Scan and Copy

Question submitted by donna on Tuesday, Feb 26, 2021 at 02:46:00 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question: i get very confused on scanning from my epson, i have a resume that i am try to scan and copy so i can copy and paste it to a application im filling out can you please direct me as to the steps i need to do to get this on my computer so i can copy it for pasting, thank you so much for any help donna --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Answer: Dear Donna, the problem you are having is not uncommon. Most users get confused by the whole scanning thing. I have customers ask me all the time how to digitize data to make it easier to store and transmit. The problem is the limitations of the technology.

When you scan something you create an image of the page. That image can then be attached as either a graphic file (.JPG, .BMP, .TIF) or an Acrobat (.PDF) file depending on the version of your scanning software. Some scanners also give you the option to transfer that graphical information into text. This technology is commonly referred to as OCR (optical character recognition). When the scanning software captures the image it tries to translate the text into the text that corresponds with the image. This has mixed results depending on the quality of the page you are scanning and the quality of the OCR software. A plain page of text with no graphics and square on the page can get about 95% of the text correct. You still need to proofread it after you scan and OCR to make sure the software got the text right.

A resume usually has formatting that may or may not OCR well (depending on the format). You should look for the OCR option on your software and test it out. More than likely though you're going to need to just send a scanned graphical version of your resume along (.JPG or .PDF) to have it formatted correctly. Or you can re-enter your resume into MS Word or some other word processing software so that you can then copy and paste it into whatever form the submission site requires (I believe most will take word formatted documents directly.

Hope this points you in the right direction,

Ed Smit Questions@JustAskEd.net For more answers to your computer questions go to JustAskEd.Blogspot.com

Printing and Spell check.

Question submitted by Donald on Tuesday, September 16, 2020 at 00:41:09 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Question: I have 3 years support on my purchase contract of28 Mat 2011. Personal desktop R210501N with Windows Home Edition. The spell program checks almost every word and always advises word unkown???:. The printer command now seldom activates the printer. Printer connestions good. ???

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Answer: Have you checked for spyware? I recommend a program called Spybot - Search and Destroy. It's a free download at download.com and it helps clean up many spyware and virus issues. Spyware and viruses are the number one cause of strange computer behavior. Printer issues can be caused by all sorts of things. Things I commonly check...

Are there old print jobs in the printer queue? Is the cable between the printer and the cpu a good cable? Does it print at all and under what circumstances? Is your hard drive almost full? Do you have the latest print driver updates from the manufacturer?

I had a printer last month that would only print once in a while and it turned out it was a defect in the XP printer driver. I downloaded a new driver and it started working right away.

Does the printer make any strange new noises?

The spellcheck problem could be caused by a corrupt file in your word processing software. I would try running a repair of the software. You will need to insert the original CD and run the repair option when it comes up. Otherwise you could download OpenOffice.org and have a working spellchecker right away.

Good Luck

Ed Smit Questions@JustAskEd.net For more answers to your computer questions visit justAskEd.blogspot.com

Adobe Reader

Question submitted by robyn on Saturday, October 4, 2020 at 00:21:44 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question: I was given an option to upgrade to the latest version, so i did. I deleted by mistake my original adobe reader and now I find out I have to pay for the latest version which I don't want, so how do I get my original adobe reader back and delete the new one. Any help will be welcome. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Robyn,

