Whether you're a grizzled tech veteran or an uninitiated newbie, here are 15 essential facts and tricks that you ought to know.
By Patrick Miller, PCWorld Aug 16, 2010 9:00 pm
Think you know tech? If you don't have a handle on every single one of these 15 tech facts, habits, and efficiency tricks, you're not living up to your potential.
1. Don't double-click everything. Windows 101: Double-clicking is how you open items in Windows. It's not how you open links in your Web browser, click buttons in dialog boxes, or do pretty much anything else--and if you reflexively double-click, you might accidentally zip right past something important or submit a form twice. If you don't need this reminder yourself, chances are you know someone who does.
2. Use slashes and backslashes in the appropriate situations. Let's get it straight: / is a slash (or forward slash, if you must), and \ is a backslash. Backslashes are conventionally used for Windows file paths (C:\Program Files\Whatever), while slashes are used for Internet addresses (http://www.pcworld.com/howto.html).
3. Record the exact error message. When your PC crashes, it'll usually try to tell you why it is doing so--albeit with a string of numbers and letters that you won't understand. Write the message down in its entirety (or take a screenshot, if possible) so you can later plug it into Google or give it to your tech support agent. If your PC didn't provide an error message, go to Action Center (in the Control Panel) and see if it shows up under 'View archived messages' or 'View problems to report'.
4. Bring deleted files back from the dead. When you delete a file from your PC or memory card, you're not wiping it off the actual hard drive. Instead, you're simply removing the index information that tells your PC where the file is, at which point the PC is free to treat the part of your disk that contain that file as empty space that it can write something else to. If you've accidentally deleted something, undelete utilities such as Recuva can help you find those files again as long as you haven't already written over that file with something new.
5. Wipe your hard drive before getting rid of it. Because your PC doesn't immediately get rid of the files you delete, you can't just reformat your hard drive before recycling or selling your old computer--because someone might be able to use an undelete app to recover your sensitive data. We have all kinds of tips for completely erasing an old drive, but the short version is: grab Darik's Boot and Nuke.
6. Uncheck the boxes before you install. Lots of helpful apps out there give you the option of installing search toolbars and other add-ons--and some of them are so pushy about being helpful that their installers are configured to install the uninvited extras unless you check a box saying you don't want them. Not only is each add-on another thing that your PC needs to load, but you have no idea what kind of data it could be sending out. They come bundled with the app because they make money for the app developer, not because they're particularly useful. So take a close look at what you're installing before you click Install--and in return, the installer won't change your search engine or install apps you don't need.
7. Beware of viruses living in Office docs. Experienced Microsoft Office users can take advantage of its built-in Visual Basic for Applications support to automate complex tasks with macros. However, malicious coders can use those same tools to design viruses that may interfere with your work and that of your colleagues. By default, Office is set to disable all macros and notify you when a doc you're reading contains them (to toggle this setting, in Word, select Word Options, Trust Center, Trust Center Settings, Macro Settings), so you should already be safe on this score.
8. Be skeptical of "cleaning" apps. Apps that make vague claims about improving your PC's performance and clearing out its clutter (Registry cleaners, I'm looking at you) will generally do more harm than good (if they do anything at all). To clean up your system, simply run Disk Cleanup (to reach it, select Start Menu, All programs, Accessories, System Tools); it comes with every Windows installation and it won't mess up your PC.
9. Uninstall your old apps. If you regularly download and install new apps from the Internet, you should get in the habit of pruning your collection every now and then. To do so, open the Programs and Features control panel, scroll through the list, and click Uninstall to ditch items you no longer want. You may need to take a trip into your C:/Program Files/ folder to hunt down a few additional unused apps. The less stuff you have on your PC, the less things are to go wrong.
10. Don't let a spilled drink ruin your laptop. If you keep your cool when a spill occurs, you may be able to prevent your data from disappearing and your motherboard from frying. Instead of panicking, quickly but methodically unplug the power cord and yank out the battery--don't wait for Windows to power off. Next, detach anything connected to the PC (network cables, USB devices) and pull out any readily removable components such as an optical drive. Tilt the laptop to try to drain the liquid in the direction that it spilled onto your PC, but be careful--you don't want to tilt the laptop in a direction that would allow the liquid to seep even deeper in. If you see liquid on the surface of the laptop, dab it off with a towel. At this point, unless you're comfortable disassembling your PC and cleaning it with electronics cleaner, you'll probably want to take it to a tech.
11. Turn down UAC. Both Windows 7 and Windows Vista include a security function called User Account Control, which dims the screen and flashes a dialog box whenever you install an app or change your system settings. Though this arrangement can be useful for catching sneaky apps that are trying to install or change things without your knowledge, it can also be annoying. If you use Vista, grab TweakUAC to make it less annoying without turning it off. If you use Windows 7, the default settings aren't too bad, but I recommend that you go into the User Accounts control panel, click User Account Control settings, and change the setting to the third notch down, so UAC will still warn you but it won't dim the screen.
12. Don't work in your admin account. Many PC users are accustomed to doing their everyday work while logged in to their PC's administrator account--especially in Windows XP. Doing so can save you the hassle of having to log in and out when you want to install apps or make changes, but it also leaves you much more vulnerable to viruses and malware--so don't do it.
13. Keep your Control Panel in Icon View. The Control Panel's Categories view can be useful if you're intimidated by the many different options available, but it can also make finding what you're looking for more difficult (especially if you're following detailed instructions that refer to the control panels by name). Click Classic view on the left (in Vista) or choose Large Icons from the View by dropdown menu in the upper right (in Windows 7), and you'll have ready access to all of the control panels.
14. Clear your system tray. Apps often park themselves in the system tray (the row of icons on the right side of your taskbar) and stay open without your realizing it. Take the time to clear it out occasionally. Open the Notification Area Icons control panel, and check the box on the bottom that says Always show all icons and notifications on the taskbar to get a sense of how cluttered your system tray is; then right-click each one you don't need and choose Close. Your RAM will thank you.
15. Manage your power settings. If you're using a laptop, you'll want to know how to change your power settings so your PC doesn't waste battery when you need to conserve it, doesn't slow down when you need to go fast, and doesn't go to sleep at an inopportune moment. Open the Power Options control panel, and choose from among several presets containing different configurations for when you're plugged in and when you're mobile--or feel free to create your own. To access the advanced settings, click Change plan settings, Change advanced settings; there you'll find detailed options related to your battery, Wi-Fi radio, graphics card, and more.
To see this entire article, photos related to the article, etc... go to
http://www.pcworld.com/article/203395/15_things_every_pc_user_should_know.html
And remember, if you have any questions or problems, call, IM or email me and I will be able to help you.
Lenny Vasbinder
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Parents... Do You Know What Your Kids Are Doing On Your Or Their Computer?
We hear about it on the news every day... another young child or teenager getting in trouble because of something they did on their computer... or worse case, being kidnapped, raped or even murdered. It's our jobs, as parents, to know what our kids are doing as often as we can.
We try to know who their friends are in "real life" but how many parents know enough about checking their computers to know who their kids are "hanging out" with online?
There is a LOT that a parent can do on their own to find out what their kids are doing on their computers but there are also monitoring programs that can be installed, that will run in the background, and will send the parents regular reports of what the child is doing.
I can help you learn about both of these options... and remember, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Lenny Vasbinder
References:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/do-you-need-web-tracking-software
We try to know who their friends are in "real life" but how many parents know enough about checking their computers to know who their kids are "hanging out" with online?
There is a LOT that a parent can do on their own to find out what their kids are doing on their computers but there are also monitoring programs that can be installed, that will run in the background, and will send the parents regular reports of what the child is doing.
I can help you learn about both of these options... and remember, it's better to be safe than sorry.
Lenny Vasbinder
References:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/do-you-need-web-tracking-software
Thursday, September 30, 2010
The 17 Most Dangerous Places On The Web - PCWorld.com
The 17 Most Dangerous Places on the Web
The scariest sites on the Net? They're not the ones you might suspect. Here's what to watch for and how to stay safe.
Nick Mediati, PCWorld
Those photos of Jessica Alba may be murder on your PC. That Google search result that looks as if it answers all your questions may do nothing but create a serious tech headache. The fun you had watching that hilarious video you downloaded may not be worth the misery it can cause your system.
You've been warned that the Internet is something of a security minefield--that it's easy to get in trouble. You can do everything you can think of to protect yourself and still be taken by a malware infection, a phishing scam, or an invasion of online privacy. We'd like to provide a little help. Here are some of the hazards you may encounter, how dangerous they are, and what you can do to stay out of harm's way.
Not all Web dangers are created equal. Thankfully, our friends at the Department of Homeland Security have made our work of classifying Web threats a little easier. Will you get taken just by visiting that unfamiliar site? Or will you have to look for trouble? Let our threat level indicator be your guide.
Read full four page article here...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/206107/the_17_most_dangerous_places_on_the_web.html
And remember, Lenny The Computer Guy can help you make sure your computer is more secure so that you do not end up with malware just by visiting one of these potentially malicious websites or even a good website that might have been infected or hacked.
And if you are already infected with malware, I can clean that up and put you back in control of your computer.
Lenny Vasbinder
The scariest sites on the Net? They're not the ones you might suspect. Here's what to watch for and how to stay safe.
Nick Mediati, PCWorld
Those photos of Jessica Alba may be murder on your PC. That Google search result that looks as if it answers all your questions may do nothing but create a serious tech headache. The fun you had watching that hilarious video you downloaded may not be worth the misery it can cause your system.
You've been warned that the Internet is something of a security minefield--that it's easy to get in trouble. You can do everything you can think of to protect yourself and still be taken by a malware infection, a phishing scam, or an invasion of online privacy. We'd like to provide a little help. Here are some of the hazards you may encounter, how dangerous they are, and what you can do to stay out of harm's way.
Not all Web dangers are created equal. Thankfully, our friends at the Department of Homeland Security have made our work of classifying Web threats a little easier. Will you get taken just by visiting that unfamiliar site? Or will you have to look for trouble? Let our threat level indicator be your guide.
Read full four page article here...
http://www.pcworld.com/article/206107/the_17_most_dangerous_places_on_the_web.html
And remember, Lenny The Computer Guy can help you make sure your computer is more secure so that you do not end up with malware just by visiting one of these potentially malicious websites or even a good website that might have been infected or hacked.
And if you are already infected with malware, I can clean that up and put you back in control of your computer.
Lenny Vasbinder
Monday, September 27, 2010
PCWorld.com - Malicious HTML In E-Mail Increases
PCWorld.com - Malicious HTML In E-Mail Increases
John E Dunn, Techworld.com
Spammers have suddenly cranked up the use of malicious HTML file attachments in recent days, according to security company Barracuda Networks.
Using a number of search engine optimization-driven subject lines, the latest campaign tries to get recipients to click on "harmless" HTML attachments which launches an obfuscated Javascript attack that sends users to a variety of websites peddling everything from bogus CODECS to pharmacy.
One in particular, a standard advertisement for fake antivirus software, installs a back door -- even if the browser is closed so by the time the HTML file has been clicked it is already too late. (See also "How to Spot an E-Mail Scam.")
The only defenses against this sort of attack are either for it to be filtered at the gateway so it never reaches the user, or for the user to disable Javascript in their browser. Security software on the PC might catch the exploit.
Spam built around HTML is nothing new, but does seem to have become a hot technique in the last year or so with some spammers. A popular variant is the bogus "Delivery Status Notification Failure," a sneaky way to get the attention of a user without arousing suspicion.
More recently still, the spammers started embedding the Javascript inside the HTML file (rather than as a simple file attachment), to spread the horrible Zeus banking Trojan.
"So yes, a seemingly innocent HTML email attachment can do plenty of damage, and while quite stealthy, definitely not harmless," concludes Barracuda Labs' researcher, Dave Michmerhuizen.
