAME=E000.

Dr Tribune: To begin with I feel that there is no the problem with your RAM, but it cannot be ruled out altogether. But before looking at the RAM, I would suggest you to check your software first. The message referred to by you is more likely due to a software problem. In your mail, you have not mentioned if you get this message in any particular software. Does your computer hang with this message? If your computer hangs, then you can associate this problem with hardware like motherboard or RAM. From this message alone, not much can be done to help you. Simtronics is a standard brand of RAM and comes with a warranty, so even if you have to change the RAM, it should not be a problem.

Dr Tribune: This is actually not a problem, but it is only a matter of a few settings. You can choose to open any site you want on opening the browser. Now, if you want www.yahoo.com to open automatically then, first open Internet Explorer, click on Tools menu on the menu bar. This will open a new window of Internet options. You will find the first section of this window for home page. In the address box, key in the Yahoo address i.e. www.yahoo.com. Click apply at the bottom of this window and click OK. Close the Internet explorer. Now, whenever you will open Internet explorer, it will open the Yahoo site.

Dr Tribune: Scan disk and Disk defragmenter are the system utilities, which are very valuable utilities for keeping the system in good health. Scandisk takes care of general computer problem like lost fragments, data links and interlocking of data. Basically, it takes care of all problems related to hard disk. Scan disk checks the hard disk for all possible problems and tries to solve them. If you opt for thorough option, then it may also perform a physical test of the hard disk, which will notify about any damage to the hard disk like bad sectors.

Whereas Disk defragmenter, is a utility, which arranges data on the computer together, which makes it computer run faster. Actually, the computer stores data in the form of clusters on the hard disk. Thus, it is not necessary that the data being stored in clusters is also being put together in the hard disk, which may be far away on the hard disk from the other cluster of data. Thus, when the computer reads a specific file, it searches for all clusters. Now using defrag, all clusters are put together so that the computer finds them easily.

One can perform these tests as per requirement, which could be even daily also. In general, however, a weekly test is more than sufficient.

Dr Tribune: There could be many reasons for this kind of error. Do you get this error in this application only, or is this error common in some other program also? If you get this error in Netscape only, then try uninstalling this software first and then install it fresh. Also, try to install the latest version of Netscape, because this problem could be due to the corruption of registry. The installation of new version of Netscape may help you in getting rid of this problem.

2) What is hacking and is there any good site for learning this trick

Dr Tribune: You cannot play two songs simultaneously in WinAmp. However, this facility is available in some sound editing software.

Hacking is normally referred to the breaking of security locks on the Internet and entering a site illegally. Literally speaking, hacking is nothing but a shrewd application of computer programming. As long as the intention of hacking is not bad, it remains a yet another computer application. However, if it is meant for some unlawful purposes, then it is termed as a crime under the Cyber Laws.

I would suggest you to learn programming only and not concentrate on hacking.

What is swap file? I have these files in two directories, i.e in Windows directory and another at root level. The root level file’s size is big i.e about 70-80 mb varying with installing & uninstalling the program. I want to enquire: are both files important or can I delete one of the two as it taking my precious disk space.

Dr Tribune: A swap file (or a page file in Windows NT) is referred to the space on a hard disk, which is being used as the virtual memory extension of a computer’s RAM or random access memory. The swap file enhances the performance of the computer as it allows the computer to access memory beyond the actual RAM. The function of these swap files is such that the least recently used file in the RAM is swapped out with the hard disk until they are needed later so that new files can be "swapped in" to the RAM. In higher operating systems like IBM’s OS/390, the units that are moved are called pages and the swapping is called paging. Normally, Windows 95/98/NT and the UNIX-based operating systems have a default swap file of a certain size normally unto 180 mb, which the user or a system administrator can usually change.

You should not delete these files from the computer. However, if you wish to compromise on performance and thus scale down the size of the swap file, then you can reduce the file size in settings, though it is not advisable to free up some hard disk space at this cost.

Dr Tribune: You need not worry about the problem. Some one has set password restriction in your Microsoft Internet explorer. The password has been registered by entering your Internet Options menu in the content advisor. Try disabling it. If it gets disabled then your Internet Explorer will start functioning properly. Else, this will remain a problem for you. Try to uninstall Internet Explorer completely and then install a new version. This may solve your problem. But if this problem remains then as an option you can start using Netscape, because the password restriction in the Internet Explorer will continue to bother you, unless the person who has set password restrictions rectifies it or you are able to break the password. However as a precautionary measure, you must always protect the computer from mischievous elements.

Good or bad in computers is subjective. As long as a computer is serving your purpose, it is rather excellent. As far as AMD K6-2 processors are concerned, I personally feel that these processors are good. However, the problem in your PC regarding the hang-up cannot be explained without actually seeing the system. This is certainly not the problem of the CVT. That is for sure. The CVT has just nothing to do with the improper booting or hang-up. You must get it thoroughly checked with your vendor. Generally speaking, there could be a problem with your motherbaord.

Everyone says that it is good to use external modem but they say that there is no difference between them. Then why are they more costly than internal modems.

Dr Tribune: Kindly refer to our October 2 edition of Login… Tribune. The lead story "Improving Net results" has an answer to this question. This topic has been taken up in length in that article.

Dr Tribune: There could be several reasons for this problem. As the first solution, go to the control panel (Start> Settings> Control Panel). Then double click on the network icon. This will open the network window. Click on the configuration Tab. You must have Dial up adapter, and TCP/IP protocol configured in this window, besides others. If it is not installed, then click on the add button and choose the component, which is not installed. For example if the Dial up adapter is not installed, then click on add button and click on adapter. From the next window, choose Microsoft from the manufacturers window and double click on Dial up adapter in the Network adapter window. Similarly, if the TCP/IP protocol is missing, then select protocol instead of adapter and follow the same procedure.

Restart your system and try connecting to the Internet. If you get connected, it’s fine. Else check the properties of your dial up networking. Click on any connection icon under the dial-up networking by your right mouse button and select properties. In the New window, click on the server type settings and check log on to network, enable software compression, and TCP/IP in allowed network protocols. Then click on the TCP/IP settings, choose server assigned IP address, server assigned name server address, Use IP header compression, Use default gateway on remote network. Now click OK. Click configure button now and in the connection tab uncheck the "wait for dial tone before dialling". Normally, this would solve your problem. If it does not, then check for " Bring up a terminal window after dialling" and enter your user name and password. Also check out, whether your telephone exchange has tone dialling or pulse dialling. These are the parameters, which can really solve your problem.