Did you have the full Adobe Acrobat program which allows you to create and edit PDF files? If so, you want to uninstall the new version and load your original version again from the original source. If you only use the reader program (it allows you to read Acrobat files) it is still free for all versions (the latest version included). You probably accidentally downloaded the full featured Adobe Acrobat version which does cost. To download the free reader click here. To download an older version of Reader click here. Personally, I don't download every update of software unless there is a compelling reason for updating (a feature that I just must have). All software companies want you to download their latest and greatest version but in most cases they just slow down your system. Most "improvements" in software are so incremental that you won't see a real improvement for 3 to 4 version numbers (and that usually doesn't happen before you buy a new computer because it's now too slow). This is how the computer industry makes its money. The hardware companies make a newer faster computer with more storage. The software companies make software that uses more resources then your current computer has available. You then need a newer faster computer to run your new software which is supposed to save you time and energy but ends up costing time and money to get a new computer, and so the vicious cycle continues on until you stop upgrading just because you receive a pop-up that says you should. I don't download all the updates for software. I usually turn off the automatic checking for updates garbage that pops up constantly on my screen because it usually just slows down my computer and doesn't improve my quality of life. When there is a security problem with a software I will sometimes download those updates but I rely on my security software to notify me of true vulnerabilities. Memory resident software that goes to a site and checks for updates automatically slows down your computer. If you let every software check for updates you're using all sorts of bandwidth without getting anything done for yourself. A typical user has an operating system, an office suite, acrobat reader, java, an MP3 player program, and virus protection. If all of those programs check for updates when you first start up you get a bottleneck that causes your system to appear slower and slower. I just disable all automatic checking (except for my virus scan software) and check them maybe once a month. This makes my system work faster and also stops annoyance pop ups about software updates that don't help me get my work done. We live in an age of distraction. We are bombarded by constant information. At least we have the power to take back our time on the computer from the ad world on this front. This was probably waaaaayyyyy more than you were bargaining for but sometimes I can't help myself. ;o Good luck, Ed Smit Questions@JustAskEd.net For more answers to your computer questions check JustAskEd.Blogspot.com

Saving an eBook

Question submitted by Deanne on 8/21/20 at 10:12 AM My dad has downloaded section 1 of my eBook but it doesn't seem to be able to save. He should be able to save it, right? As a pdf file? Download comes from a website.

Answer: He needs to either right click on the link to download the chapters and choose save target as or he needs to click on the diskette icon on the toolbar at the top of the document once it is open. He CANNOT save the book by choosing file and then save. It won't save that way for an acrobat file.

Search Engines are off-the-wall

Question submitted by Patrick on Thursday, August 14, 2020 at 00:14:47

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Question: Every time I try to search the internet for a web site I get re-directed to another search engine. How do I correct this problem. The search engines are off-the-wall engines. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answer: You have a bug in your computer that is redirecting your requests. I would download firefox to change to a less vulnerable web browser. Also download spybot - search & destroy from download.com to remove spyware that could be causing the redirect. You should also check your virus protection to make sure it is still active. Here is a link to download firefox... http://www.Mozilla.com/en-US/firefox/ Here is a link to download spybot - search & destroy http://www.download.com/Spybot-Search-Destroy/3000-8022_4-10122137.html?tag=lst-1&cdlPid=10861988 Good luck, Ed Smit Questions@JustAskEd.net

TV shows on the Internet

Question submitted by james on Wednesday, July 9, 2020 at 05:29:18 --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Questions: cant seem to get nbc.com tv shows or sci-fi.com shows to play correctly there choppy and impossible to watch ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Answer: The biggest bottlenecks to streaming video are Memory (RAM), Bandwidth (Internet Speed) and Processor Speed. Most streaming video gives you choices for the bandwidth. Try a smaller bandwidth or smaller image to let the video look smoother or get a faster internet provider. You can add more memory (RAM) to your computer to let it process bigger chunks of data. Processor speed can only be improved by a faster computer. Also, close any other running programs and check for spyware (download.com has a program called spybot-search and destroy that does a good job) before you run the streaming video. Make sure you're virus protection is working and up to date. Try a different browser (Firefox or Safari are now available for windows users instead of Internet Explorer) If it's jerky you can help it by freeing up your processor.

email attachments

Question:

Ed -

Still so far so good!

a question : How do I send an email with an attachment of a document in a file? Would appreciate the "click" procedure.

Thanks............Alan

Answer: There is usually a paperclip button on the email screen that lets you add an attachment. click it find the file you want to attach (usually in documents). Select it and the button on the right bottom of the side of the window usually says attach. it is now attached.

