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I need help opening an ex4 file.

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The Ex4 File Extension

The file extension .ex4 is often used in conjunction with Forex trading software, specifically MetaTrader software. However, this extension is often used as a script, library file, indicator, and expert advisor, so it’s not always clear whether the file should be opened or not.

MetaTrader and MQL4

MetaTrader software incorporates a programming language known as MQL4 and extends that language to the end user, the trader. As a trader using MetaTrader software, it is possible to create your own scripts, indicators, and automated trading systems known as Expert Advisors.

MQL4 has its own unique file system and structure. The .ex4 file must be located in the appropriate folder in order to work properly. These folder locations also give you your first indication as to the .ex4 file’s purpose. For example, if located in the Scripts folder, the .ex4 file is a script that can be edited and compiled. Most often, .ex4 files are the compiled programs that are ready to be launched in the MetaTrader client software. However, since they can also be used as library files, it’s possible that the .ex4 file that you are working with is not an actual program that MetaTrader can open.

Opening Ex4 Files

These files can be opened using the MetaEditor. If you are comfortable with MQL4, you can check the file’s location within the MQL4 hierarchy and determine whether it is a library file, indicator, or Expert Advisor file. From there, you can either use MetaEditor to open and edit the file or launch the Expert Advisor file in MetaTrader. You may also be able to use a standard text editor such as NotePad to view and work with the file.

If you are not familiar with MQL4, the MQL4 Community has a terrific resource called the MQL4 Book that you can either view online or download as a free ebook.

Is it possible to overcome the following: on occasion it is not possible to view pictures contained in inbound e-mail as well as inbound videos with sound where there is no sound.

Incoming E-mail Photos Do Not Display

A couple thoughts come to mind as far as the photos in your e-mail messages not displaying properly. The first has to do with a setting within the e-mail client while the second has to do with the message itself.

E-mail clients like Microsoft Outlook Express and its successor Windows Live Mail have a feature that can block images from displaying. When the e-mail client blocks images, it is doing so to protect your privacy. Marketers that send newsletters via e-mail often use images as markers to let them know whether or not a recipient has opened the message. This is because images are hosted on a server elsewhere. When you open the message, your computer connects to this external server to display the image. The marketers can later look at reports to see which recipients connected to the server. Useful from a marketing perspective but kind of creepy. Plus, it’s not just marketers who can use this type of tracking tool. Spammers can use this information to verify that an e-mail address is valid. If you open a spammed message with images, the spammer will then have proof that they have a live person’s address. From there, they may even sell your address to other spammers.

When image blocking is enabled, you will see a yellow bar across the top of the message that indicates that the images have been blocked. You will also see an “Unblock Images” link. If you trust the sender and don’t mind if they know you’ve viewed the message, then go ahead and unblock the images. If not, don’t.

This setting can be adjusted. In Windows Live Mail, go to Tools > Safety Options > Security and find the section labeled Download Images. Place a checkmark in each of the two options. Similar options exist for different e-mail clients and Web-based mail.

The other possibility, especially if the problem is random, is that the images are being blocked somewhere along the way. For example, your ISP may have some sort of spam filter in place that may be blocking images before they get to you.               

Incoming Videos Do Not Play

As far as videos not displaying when there’s no sound, that’s odd. Can you view the videos at all? But when you do, you can’t hear anything? If you cannot open some videos at all, it’s possible that the e-mail client’s security feature is once again at work. Using Windows Live Mail as an example once again, go to Tools > Safety Accounts > Security. Is “Do not allow attachments to be saved or opened that could potentially be a virus” marked? If so, your e-mail client is blocking the video because it has the potential to contain a virus. If you trust the sender, you can temporarily remove this setting and view the video, but do so with care and make sure your antivirus product is up-to-date.

Do you happen to know how the Kaspersky Antivirus Programme compares with Norton? I have been told that Norton slows down computers.

Kaspersky Antivirus versus Norton Antivirus

Both Kaspersky and Norton/Symantec are also highly respected developers with excellent products. In order to adequately compare the two programs, it really depends on which editions of Kaspersky and Norton are being compared. Both Kaspersky and Norton offer full product lineups - and new versions are released regularly. Within each company’s product lineup are programs that offer varying levels of protection and different features. With that in mind, let’s make sure that we’re comparing apples to apples.