Since attachment attacks became a favorite tactic, spammers have tried almost every common format in existence, sometimes moving to obscure ones in an attempt to get around spam filters.
John E Dunn, Techworld.com
Sep 26, 2010 10:02 am
Spammers have suddenly cranked up the use of malicious HTML file attachments in recent days, according to security company Barracuda Networks.
Using a number of search engine optimization-driven subject lines, the latest campaign tries to get recipients to click on "harmless" HTML attachments which launches an obfuscated Javascript attack that sends users to a variety of websites peddling everything from bogus CODECS to pharmacy.
One in particular, a standard advertisement for fake antivirus software, installs a back door -- even if the browser is closed so by the time the HTML file has been clicked it is already too late. (See also "How to Spot an E-Mail Scam.")
The only defenses against this sort of attack are either for it to be filtered at the gateway so it never reaches the user, or for the user to disable Javascript in their browser. Security software on the PC might catch the exploit.
Spam built around HTML is nothing new, but does seem to have become a hot technique in the last year or so with some spammers. A popular variant is the bogus "Delivery Status Notification Failure," a sneaky way to get the attention of a user without arousing suspicion.
More recently still, the spammers started embedding the Javascript inside the HTML file (rather than as a simple file attachment), to spread the horrible Zeus banking Trojan.
"So yes, a seemingly innocent HTML email attachment can do plenty of damage, and while quite stealthy, definitely not harmless," concludes Barracuda Labs' researcher, Dave Michmerhuizen.
Since attachment attacks became a favorite tactic, spammers have tried almost every common format in existence, sometimes moving to obscure ones in an attempt to get around spam filters.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Yahoo Messenger Webcam Sharing, Video Calling And Audio Calling Issues
Because this issue has come up a couple of times this month in the Yahoo_Messenger Yahoo Group, I thought I would compile the questions and answers here for future ready reference.
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Video and Voice Call issues
Anyone having problems making Video or Voice calls with Y! Messenger 10 (10.0.0.1270-us) When I first installed it, it worked fine but now when I press Video call or voice call it shows that it is initializing the call but it does not ring and the person I am calling does not receive the notification of the incoming call.
First time I had this issue I re-installed and it fixed it but second time around it did not do the trick.
I am hoping someone else is experiencing the same issue and has been able to find a work-around/solution to the problem.
My first reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Video and Voice Call issues
I've used it with no problems... but I don't use it often and haven't used it in the past few days. I'm testing it from one computer to another right now.
(key up Jeopardy music)
OK... clicking the Camera Icon on an open IM window did NOT work and acted as you indicated but this is not how I usually use Video and Voice. I activate them separately in most cases.
Hmmmmm... I just tried just a Voice Call to my other ID on another computer and that didn't work either.
Next, I turned on my Camera manually by going to the main Messenger Menu, then clicked "My Webcam" which did activate my cam. I then sent a Cam Invite to my other ID by clicking the Actions>More Actions menu on the separate IM window and that did send an invite and I was able to accept the invite on the other computer. But trying to initiate a Voice call, computer to computer, from either computer to the other FAILED.
Note that I have 10.x.1270 on one computer and 10.x.1267 on the other computer so it's not just limited to .1270... or possibly it is.
I'm going to fire up YM 9.x on my third computer and check it with the other two.
(key up Jeopardy music again)
Yep... it seems Yahoo is having major problems with Voice mainly as I was able to initiate Cam invites with each computer but couldn't get Voice to work at all.
If you look on your Help Menu, click Report A Problem To Yahoo and fill out the report. I am also going to on all three of my computers with different ID's.
More than likely, it's just Yahoo being Yahoo with their constant need to improve their servers... and yet never doing it as well as they should.
They have been reporting that they are improving their servers for as long as I can remember and any time there is a problem, they say they are improving their servers.
I'm SOOOOOOOO glad that I could not go through with buying a Yahoo Phone In/Out phone number last year when I tried. I had gone through the process, picked a number, went all the way to the check-out process, entered my credit card info and tried to process the order but that wouldn't go through. After trying to get someone from the Phone In/Out service to contact me for a few days to get my order processed and it didn't work, I gave up and got a Skype phone number... which works fine.
I also use MagicJack on my desktop computer... which works fine... but better yet, Google's Gmail accounts now include a Google Voice option so you can make unlimited incoming and outgoing phone calls in the USA and Canada and video/voice calls to other computers anywhere. They had a few glitches the first day that the unlimited FREE calls went online but every time I've tested it since, it has worked fine.
I wish Yahoo Messenger's other features worked fine all the time as I would like to be able to rely on YM but over the past 10 years, I've just seen too many times that it's not working properly often enough to rely on it alone. I guess the old saying, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" holds true for YM.
Now, for basic IM'ing, YM still is the most popular IM program for me. While Skype works great for phone calls, voice and video calls... IM'ing someone on Skype is not an easy process. There's no way to just type in someone's Skype ID and initiate an IM session with them without adding them.. or trying to add them and then they can initiate an IM session with you without them actually adding you. Yes, I've notified Skype of this flaw... or lack of feature.
If you NEED to use these features, you could try doing a clean installation of YM according to my blog article (see sig) and see if that works but I suspect this is just a Yahoo server issue since it's not working on any of my computer with three different versions. Because of YM's inherent bugs, I ALWAYS do a full and clean uninstall before doing a full and clean install... just to make sure that any left over remnants of the older or uninstalled version aren't left behind to muck things up for the new install.
Lenny Vasbinder
Their reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Re: Video and Voice Call issues
So I decided to do another install again after I had made the post. After it finished I launced it. Tryied doing a Voice call first and it started to ring. So I canceled the call and initiated a Video Call and it too started ringing. I was able to video chat for about 5 hours afterwards with no issues.
Sidenote: I reported my problem to Yahoo after every attempt to make a video and voice call so hopefully whatever bug appear everytime I reported it in.
And my final reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Re: Video and Voice Call issues
It just worked for me also... without doing any uninstalling... which leads me to believe it was just another of the hundreds or thousands of issues that Yahoo have had with their servers over the years.
Eight out of 10 times, when YM is acting up, it's due to Yahoo Server issues. Signing out and signing back in will often fix things as you will likely get a different server but if you've tried that and are still having problems, then it's likely a dirty installation.
Glad yours is working again... and if you did a clean and full install, instead of the way Yahoo recommends, then you have an even better chance of things working well. Make sure you put a check mark in the box so you get an alert before Yahoo makes updates to your YM. That box is on the Messenger Menu>Preferences>Alerts & Sounds section.
Lenny Vasbinder
And now... a more recent issue...
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Problems with the invite to view my webcam in YM10 and Version 8
Hello can somebody help me, I have problems with chatting and using the webcam. On Yahoo!Mail I was online chatting with my friend, he asked me to send him an invitation to view my webcam. I tried to find the icon, but couldn't find it.
I did send a chat message to the Customer Care and they said : Regarding your concern, please be informed that viewing webcam using the Chat feature in Yahoo! Mail is currently not possible.
So what I did I installed the Version 10 of Yahoo! Messenger and thought everything will be fine and I can see my friend. I did read that Version 10 is compatible with the other Versions of Yahoo! But it seems not be the truth. I've got now 10 and he has 8. I did send him the invitation to view my webcam many times he accepts but it does not work at all.
He says the problem is with me I should fix it.
Can somebody help me to use this webcam? I tried to make Video and Voice Calls but its not working. I need to say that he is the only one I tried, because his the only contact I have, so I cannot try it with somebody else's.
I did read was Lenny The Computer Guy wrote on Tue Sep 7, 2010 11:40 am, on the Message #7412 Video and Voice Call issues and it was really interesting what he wrote down. I thought maybe he can help me or somebody else's.
Thanks a lot in advance for your help!
Alessandra
My first reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: "Lenny The Computer Guy" Vasbinder
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Problems with the invite to view my webcam in YM10 and Version 8
I'm guessing you have tried several times on several different occasions? Sometimes, Yahoo's servers will just be acting up and signing out and signing right back in will get you on a better server and things will work fine.
Have you run the Audio & Video Help Wizard on YM yet?
On the Help Menu>Set Up Video And Voice.. then go through the steps. Let us know what it says so take notes of what each step says and does.
Also, check to see which version you have of YM 10. On the same Help Menu, click About Yahoo Messenger and let us know the actual version, including the numbers behind the decimal points (or does everyone call them dots now? lol) I want to make sure he has the latest version of 8.1x and not 8.0x.
Tell him to also do the above and let us know his version and that his audio/video is working... does he also have a cam and can he send you an invite that connects?
I don't have 8.1x running on any of my computer any longer so I can't test them but as far as I know, 8.1x, 9.0x and 10.x are all supposed to be fully supported and compatible.
I had to peek at the group message 7412 to see what I had said... I'm guessing you've tried things that way also.. instead of just a all-in-one video/voice connection?
Your other option, as you saw in that message, if both of you have reasonably new/fast computers, is to use Skype but Skype does use a lot more system resources than YM.
Lenny Vasbinder
And another follow-up reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: "Lenny The Computer Guy" Vasbinder [mailto:lennythecomputerguy@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2010 2:49 AM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Problems with the invite to view my webcam in YM10 and Version 8
Here's the Yahoo Messenger Help pages for the issue and Yahoo also suggests checking and/or re-installing your webcam software.
Messenger Webcam Basics
http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?y=PROD_MSNG&page=content&id=SLN338
The difference between Video Calling and Webcam Sharing
http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?y=PROD_MSNG&page=content&id=DOC643
Use Video Calling to Avoid Webcam Errors
http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?page=content&y=PROD_MSNG&id=SLN264
Lenny Vasbinder
---------------
I'll add more to this blog as it becomes available.
Lenny Vasbinder
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Video and Voice Call issues
Anyone having problems making Video or Voice calls with Y! Messenger 10 (10.0.0.1270-us) When I first installed it, it worked fine but now when I press Video call or voice call it shows that it is initializing the call but it does not ring and the person I am calling does not receive the notification of the incoming call.
First time I had this issue I re-installed and it fixed it but second time around it did not do the trick.
I am hoping someone else is experiencing the same issue and has been able to find a work-around/solution to the problem.
My first reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Video and Voice Call issues
I've used it with no problems... but I don't use it often and haven't used it in the past few days. I'm testing it from one computer to another right now.
(key up Jeopardy music)
OK... clicking the Camera Icon on an open IM window did NOT work and acted as you indicated but this is not how I usually use Video and Voice. I activate them separately in most cases.
Hmmmmm... I just tried just a Voice Call to my other ID on another computer and that didn't work either.
Next, I turned on my Camera manually by going to the main Messenger Menu, then clicked "My Webcam" which did activate my cam. I then sent a Cam Invite to my other ID by clicking the Actions>More Actions menu on the separate IM window and that did send an invite and I was able to accept the invite on the other computer. But trying to initiate a Voice call, computer to computer, from either computer to the other FAILED.
Note that I have 10.x.1270 on one computer and 10.x.1267 on the other computer so it's not just limited to .1270... or possibly it is.
I'm going to fire up YM 9.x on my third computer and check it with the other two.
(key up Jeopardy music again)
Yep... it seems Yahoo is having major problems with Voice mainly as I was able to initiate Cam invites with each computer but couldn't get Voice to work at all.
If you look on your Help Menu, click Report A Problem To Yahoo and fill out the report. I am also going to on all three of my computers with different ID's.
More than likely, it's just Yahoo being Yahoo with their constant need to improve their servers... and yet never doing it as well as they should.
They have been reporting that they are improving their servers for as long as I can remember and any time there is a problem, they say they are improving their servers.
