Dennis Faas

Last newsletter, Infopackets Reader Brad B. asked if there was a way to import and print a list of filenames contained in a folder using an MS DOS command. Since then, I have received a number of comments from Readers with alternative solutions. ... Infopackets Reader Sam T. writes: " In your newsletter dated Feb 4, 2004, a reader (Brad B.) was looking for a program that would print the contents of a directory. There is a fabulous freebie program that does the job and it runs in Windows instead of a command line interface. The program name is called LS - File List Generator and I have found ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Brad B. writes: " Dear Dennis, I would like to create a text document which contains a list of my files in a directory. I asked a techie friend of mine how to do it, and he told me to open up an MS DOS Window and use the command: ... 'dir *.* > list.txt' I did that but my file names aren't showing up in full. Can you help?" Side note: MS DOS is the predecessor to Windows. The MS DOS prompt provides an optional way to access or modify files through a command line interface. An MS DOS command prompt can be opened by clicking Start -> Programs -> MSDOS, or if ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Captain HRY' asks, " I would like to send files over the Internet to my son. Any ideas how I can go about doing this? " My response: There are a number of ways to send files to someone over the 'net. The easiest way to send a ... small file is by email attachment or through an Instant Messenger [chat] program. I use both MSN Messenger and ICQ and happen to know that MSN will only allow 1 file transfer at a time. On the other hand, ICQ can send multiple files, providing that the files reside in the same folder on your hard drive. If you're looking to share large files ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Gail from Houston writes: " Dennis, I *love* your newsletter! Thanks so much for doing it! I am having trouble with my printer. The more programs that are open, the slower my printer runs. I've pressed CTRL + ALT + DEL and brought ... up the Task Manager and closed as many applications as I could [in order to free up system resources in hopes of speeding things up]. My questions are: How come there's so much stuff open in Task Manager? How do I [prevent tasks that I don't want] from opening? How can I tell which programs are going to shut down my computer (because I always ... (view more)

Have you ever wondered how to convert VHS or camcorder video to DVD using your home PC? Die Hard Infopackets Reader Ric J. writes: " I was wondering if you could tell me a good CD / DVD burner program to use? Right now I'm using Roxio Easy CD ... Creator 6 and am having a lot of problems with it ... The problem I'm having is that every time I try to burn a DVD from the Video Camcorder, [Roxio] keeps telling me that my project is too big and won't fit on the disc. I have contacted Roxio in the past and they have acknowledged that there is a bug in the software. That was 8 months ago and I'm ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Charlotte R. writes: " How can I get individual browser windows to open on top of each other without wiping out the previous web site I was visiting? " My response: If you are browsing the web using Internet Explorer and would ... like to open a new browser window, you can: a) Click File -> New -> Window. Alternatively, you can press CTRL + N on the keyboard to open a new Window; and b) You can also open a new window by launching Internet Explorer from the Desktop. Side note: If you have a PopUp Stopper installed on your system, you may need to temporarily ... (view more)

Over the weekend, a fellow named Bernie Madigan from Australia sent me a quick email to let me know of a nifty freeware utility he's recently developed. Bernie's new program is called FileMap and it helps users to identify whether or not Spyware has ... been installed on their machine. He writes: " I have just published FileMap version 3.0.1, which discloses files added to your system without your knowledge. The program is ideal for serious computer buffs, or for people who want [early warning incase their systems are ever hijacked with Spyware]. I would also like to thank Bob Helmer of ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Eileen B. writes: " I have a resume saved in My Documents ... I am trying to apply for a virtual secretary job, and they want me to send the resume through e-mail, with no attachments. The problem is that when I try to [copy and ... paste my document into my email Window, the layout gets jumbled up] ... and believe me it doesn't look professional! Any ideas? " My response: Quite often, many users make the mistake of formatting a document with the Space Bar instead of using the Tab key to align text. When the document is copied and pasted into another window (as in ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader 'Pigginbabe' writes: " Hi, I really like your newsletter and it has really helped me a lot when I sometimes have problems. Question: A while ago, my hard drive went on me and I lost emails that I wanted to keep. Is there any way ... of getting these back? " My response: If the hard drive is completely toast (I.E.: if it won't power up / detect during boot up), then you won't be able to retrieve any data unless you mailed the drive away to a data-recovery company -- which is probably very expensive. However, if the drive still detects under BIOS and still appears under ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader LaVerne B. writes: " Approximately two months ago my computer suddenly stopped recognizing my D Drive. What should I do to correct this problem?? I have tried uninstalling and reinstalling the hardware; however, I still have the ... predicament! " My response: This sounds like it might be a hardware problem. What I am about to suggest may not be the most 'correct' answer, but will surely set you in the right direction. Having said that, here are some probable reasons as to why your drive is no longer working: The drive is not configured / plugged in properly. The BIOS ... (view more)