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I cannot download Roxio Creator 2010.It cannot read the file (Windows Vista). This is a new program I would like to use. Can you help me? Thank you.

It sounds as though you might be dealing with a failed Roxio Creator 2010 installation that could be due to a number of reasons. That being said, there are several strategies you can try to fix the problem. Go through the following tasks one at a time until you find one that resolves your problematic Roxio Creator installation.

Install Windows Vista Service Pack 1

In order for Roxio Creator 2010 to install properly on a Windows Vista operating system, you need to have Service Pack 1 (SP1) installed. It is easy to miss this requirement when looking at the list of system requirements, but without SP1, Roxio Creator 2010 does not install properly. Check to see if you have Service Pack 1 for Vista on your computer.

If you don’t currently have SP1 for Windows Vista installed, download it and then attempt to reinstall Roxio Creator 2010 after you uninstall your failed installation. The easiest task might be to simply complete an update for Windows.

Temporarily Turn Off the Firewall/Anti-virus Application

It is possible that your firewall/anti-virus application is interfering with the installation of Roxio Creator 2010. Temporarily turn off both types of applications off and try to install Roxio Creator. Many of these programs run in the background so it is easy to forget that they are on. Make sure that you turn both your firewall and anti-virus application back on when you are finished. Zone Alarm has been flagged as a problematic program when installing Roxio Creator. Just turn it off temporarily if you have it installed and then turn it back on.

Failed Roxio Installation

If you already had SP1 for Vista installed and still could not get Roxio Creator 2010 to install, then it sounds as though you might be dealing with a failed Roxio Creator installation. First, you need to uninstall Roxio Creator 2010 completely and start over with a fresh installation of the application. Make sure that you close out all other applications while completing the installation for a better experience and a greater chance at a successful installation.

I am trying to install Primavera Project Planner 6.1. I thought it was ordinary software that can be easily installed, but this is different. I can’t tell you how many times I tried but failed. Can you give me step-by-step instructions on how to install this software?

Primavera and Oracle

Oracle acquired Primavera in October 2008 and is now the sole means of support for Primavera products including Project Planner. From what I can tell, you’re right, this is no ordinary software. It is a project management tool. From the looks of it, it is designed for network installations. I found a nearly 600-page installation guide online detailing how to install Primavera P6 on a network. I’m not sure that this is the exact same software that you have, but this is telling me that this installation is most likely beyond both of us.

One thought that comes to mind is that you may have the Primavera Project Planner client software that may not install properly if you don’t also have the server software installed. For example, when researching Primavera Project Planner 6.1 installations, I came across instructions that indicated that a user must first be connected to the organization’s Virtual Private Network before attempting the installation. While the installation instructions looked straightforward, this could be the problem. Are you installing this on any sort of network? If so, make sure that you are signed into the network first. Once installed, you’ll need to enter your login name and password for Primavera.

Primavera Resources

While I’d like to be able to provide step-by-step instructions, I’m afraid this is one of those projects that may require an IT professional. In the meantime, here are a few resources that I found that may help:

Here’s the link to the Primavera P6 Administrative Installation Guide.

Here’s the link to Oracle Primavera Support (requires registration)

I wish I could be more help, but it sounds like this is not a standalone program that you can simply install on a single computer. It looks like a network-wide, server-client tool.

I restored my files from Norton 360 after restoring by operating system. All of my office Word 2003 files now open with unreadable gibberish and a file conversion box appears. How can I repair to make my file open correctly? The files were made using Office Word 2003.

This type of problem after using the Norton 360 restore feature seems to be a common one. Apparently Word files are sometimes stored in a manner that makes them unreadable. Try the following tips to see if you can restore them properly.

Restoring Word Documents Manually

The following set of directions might take a while to complete, but it should solve the problem for you.