For example, are you looking at the antivirus-only products or combination products such as Norton Internet Security 2010 which offers protection against viruses, spyware, spam, phishing attempts, and hackers? Or are you looking at Norton 360 which adds online backups to the equation?

Once we know which version of Norton you are dealing with, then we can look at Kaspersky’s product lineup and find a comparable product.

System Requirements

Don’t forget to double-check Kaspersky and Norton’s system requirements. If your computer barely meets the system requirements, slowdowns could be one of many adverse results, so pay attention.

Performance Comparisons

While older editions of antivirus products from a number of companies have a reputation for causing computer slowdowns, the newer editions have largely overcome these resource sapping issues. I can personally vouch for Norton Internet Security 2010’s performance. A trial version of this product came pre-installed on my new Windows Vista 64-bit laptop and it was fast! What’s neat is that in its interface was a performance indicator that showed how many resources the operating system was using as well as how many resources Norton was using at any given time. So far, Norton has not adversely affected my computer’s performance. Of course, this new computer is loaded with RAM and a powerful processor which is why I am going to recommend that you download the free trial version of each product and find out how well the products perform on your system.

Free Trial Versions for Kaspersky

Free Trial Versions for Norton

Each trial version is good for 30 days which is more than enough time to see how each one compares. Since most antivirus programs require the removal of other antivirus programs, you may need to run the trial versions one after the other rather than side-by-side. Keep a notebook by your computer and take notes, jotting down what you like and dislike about each product. At the end of your test, review your notes and buy the program that did the best based on your criteria.

What is a good printer to go with a Dell 64-bit computer using Vista? I have a C6350 that brings up an error code at closing and I have tried everything to get rid of it and it does not go away.

HP PhotoSmart C6350 Printer Updates

When you say you’ve done everything, does that mean that the printer has all of the latest device driver updates specific to the 64-bit version of Windows Vista? HP lists a printer driver update dated May 2009, version 12.0.1 on the C6350 Support Page as well as a firmware update and several critical updates

HP PhotoSmart C6350 Error Messages

HP’s C6350 Support Page also features a huge list of known error codes here. Scroll through this list to see if your particular error code is addressed. If so, click on the link for it and read HP’s official solution. If the error message is not listed, let us know the exact error message displayed. We may be able to decipher the meaning of the message or find out additional information about how to solve it.

Vista 64-bit Compatible Printers

If you decide you’d rather just invest in another printer, we can recommend a number of excellent printers. However, what’s right for you depends on how you plan on using the printer. What do you print most, text or photos? Do you want an all-in-one like you have now? Do you want a wireless connection? Do you want an inkjet or laser printer? What features are important to you? Do you need the printer to have a card reader and photo editing capabilities? Is ink consumption a concern? Will you be upgrading to Windows 7?

With so many variables, it’s tough to recommend the best printer for your system. The most important consideration is compatibility. Because you have the 64-bit version of Windows Vista and may eventually upgrade to Windows 7, you need to focus on printers that are compatible with Vista 64-bit. If the printer also is Windows 7 (64-bit) ready, that’s a plus if you anticipate upgrading operating systems.

Once you’ve narrowed down the printers that are compatible, you can then focus on the features that you want as well as the brands that offer the best value for your money. Many electronics stores allow you to print out samples from their printers on display so that you can see the print quality. Pay attention to how many pages each ink cartridge is supposed to print and find out how much replacement cartridges will cost you in the future. In addition, find out if your printer will stop printing if it runs out of one color or if you can continue using it until you’ve had a chance to replace the low ink cartridge. For example, the HP 6980 is a nice printer that works well with Windows Vista 64-bit. However, if the color cartridge is empty, you cannot print a black and white page until you’ve replaced the color cartridge.

My computer is slow and has many errors: registry, privacy, adware, virus, spyware, and junk files. Also my printer acts weird; drivers are not operating. It is a mess. Please help me but first tell me what the cost is?

Computer Cleanup Costs

It sounds as though your computer is indeed a mess. At a minimum, you will need a good, reputable computer security solution that takes care of viruses and spyware, preferably in real time. From there, you may need a registry cleaner, though removing viruses and spyware may solve many of your registry-related issues, so rid the computer of the malware before opting for a registry cleaner. If you are concerned about privacy, privacy software is something to consider as well.