I'm SOOOOOOOO glad that I could not go through with buying a Yahoo Phone In/Out phone number last year when I tried. I had gone through the process, picked a number, went all the way to the check-out process, entered my credit card info and tried to process the order but that wouldn't go through. After trying to get someone from the Phone In/Out service to contact me for a few days to get my order processed and it didn't work, I gave up and got a Skype phone number... which works fine.
I also use MagicJack on my desktop computer... which works fine... but better yet, Google's Gmail accounts now include a Google Voice option so you can make unlimited incoming and outgoing phone calls in the USA and Canada and video/voice calls to other computers anywhere. They had a few glitches the first day that the unlimited FREE calls went online but every time I've tested it since, it has worked fine.
I wish Yahoo Messenger's other features worked fine all the time as I would like to be able to rely on YM but over the past 10 years, I've just seen too many times that it's not working properly often enough to rely on it alone. I guess the old saying, "Don't put all your eggs in one basket" holds true for YM.
Now, for basic IM'ing, YM still is the most popular IM program for me. While Skype works great for phone calls, voice and video calls... IM'ing someone on Skype is not an easy process. There's no way to just type in someone's Skype ID and initiate an IM session with them without adding them.. or trying to add them and then they can initiate an IM session with you without them actually adding you. Yes, I've notified Skype of this flaw... or lack of feature.
If you NEED to use these features, you could try doing a clean installation of YM according to my blog article (see sig) and see if that works but I suspect this is just a Yahoo server issue since it's not working on any of my computer with three different versions. Because of YM's inherent bugs, I ALWAYS do a full and clean uninstall before doing a full and clean install... just to make sure that any left over remnants of the older or uninstalled version aren't left behind to muck things up for the new install.
Lenny Vasbinder
Their reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Re: Video and Voice Call issues
So I decided to do another install again after I had made the post. After it finished I launced it. Tryied doing a Voice call first and it started to ring. So I canceled the call and initiated a Video Call and it too started ringing. I was able to video chat for about 5 hours afterwards with no issues.
Sidenote: I reported my problem to Yahoo after every attempt to make a video and voice call so hopefully whatever bug appear everytime I reported it in.
And my final reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Re: Video and Voice Call issues
It just worked for me also... without doing any uninstalling... which leads me to believe it was just another of the hundreds or thousands of issues that Yahoo have had with their servers over the years.
Eight out of 10 times, when YM is acting up, it's due to Yahoo Server issues. Signing out and signing back in will often fix things as you will likely get a different server but if you've tried that and are still having problems, then it's likely a dirty installation.
Glad yours is working again... and if you did a clean and full install, instead of the way Yahoo recommends, then you have an even better chance of things working well. Make sure you put a check mark in the box so you get an alert before Yahoo makes updates to your YM. That box is on the Messenger Menu>Preferences>Alerts & Sounds section.
Lenny Vasbinder
And now... a more recent issue...
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Problems with the invite to view my webcam in YM10 and Version 8
Hello can somebody help me, I have problems with chatting and using the webcam. On Yahoo!Mail I was online chatting with my friend, he asked me to send him an invitation to view my webcam. I tried to find the icon, but couldn't find it.
I did send a chat message to the Customer Care and they said : Regarding your concern, please be informed that viewing webcam using the Chat feature in Yahoo! Mail is currently not possible.
So what I did I installed the Version 10 of Yahoo! Messenger and thought everything will be fine and I can see my friend. I did read that Version 10 is compatible with the other Versions of Yahoo! But it seems not be the truth. I've got now 10 and he has 8. I did send him the invitation to view my webcam many times he accepts but it does not work at all.
He says the problem is with me I should fix it.
Can somebody help me to use this webcam? I tried to make Video and Voice Calls but its not working. I need to say that he is the only one I tried, because his the only contact I have, so I cannot try it with somebody else's.
I did read was Lenny The Computer Guy wrote on Tue Sep 7, 2010 11:40 am, on the Message #7412 Video and Voice Call issues and it was really interesting what he wrote down. I thought maybe he can help me or somebody else's.
Thanks a lot in advance for your help!
Alessandra
My first reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: "Lenny The Computer Guy" Vasbinder
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Problems with the invite to view my webcam in YM10 and Version 8
I'm guessing you have tried several times on several different occasions? Sometimes, Yahoo's servers will just be acting up and signing out and signing right back in will get you on a better server and things will work fine.
Have you run the Audio & Video Help Wizard on YM yet?
On the Help Menu>Set Up Video And Voice.. then go through the steps. Let us know what it says so take notes of what each step says and does.
Also, check to see which version you have of YM 10. On the same Help Menu, click About Yahoo Messenger and let us know the actual version, including the numbers behind the decimal points (or does everyone call them dots now? lol) I want to make sure he has the latest version of 8.1x and not 8.0x.
Tell him to also do the above and let us know his version and that his audio/video is working... does he also have a cam and can he send you an invite that connects?
I don't have 8.1x running on any of my computer any longer so I can't test them but as far as I know, 8.1x, 9.0x and 10.x are all supposed to be fully supported and compatible.
I had to peek at the group message 7412 to see what I had said... I'm guessing you've tried things that way also.. instead of just a all-in-one video/voice connection?
Your other option, as you saw in that message, if both of you have reasonably new/fast computers, is to use Skype but Skype does use a lot more system resources than YM.
Lenny Vasbinder
And another follow-up reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: "Lenny The Computer Guy" Vasbinder [mailto:lennythecomputerguy@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2010 2:49 AM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Problems with the invite to view my webcam in YM10 and Version 8
Here's the Yahoo Messenger Help pages for the issue and Yahoo also suggests checking and/or re-installing your webcam software.
Messenger Webcam Basics
http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?y=PROD_MSNG&page=content&id=SLN338
The difference between Video Calling and Webcam Sharing
http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?y=PROD_MSNG&page=content&id=DOC643
Use Video Calling to Avoid Webcam Errors
http://help.yahoo.com/kb/index?page=content&y=PROD_MSNG&id=SLN264
Lenny Vasbinder
---------------
I'll add more to this blog as it becomes available.
Lenny Vasbinder
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Update - New Info Added To "Some Computer Security Programs That I Use And Recommend"
I've made a few changes to the original article, Some Computer Security Programs That I Use And Recommend, including but not limited to:
Updated - September 15, 2010 - F-Secure Online Scanner Added and MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials removed since I've had two recent customers who had infected computers using MSE)
Updated - August 08, 2010 - a-Squared Free changed to a-Squared Anti-Malware
Updated - August 04, 2010 - Added info about VirusTotal.com since I forgot that info initially.
Lenny Vasbinder
Updated - September 15, 2010 - F-Secure Online Scanner Added and MSE (Microsoft Security Essentials removed since I've had two recent customers who had infected computers using MSE)
Updated - August 08, 2010 - a-Squared Free changed to a-Squared Anti-Malware
Updated - August 04, 2010 - Added info about VirusTotal.com since I forgot that info initially.
Lenny Vasbinder
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Yahoo Messenger - Yahoo Web Messenger - Yahoo Mail Chat (or Yahoo Mail Messenger)... And How Friends Or Contacts Are Handled By Each... And How I Manage My Contacts / Friends List
Based on a long and recent thread in the Yahoo_Messenger Yahoo Group, I thought I'd create a blog about this issue which seems to cause a lot of confusion for users of the two web based versions of Yahoo Messenger (YM)
See the below thread.
Lenny Vasbinder
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 4:21 PM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
Hi all,
Could anyone tell me clearly how contacts are supposed to be synchronized between the webmessenger of Yahoo! Mail and the Yahoo! Messenger client.
For some reasons I do not see the same contacts and people added in Yahoo! Mail will not show up in the client.
My main ID is (deleted) but I also have aliases. could this be the problem ?
Thank you very much
My first reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 4:42 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
Yahoo Mail contacts are not the same as Yahoo Messenger contacts. Yahoo Mail contacts are people that you email and have added to your Yahoo Mail contact list.
Yahoo Mail contacts can have an email address from any of countless email service providers or ISP's whereas Yahoo Messenger contacts have to have a Yahoo ID (which can be the same as a Yahoo email address, but not necessarily) or a compatible user ID like a Windows Live ID.
The thing you are referring to as "webmessenger of Yahoo Mail" is probably not the correct term. Yahoo's Web Messenger is a browser based version of Yahoo Messenger that has limited functionality. Yahoo Mail Chat is the Yahoo Messenger version that works right off of your Yahoo Mail page when you have it turned on. I leave it off since, if you are on YM and then sign into Yahoo Mail and the Yahoo Mail Chat is turned on, it will boot you off of YM.
Your "friends" list from Yahoo Messenger should be the same when on Yahoo's Web Messenger or Yahoo Mail Chat but your YM "friends" may not be the same as your Yahoo Mail "contacts".
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 5:35 PM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
The webmessenger is well... a web version of the messenger. In this sense it is the same thing as what you call Yahoo! Chat
I'm not at all talking about the address book contacts but about the messenger contacts. In my case those are not the same.
In your terms my Yahoo mail chat contacts are not the same as my Yahoo messenger client contacts.
And my follow-up reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 9:13 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
OK. Just to be sure we're on the same page, here is Yahoo's Web Messenger. You do need Java and Adobe Flash working in your browser to use this. http://webmessenger.yahoo.com/ Remember that signing into WebMessenger (or Yahoo Mail Chat) will sign you out of YM. When you sign in (for me, the sign-in window opened as a new tab on IE8 and then when I signed in, that tab closed and the WebMessenger tab became the active version of Yahoo WebMessenger. You will see an active image of your YM program with the same friends listed. You can IM your friends from there but with limited function compared to the regular YM program.
If you go to http://mail.yahoo.com/ and sign in, that will be your Yahoo Mail account and on the new version of Yahoo Mail, up at the top you will see Yahoo! Mail | Hi, (your name) | Available (or whatever your YM status is set to) | Sign Out. If you click on the Available or other status, you will get a drop down menu to change your status. On the left panel, under your Inbox, Drafts, Sent, Spam, etc. folders, you'll see a dotted line, then Contacts and your Yahoo Messenger friends will be listed there. If you click (or double click) on a name, it will open a new tab inside that Yahoo Mail frame and you can start IM'ing someone from there and it will work just like Yahoo Messenger but with limited functions (i.e. - no Webcam or many other features that are on YM). Yahoo calls (or called) this Yahoo Mail Chat when it first came out... although I don't see that name listed on the Yahoo Mail page.
Yahoo Chat is the Yahoo Chat Rooms which you can access from your main version of YM.
On all of the above, your Yahoo Messenger *friends* or *contacts* should be the same since Yahoo stores the database of our friends on their own servers so we can see our friends no matter which computer or YM version we sign in on.
Your Yahoo Mail contacts will be different and probably will include all of your YM *friends* but also any email contacts that you have. I just clicked on the Add link next to Contacts in the Yahoo Mail left panel and that opens a new Contacts Tab in the Yahoo Mail window frame and if you click on View All Contacts, you will see options. You will also see a BIG contact form that can be filled in with all the same kind of Contact Details that can be filled in for anyone on your *friends* list on the main YM program. I haven't checked to see if this info is kept on Yahoo Servers or our own computers. I did a test on one of my own other Yahoo ID's and then signed back into the main YM program which then "Disconnected" me from the Yahoo Mail Chat version of YM. I then viewed the Contact Details for my other Yahoo ID and sure enough, the change I had made was there so that kind of proves that the "Contacts" listed under Yahoo Mail Chat is synced with the main Yahoo Messenger program, at least as far as contacts/friends are concerned and any edits made to their contact information.
I hope that explains things better from my end.. and answers your questions but let me know if you still have any other questions.
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 6:17 AM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
Thanks for this long comprehensive reply. In fact after emailing a Yahoo! employee I got an answer to my problem. This explain the core of my problem being that messenger contacts lists are not the same, should I use the client of the web version in mail.
