MOBILE MEDICINE MAN

We diagnose your most pressing laptop problems, including data security in wireless hotspots, duplicate contacts in Outlook and controlling Intel Speedstep in Windows XP

ZIP IT UP
I’ve got an Iomega ZIP 750 drive, which I plug into the USB port of my laptop. Sometimes it’s rather slow attransferring files in Windows XP Home Edition. How can I speed it up?

PAT FEATHERSTONE, VIA EMAIL

Iomega ZIP drives slow down if you transfer a large number of small files. It’s slower than transferring a small number of large files because each one is given its own entry in the disk’s table of contents. However, you can speed things up by making a simple change in Windows. First, open My Computer, right-click the ZIP drive and select Properties. Click the Hardware tab, ensure the ZIP drive is selected and click the
Properties button. Now click the Policies tab and ensure that ‘optimize for performance’ is selected. It’s also worth experimenting with the sub-option to ‘enable write caching on the disk’ to see if this makes a difference. If you do enable ‘optimize for performance’ it’s essential that you right-click the icon on the taskbar and choose ‘safely remove hardware’ each time before disconnecting the ZIP drive from the USB port.

HOTSPOT HORROR
I frequently use wireless hotspots in airports and coffee shops to connect to the Internet. However, I’ve heard that hackers might be able to break into my laptop and look at sensitive data. What can I do to prevent this?

JOEWALLIS, ABINGDON

It’s true that when you wirelessly connect to the Internet a determined hacker could use ‘sniffer’ software to eavesdrop on your username, passwords, credit card number and email messages. One way you can prevent this is to disable or remove your 802.11 hardware when you don’t need to use it. Disabling the peer-to-peer mode of your networking card is another option. To do this, go into the Control Panel in Windows and click Network Connections. Preventing file sharing is also a good idea. Open My Computer, right-click your hard disk icon to call up Properties and select the Sharing tab to disable it. The usual threats, such as viruses, still apply in wireless networks, so ensure you have a firewall installed and use up-to-date anti-virus software. Finally, if you’re connecting to your firm’s network you should use VPN (Virtual Private Network) software. Some Hotspot networks, like Boingo (www.boingo.com), include a personal VPN in their client application. If you use web-based email, make sure you log in on a secure (encrypted) page and encrypt messages for added security. Tools like PGP from www.pgpi.org are designed for this purpose.

SPEEDSTEP
I recently upgraded the operating system on my Compaq Armada M700 from Windows 2000 to XP. But now I find that the Intel SpeedStep application from the Compaq CD doesn’t work and I have no way of controlling the speed of the processor. Is there a Windows XP equivalent?

DOUGLAS HALL, VIA EMAIL

You don’t actually need additional software to control SpeedStep in Windows XP,
unlike in previous operating systems. Instead, you configure it from the Power
Options menu in the Control Panel. Click Performance and Maintenance and select Power Options. Choose Laptop/Portable from the drop-down Power Schemes menu. This setting keeps both AC Power and Battery to an ‘Adaptive’ policy, which changes the processor speed to meet demand by throttling it down if it’s not needed. SpeedStep only works if the processor itself has the function built-in and if the laptop supports it. In new Windows XP laptops, it’s handled entirely by the operating system, but in previous versions of Windows, you could tweak some of its settings in your laptop’s BIOS. However, this means you can no longer directly control the processor speed if upgraded to Windows XP. For that you will need a third-party application, SpeedSwitchXP. This is available from www.diefer.de/speedswitchxp/index.html.

FUZZY FONTS
I’ve a Dell Inspiron 8500 and I’m disappointed with the quality of images on the screen when I use Internet Explorer. This doesn’t happen with other applications, or even when I use another browser. I’ve changed the settings for the ATi Mobility Radeon hardware, but it doesn’t make a difference.

ELEANOR JONES, DERBY

Dell uses high-resolution LCD panels (1680 x 1050 pixels) in its newer widescreen machines, and this results in smaller fonts on the screen. To compensate for this, Dell has configured font scaling within Internet Explorer to make text easier to read. Unfortunately, this also makes it look slightly more blurred because ActiveX controls and some other elements don’t scale very well. To disable it, you need to do two things. First, change the UseHR value in the Registry to 0 instead of 1. You can edit the registry by clicking Start > Run and then typing Regedit in the Run box. You’ll find UseHR under HKEY_CURRENT_USER >Software> Microsoft > Internet Explorer >Main. When you’ve finished, right click the desktop to call up Display Properties and click Settings and then Advanced. Change the DPI setting to 96. If large images still look jagged, click Tools within Internet Explorer, select Internet Options and click the Advanced tab. Remove the check next to ‘enable automatic image resizing’ under the Multimedia heading.

DOUBLE IMAGE
I recently restored the data on my Pocket PC and now I have hundreds of duplicate tasks, appointments and contacts on the handheld and in Outlook on my desktop PC. How can I get rid of them?

DAN SIMS, VIA EMAIL

A well-regarded freeware utility takes care of this otherwise laborious task. The Outlook Duplicates Remover is available from www.hlyspirit.org.uk/outlook.php. Before running the software, backup your personal folder file – it will have a .pst extension– either to a memory card or your desktop computer. If Outlook Duplicates Remover doesn’t work, it could be because your .pst file is corrupt. You will need to export all items to a new .pst file and run the program on the new file instead. Once Duplicates Remover has scoured Outlook, select the ActiveSync option for ‘desktop overwrites handheld’ and synchronise with your Pocket PC. You might also get duplicates if you re-install ActiveSync and then synchronise, or if you synchronise data to more than one PC.

NO CALLER ID
When I receive phone calls and SMS messages onmy Handspring Treo 270, the names of the person either calling me or sending a message does not always appear. Why is this?

TIM GREER, HALIFAX

The Handspring Treo displays the names of callers if it can determine their Caller ID. So if ‘no caller ID’ is displayed, the person ringing you could be blocking it. If the Caller ID is being sent, the Treo will look in your address book to find the name to display in the Call History view. If it can’t find the details, it simply displays the phone number. Crucially, the caller’s contact information in your address book must not be marked as ‘private’, otherwise the name won’t appear.

INTENSIVE CARE
TOUCHPAD CONTROLS
You could be missing out on advanced features for your touchpad, such as pressure-sensitive scrolling and the ability to ignore when accidentally brushed. To get these, simply download the latest driver from your manufacturer’s website. Many laptops contain touch pads by Synaptics, which has a range of generic drivers on its website – www.synaptics.com. If you’re using a PS/2 mouse or trackball with your laptop, disable the touch pad to ensure the two don’t conflict with each other. Enter your laptop’s BIOS and set the touchpad to be automatically disabled when another device is connected. If your touch pad is behaving erratically, it may need cleaning. Put a small amount of ammonia based window cleaner on a cloth and gently wipe its surface. If this doesn’t work, the driver may be corrupt so obtain a new one from the manufacturer’s website. Older touch pads are susceptible to wet or sweaty fingers, causing the cursor to jump around. An updated driver helps to cure the problem, which doesn’t affect newer models.
If you have an IBM laptop with a TrackPoint, go into the Control Panel and enable ‘select-onlift’, which performs a click when you lift your finger quickly.