1. First, you need to create a new folder on the desktop giving it a name you will recognize such as “Restored Files.”
2. Open the disc or drive that is holding your original restored files that you created using Norton 360. For example, if you stored the files on a disc, navigate to Start, open My Computer, and right click on the disc drive.
3. Search for the folders that contain the Word 2003 documents that you want.
4. It is possible that the files have been zipped and you need to unzip them to open them, making the documents legible once more. You’ll need a program such as WinRAR or WinZip to open or unzip them. If you have such a program installed, all you need to do is right click and select Extract All. Extract the files to the new folder that you created on your desktop.
5. Repeat this process for each document that you want to restore.

Restoring Word Documents with Norton 360

It is possible that you need to restore the documents a second or third time to get them to function properly. Some Norton 360 users have expressed success when doing so. For the best results, close all other applications when completing these steps. Limit the number of files that you restore at any given time.

1. Insert the backup disk in the drive.
2. Select Backup and Restore.
3. Select Restore.
4. Select the documents that you wish to restore.
5. Select Restore Now.

Restoring Word Using the “Recover Text from Any File” Option

Microsoft Word has a “recover text” feature that many users are unaware of. Launch Word and use the Open command to open one of the corrupt documents. After clicking the file name, go to the drop down box next to File Name and choose “Recover Text from Any File.”

Restoring Corrupted Word Documents with Utility Software

If the Word documents themselves have been corrupted, you can use a special tool to open them. “Repair My Word” is an example of one of these free utilities that open damaged and corrupted Word files such as the ones that you have described. Once you run the tool, you can save your Word 2003 documents without any errors.

I am unable to open WordPerfect 6.1. Can you help?

A few possibilities come to mind as to why WordPerfect will not open including compatibility with your operating system, a damaged shortcut, missing program files, and corruption within WordPerfect. Let’s take a look at these two possibilities and their solutions.

Compatibility Issues

WordPerfect 6.1 was originally released in 1994 - 16 years ago! This version pre-dates Windows 95. If you’ve recently upgraded to a newer version of Windows, it wouldn’t be unheard of to have compatibility issues with the software. If this is the case, you can try right-clicking the WordPerfect icon and then choose Properties. From there, click the Compatibility tab and see if an option exists for earlier operating systems such as Windows 98.

Damaged WordPerfect Shortcuts

If you are running a computer that supports WordPerfect 6.1, then it’s possible that your shortcuts no longer work. Shortcuts can get damaged. Fortunately, repairing a shortcut is a simple matter of deleting the broken shortcut and then creating a new one. To create a new shortcut, use Windows Explorer to navigate to the WordPerfect folder and then fine the application’s .exe file. Right-click and choose Create Shortcut. This will place a shortcut icon in the folder. Drag the shortcut onto the Windows desktop.

Missing WordPerfect Program Files

It’s not unusual for a program to stop working after installing or uninstalling other programs. Adding and removing programs often adds or removes shared program files such as DLL files. Uninstalling or reinstalling the other program often solves this problem. Likewise, if you have the original WordPerfect discs, a fresh install will replace the lost files.

WordPerfect Corruption

Similarly, WordPerfect program files can become corrupt even if you haven’t made any changes to your system. For example, an unexpected shutdown can wipe out files and cause programs to fail to function as expected. When this happens, try reinstalling the software.

Finally, because WordPerfect 6.1 is so old, if you are using a modern computer, you may need to upgrade to a compatible version. You may even have a modern word processor such as Microsoft Word installed on your computer. If so, you should be able to open WordPerfect 6.1 documents but you may need to download a compatibility pack from Microsoft.

I have uninstalled all Adobe software then reinstalled version 10, but when it gets to Flash Player it goes all through the installation, gets to the end and says installation failed. I’ve tried this many times same result. Help.install flash, flash 10 installation failure, Adobe install error

Reasons Behind Adobe Flash Player 10 Installation Failure: Faulty Uninstallation

A faulty uninstallation of an earlier version of Adobe Flash software can lead to problems when installing flash 10. It is important to note that all applications should be closed before running the Flash Player Uninstaller. If you leave any programs running that might have Flash in their memory, it can disrupt the uninstallation process and subsequently leave you unable to successfully install Flash 10. Make sure that you also close all browser windows at this time as well. In fact, restart your computer prior to attempting to install Flash for the best results.