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Corrupted Desktop

Ann wrote: On my Mac how do I get back my desktop. I can login but only my desktop photo is there. All the other logins the laptop can access all of their applications and documents.

Answer: Unfortunately your login has corrupted Ann. The easiest thing to do is create a new login and copy the data files from your old login into the new one and then delete the old one. When the desktop gets corrupted this way it can mean that your hard drive is having problems and you might need to replace it in the near future and please make sure you back-up your data regularly on an external drive, memory stick or DVD. You could lose all of your data if the drive has a permanent failure.

For more answers to your questions check out JustAskEd.blogspot.com

Updates - Does She or Doesn't She

On Feb 19 Linda Wrote:

Question: I hadn't used AOL instant messenger in a year, and am now told should update. The update seems to offer much more than I need; do I have to sign up for everything? Is there a down side for agreeing to get all?

Answer: Tough question Linda, I generally do not update any software unless there is a security issue or they are discontinuing support for the older version. The reason is most updates aren't for the end-user but are usually for the software and hardware vendors. If you play the update game like they want you to...you would need to upgrade your computer every two years to be able to run all of their updates. Microsoft is the king of this...they create updates like they were candy that may or may NOT make your computer run better, be safer, jump higher. I guess what I'm trying to say with all of this rambling is I personally don't update anything unless I have a reason. And that doesn't include the software distributors master plan.

Hope this answers your question,
Ed Smit
Questions@JustAskEd.net
for more answers to your computer questions login to JustAskEd.blogspot.com

Greetings Workshop

On 4/23/08, Michael wrote:

Question: Greetings Workshop has worked fine on Windows XP on my Dell Computer. Our new computer is another Dell and it was purchased with Windows Vista. Is there any way we can still use the disk for Greetings Workshop with our new Windows Vista computer program?

Answer: Unfortunately older versions of some software won't work with Vista. It's Microsoft's way of ensuring income for years to come. I've had similar problems with Quickbooks, Microsoft Office, and many others. If the setup program doesn't run when you insert the CD than it probably won't work on Vista. Upgrade to Windows 7 and you'll have an easier time.

which is a better system interm technology

On 2/23/08, Marie wrote:

Question:

Gateway 552 GE
Pentium 4 CPU 3.20 GHz, 3.20 Ghz, 504 MB of RAM
or

Gateway 24" LCD Dual Core, 1GB RAM, 250GB HDD Intel Pentium Processor E2140 (dual core) both are desktops

Answer: Neither, I think Gateway systems are the worst made PCs on the market. They always seem to have problems and glitches in their systems.

Cell Phones and Obnoxious People

The other day I was riding the bus and a man was talking on his cellphone at the top of his voice. A dear sweet little old lady (someone's loving grandmother) asked him to please not be so loud. The conversation went something like this:

Sweet Lady: "Please, sir, could you be quieter. I don't want to hear your conversation."

Loud Mouth: "Huh?"

Sweet Lady: "I'm asking you to not be so loud on the bus."

Loud Mouth: "I can be as loud as I want. Who are you to tell me how loud I can be."

Sweet Lady: "I am asking you nicely to stop shouting into your phone on the bus."

The loud mouth wasn't getting anywhere with her and it was messing with his conversation so he hung up and glared at the lady for the rest of the trip saying things like...

"Thinks she can tell me the #@(#* how I can talk. Who is she? Mutter, mutter, mutter...etc."

It made me more conscious that day of my own cellphone usage and location of usage. I have sworn off cellphone conversations in public places that are confined in space (busses, restaurants, etc). When I'm walking down the street or in a park I might still talk on the phone but I'm going to be more aware of how much of an annoyance I am presenting to the people around me. After all, just because I can talk on the phone anywhere doesn't mean I should.

Instructions To Connect To A Networked Mac

Here is a link to the instructions to Connect to your Old Mac from your New Mac (Right-Click or Ctrl-Click on the link and save the file to your computer before playing it)...

http://beyourownwebmaster.org/deared/downloads/ConnectToShareOnMac.avi

You can also follow these written instructions as well....

