programs

Most programs I review only do one or two specialized things, and they're usually pretty good at what they do. However, today I came across a multi-purpose optimization utility program that impressed the pants off me. The utility I'm referring to is ... called WinOptimizer Platinum Suite, and it contains an incredible package of cleanup tools designed to keep Windows lean, mean, and running smoothly. WinOptimizer Platinum Suite: a New Successor Ashampoo WinOptimizer Platinum Suite is the new successor to the already hugely popular Ashampoo WinOptimizer Suite. With an all-new interface and many ... (view more)

Have you ever had a program that just won't uninstall? Nowadays almost all programs provide a facility for uninstalling themselves -- usually through the Add / Remove Programs section in the Windows Control Panel or by using an uninstaller that came ... with the program. The trouble is, most uninstalls do the absolute minimum required to remove an application completely from your system. Subsequently, files which should have been removed end up scattered throughout the system, along with hundreds of inactive entries in the System Registry. Side note: The Windows Registry is a database where all ... (view more)

Have you ever sent an email to someone and wondered if your message was opened by the recipient? Yesterday, Infopackets Reader Brian 'BigJohn2' asked if I knew of a program which could do just that. After some prodding and poking around Google, I ... came across a program called MsgTag [Message Tag]. In a nutshell, MsgTag works by injecting a traceable object into outgoing emails. When the message is opened by the recipient, MsgTag alerts the sender with an email receipt that the message has been read. As I discussed briefly in yesterday's article, there are 3 different flavors of Message Tag. I ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Bob B. writes: " Dear Dennis, Thank you for the newsletter! I read it with interest because you discuss so many useful things that PC users struggle with sometimes. I have a very peculiar problem with my PC: I recently visited the ... Microsoft Windows Update Website and installed numerous hot fixes and critical updates; when I launch a new task, all of my new active windows launch behind (instead of in front) of the window that is already open. For example, if I launch Outlook Express and check for new email by clicking on the Send / Receive button, the Send and Receive ... (view more)

Have you ever wondered what your loved one is doing online? Infopackets Reader Lisa E. addressed a few of her concerns over the weekend: " Dear Dennis, I have Windows XP. I have several people using this computer and would like to know how to access ... chat files. Everyone has their logon password protected, and my children do a lot of chatting on Yahoo and MSN Messenger. Can you tell me how to find and access these files?" My response: I only use MSN Messenger on my Windows XP system, so I downloaded and installed the latest versions of Yahoo Messenger, ICQ Pro 2003, ICQ Lite, and AOL ... (view more)

Recall: Last week, Jake Ludington wrote a review on a program called "Move Me", which transfers programs and user data from an old computer to a new computer: Move Me Review After the review was published, I received the following question from ... Infopackets Reader Vernon B.: " Will the 'Move Me' software convert programs from Windows 98 to XP such as Microsoft Works, Word, Roxio, and many other programs? PS: Thank you for the infopackets newsletter each week." I forwarded Vernon's question to Jake, and he responded: " Move Me will transfer applications between any two ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader L. Sullivan writes: " Dear Dennis, I've been having lots of problems with constant error messages lately. After reading your article on '.DLL Hell', I downloaded Registry Mechanic as it sounded like the perfect solution. Well, it ... seems [that Registry Mechanic has] stopped the .DLL error messages, but I still keep getting Internet Explorer error messages that cause it to close down suddenly. Can you help, please?? I am a newbie, so please keep it simple, if you can. Thanks, and PS: I love your site!! " My Response: Recall -- From a previous Infopackets Gazette, we ... (view more)

As per our recent conversations on .DLL Hell (Dynamic Link Libraries), I've dedicated the following Feature Article review and Visitor Feedback sections to further enhance the discussion. If you like reading about the true workings of a computer ... with respect to software and the operating system (I.E. Windows), you'll definitely enjoy this edition of the Gazette, written in Simple English. There's lots of great learning stuff in this article, so stay tuned! -- Have you ever experienced an application or game that ran sluggish -- and wished there was something that you could do to "make it ... (view more)

Infopackets Reader Darlene M. writes: " Dear Dennis, My hard drive crashed and had to replace it. Unfortunately, the techs did not install any of my old programs onto the hard drive. I don't know much about the computer and I want install my ... programs again. What can you suggest? " My Response: You will need to acquire and reinstall all of your programs (IE: setup.exe / run-time executables) onto your new hard drive. You cannot copy over the old programs and have them run on your new drive: they need to be reinstalled onto Windows. I while back, I wrote an article entitled, "The ... (view more)