Resources

I am trying to download a small (Calvin 500) birthday countdown clock. However, when I copy and paste the details in the box to the right of the small clock, all I get is the wording not the clock! What am I doing wrong?

I am going to review a few points about downloading clock programs onto websites. Use the information as best that you can. 

What is a Clock Program?

Clock programs offer the opportunity to add customizable features to your computer desktop or website. Each program offers a variety of options that will allow you to do quite a few functions including synchronizing your clock to managing time to setting an alarm to logging time to even more.

Calvin 500 Clock Download

One possibility is that you are missing some of the text that you need in order to download the Calvin 500 clock. There are 20 lines of text in the box for the small clock. Are you sure that you have included all of the lines when copying and pasting it?

Copying and Pasting Code

Downloading the Calvin 500 clock program involves the copying and pasting of code. In many cases, all it takes is a simple bit of flexing with the fingertips to copy and paste. However, even though it might seem as though it should all go smoothly, you need to paste the data in the correct location on the website where you are placing it. Have you checked that you are doing so? Plus, the website where you are pasting the data must accommodate this type of function.

Additionally, it is important that you select the right option when copying and pasting data. For example, if you are trying to paste the code into your MySpace page, then you must select the option for pasting code rather than the option for pasting text. This function is similar on many websites.

In many cases, you can use a WYSIWYG editor in order to paste the code onto your page. Examples of this type of editor include DreamWeaver and FrontPage. Are you using an editor or other app such as the Yahoo Widget Editor?

Additional Troubleshooting

If the problem persists and none of the above solutions have helped, then you might want to consider the possibility that the code has an imperfection. Try the code for the larger clock and see if you can get that to work. Alternatively, you can also contact the website about the problem.

I cannot open my Control Panel. It says that Windows Explorer has stopped working. And at startup a dialog box says, “Cannot open data file to run registration program.” HELP!

The Control Panel/Windows Explorer problem and the “Cannot open data file to registration program” problems are two separate issues, so let’s look at them individually, starting with the Control Panel/Windows Explorer problem.

Control Panel and Windows Explorer Failures

According to Microsoft, when your Control Panel won’t open, it’s due to a damaged .cpl (Control Panel) file. Microsoft’s Knowledge Base article #221153 discusses how to solve this for older operating systems from Windows 95 to Windows 2000.

If you have Windows Vista, a hotfix is available for an issue with Control Panel not starting. View the Microsoft Knowledge Base article #936686 to see if your computer’s symptoms match and if so, apply the patch.

System Restore

Windows Explorer, explorer.exe, is the program responsible for the Windows graphical interface. Since it is crashing as well, these two problems may be related and due to corruption within the explorer.exe file. If this is a recent problem, the easiest thing to do is to use System Restore (if available) and roll back your system to an earlier point in time when the computer was working properly. Go to Start > Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore.

System File Checker

Another option is to use the System File Checker to scan your operating system for damaged files (such as the explorer.exe and *.cpl files). If damaged files are found, the System File Checker replaces them with clean copies from the Windows installation CD. Find your CD and then go to Start > Run and type sfc /scannow.

The “Cannot Open Data File to Registration Program” Error

The “Cannot open data file to registration program” error is a message telling you that Windows has been instructed to load a registration program of some sort, but it cannot find the actual link to run the program. This particular message appears to refer to Toshiba’s registration program though it is conceivable that other applications may generate a similar message.

Usually, if you click “OK” on a message like this, the message will go away until the next time Windows starts. But who wants to do that each time? Since this happens at startup, it’s likely that the Startup Items for your system contain a shortcut to the Toshiba (or some other) registration program. Removing this entry will stop this message. Go to Start > Run and type in msconfig. Click the Startup Items tab and look for the mysterious registration program and then remove the checkmark next to it. Confirm your choice and reboot the computer. The message should be gone. If you have a Toshiba, the registration.exe file is named “RealConnect Agent” from a company called DataLode, Inc. It is located under C:\Program Files\Toshiba Registration\Registration.exe.