Click on the Finder Icon down at the bottom of the Screen on the far left (it looks like a two colored face)
Click on Go from the top menubar
Click on Connect to Server
Click on Browse
Click on the link in the browse window that says the name of your computer (e.g., Mac Powerbook G4) or something like that.
Click on the Macintosh HD choice for the connection.
Click Ok
You should now have a new drive in your drive choices that will let you look at your Old Macs Hard Drive.

unable to send

Question submitted by
Lester on Thursday, July 26, 2010 at 00:30:49
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Question: Hi, I am having a time trying to send email from an article I would love to share, when ever I try outlook express comes up and when I place my info to send or forward it reports an error, my main emails or corespondent is by yahoo (outlook keeps saying yahoo will not allow it to go)and that is why I am unable.Thanks

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Answer: Sounds like you are trying to send it to too many people at once or with too many graphics. Most mail servers limit sending to less than 25 recipients and the file size can't be bigger than 3MB. If you have pictures in the article or too many recipients that would block you for sure. Also your outlook express might not be configured for sending thru yahoo correctly. I believe that you have to use there webmail to send messages unless you have a paid email account with them. These are the 3 things that could be your problems cause.

Ed Smit
Questions@JustAskEd.net

Screen saver never kicks in?

Question was submitted by Ross on Tuesday, July 15, 2010 at 13:26:23

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Question: I have a Dell laptop running window XP and for some reason the screen saver and all the power savers stop working some tome ago.
I gave in and re-installed the OS and they still don't work..
What else could it be???

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Answer: Dell has a wonderful set of downloads that apply to your system on their support site. Just enter your service tag from the bottom of the laptop. The things that I would look for are updates to your bios and motherboard to make the power saving work. Also check the system bios setup when you bootup to make sure that power saving is turned on in the system bios. The keystrokes to get into the system bios varies from model to model but it usually appears on the screen when you first boot up. On most Dell systems I think it's the F2 key or Delete.

Find more answers to your questions at justasked.blogspot.com
Ed Smit
Questions@JustAskEd.net

Skype webcam

On Fri, Jun 19, 2010 at 3:12 PM, Diahne wrote:

Hi Ed,

Am still in Brussels and now have another problem. I purchased a Hercules Dualpix HD webcam to use with Skype and I can't make it work. I says to install the drivers and software before connecting webcam. Initally I did the reverse - and then tried to start over. Could that be the problem? Not sure what the driver is. I have a cd which came with it and have put that in but ...... no success.

If you have any ideas let me know. Merci beaucoup, Diahne

You might have to remove the webcam from your hardware profile. Uninstall the software and then reboot. After reboot install the CD first and wait for the instructions to plug in the camera.

To remove the webcam from your hardware profile:

Click on Start
Click on Control Panel
Click on System
Click on the Hardware tab at the top of the System window
Click on the Button that says Device Manager
In the Device Manager look for an icon with a Question Mark or an Exclamation point that says the webcam name
Right click on the Device and Uninstall or Remove it
After removing the device in the Device Manager Unplug the Camera

To Uninstall the software:

Click on Start
Click on Control Panel
Click on Add/Remove Programs
Find the Software for The Hercules Camera
Choose Remove
Restart your computer with the Camera Unplugged

Insert the CD and install the software and follow the directions on the screen

loud motor noise CPU

On 6/16/10, Margaret wrote:
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Question: My Dell desktop Dimension 2400 just today developed a loud buzzing noise like a loud fan running constantly. Moving it doesn't help. It is 5 years old. What can it be: cooling fans, hard drive?????
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Answer: It sounds like the CPU cooling fan or the power supply. Both
are replaceable by anyone with a screwdriver and a desire to crack the
case open. Just make sure that you unplug the power cable before
doing any work on the inside. And it is a good idea to touch
something metal to release any static electricity before touching
things on the inside of your computer. Power supplies can be ordered
from Dell or pretty much any computer store carries them. If it's
the CPU fan you just need to take the old fan to the store and see
what matches up (it's also good to know what kind of processor you
have to help find the right fan). To find the processor type click on
Start, click on Control Panel, click on System, on the General tab the
processor is listed near the bottom of the screen just before the
speed and RAM.