Here is what I was told:
-----
"- The Address Book stores private info you know about other people. We allow you to store a Messenger ID for people you know without inviting them to be Messenger Buddies.
- The Messenger Buddy list is a separate list of people who you have invited to be Messenger Buddies. This is NOT synced with the Address Book (but often is coincidentally in sync).
- Almost all Messenger clients get your Buddy List first, then fills it in with Address Book data. Mail, in contrast, gets your Address Book data first and fills it in with Messenger data (online status).
IMHO Mail should act the same as other Messenger clients and get your buddy list first. This is being reviewed but not do not expect a change in the near future.
Do you mind if I share your email with the Product Managers who are currently reviewing this behavior?"
----
Now hopefully I can find a way to replicate my contacts.
And my reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 10:18 AM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
That's what I said in my first reply! ;-)
As far as which version of YM you use, the main YM program has the most options but if all you want to do is be able to send IM's back and forth, then any version will work.
HOWEVER (I guess I could have said BUT, since there's always a BUT... lol)... when using the Yahoo WebMessenger or Yahoo Mail Chat version's IF you save your archives of chat sessions, they will NOT be saved in your archives (although I do recall that Yahoo was going to give people the option of saving their archives on Yahoo's servers). ONLY your chats done on the main YM program will save into your archives on your computer.
I'm still not sure what you mean by "a way to replicate my contacts". As Yahoo also said in their reply, your YM contacts/friends are the same no matter which version of YM you are using. AND... on the main YM program, your Yahoo Mail contacts also get added to your friends list at the bottom under the folder, Address Book. You may have to click the arrow to expand that list if you want to see them all.
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 11:19 AM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
OK.
If you want:
people that show up online in Yahoo! are different than people who show up online in the messenger client. Or for exemple, if I want to chat with someone in Y!Mail, I'm asked to first add this person as a contact, but then when I login later in the Yahoo messenger desktop client it does not show up in my contact list.
That's why there is no synchronization between the two messenger contact lists. And obviously there are several databases.
That's why I want to be able to replicate my contacts which ever messenger I am using
Anyway i find all this very confusing
And my reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy [mailto:LennyTheComputerGuy@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 12:39 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
When you added them in Yahoo Mail Chat, did they add you back and allow you to see them? If they didn't, then that may be why they're not showing up. When adding people on YM, if they don't add back, it shows up as Pending but I'm not sure if the Pending thing transfers over to the other YM versions on the web.
Hang on while I test this....
(Jeopardy Music)
OK. I just signed into Yahoo Mail under one Yahoo ID, call it 1st ID, and then opened Yahoo Mail Chat or YM in Yahoo Mail, which caused that ID to get signed out of YM. Then I manually added another Yahoo ID, called 2nd ID, that I have. Of course, it showed that 2nd ID as offline, since it was. I then sent a test message to that 2nd ID also.
I then signed into YM under that 2nd ID and I got the offline message from the 1st ID BUT I did not get an add-request to the 2nd ID that I had added from the 1st ID... so it seems the "adding" of a contact on Yahoo Mail Chat (or YM in Yahoo Mail) doesn't send the same kind of add-request as happens when you add someone from the regular YM program.
Next, I signed out of the 2nd ID on the main YM program and signed back into the 1st ID. That 2nd ID that I had added as a contact in the Yahoo Mail Chat (or YM in Yahoo Mail) DID NOT show up as a friend/contact in the main YM BUT did show up as a new "contact" in the Address Book group of "friends" on the main YM program
So.. it seems that when adding a contact from either WebMessenger or Yahoo Mail Chat (aka YM in Yahoo Mail), it will add them as an address book contact for Yahoo Mail, which will show up on your friends list under the Address Book group but it doesn't add them as a normal "friend" in one of your other groups.
I had a feeling this would happen since, when adding a friend from Yahoo Mail Chat, it did not offer me an option as to which group I would like to add the new contact. I have groups for "Business & Customers", Family & Close Friends" and then all other "Friends". On my older Yahoo ID's, I also have groups for people I have not chatted with in over two years as those will be deleted from the main list of friends (but kept in my address book group) since Yahoo only allows 500 friends... at least that's the last count I remember them allowing. I know that if I don't delete people once in a while, my friends list fills up and YM prompts me that I have to delete someone before adding someone new. Since figuring that out a long time ago, at the beginning of each new year, I start a new group of "Friends" with the year in front of it, like 2008-Friends, 2009-Friends, 2010-Friends and next year, 2011-Friends and for my non-business and non-family/close friends, as I chat with these *other* "Friends", I move them into the new year's group and this also lets me know that the people in the 2008 group have not replied or been online in over two years and it's probably OK to delete them from my friends list (but I still leave them in my address book... just in case they pop up again). I keep my YM set to ONLY show Online Contacts so I can quickly see if someone from an old group signs in... then I look at the archived chats for that person and decide if I should send them a "Long time no see" type IM or just delete them.
I hope that clarifies things... or at least leaves you in such a state of confusion where only overly medicating (or drinking a bunch of adult beverages) will fix things. It is still the weekend... at least here in the USA. LOL
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
See the below thread.
Lenny Vasbinder
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 4:21 PM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
Hi all,
Could anyone tell me clearly how contacts are supposed to be synchronized between the webmessenger of Yahoo! Mail and the Yahoo! Messenger client.
For some reasons I do not see the same contacts and people added in Yahoo! Mail will not show up in the client.
My main ID is (deleted) but I also have aliases. could this be the problem ?
Thank you very much
My first reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 4:42 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
Yahoo Mail contacts are not the same as Yahoo Messenger contacts. Yahoo Mail contacts are people that you email and have added to your Yahoo Mail contact list.
Yahoo Mail contacts can have an email address from any of countless email service providers or ISP's whereas Yahoo Messenger contacts have to have a Yahoo ID (which can be the same as a Yahoo email address, but not necessarily) or a compatible user ID like a Windows Live ID.
The thing you are referring to as "webmessenger of Yahoo Mail" is probably not the correct term. Yahoo's Web Messenger is a browser based version of Yahoo Messenger that has limited functionality. Yahoo Mail Chat is the Yahoo Messenger version that works right off of your Yahoo Mail page when you have it turned on. I leave it off since, if you are on YM and then sign into Yahoo Mail and the Yahoo Mail Chat is turned on, it will boot you off of YM.
Your "friends" list from Yahoo Messenger should be the same when on Yahoo's Web Messenger or Yahoo Mail Chat but your YM "friends" may not be the same as your Yahoo Mail "contacts".
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 5:35 PM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
The webmessenger is well... a web version of the messenger. In this sense it is the same thing as what you call Yahoo! Chat
I'm not at all talking about the address book contacts but about the messenger contacts. In my case those are not the same.
In your terms my Yahoo mail chat contacts are not the same as my Yahoo messenger client contacts.
And my follow-up reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Saturday, September 11, 2010 9:13 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
OK. Just to be sure we're on the same page, here is Yahoo's Web Messenger. You do need Java and Adobe Flash working in your browser to use this. http://webmessenger.yahoo.com/ Remember that signing into WebMessenger (or Yahoo Mail Chat) will sign you out of YM. When you sign in (for me, the sign-in window opened as a new tab on IE8 and then when I signed in, that tab closed and the WebMessenger tab became the active version of Yahoo WebMessenger. You will see an active image of your YM program with the same friends listed. You can IM your friends from there but with limited function compared to the regular YM program.
If you go to http://mail.yahoo.com/ and sign in, that will be your Yahoo Mail account and on the new version of Yahoo Mail, up at the top you will see Yahoo! Mail | Hi, (your name) | Available (or whatever your YM status is set to) | Sign Out. If you click on the Available or other status, you will get a drop down menu to change your status. On the left panel, under your Inbox, Drafts, Sent, Spam, etc. folders, you'll see a dotted line, then Contacts and your Yahoo Messenger friends will be listed there. If you click (or double click) on a name, it will open a new tab inside that Yahoo Mail frame and you can start IM'ing someone from there and it will work just like Yahoo Messenger but with limited functions (i.e. - no Webcam or many other features that are on YM). Yahoo calls (or called) this Yahoo Mail Chat when it first came out... although I don't see that name listed on the Yahoo Mail page.
Yahoo Chat is the Yahoo Chat Rooms which you can access from your main version of YM.
On all of the above, your Yahoo Messenger *friends* or *contacts* should be the same since Yahoo stores the database of our friends on their own servers so we can see our friends no matter which computer or YM version we sign in on.
Your Yahoo Mail contacts will be different and probably will include all of your YM *friends* but also any email contacts that you have. I just clicked on the Add link next to Contacts in the Yahoo Mail left panel and that opens a new Contacts Tab in the Yahoo Mail window frame and if you click on View All Contacts, you will see options. You will also see a BIG contact form that can be filled in with all the same kind of Contact Details that can be filled in for anyone on your *friends* list on the main YM program. I haven't checked to see if this info is kept on Yahoo Servers or our own computers. I did a test on one of my own other Yahoo ID's and then signed back into the main YM program which then "Disconnected" me from the Yahoo Mail Chat version of YM. I then viewed the Contact Details for my other Yahoo ID and sure enough, the change I had made was there so that kind of proves that the "Contacts" listed under Yahoo Mail Chat is synced with the main Yahoo Messenger program, at least as far as contacts/friends are concerned and any edits made to their contact information.
I hope that explains things better from my end.. and answers your questions but let me know if you still have any other questions.
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 6:17 AM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
Thanks for this long comprehensive reply. In fact after emailing a Yahoo! employee I got an answer to my problem. This explain the core of my problem being that messenger contacts lists are not the same, should I use the client of the web version in mail.
Here is what I was told:
-----
"- The Address Book stores private info you know about other people. We allow you to store a Messenger ID for people you know without inviting them to be Messenger Buddies.
- The Messenger Buddy list is a separate list of people who you have invited to be Messenger Buddies. This is NOT synced with the Address Book (but often is coincidentally in sync).
- Almost all Messenger clients get your Buddy List first, then fills it in with Address Book data. Mail, in contrast, gets your Address Book data first and fills it in with Messenger data (online status).
IMHO Mail should act the same as other Messenger clients and get your buddy list first. This is being reviewed but not do not expect a change in the near future.
Do you mind if I share your email with the Product Managers who are currently reviewing this behavior?"
----
Now hopefully I can find a way to replicate my contacts.
And my reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 10:18 AM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
That's what I said in my first reply! ;-)
As far as which version of YM you use, the main YM program has the most options but if all you want to do is be able to send IM's back and forth, then any version will work.
HOWEVER (I guess I could have said BUT, since there's always a BUT... lol)... when using the Yahoo WebMessenger or Yahoo Mail Chat version's IF you save your archives of chat sessions, they will NOT be saved in your archives (although I do recall that Yahoo was going to give people the option of saving their archives on Yahoo's servers). ONLY your chats done on the main YM program will save into your archives on your computer.
I'm still not sure what you mean by "a way to replicate my contacts". As Yahoo also said in their reply, your YM contacts/friends are the same no matter which version of YM you are using. AND... on the main YM program, your Yahoo Mail contacts also get added to your friends list at the bottom under the folder, Address Book. You may have to click the arrow to expand that list if you want to see them all.
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 11:19 AM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
OK.
If you want:
people that show up online in Yahoo! are different than people who show up online in the messenger client. Or for exemple, if I want to chat with someone in Y!Mail, I'm asked to first add this person as a contact, but then when I login later in the Yahoo messenger desktop client it does not show up in my contact list.
That's why there is no synchronization between the two messenger contact lists. And obviously there are several databases.