Additionally, since you have already attempted to install Flash 10, it is possible that you have some Flash 10 files on the computer. This fact could lead to an Adobe install error as well. Run the Adobe Flash uninstaller to ensure that all of the Flash files are removed and then attempt to install Flash 10.

You can also use the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility to remove any Flash files that might remain active on your computer. Once all of the installation files for Adobe have been removed, you should be able to install Flash 10 successfully.

Reasons Behind Adobe Flash Player 10 Installation Failure:

It is possible that your security software is blocking the installation of Adobe Flash 10 on your computer. When you complete the installation or try to, a change must be made in the registry. If the security software blocks this change, the installation will fail. You can temporarily turn off your security while you complete the installation, but it is important to turn it back on. Security software that can prevent the successful installation of Adobe 10 includes: Spyware Blaster, Norton AV, Ad-Aware Ad-Watch, Windows Defender, Spybot, Spysweeper, Zone Alarm, and Spyware Doctor.

Another option that you can try is to boot up into Safe Mode with Networking and try to complete the installation of Flash from there.

Tips for a Successful Installation of Adobe Flash Player 10

In order to complete a successful installation of Adobe Flash 10, you should close all other applications before attempting the installation. For the best results, install the application before surfing the Web, watching a video, or downloading pictures. Your computer should be free to focus on the task at hand so that your chances of a successful installation are greater.

Prior to downloading and installing Adobe Flash 10, upgrade your current browser to the latest version. Earlier versions of some browsers might not be compatible with the installation process. Make sure that you are attempting to install the correct version as well.

Adobe is offering updating. I have a feeling someone told me that Adobe slows down my computer. Do you recommend downloading this update?

Adobe Updates

Adobe, like just about all software developers, periodically updates its software. These updates typically include enhancements to the software such as new features as well as bug fixes. For example, the most recent update for Adobe’s popular Reader (Adobe Reader 9.2 update) program was issued on October 13^th. It addresses “critical vulnerabilities” described by Adobe as vulnerabilities that can cause Reader to crash and potentially allow hackers to take over the compromised system. This same update includes fixes for known problems with several Adobe products including:

• Reader causes Firefox to crash
• Inconsistent printing behaviors
• Documents with certain types of digital signatures crash Adobe
• Not enough memory error messages
• Macro security errors when Microsoft Outlook 2003 is opened

Updating Adobe

It’s easy to update Adobe, especially when you receive a notice in your computer’s “system tray” area notifying you that an update is available. If you see a notice in the system tray, simply follow the prompts to update your Adobe products. If not, you can manually check for updates by launching the program and going to the Help > Check for Updates menu option. You may have several Adobe products such as Adobe Reader and Adobe Photoshop Elements. Adobe usually makes it easy to update all of the installed products at once. For example, when you use the Help > Check for Updates option, the Adobe Updater runs and displays a list of how many updates are available. Click on the Show Details link and you will see which programs updates are available for. Select the updates that you want to apply and then click the Download and Install Updates link.

Adobe and System Slowdowns

Now, about the system slowdown portion of your question. A product such as Adobe Reader isn’t inherently slow in itself but it can contribute to overall sluggishness if it is set to run at all times. When your computer has too many programs running at once, then yes, Reader could be adding to the computer’s sluggishness. The solution isn’t to ignore crucial updates but rather to remove Reader (or any other program that loads automatically) from your computer’s startup list. Do this by going to Start > Run and then typing in: msconfig

This opens the System Configuration utility. Now, click on the Startup tab. Find Adobe Acrobat in the list and remove the checkmark in the box. Click OK and then either reboot your computer or exit without restarting. The next time you power on your computer, your computer will load as normal, but it won’t load Adobe. This doesn’t mean that you can’t use Adobe at any time; it just means that it’s not automatically running at all times.