Ed Smit
Questions@JustAskEd.net
646-373-8640

Data Recovery

This week I saw several cases of people deleting important files and wanting them back desperately (these things seem to come in waves). I discovered that all data recovery programs are not alike. I believed that they all could get basically the same stuff back but I found out that they must be able to recognize the type of file they want to recover before they can pull them back from oblivion.

The two recovery programs I've had the best luck with are iolo's Search and Recover http://www.iolo.com for the PC side and Subrosasoft's FileSalvage http://www.subrosasoft.com for the Mac (it recovered a composer's very important Finale files). Both of these programs scan your hard drive and list all of the files that can be potentially recovered. Then they reassemble the deleted file in a miraculous Frankensteinesk sort of magic way.

The best recovery happens when the file was recently deleted and no files have been saved since the file was deleted. In fact, if you delete a really important file the best thing you can do is shut the system off and call for help because the more you download onto your computer after you delete that all important file the lower your chances become for recovery. All this to say be careful with your deleting.

Ed Smit
Questions@JustAskEd.net

Office 2007 Patch

Here is the link to the patch I told you about. It lets all previous versions of Microsoft Office open the 2007 format files. Just click on the Download button on the page and open the file when it is done downloading. Follow the on-screen instructions. The download will take care of the rest...

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=941b3470-3ae9-4aee-8f43-c6bb74cd1466

Call me if you have any trouble installing it.

Ed Smit
Questions@JustAskEd.net

When is it time to buy a new computer?

Question from Karen on Monday, May 19, 2008 at 06:55:38
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Question: When is it time to buy a new computer? What are the signs?

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Answer: Great Question! The computer industry would like everyone to buy a new computer every two years or so. This would keep them rich and happy.

For the consumer my advice is to look at your current system and see if you have enough RAM and Hard Drive space to do what you need to do. Also, is it painful for you to wait for your computer (is it slow as molasses).

Most computers have a maximum amount of RAM that they can handle. You can usually find out your systems max at a site like pny.com which has a memory search feature based on manufacturer and model. They list what comes standard with the system and how much you can add.

To find out how much RAM you have you have in Windows XP/2000/Vista/7 click on the start Button choose Control Panel and then click on System. On the General Tab the Version of Windows is listed and at the bottom of the window it shows your processor and memory. In the Apple world you click on the Apple in the top left and choose the about this Mac choice from the menu.

For hard drive space I usually find out how much space the hard drive has and how much is free and ask myself what can I store on an external drive or DVD. If I don't have at least 20 Gigabytes available after this soul searching then it's time for an upgrade. Now if your system has a hard drive that can't have 20 GB available, it's probably time to buy.

To find your hard drive space on a Windows Computer: Open the My Computer Window Right click on your C: drive and choose properties from the list that pops up. For Mac click once on your hard drive on the desktop and choose File from the top menu and click on Get Info.

To speed up your system: Uninstall any old software that you don't use. In Windows click on Start, choose Control Panel double click on Add/Remove Programs. This gives you a list of all of your software. Go through the list and ask yourself 'Do I use all three versions of AOL Instant Messenger?' then get rid of the ones you don't use. Common memory hogs are IM Programs and anything that leaves an icon down next to the clock. WeatherBug or Google Desktop use memory and if you're not using them dump them and speed up your computer. Also, check your system for Spyware. This is usually the number one culprit for slowing down computers. I usually recommend Ad-Aware or Spybot - Search and Destroy. They usually improve performance.

Well, that was probably more than you bargained for with your quick question but I hope that gives you a sufficient answer.

Ed Smit
Questions@JustAskEd.net