That's why I want to be able to replicate my contacts which ever messenger I am using
Anyway i find all this very confusing
And my reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy [mailto:LennyTheComputerGuy@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, September 12, 2010 12:39 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] Re: Need clarification : Messenger client and web messenger Contacts
When you added them in Yahoo Mail Chat, did they add you back and allow you to see them? If they didn't, then that may be why they're not showing up. When adding people on YM, if they don't add back, it shows up as Pending but I'm not sure if the Pending thing transfers over to the other YM versions on the web.
Hang on while I test this....
(Jeopardy Music)
OK. I just signed into Yahoo Mail under one Yahoo ID, call it 1st ID, and then opened Yahoo Mail Chat or YM in Yahoo Mail, which caused that ID to get signed out of YM. Then I manually added another Yahoo ID, called 2nd ID, that I have. Of course, it showed that 2nd ID as offline, since it was. I then sent a test message to that 2nd ID also.
I then signed into YM under that 2nd ID and I got the offline message from the 1st ID BUT I did not get an add-request to the 2nd ID that I had added from the 1st ID... so it seems the "adding" of a contact on Yahoo Mail Chat (or YM in Yahoo Mail) doesn't send the same kind of add-request as happens when you add someone from the regular YM program.
Next, I signed out of the 2nd ID on the main YM program and signed back into the 1st ID. That 2nd ID that I had added as a contact in the Yahoo Mail Chat (or YM in Yahoo Mail) DID NOT show up as a friend/contact in the main YM BUT did show up as a new "contact" in the Address Book group of "friends" on the main YM program
So.. it seems that when adding a contact from either WebMessenger or Yahoo Mail Chat (aka YM in Yahoo Mail), it will add them as an address book contact for Yahoo Mail, which will show up on your friends list under the Address Book group but it doesn't add them as a normal "friend" in one of your other groups.
I had a feeling this would happen since, when adding a friend from Yahoo Mail Chat, it did not offer me an option as to which group I would like to add the new contact. I have groups for "Business & Customers", Family & Close Friends" and then all other "Friends". On my older Yahoo ID's, I also have groups for people I have not chatted with in over two years as those will be deleted from the main list of friends (but kept in my address book group) since Yahoo only allows 500 friends... at least that's the last count I remember them allowing. I know that if I don't delete people once in a while, my friends list fills up and YM prompts me that I have to delete someone before adding someone new. Since figuring that out a long time ago, at the beginning of each new year, I start a new group of "Friends" with the year in front of it, like 2008-Friends, 2009-Friends, 2010-Friends and next year, 2011-Friends and for my non-business and non-family/close friends, as I chat with these *other* "Friends", I move them into the new year's group and this also lets me know that the people in the 2008 group have not replied or been online in over two years and it's probably OK to delete them from my friends list (but I still leave them in my address book... just in case they pop up again). I keep my YM set to ONLY show Online Contacts so I can quickly see if someone from an old group signs in... then I look at the archived chats for that person and decide if I should send them a "Long time no see" type IM or just delete them.
I hope that clarifies things... or at least leaves you in such a state of confusion where only overly medicating (or drinking a bunch of adult beverages) will fix things. It is still the weekend... at least here in the USA. LOL
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Jokes - A Couple Of Computer Tech Funnies That Someone Sent Me
Here's a couple of problems I may not be able to help you with... well, maybe I can help you with paper training your puppy! ;-)
Lenny Vasbinder
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Jokes - Computer Errors
As we Silver Surfers know, sometimes we have trouble with our computers.
I had a problem yesterday, so I called Eric, the 11 year old nerd next door, whose bedroom looks like Mission Control and asked him to come over.
Eric clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem.
As he was walking away, I called after him, "So, what was wrong?"
He replied, "It was an ID ten T error."
I didn't want to appear stupid, but nonetheless inquired, "An, ID ten T error? What's that? In case I need to fix it again."
Eric grinned.... "Haven't you ever heard of an ID ten T error before?"
"No", I replied.
"Write it down," he said, "and I think you'll figure it out."
So I wrote down:
ID10T
I used to like Eric, the little brat.
LOL
-------------
Which reminds me of another joke... an acronym used in the biz when explaining a computer related problem... PICNIC... Problem In Chair, Not In Computer. ;-)
But don't worry folks... they're just jokes and I'm more than happy to help you get through these issues and never have them again.
Lenny Vasbinder
I had a problem yesterday, so I called Eric, the 11 year old nerd next door, whose bedroom looks like Mission Control and asked him to come over.
Eric clicked a couple of buttons and solved the problem.
As he was walking away, I called after him, "So, what was wrong?"
He replied, "It was an ID ten T error."
I didn't want to appear stupid, but nonetheless inquired, "An, ID ten T error? What's that? In case I need to fix it again."
Eric grinned.... "Haven't you ever heard of an ID ten T error before?"
"No", I replied.
"Write it down," he said, "and I think you'll figure it out."
So I wrote down:
ID10T
I used to like Eric, the little brat.
LOL
-------------
Which reminds me of another joke... an acronym used in the biz when explaining a computer related problem... PICNIC... Problem In Chair, Not In Computer. ;-)
But don't worry folks... they're just jokes and I'm more than happy to help you get through these issues and never have them again.
Lenny Vasbinder
Flash - Adobe Flash Tutorial And How I Help Folks Diagnose Their Flash Issues
-----Original Message-----
From: WinTips-Tricks Yahoo Group
Subject: [WinTips-Tricks] Flash Trouble
Hi all,
A friend of mine has an Asus laptop with Vista Home Premium. Lately she has been having trouble with Adobe Flash. For example, going to YouTube and attempting to play a video causes the browser to freeze. Sometimes right-clicking on the task or opening the Task Manager (not even doing anything with tasks) can cause the video to start, but after a second or two, the video and/or audio chokes and stops.
Other sites like WeightWatchers (which has a Flash gizmo at a certain place on its site) just produce an error message that Flash has crashed.
I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling Flash several times, always getting the official uninstaller and the latest version of Flash from Adobe. I have also tried disabling all other plugins in Firefox (IE has the same problem), but to no avail.
Any thoughts on this? I am stumped. Thanks in advance for any assistance.
~pt
My first reply:
Has she updated her Adobe Flash Player? This page, http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ will check your version for you and tell you if it's the latest version on the chart below. If you don't have the latest version, it should be updated as Adobe Flash is a common add-on that is attacked by hackers.
Same with Java. Java can be easily updated through the Java Applet in the Control Panel on your computer.
I use Secunia Online Scanner to check most of the common programs (Flash, Java, IM programs, Media Players, etc.) on computers to see if they have the latest, most secure versions. http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online/ Once you do the first scan, it will offer to email you each time new definitions come out and you can run the scan again. I like Secunia as it will also give you the file path to any OLD remnant .exe files of programs that were left behind by a previous uninstall, so you can manually remove those remnant .exe files. This is common with Adobe and can cause the problems you are seeing. Adobe also offers a clean-up tool on their site for removing the remnant files it's uninstaller leaves behind.
Have they cleaned out their Flash Cookies? CCleaner, Spybot and I'm sure other security/cleaning programs will also clean out Flash cookies. I have a blog page on how I use CCleaner since I don't use all of the default settings since I don't want to clean out some of the things it will do as a default. I also use CCleaner to manage all the other cookies that I do allow to stay on my computer.
Do you or your friend know how to set the settings on Adobe Flash to have it run well without giving it too much freedom over your computer?
Last but not least, I use Toggle Flash and turn off Flash except for when I'm on a site that I want to turn it on for, like YouTube, Hulu, etc. Otherwise, I leave Flash turned off so it doesn't cause freeze up problems when wildly surfing the net since many advertisements are based on flash and lots of malware will try attacks through unsecured Flash Players or unsecured browsers. See my blog article and review of Toggle Flash
Lenny Vasbinder
Their follow-up reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: WinTips-Tricks Yahoo Group
On Behalf Of
Subject: [WinTips-Tricks] Re: Flash Trouble
Hi Lenny the Computer Guy,
Thanks for all the tips. I updated her to the latest version of Flash, as per Secunia. Secunia doesn't currently report any outdated or compromised software.
I was unable to find the Adobe program that cleans up old installs. How might I find it?
I installed the Flashblock (to have Flash items on a page disabled by default) and BetterPrivacy (to delete Flash cookies) extensions on Firefox. (Flash seems to be working on IE8 now, btw.) I have also used Adobe's tool to adjust Flash security settings. For good measure I ran CCleaner to delete Flash cookies (as well as over 470 MB of other junk!) and used Eusing's Registry Cleaner to clean up the registry.
However, I continue to have the same issues with YouTube. Any other thoughts?
~pt
My follow-up reply:
If you have Flashblock, I see this is a FireFox (FF) add-on, then that would be blocking the videos with YouTube... and possibly causing it to freeze. It could also be your settings to block flash cookies. I think you have to allow them on most sites that have flash features that you actually want to see. Then use CCleaner or other utility to clean the flash cookies up.
Flash, in and of itself, does cause browser freeze-ups on a regular basis, usually related to malicious ads or flash vids created with old versions or other related problems, which is why I use Toggle Flash in IE8 when doing power surfing. Then if I'm on a page where I do want to see the video or animation, I click the Toggle Flash button on my browser tab's bar, do a refresh on just that page and I'm able to see the video/animation. After I'm done, I click Toggle Flash again so Flash is turned off when I go to the next site.
I only use FF as a backup browser so I'm not as familiar with all of it's tweaks but I know there have been problems with some of the recent updates and most folks had to uninstall FF and then reinstall it to get a clean installation and then re-customize it.
While all of the add-ons are great for some folks, each add-on can also bring it's own unique set of problems in how it plays with the other add-ons or the browser itself. I know that with many other programs, add-ons are almost always the cause of problems with the main program... I'm sure it's the same with FF.
Re-run the Secunia scan and do the "Enable thorough scan..." and if it comes up clean with no old fragments of Flash.exe files, then you shouldn't be having any immediate problems related to Flash itself.
If you still have problems, http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html#main_Uninstall, which should cleanup current and all previous versions... or you can use RevoUninstaller to really do a cleanup of Adobe Flash program and registry entries, then get the latest version here, http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ and start from scratch again. That entire page in the first link in this paragraph has LOTS of other info for troubleshooting Flash problems with IE8, FF, etc.
Depending on the users download speed, you may have to go into the Flash Settings (right click on the flash video and choose "Settings" and give it more buffering capacity. For folks that do not have the fastest download speeds but do lots of YouTubing, if they have secure computers, I might give them 10MB of memory on the host computer. For most others, 1MB or less is sufficient. This needs to be tweaked from time to time depending on the situation for folks that use different internet connections like wi-fi hotspots. The downside of giving too much memory is that malicious Flash ads also have access to that memory so it's important that any computer connected to the internet be very secure.
If the above didn't answer all of your questions or doesn't work, give me more info and details related to your last paragraph, "However, I continue to have the same issues with YouTube. Any other thoughts?" Is this happening on both IE8 and FF or just FF? You said that Flash was working on IE8, so I'll presume YouTube was also working but if it's not, let me know. If your issue is only with FF, then it's likely one of the add-ons that are causing the problem. Disable them one by one until you find the culprit.
Lenny Vasbinder
Their final reply and thanks...
-----Original Message-----
From: WinTips-Tricks
On Behalf Of
Subject: [WinTips-Tricks] Re: Flash Trouble
Thanks, Lenny. It was the storage settings. They were set to 100KB, which obviously is not enough to buffer video. When I set it to 10MB, YouTube works like a dream.
~pt
From: WinTips-Tricks Yahoo Group
Subject: [WinTips-Tricks] Flash Trouble
Hi all,
A friend of mine has an Asus laptop with Vista Home Premium. Lately she has been having trouble with Adobe Flash. For example, going to YouTube and attempting to play a video causes the browser to freeze. Sometimes right-clicking on the task or opening the Task Manager (not even doing anything with tasks) can cause the video to start, but after a second or two, the video and/or audio chokes and stops.