Following an outage of the public power supply my HP Compaq DX2400 (Vista) will not boot. I can access the BIOS screens and make changes if necessary but on startup the PC will only boot to the ‘starting Windows’ screen and then loops back to the initial BIOS startup screen. This loops continuously. System Restore will run but then BSOD and the error message above and advising a problem relating to the page file. Safe Mode does not work and I cannot boot from CD (so I cannot use the HP recovery discs) or installed HDD. The PC is exactly as supplied by HP with no additional hardware or software installed and was working normally until the power outage.

You’ve done a lot of the things I was going to tell you to do, so you’ve effectively stolen my thunder.  I do have one suggestion that it looks like you haven’t tried.

Of course, a power outage can leave your operating system files corrupted or your hardware damaged. If this is the issue then you are looking at some major work to find out what the problem is. They can also corrupt the BIOS because things weren’t able to shut down properly before the outage, and a simple clearing of the CMOS might do the trick.

Reset CMOS

There are two kinds of CMOS - those that come as a flat, round watch-type battery and those that are jumpers on the mother board that you can reset. I believe that yours is the jumpers on the motherboard. To reset these, turn of the PC and unplug it. Open the case and find the motherboard. You should be able to clearly see the jumper that clears the BIOS settings in CMOS RAM. Set the jumper that is labeled “Clear CMOS” to pins 1-2. Wait 10-15 seconds and then move the cap back to pins 2-3. When you start the computer you will need to enter the BIOS setup to reset any custom BIOS settings.

If you happen to have the flat, watch-battery type of CMOS, you should be able to gently pull the battery off of the motherboard, wait a few seconds and then put it back. Either method will clear the BIOS settings and should allow the computer to start up normally.

Reinstall the Operating System

I’m not sure why you can’t boot from CD (I’m hoping that it’s due to a BIOS problem that will reset with the CMOS), but if you still can’t get out of the BSOD, then you might need to reinstall Vista. You can pull the hard drive out and use it as a slave either in a working machine or in an external hard drive to save your data before you reinstall so you won’t lose anything that you haven’t backed up.

I’m hoping that resetting the CMOS will do the trick. If it doesn’t and you need more help, please let us know.

Cannot find a file in HP Digital Archive. It keeps coming up saying I wanted to download a file in that location. I do not and never have. HP computer with a remote.

HP Digital Archive File Download Error

OK - I’m not sure if you are trying to download a file or if you are troubleshooting an error message about not being able to find a file in a location. In either case, it sounds like there could be a corruption or other problem with the HP digital archive software.

If this message is popping up every time you turn your computer on, it means that the HP Digital Media Archive program has found its way into your system’s startup list and is now launching whenever your computer does. An easy fix is to remove the program from your startup list.

1. Click Start, then Run
2. In the search bar, type msconfig, then Enter
3. Choose the Startup tab, then check out the list of programs that are set to auto launch whenever the computer is booted
4. Click the corresponding boxes to remove the check marks and disable auto launch of the programs you want to remove
5. Click Apply
6. Follow the prompt to restart your computer and see if the problem is resolved

Remove and Reinstall your HP Digital Media Software

If you have any HP Digital Media Archive software programs on disk that came with your system, you might try removing the programs and then reinstalling. Many HP computer users report hassles and problems with this kind of bundled software on their systems. If you aren’t using your HP digital media archive program regularly, you might opt to remove it, as many others have done. To remove programs:

1. Click Start, then Control Panel
2. Choose Add or Remove Programs
3. Scroll the list and find the HP Digital Media Archive listings or related programs like Gallery etc.
4. On the right side, you might see an option to upgrade or repair the program. If so, you can try clicking it. If not, you can choose Remove
5. Now, with your software CDs, reload the HP software
6. Go to the HP website and look for Digital Media updates and other software releases that you might be missing, it’s possible that your software is out of date and an update could reconcile the problem

I hope this information is useful. If you are still struggling with this message, please write us again and provide more information about your operating system, the specific error message you are getting, and what you are trying to do when you get the message. Best of luck!

How do I turn up the volume on my Sony laptop model PCG-K115B?

Turning up the volume on your computer should be an easy thing to do as long as nothing else is wrong with your laptop. Read through and complete each of the tasks outlined here to resolve the problem your laptop is having with sound.