What’s it going to cost? It depends on the choice that you make. Expect to pay about $50 for good computer security product, about $30 to $40 for a registry cleaner, and about $40 to $50 for a privacy product. You could also go for a “one-time fix” which costs about $130 to remove virus and spyware as well as optimize your slow computer though this won’t address the privacy issues. As far as your printer, let’s see if cleaning your computer of the malware and registry issues solves that problem. If not, you can try updating your printer driver which is usually a simple do-it-yourself job.

Cleaning Viruses and Spyware

By far the most import task is to rid your computer of all those viruses, spyware programs, and adware programs. Not only are these programs damaging to your computer, they slow it down dramatically and cause all kinds of computer errors. In addition, spyware has the potential to compromise your bank and credit card accounts. We highly recommend a computer security product that protects against both viruses and spyware such as ParetoLogic’s Antivirus Plus. In addition, we have reviewed additional antivirus products, all of which should be able to clean up your computer and protect it from future infestations. You can read the reviews here. A couple of them are free for personal use, so if money is an option, you might take a closer look at those options. No matter which antivirus program you choose, make sure to update it and run a complete system scan on your computer.

Cleaning the Registry

Once the viruses and spyware are gone, you should notice a significant performance improvement. If your computer is still slow or generating errors, run a free RegCure registry scan and see if your computer is a good candidate for registry cleaning. The scanner will let you see what types of registry errors are affecting your computer. As a scanning tool, it only scans, it will not repair the registry. If your computer has numerous registry errors, you may want to go ahead and invest in the product. What’s neat about cleaning the registry is that you’ll solve so many computer errors at their root and see a big difference in performance. Plus, you can use it regularly to keep your computer running at its best.

Privacy Issues

Next, if you are concerned about someone viewing the files on your computer, you might consider a utility designed to protect your privacy. We recommend Privacy Controls from ParetoLogic. With this product, you can erase your Web history, make your passwords unrecoverable, clear chat logs, clear search histories, and permanently shred files.

You have a bit of work ahead of you. Start by researching computer security products and get rid of the malware ASAP. From there, you have time to consider your other options. While spending $50 to over $100 to clean your computer may not be in your budget, it’s much less than a new computer. Plus, getting rid of the spyware before the bad guys steal your account numbers is crucial.

I am using Windows XP service pack 3, and suddenly when I try to start the computer, it takes forever to bring up Windows, and then forever to bring up Mozilla or IE8 or anything else involving the internet. Also, the sound on my computer is broken up, which just started. My CPU load fluctuates between 10% and 100% suddenly, with no programs running. I am also running Norton Internet Security, and am wondering if this could be the problem. Please HELP!!! I’m at wits’ end!

Sudden Windows XP Slowdowns

Since your computer just started to act up, your computer may have a virus or spyware infection. Norton Internet Security itself shouldn’t be causing such a load on your system. However, hidden programs running in the background could be to blame. Even with a good antivirus solution such as Norton Internet Security installed, it’s not unheard of for the occasional malware to infiltrate your system. After all, antivirus developers are always one step behind the malware developers. Fortunately, it doesn’t take too long for them to catch up. When they do, they release new antivirus definitions through updates.

System Restore

If you have System Restore enabled on your computer, check to see if a restore point exists from before Windows XP slowed down. If so, all you need to do is rollback your computer to this earlier point in time and your computer will return to its previous, well-conditioned state. System Restore does not affect your data but it does reverse any updates you may have received since then, so be sure to update Windows and Norton once the system is restored.

Another possibility is that a Windows update adversely affected Windows XP. Occasionally, an update is corrupt or incomplete, causing problems with the computer. Microsoft eventually updates the update and the problem goes away. When an update issue is suspected, you run Windows Update again to see if a new update has been released. If not, use System Restore to rollback the computer. Try updating again after the restore. A fresh update might take place, providing you with the protections released without the ill effects of the first attempt.

Potential Virus Infection

Depending on the version of Norton installed, your computer may or may not have real-time detection enabled. Even with real-time detection, undiscovered malware can get in and cause system slowdowns and other damage. A slight window of opportunity exists when your security software is not yet aware of the new malware. Once your product is updated, your computer will be protected from future infections but the current damage will remain until your system is scanned.

With that in mind, it’s smart to update Norton and then run a full system scan. You can also try o free online scan from another vendor such as Microsoft’s Safety Scanner or Trend Micro’s Housecall to see if these other vendors have detected a threat that Norton hasn’t yet detected.