Other sites like WeightWatchers (which has a Flash gizmo at a certain place on its site) just produce an error message that Flash has crashed.
I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling Flash several times, always getting the official uninstaller and the latest version of Flash from Adobe. I have also tried disabling all other plugins in Firefox (IE has the same problem), but to no avail.
Any thoughts on this? I am stumped. Thanks in advance for any assistance.
~pt
My first reply:
Has she updated her Adobe Flash Player? This page, http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/ will check your version for you and tell you if it's the latest version on the chart below. If you don't have the latest version, it should be updated as Adobe Flash is a common add-on that is attacked by hackers.
Same with Java. Java can be easily updated through the Java Applet in the Control Panel on your computer.
I use Secunia Online Scanner to check most of the common programs (Flash, Java, IM programs, Media Players, etc.) on computers to see if they have the latest, most secure versions. http://secunia.com/vulnerability_scanning/online/ Once you do the first scan, it will offer to email you each time new definitions come out and you can run the scan again. I like Secunia as it will also give you the file path to any OLD remnant .exe files of programs that were left behind by a previous uninstall, so you can manually remove those remnant .exe files. This is common with Adobe and can cause the problems you are seeing. Adobe also offers a clean-up tool on their site for removing the remnant files it's uninstaller leaves behind.
Have they cleaned out their Flash Cookies? CCleaner, Spybot and I'm sure other security/cleaning programs will also clean out Flash cookies. I have a blog page on how I use CCleaner since I don't use all of the default settings since I don't want to clean out some of the things it will do as a default. I also use CCleaner to manage all the other cookies that I do allow to stay on my computer.
Do you or your friend know how to set the settings on Adobe Flash to have it run well without giving it too much freedom over your computer?
Last but not least, I use Toggle Flash and turn off Flash except for when I'm on a site that I want to turn it on for, like YouTube, Hulu, etc. Otherwise, I leave Flash turned off so it doesn't cause freeze up problems when wildly surfing the net since many advertisements are based on flash and lots of malware will try attacks through unsecured Flash Players or unsecured browsers. See my blog article and review of Toggle Flash
Lenny Vasbinder
Their follow-up reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: WinTips-Tricks Yahoo Group
On Behalf Of
Subject: [WinTips-Tricks] Re: Flash Trouble
Hi Lenny the Computer Guy,
Thanks for all the tips. I updated her to the latest version of Flash, as per Secunia. Secunia doesn't currently report any outdated or compromised software.
I was unable to find the Adobe program that cleans up old installs. How might I find it?
I installed the Flashblock (to have Flash items on a page disabled by default) and BetterPrivacy (to delete Flash cookies) extensions on Firefox. (Flash seems to be working on IE8 now, btw.) I have also used Adobe's tool to adjust Flash security settings. For good measure I ran CCleaner to delete Flash cookies (as well as over 470 MB of other junk!) and used Eusing's Registry Cleaner to clean up the registry.
However, I continue to have the same issues with YouTube. Any other thoughts?
~pt
My follow-up reply:
If you have Flashblock, I see this is a FireFox (FF) add-on, then that would be blocking the videos with YouTube... and possibly causing it to freeze. It could also be your settings to block flash cookies. I think you have to allow them on most sites that have flash features that you actually want to see. Then use CCleaner or other utility to clean the flash cookies up.
Flash, in and of itself, does cause browser freeze-ups on a regular basis, usually related to malicious ads or flash vids created with old versions or other related problems, which is why I use Toggle Flash in IE8 when doing power surfing. Then if I'm on a page where I do want to see the video or animation, I click the Toggle Flash button on my browser tab's bar, do a refresh on just that page and I'm able to see the video/animation. After I'm done, I click Toggle Flash again so Flash is turned off when I go to the next site.
I only use FF as a backup browser so I'm not as familiar with all of it's tweaks but I know there have been problems with some of the recent updates and most folks had to uninstall FF and then reinstall it to get a clean installation and then re-customize it.
While all of the add-ons are great for some folks, each add-on can also bring it's own unique set of problems in how it plays with the other add-ons or the browser itself. I know that with many other programs, add-ons are almost always the cause of problems with the main program... I'm sure it's the same with FF.
Re-run the Secunia scan and do the "Enable thorough scan..." and if it comes up clean with no old fragments of Flash.exe files, then you shouldn't be having any immediate problems related to Flash itself.
If you still have problems, http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html#main_Uninstall, which should cleanup current and all previous versions... or you can use RevoUninstaller to really do a cleanup of Adobe Flash program and registry entries, then get the latest version here, http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ and start from scratch again. That entire page in the first link in this paragraph has LOTS of other info for troubleshooting Flash problems with IE8, FF, etc.
Depending on the users download speed, you may have to go into the Flash Settings (right click on the flash video and choose "Settings" and give it more buffering capacity. For folks that do not have the fastest download speeds but do lots of YouTubing, if they have secure computers, I might give them 10MB of memory on the host computer. For most others, 1MB or less is sufficient. This needs to be tweaked from time to time depending on the situation for folks that use different internet connections like wi-fi hotspots. The downside of giving too much memory is that malicious Flash ads also have access to that memory so it's important that any computer connected to the internet be very secure.
If the above didn't answer all of your questions or doesn't work, give me more info and details related to your last paragraph, "However, I continue to have the same issues with YouTube. Any other thoughts?" Is this happening on both IE8 and FF or just FF? You said that Flash was working on IE8, so I'll presume YouTube was also working but if it's not, let me know. If your issue is only with FF, then it's likely one of the add-ons that are causing the problem. Disable them one by one until you find the culprit.
Lenny Vasbinder
Their final reply and thanks...
-----Original Message-----
From: WinTips-Tricks
On Behalf Of
Subject: [WinTips-Tricks] Re: Flash Trouble
Thanks, Lenny. It was the storage settings. They were set to 100KB, which obviously is not enough to buffer video. When I set it to 10MB, YouTube works like a dream.
~pt
System Restore Tutorial - How To Set System Restore Points And How To Clear Them All Out If Your Computer Gets Infected With Malware
vssadmin resize shadowstorage /on=[drive letter]: /For=[drive letter]: /Maxsize=[maximum size]
MaxSizeSpec must be 300MB or greater and accepts the following suffixes: KB (for kilobytes), MB (for megabytes), GB (for gigabytes), TB (for terabytes), PB (for petabytes) and EB (for exabytes). If a suffix is not supplied, MaxSizeSpec is in bytes. If MaxSizeSpec is not specified, then there will be no limit to the amount of space it may use.
For example, if you want System Restore to use a maximum of 1GB of space for the restore points on drive "C:", you should type the following:
vssadmin resize shadowstorage /On=C: /For=C: /Maxsize=1GB
Although you would likely want more than 1GB of space on a newer BIGGER hard drive. I set mine at 10GB.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Yahoo Messenger Tutorial - Changing your "Display Name" Or Contact Details On YM and Yahoo Profiles Now Called Yahoo Pulse
Based on a recent post in the Yahoo_Messenger Yahoo Group, I thought I'd post my long reply here so others may benefit.
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of Bob
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:11 PM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] question about display name
Hi Lenny,
I want to change my display name that appears when I am on IM with another person, but have been unable to do this. When I check my account on the main Yahoo.com site, my "display name" is the one I want, but on Messenger there is a different one and I don't want it.
Can you please tell me how I can go about making this change?
Thanks!
Bob
My Reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:53 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] question about display name
First, lets make sure we have terminology correct and uses. Display Names are usually what I would reference with Yahoo Profiles (now called Yahoo Pulse) and how that name will show up in Chat Rooms.
I think.. what you are talking about right now, is how your name appears to the other users on your friends list and that is partly in your control and partly in the other users control... for folks that have already added you... but you can fix it for all of your *new* friends. You can't fix it for old friends and new friends can even change how you appear on their list by right clicking on your name and choosing Contact Details, which opens a window for them to edit what they want to show up for you.... but that's a separate issue than what you are asking about.
Here's why...
Click on the main Messenger Menu on your friends list window. Choose My Contact Details. In the Name area, you may have filled in your first and last name or some other info and your friends can choose to show either the Yahoo ID or the Contact Name in their own Preferences so if you have your Name as Bob Cal... or Rocking Bob or whatever, then that is what will show up on their end when they added you if they had their settings to show your Name instead of your Yahoo ID. They can edit the info you initially provided. On the main Messenger Menu, then Preferences, Appearance section, there is a setting for each user to show for each contact, if they want to show "Nickname or First and Last Name" OR "Yahoo ID". If you have nothing filled out for your First and Last Name or Nickname, then they will only get your Yahoo ID.
What I do is go into the My Contact Details, which will open up a window called "Add A Contact" (don't ask me why???) but you will see near the bottom that it has your Messenger ID. Leave that field with your Messenger ID... but on the top fields under Name, change your Name to whatever you may want to appear to some of your *new* friends... but this will not change how your *old* friends still see you... since they could have changed it however they wanted anyhow. Sometimes, a friend may request your contact details and if you allow this, they will get ALL info that you have in your contact details so use discretion since that file can contain all sorts of personal information (see all the tabs and fields that are available).
Now... if you are talking about a Display Name that might show up in a chat room, that would come down to editing your profile. To do this, click on the main Messenger Menu, then My Account Info, which will open a browser window where you will have to sign into your Yahoo account. Once in, you can edit your profile to however you like.
Here's a Yahoo Tutorial on editing one's profile. At the bottom of each page, there is a Next button to go to the next page. http://help.yahoo.com/tutorials/prof/prof/prof_start1.html
I probably need to make a blog out of this! I've typed these instructions out so many times. LOL
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
FREE and automatic online remote backup of your documents, photos and files... https://mozy.com/?ref=SY4ZSI Check out how simple and secure it can be to use the Mozy remote backup system. Mozy will back up your most important files and folders every day/night while you aren't using your computer.
-----Original Message-----
From: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
On Behalf Of Bob
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:11 PM
To: Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [Y!M] question about display name
Hi Lenny,
I want to change my display name that appears when I am on IM with another person, but have been unable to do this. When I check my account on the main Yahoo.com site, my "display name" is the one I want, but on Messenger there is a different one and I don't want it.
Can you please tell me how I can go about making this change?
Thanks!
Bob
My Reply:
-----Original Message-----
From: Lenny The Computer Guy
Sent: Sunday, August 29, 2010 6:53 PM
To: 'Yahoo_Messenger@yahoogroups.com'
Subject: RE: [Y!M] question about display name
First, lets make sure we have terminology correct and uses. Display Names are usually what I would reference with Yahoo Profiles (now called Yahoo Pulse) and how that name will show up in Chat Rooms.
I think.. what you are talking about right now, is how your name appears to the other users on your friends list and that is partly in your control and partly in the other users control... for folks that have already added you... but you can fix it for all of your *new* friends. You can't fix it for old friends and new friends can even change how you appear on their list by right clicking on your name and choosing Contact Details, which opens a window for them to edit what they want to show up for you.... but that's a separate issue than what you are asking about.
Here's why...
Click on the main Messenger Menu on your friends list window. Choose My Contact Details. In the Name area, you may have filled in your first and last name or some other info and your friends can choose to show either the Yahoo ID or the Contact Name in their own Preferences so if you have your Name as Bob Cal... or Rocking Bob or whatever, then that is what will show up on their end when they added you if they had their settings to show your Name instead of your Yahoo ID. They can edit the info you initially provided. On the main Messenger Menu, then Preferences, Appearance section, there is a setting for each user to show for each contact, if they want to show "Nickname or First and Last Name" OR "Yahoo ID". If you have nothing filled out for your First and Last Name or Nickname, then they will only get your Yahoo ID.
