E-mail encoding could be causing unwanted key strokes
By JOHN TORRO
Published October 24, 2005
Q. Both of my computers (one Windows Me, the other Windows XP) have a bad habit of incorrectly displaying the quote key and apostrophe key as variations of "?" plus additional random characters in my e-mail newsletters. For example, please note the misrepresented quotation marks surrounding the phrase "intelligent design" and the words "Scientist's," "concept's," and "life's." I have searched Microsoft's knowledge base for known fixes and searched for the incorrect characters on Google without success.I have my newsletter preferences set to text only and not HTML for security.
A. Check the encoding within your e-mail client. In Outlook Express from within an e-mail, click View, Encoding. Try changing to Western European ISO or just Western European and see if that corrects the problem.
File with extremely long name causing Scan Disk error
Q. I run Windows 98 SE (still) on my desktop. Although a bit cranky, my computer works nicely. Recently, when I tried Scan Disk, I got this message: "Scan Disk was unable to finish correcting this error because the top level folder on this file is full. Quit Scan Disk, delete some files from that folder and then restart Scan Disk." How can I find the designated top folder and follow these instructions?
A. You would be surprised at how many Windows 98 PCs are still in existence (if it ain't broke, don't fix it). This Scan Disk error usually occurs if you are running Scan Disk with the Automatically Fix Errors option enabled and a file name (including the path) exceeds 259 characters. This type of file is usually in the Internet Explorer cache directories. First, try emptying the file cache through Internet Explorer, Tools, Internet Option, Delete Files. If that doesn't fix the problem, run Scan Disk with the Automatically Fix Errors option disabled. When Scan Disk encounters the problem file, you'll be prompted to either repair, delete or ignore the error. Choose delete.
Remove Browser Helper Object from your system
Q. I keep getting this on my computer: "PUP found C:Windows/cpbrkpie.ocx is a potentially unwanted program (spyware, adware or other malware) blocked from running on your computer. If you donot recognize it remove this PUP. If you recognize it, trust this PUP and then return the program that triggered this alert." I was on Smart Source for coupons, but I have been on other sites and it has come up, but not on everything.
A. Cpbrkpie.ocx is part of direct marketing application that delivers coupon offers to end users. A Browser Helper Object (BHO) is installed in Internet Explorer that provides a custom tool bar for coupon offers. It seems to do a lot of things on your behalf - too much for my liking. My recommendation is to get it off your system. Although it is not dangerous, an overwhelming number of Internet Explorer problems seem to stem from Browser Helper Objects. If there is a Remove Program entry in your Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs, go ahead and remove it there. From within Internet Explorer, click Tools, Manage Add Ons, and check to see if it is listed. If so, click to select it and then click the Disable option. Restart Internet Explorer.
Scanner, transparency adapter needed to put slides on CD
Q. What is the most efficient way to copy photographic slides and negatives to a CD? I have about 4,000 slides, and I have a Dell A940 all-in-one printer and copier.What else do I need, and how do I do it?
A. You'll need a scanner with a transparency adapter. I'm not familiar with the Dell A940, so you'll have to find out if it's possible with that piece of equipment. I've done this myself a few hundred times, and the quality from the consumer-level scanners is pretty good. Of course, you'll have to scan to disk and then burn them to a CD/DVD after.