Adjusting the Volume Control

To adjust the volume control on the laptop, follow this path:

1. Navigate to Start in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
2. Select All Programs.
3. Select Accessories.
4. Select Entertainment.
5. Select Volume Control.
6. Look at the setting that has been selected. If mute is checked off, remove the check in order to enable the sound. If there is a slider to adjust the volume, you can also adjust that at this point. Follow any prompts that exist.

Volume Knobs and Cables

It is important to check that the cables for any peripherals emitting sound are plugged in properly. This includes speakers and headphones. Make sure that the cables are plugged into the proper ports on the laptop as well. Check for knobs on the speakers and make sure they are turned on. Laptops typically have a small slider or knob on the side to adjust the volume. Check out the one on your laptop and make sure that it is turned to the on position. Slide it even further to increase the volume.

Sound and Audio Device Properties

Access the Sound and Audio Device Properties if you want to adjust the volume by following this path:

1. Navigate to Start in the lower left-hand corner of the screen.
2. Select Control Panel.
3. Select Sounds and Audio Devices.
4. Select Volume.
5. In some cases, muting one device will also mute the remaining devices. You’ll need to check each one to see whether or not you have muted the sound on it. If you have, simply unmute it and you should be able to get your sound back if you had lost it.
6. Look at the speaker settings and make an adjustment if necessary.

Run the Diagnostics for the Sound Card

If you are still experiencing problems with volume control, you can run the diagnostics for your sound card if one exists. Once this program has run, any continuing problems with sound should disappear. Another tip would be to reset the sound back to the factory settings. You would do this in the diagnostic section for the sound card.

I can’t open some files which I desperately need. Every time I try to open them it reads “could not open ‘xxxxx’ because it is either not a supported file type or because the file has been damaged.” Please help; I need the info on these files.

It sounds as though your files have become corrupted for one reason or another. This can happen due to an improper shut down, a virus, or wear and tear. Depending on the type of file, different solutions exist. For example, if the files are Word documents, several options are available as discussed below. If the file types are of a different nature, let us know what types of files they are and we’ll be able to offer additional suggestions.

Opening Corrupted Word Files: Repair Feature

If the documents that you are trying to open were created in Microsoft Word, then you might be able to use this set of directions to access the files.

1. Open your Microsoft Word Application.
2. Navigate to the File menu in the top left-hand corner and click.
3. Select the option for Open. The dialog box to open a file appears.
4. Select one of the files that you are trying to recover.
5. Navigate to the lower right-hand corner of the box and click on the option “Open.”
6. Browse through your choices and select “Open and Repair.”

A variation to the above strategies might be necessary if the file includes a format other than Word. For example, if the file is a text file. Simply follow this strategy which is the same as the above with one added step:

1. Open up your Microsoft Word Application.
2. Navigate to the File menu located in the upper left-hand corner and click.
3. Select the option for “Open” to open the dialog box.
4. Select one of the files that you are trying to recover.
5. Navigate to the bottom of the dialog box. Click on the arrow next to “Files of Type” and make your selection or simply select “all files.”
6. Navigate to the lower right-hand corner of the box and click on the option “Open.”
7. Browse through your choices and select the one for “Open and Repair.”

Opening Corrupted Word Files: Backup Files

Since many applications automatically create backup files of our work, you might be able to retrieve your data from the backup version of the file. The backup file should be labeled as .wbk so it is easily recognizable. Simply rename the file as .doc so that you can open it.

Opening Corrupted Word Files: Scan Disk Utility

You can also see if using the scan disk utility will help to fix errors and allow you to access the files that you want. Follow these steps to set it up to run:

1. Navigate to Start.
2. Select Programs.
3. Select Accessories.
4. Select System Tools.
5. Select Scan Disk. Make sure you also select the correct drive for scanning. Select the option for a thorough scan as well as automatically fix errors.

What Causes File Corruption?

Computer crashes and improper shutdowns can lead to file corruption, but so can the presence of a virus or Trojan. Therefore, you should run a virus scan to check for the presence of malware so that you can remove it right away and prevent this from happening again. You can try Anti-Virus PLUS if you don’t have an anti-virus/anti-spyware application of your own.