What I do is go into the My Contact Details, which will open up a window called "Add A Contact" (don't ask me why???) but you will see near the bottom that it has your Messenger ID. Leave that field with your Messenger ID... but on the top fields under Name, change your Name to whatever you may want to appear to some of your *new* friends... but this will not change how your *old* friends still see you... since they could have changed it however they wanted anyhow. Sometimes, a friend may request your contact details and if you allow this, they will get ALL info that you have in your contact details so use discretion since that file can contain all sorts of personal information (see all the tabs and fields that are available).
Now... if you are talking about a Display Name that might show up in a chat room, that would come down to editing your profile. To do this, click on the main Messenger Menu, then My Account Info, which will open a browser window where you will have to sign into your Yahoo account. Once in, you can edit your profile to however you like.
Here's a Yahoo Tutorial on editing one's profile. At the bottom of each page, there is a Next button to go to the next page. http://help.yahoo.com/tutorials/prof/prof/prof_start1.html
I probably need to make a blog out of this! I've typed these instructions out so many times. LOL
Lenny Vasbinder
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
YM - LennyTheComputerGuy
My Yahoo Messenger related blogs:
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/search/label/Yahoo%20Messenger
FREE and automatic online remote backup of your documents, photos and files... https://mozy.com/?ref=SY4ZSI Check out how simple and secure it can be to use the Mozy remote backup system. Mozy will back up your most important files and folders every day/night while you aren't using your computer.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
WOW!!!... Google Voice Now Gives Us FREE Phone Service
Update - 09/27/2010 - Link added for Free International Calling
I've been using Google Voice http://www.Google.com/voice as a FREE voicemail and re-direct service for many years... mainly as a way of giving some companies a phone number that wouldn't bother me with telemarketing calls since they would always get a voicemail. I even used this type of service LONG before Google bought out the previous company I was using, GrandCentral. It was FREE for incoming phone calls that went straight to a voicemail or re-directing the call to another phone number, etc... but not for out-going phone calls. For those, I either used my cell phone or my MagicJack VOIP phone for $19.95 a year ($1.70 a month).
This morning, when I signed into my Gmail account, I noticed the little pop-up saying that Google Voice now allows calling to the USA and Canada for FREE!!!!
Technically, someone doesn't even have to have a home phone any longer as long as they have home internet service. In the past, Bellsouth aka AT&T made folks get a phone line before they could get DSL internet service but a couple of years ago, they dropped the requirement for having a home phone number so folks could just sign up for DSL service. BTW... there is a price war of sorts going on between Bellsouth DSL internet service and Cox Cable internet service.
LOL... while I was typing this, I had Fox News Channel on and they just announced this too... probably because Clayton Morris of the Fox And Friends Weekend Team is a computer geek... I almost said "too!" but then I remembered that I'm *not* a computer geek, mainly because I'm too old to be a computer geek... right??? LOL
I don't know if Google will keep the outgoing phone call service for free forever but their history certainly leads me to believe that they will. BTW... here's my Google Voice phone number... 504-410-5824... but I need to finish setting it up so call me at 504-667-5111, which is my Skype Phone Number but as soon as I set up my new Google Voice phone number that I recently set up for "Lenny The Computer Guy", I'll probably start phasing out my Skype number since it costs me a couple of dollars a month. I'll still have the Skype IM service where folks can Skype me at LennyTheComputerGuy for instant messaging purposes. Of course, Skype might have to follow suit and lower their costs or give their basic service away for free so we'll just have to wait and see.
I almost feel sorry for the *normal* phone companies out there... and their customers who still pay HIGH rates for phone service. There are SO MANY more affordable options out there... between MagicJack, Skype Phone and now Google Voice... and of course, cell phone service, I don't know how the regular phone companies even sell their land-line services any longer.
I'll update this blog as I fool around with the new Google Voice outgoing service this weekend.
1st Update - 08/28/2010 - 0945 CST:
I had to download an Active-X add-on to my IE8 browser to get it to work and the Google Voice calling and recieving calls applet only seems to work on the Gmail page, not on the Google Voice page. It's probably a glitch that Google will fix. While on the Google Voice page, I can dial out but when I tested incoming calls, the calls went to voicemail. On the Gmail page, I can dial out and when I tested an incoming call, a little pop-up gave me the option to answer the call. Call quality was good.
Probably due to the massive call volume they are having this morning, about 1 out of 5 times when I would test call my number, I would get a recording saying I have reached a non-working number... or something to that effect. Calling right back usually got me through. Hopefully, this is just a temporary glitch due to the massive call volume this morning... Google probably wasn't expecting Fox News Channel to feature this just yet. For every call that did connect properly, the call quality was good.
So far.. things look promising.
Edit - Updated 09/27/2010 - I had this link in my Favorites folder for FREE International Calling and thought it would be good to add it to this post. The website use to go to Talkster.com but it seems Rebtel.com has acquired Talkster.com. You can still get at least one FREE International call but I'm still poking around the new website for how much additional calls will cost. http://www.rebtel.com/en/Learn/Make-Free-Calls/
Here is Gmail's Help page for the Google Calling feature.
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=188269
Lenny Vasbinder aka Lenny The Computer Guy
(see my contact info near the top left)
I've been using Google Voice http://www.Google.com/voice as a FREE voicemail and re-direct service for many years... mainly as a way of giving some companies a phone number that wouldn't bother me with telemarketing calls since they would always get a voicemail. I even used this type of service LONG before Google bought out the previous company I was using, GrandCentral. It was FREE for incoming phone calls that went straight to a voicemail or re-directing the call to another phone number, etc... but not for out-going phone calls. For those, I either used my cell phone or my MagicJack VOIP phone for $19.95 a year ($1.70 a month).
This morning, when I signed into my Gmail account, I noticed the little pop-up saying that Google Voice now allows calling to the USA and Canada for FREE!!!!
Technically, someone doesn't even have to have a home phone any longer as long as they have home internet service. In the past, Bellsouth aka AT&T made folks get a phone line before they could get DSL internet service but a couple of years ago, they dropped the requirement for having a home phone number so folks could just sign up for DSL service. BTW... there is a price war of sorts going on between Bellsouth DSL internet service and Cox Cable internet service.
LOL... while I was typing this, I had Fox News Channel on and they just announced this too... probably because Clayton Morris of the Fox And Friends Weekend Team is a computer geek... I almost said "too!" but then I remembered that I'm *not* a computer geek, mainly because I'm too old to be a computer geek... right??? LOL
I don't know if Google will keep the outgoing phone call service for free forever but their history certainly leads me to believe that they will. BTW... here's my Google Voice phone number... 504-410-5824... but I need to finish setting it up so call me at 504-667-5111, which is my Skype Phone Number but as soon as I set up my new Google Voice phone number that I recently set up for "Lenny The Computer Guy", I'll probably start phasing out my Skype number since it costs me a couple of dollars a month. I'll still have the Skype IM service where folks can Skype me at LennyTheComputerGuy for instant messaging purposes. Of course, Skype might have to follow suit and lower their costs or give their basic service away for free so we'll just have to wait and see.
I almost feel sorry for the *normal* phone companies out there... and their customers who still pay HIGH rates for phone service. There are SO MANY more affordable options out there... between MagicJack, Skype Phone and now Google Voice... and of course, cell phone service, I don't know how the regular phone companies even sell their land-line services any longer.
I'll update this blog as I fool around with the new Google Voice outgoing service this weekend.
1st Update - 08/28/2010 - 0945 CST:
I had to download an Active-X add-on to my IE8 browser to get it to work and the Google Voice calling and recieving calls applet only seems to work on the Gmail page, not on the Google Voice page. It's probably a glitch that Google will fix. While on the Google Voice page, I can dial out but when I tested incoming calls, the calls went to voicemail. On the Gmail page, I can dial out and when I tested an incoming call, a little pop-up gave me the option to answer the call. Call quality was good.
Probably due to the massive call volume they are having this morning, about 1 out of 5 times when I would test call my number, I would get a recording saying I have reached a non-working number... or something to that effect. Calling right back usually got me through. Hopefully, this is just a temporary glitch due to the massive call volume this morning... Google probably wasn't expecting Fox News Channel to feature this just yet. For every call that did connect properly, the call quality was good.
So far.. things look promising.
Edit - Updated 09/27/2010 - I had this link in my Favorites folder for FREE International Calling and thought it would be good to add it to this post. The website use to go to Talkster.com but it seems Rebtel.com has acquired Talkster.com. You can still get at least one FREE International call but I'm still poking around the new website for how much additional calls will cost. http://www.rebtel.com/en/Learn/Make-Free-Calls/
Here is Gmail's Help page for the Google Calling feature.
http://mail.google.com/support/bin/answer.py?answer=188269
Lenny Vasbinder aka Lenny The Computer Guy
(see my contact info near the top left)
Monday, August 16, 2010
Announcing "Lenny The Computer Guy - Computer Tutoring, Repair And Malware Cleaning Services"
Here's a copy of my first Craigslist Ad for my services...
Do You Need Help With Your Computer Or Most Common Programs?
Introductory Pricing ONLY $30 for 2 hours or $50.00 for 4 hours.
Are you having trouble learning the basics or do you need help cleaning up your computer from spyware, viruses, etc?
Are you feeling overwhelmed by your computer or computer problems? Is it running slow or causing you more problems than you like?
I can help you in your home or office, days, evenings, nights or weekends.... or we can meet at a free public wi-fi hotspot like the Jefferson Parish Public Library (W. Napoleon between Clearview and Transcontinental), a coffee shop, etc., if that would be more convenient for you.
I can help you with most Windows and Microsoft products as well as most other commonly used software, not only teaching you how to use it but installing it, updating it and getting it set up right on your computer.. If I don't know your particular software already, I'll still help you learn it and not charge you while we're both learning it!* I'm also good with Microsoft Accounting, Quicken, Outlook and there aren't many common programs I can't help you with.
Most folks like one-on-one help instead of attending a class or reading a book.
I can also teach you how to use the popular search engines so you get better search results.
I can help you get your computer set up and secured, downloading and setting up Microsoft security updates, internet security suites, firewalls, antivirus, antispyware, etc. (and teaching you how at the same time) As well as downloading and setting up all of the other commonly needed programs on a new or older computer. I can help you clean up old stuff off of your older computers and get them running faster and more secure for you. I can teach you how to organize your computer files, backup your computer, etc. If you need your internet service set up and secured, I can help you with that also.
Here's my computer related blogs if you want to read some of my articles that I've written over the past ten years, mainly to help other people in many of the computer help forums. http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/ AND http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/Computers
As you'll see, my computer related blogs go back to 2005, which is when I started it. Prior to this, I had a GeoCities website but Yahoo shut down GeoCities so I've moved a lot of my content to my blogs now.
I can also teach you how to surf the internet more safely, teach you how to do internet searches and get more successful results, etc.
I can diagnose and fix some computer issues although I'm ot a certified computer repair technician. I have upgraded RAM on my computer, clean them on a regular basis to remove dust and dirt buildup from the inside, fans, etc., so your computer will run more efficiently and not be subjected to overheating issues which will then cause a computer to have many other problems, including shutting down, blue screen errors, etc.
I've been computer literate for more than a decade and have been helping friends and relatives and helping in online forums and Yahoo Groups for the past decade but I've never really done this as a business before but I'm suffering from an injury right now so I can't do my normal work so I thought I'd give this a try and see if I can help people and help myself at the same time. I've been doing it for free for so long, I don't know how much to charge so my rates will probably be low while I'm getting started building this new small business.
