Dennis Faas

Infopackets Reader Ramesh S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently purchased a new external hard drive (via USB connection) for backing up my laptop running Windows XP. When I connect the external enclosure to my system, however, the drive letter is not ... accessible via 'My Computer'. Device Manager shows the hard drive is there and no errors are reported, but I can't figure out why the drive isn't showing up. Can you please tell me why I can't access the new hard drive? " My response: Great question. The answer is that you need to configure the hard drive geometry before you can use it ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Jim L. writes: " Dear Dennis, Please Help! I have apparently acquired some kind of virus (or Spyware) on my computer. I scanned my computer using AdAware and Spy Sweeper in hopes of resolving the issue; AdAware (downloaded the ... latest 'free' version) refuses to delete or quarantine any of the detected programs, and eventually locks up -- preventing me from even closing it down. Spy Sweeper continuously pops up a window telling me if I want to remove the detected Spyware, even after I click on 'remove'. One of the filenames is iekw32.exe, and another one was ipna.exe. It ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Helen H. writes: " Dear Dennis, I recently installed Norton System Works 2005, and now my computer is reporting that System Restore for Windows XP will not complete the restore process. It says, 'System Restore Incomplete.' Can ... you tell me if the Norton antivirus is interfering with the restore program? If so what to I need to do to correct the problem? " My response: Personally, I don't use Norton System Works 2005, so I can only speculate on your situation. Since one of the components of Norton System Works (NSW) is to provide a "Go Back" restore ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader John C. writes: " Dear Dennis, I have been getting your newsletter for awhile now -- thanks for that. As of late, however, I've noticed that some of your software reviews seem to be more like advertisements, rather than an ... unbiased review. In my opinion, you should state up front whether or not you profit from anything you review or write about, and make it clear it is an advertisement. " My response: Rest assured -- the reviews I write are absolutely 100% biased. The reviews are biased because I chose to write them, and I often prefer one software product over ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Skip 'BigFoot' writes: " Dear Dennis, I just finished reading your stellar review of Genie Backup , and was very interested in making it my primary backup solution. The problem is that many of the backup programs I've tried in the ... past have fell short of their promises, leaving me with a bad taste in my mouth (for lack of better words). Before I decide to purchase the Genie Backup program, I would like to obtain a trial version first to see if it will work with my system. Is this possible? " My response: As far as I understand, the Genie-Soft web site (home page ... (view more)

Are brush-based CD Cleaning Kits saf e? That was the question posed last week by Infopackets Reader, John R. In my response , I suggested using a q-tip and alcohol as a way to clean the lens of an optical drive, as some brush-based kits tend to be ... abrasive and may scratch the lens of the optical drive. A few days after posting the article, Infopackets Reader Dawn M. wrote in with her experience using a brush-based CD Cleaning kit. She writes: " Dear Dennis, I am writing in response to John R.'s inquiry about cleaning his optical drive with a brush-based system. I personally use -- and ... (view more)

The last three articles in our newsletter have provided an in-depth look into The Importance of Backing up Data , highlighted a number of Backup Strategies , and even presented a Six Point Guide to Buying Backup Software . At the same time the ... articles were being compiled, however, I quietly enlisted myself on a top secret mission to research, review, and rigorously test a never-ending list of backup software. The purpose: to find the best, easiest to use, feature-packed backup utility according to the stringent set of criteria previously established in our 6 Point Purchasing Guide (namely: ... (view more)

Continued from Choosing a Backup Solution: An In Depth Look and 6 Key Elements for any Backup Strategy ; this article is our third and final installment. -- Each year, home and business users lose millions of dollars in lost data because the backup ... solution they've elected to use has failed to live up to its promises -- often, the result of a failed restore, partially corrupted files, or poor hardware support. With -- literally -- millions of documents on the web related to "backup software", making an informed decision about an appropriate backup solution can prove to be an ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader John R. writes: " Dear Dennis, Have you heard anything about those CD / DVD ROM disc + brush cleaners causing damage to the drives? Someone told me this a long time ago and I've never cleaned my burner since. I was in Circuit City ... the other day, and the rep told me he uses his all the time to clean his burner. What do you think? " My response: I honestly don't have any statistics on this matter or a definitive answer, but I personally would avoid using any abrasive surface on an optical lens (such as the disc + brush combo). The lens is a glass-like surface and ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Bill S. writes: " Dear Dennis, I just finished reading your article on how important it is to maintain a clean System Registry in order to achieve optimal PC performance. I have a question for you: I have two computers (one with ... Windows XP and the other with Windows 98); the Windows XP computer has a feature called "system restore" which automatically reverts my System Registry to a previously working state [in case I get attacked with Spyware, for example] ... however, my Windows 98 PC doesn't have the system restore feature. My question is: how can I backup ... (view more)