I'm thinking $30.00 for the first two hours or $50.00 for four hours... of in home/office help. After that, I can probably give you lower priced one on one help via phone, instant messaging or email (don't worry... I'll help you learn how to email and instant message also, if you don't already know how) or if you need follow-up in home/office help, I'll keep the initial rates the same, regardless to whether I go up on my rates later as I get more customers.
Send me an email or give me a call and let me see if I can help you out... while you help me grow my new business! I'll try to make this a win-win situation!
Also, if you are on a fixed income or you are having financial difficulties, I may be able to give you a discount or give you more of my time for my already low rates.
Lenny Vasbinder
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/
Phone - 504-667-5111
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
Yahoo Msgr. - LennyTheComputerGuy
Email - LennyTheComputerGuy@gmail.com
Do You Need Help With Your Computer Or Most Common Programs?
Introductory Pricing ONLY $30 for 2 hours or $50.00 for 4 hours.
Are you having trouble learning the basics or do you need help cleaning up your computer from spyware, viruses, etc?
Are you feeling overwhelmed by your computer or computer problems? Is it running slow or causing you more problems than you like?
I can help you in your home or office, days, evenings, nights or weekends.... or we can meet at a free public wi-fi hotspot like the Jefferson Parish Public Library (W. Napoleon between Clearview and Transcontinental), a coffee shop, etc., if that would be more convenient for you.
I can help you with most Windows and Microsoft products as well as most other commonly used software, not only teaching you how to use it but installing it, updating it and getting it set up right on your computer.. If I don't know your particular software already, I'll still help you learn it and not charge you while we're both learning it!* I'm also good with Microsoft Accounting, Quicken, Outlook and there aren't many common programs I can't help you with.
Most folks like one-on-one help instead of attending a class or reading a book.
I can also teach you how to use the popular search engines so you get better search results.
I can help you get your computer set up and secured, downloading and setting up Microsoft security updates, internet security suites, firewalls, antivirus, antispyware, etc. (and teaching you how at the same time) As well as downloading and setting up all of the other commonly needed programs on a new or older computer. I can help you clean up old stuff off of your older computers and get them running faster and more secure for you. I can teach you how to organize your computer files, backup your computer, etc. If you need your internet service set up and secured, I can help you with that also.
Here's my computer related blogs if you want to read some of my articles that I've written over the past ten years, mainly to help other people in many of the computer help forums. http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/ AND http://lennyvasbinder.blogspot.com/search/label/Computers
As you'll see, my computer related blogs go back to 2005, which is when I started it. Prior to this, I had a GeoCities website but Yahoo shut down GeoCities so I've moved a lot of my content to my blogs now.
I can also teach you how to surf the internet more safely, teach you how to do internet searches and get more successful results, etc.
I can diagnose and fix some computer issues although I'm ot a certified computer repair technician. I have upgraded RAM on my computer, clean them on a regular basis to remove dust and dirt buildup from the inside, fans, etc., so your computer will run more efficiently and not be subjected to overheating issues which will then cause a computer to have many other problems, including shutting down, blue screen errors, etc.
I've been computer literate for more than a decade and have been helping friends and relatives and helping in online forums and Yahoo Groups for the past decade but I've never really done this as a business before but I'm suffering from an injury right now so I can't do my normal work so I thought I'd give this a try and see if I can help people and help myself at the same time. I've been doing it for free for so long, I don't know how much to charge so my rates will probably be low while I'm getting started building this new small business.
I'm thinking $30.00 for the first two hours or $50.00 for four hours... of in home/office help. After that, I can probably give you lower priced one on one help via phone, instant messaging or email (don't worry... I'll help you learn how to email and instant message also, if you don't already know how) or if you need follow-up in home/office help, I'll keep the initial rates the same, regardless to whether I go up on my rates later as I get more customers.
Send me an email or give me a call and let me see if I can help you out... while you help me grow my new business! I'll try to make this a win-win situation!
Also, if you are on a fixed income or you are having financial difficulties, I may be able to give you a discount or give you more of my time for my already low rates.
Lenny Vasbinder
http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/
Phone - 504-667-5111
Skype - LennyTheComputerGuy
Yahoo Msgr. - LennyTheComputerGuy
Email - LennyTheComputerGuy@gmail.com
New Orleans Saints - Superbowl XLIV Champions - 2010 Pre-Season Has Started
(Yeah... I know it's not computer related but ya just gotta love dem Saints!!!! Who Dat!!!)
Obviously, like everyone who grew up in N'Awlins (New Orleans)... and for most people who have ever spent much time here, the Saints are a BIG part of the sports and party culture of N'Awlins. I'll add to this blog throughout the season but here's some starting reading for folks who may not know about Dem Saints... and the Who Dat Nation!!! I actually wrote part of this blog while the first pre-season game was on the other night so there is some "live action" involved in this blog. LOL
Official Saints website - http://www.neworleanssaints.com/
Saints' Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Saints
Who Dat Nation official page - http://www.whodatnation.com/ (check out the Saintsations' Calendar preview video at http://www.whodatnation.com/2010/08/11/saintsations-calandar-shoot-preview-video/)
Who Dat? Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Dat%3F
The game is on and the Saints just finished a 20 play, 86 yard scoring drive for their first of many touchdowns this season!
Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfEjZunhEvY
Kenny Chesney's "The Boys Of Fall" music video featuring Saints Head Coach Sean Payton - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI
OK... I guess that's enough for the first Saints blog of the 2010 season and that should keep you going till next week!!!
Lenny Vasbinder
Obviously, like everyone who grew up in N'Awlins (New Orleans)... and for most people who have ever spent much time here, the Saints are a BIG part of the sports and party culture of N'Awlins. I'll add to this blog throughout the season but here's some starting reading for folks who may not know about Dem Saints... and the Who Dat Nation!!! I actually wrote part of this blog while the first pre-season game was on the other night so there is some "live action" involved in this blog. LOL
Official Saints website - http://www.neworleanssaints.com/
Saints' Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Orleans_Saints
Who Dat Nation official page - http://www.whodatnation.com/ (check out the Saintsations' Calendar preview video at http://www.whodatnation.com/2010/08/11/saintsations-calandar-shoot-preview-video/)
Who Dat? Wikipedia page - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Dat%3F
The game is on and the Saints just finished a 20 play, 86 yard scoring drive for their first of many touchdowns this season!
Who Dat Say Dey Gonna Beat Dem Saints!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfEjZunhEvY
Kenny Chesney's "The Boys Of Fall" music video featuring Saints Head Coach Sean Payton - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlXDo5WhQXI
OK... I guess that's enough for the first Saints blog of the 2010 season and that should keep you going till next week!!!
Lenny Vasbinder
CCleaner - How I Use It To Manage My Cookies And Clean Some Crap Off My Computer
http://tinyurl.com/How-I-Use-CCleaner
Update - September 07, 2010 with more info added on Jan. 08, 2011 - Added paragraph near bottom about using CCleaner to *look* at your System Restore Points to make sure you have as many restore points as you would like or think you have... and to Remove excess SRP's on computers with limited available hard drive space.
Update - August 22, 2010 - I should add that I hope you read my previous blog about doing custom installations of programs. http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-you-should-always-do-custom-install.html While CCleaner is a GREAT program, it too will have a default setting to install a Yahoo Toolbar on your computer so make sure you un-check that during the installation process. I also un-check the addition of CCleaner to my Trash Can menu. I do add the Start Menu shortcut and I do allow it to check for updates each time I start it. The other things are optional, although the Desktop Icon will remind you to run it daily or as needed.
-------------
When you first download CCleaner from http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner, in the default download mode, it will clean a LOT more than some folks might want. The things it cleans may not cause folks any problems but could cause inconveniences if folks relied on the things that CCleaner cleaned in the dafult mode.
Here's how I have MY CCleaner set up. You can follow the way I do it or use something more or less than what I am doing. Just make sure you understand how cleaning that particular item will affect your computer and web browsing.
This first image shows how I've un-checked most of the items in the Windows Tab.
Update - September 07, 2010 with more info added on Jan. 08, 2011 - Added paragraph near bottom about using CCleaner to *look* at your System Restore Points to make sure you have as many restore points as you would like or think you have... and to Remove excess SRP's on computers with limited available hard drive space.
Update - August 22, 2010 - I should add that I hope you read my previous blog about doing custom installations of programs. http://lennythecomputerguy.blogspot.com/2010/08/why-you-should-always-do-custom-install.html While CCleaner is a GREAT program, it too will have a default setting to install a Yahoo Toolbar on your computer so make sure you un-check that during the installation process. I also un-check the addition of CCleaner to my Trash Can menu. I do add the Start Menu shortcut and I do allow it to check for updates each time I start it. The other things are optional, although the Desktop Icon will remind you to run it daily or as needed.
-------------
When you first download CCleaner from http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner, in the default download mode, it will clean a LOT more than some folks might want. The things it cleans may not cause folks any problems but could cause inconveniences if folks relied on the things that CCleaner cleaned in the dafult mode.
Here's how I have MY CCleaner set up. You can follow the way I do it or use something more or less than what I am doing. Just make sure you understand how cleaning that particular item will affect your computer and web browsing.
This first image shows how I've un-checked most of the items in the Windows Tab.
(Open images in a new tab or window to see them full size while reading this article)
This next image shows how I've un-checked most of the items in the Applications Tab.
This next image shows how I clicked Options, then Cookies to show how I manage which Cookies I allow to stay on my computer. The ones on the right are the ones I keep, the ones on the left are the ones that I'll review and possibly move one or more to the right and keep them, otherwise they will stay in the left column and be deleted when I run the Cleaner.
This next image shows how I just ran the Analyze button but haven't actually cleaned anything yet. You can click on any of the items to see more details.
This next image shows the Cleaning is complete.
This next image shows where I've gone back to the Options > Cookies section to show the left column is now empty after the Cleaning was completed.
This next image, shows the Registry Section and I've already clicked the Scan For Issues button.
This next image shows how I've Cleaned the 10 Registry Issues that CCleaner found when it scanned my Registry. Please note that I also use WinASO Registry Optimizer or the online scan from Windows Live OneCare to scan and fix registry entries.
Well, that's how I use CCleaner on a Daily basis for Cleaning out my browser's temporary internet files, cookies and flash cookies. If you have any questions, please feel free to post a comment below or you can go to the CCleaner Help section or their own forums.
Update - September 07, 2010 - VIEWING SYSTEM RESTORE POINTS
Click the Tools Button on the left side, then the System Restore button and you can view all System Restore points saved on your computer so you have a better idea if you have as many as you may think you have. If you don't have enough (and enough is a user preference), then you should increase the amount of hard drive space that is allocated to System Restore. See my blog about System Restore for details. One of my computers only has about a weeks worth of restore points while my other computer has almost a months worth of restore points. Most folks actually have too many SRP's since the default setting for System Restore is to use 12% of a hard drive for SRP's and with modern hard drives being so much larger than in the past, this can result in dozens and dozens of SRP's instead of the 10-30 that should be needed by most people. I use CCleaner once a week or so to look at the number of SRP's I have and then save the oldest one and then Remove every other one except I save the most recent 3-5 SRP's since those would be the ones most likely to ever be needed in the event there is an issue. Usually an issue that needs to be fixed with a System Restore will only have to go back a day or two since most folks would see things are not right in that period of time. In the rare case where someone would have to go back longer than that, they would still have every other day's SRP point saved going back a month or more. On my computers with HD's around 100GB or larger, I set the System Restore memory at the lowest point, 3%. On my oldest computer that I still use, which only has a 16GB hard drive, I do allow that one to stay at the default level of 12% but I do use CCleaner to remove the every other day SRP's to allow for the up to a month's worth of SRP's on that computer.
I hope this helps!
Lenny Vasbinder
-----------
Please feel free to leave a comment below. Click the Comments link if the Comments section is not already open.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
