Our experts will deal with your issues
involving computers, software and Internet.
USB cable’s odd hump
I realize that cables supplied with
common USB devices often have a hump near its end, and I wonder why. Could you
tell me what it is supposed to? I had a similar cable included in my scanner
which now malfunctions. Is it okay to use the cable with other devices, or
better to recycle it?
These humps are ferrite beads, or induction
coils, and they are made to suppress high frequency noise in
electronic circuits only. By viewing you sent images, it seems a clip-on type: it
can be used, by manufacturers, as a cheap way to fix current bunches of cables.
You can even buy a new one to apply on cables lacking similar induction coils (in
case you have devices facing frequency electrical noise). For instance, Maplin
(www.maplin.co.uk) sells a pack of 4 beads for only $3.
Therefore, the result is you are safe to reuse
the cable – with or without the ferrite bead. If you feel it is an obstacle,
remove it (though you will need its help if further devices having problem).
Warning message “Aw, snap!” from Google Chrome
I used Google Chrome browser few months
ago without any difficulty. Actually, I find it more reliable (and faster) than
Firefox or Internet Explorer. However, it has recently shown a strange page at
unusual time. This page is totally grey, there’s a sad face in the center and
“Aw, snap!” turns up as a main message. A second message informs that reloading
page can fix the problem and obviously it is sometimes useful. But what excuse
for this is?
Google Chrome’s “Aw, snap!” page is the
browser’s reaction to anything that makes that website suspend. Thus, it’s not
sure that your “Aw, snap!” page resulted from only one problem – especially if
it sometimes appears.
So, the first thing recommended is to
reload the affected page. Just click Reload button on toolbar’s top-left corner.
If that doesn’t take effect, try visiting the domain’s substitute pages or
original pages. If sub-pages work, the matter may lie in the main page – and
you can’t do anything about this, except for trying it later.
Besides, maybe firewall or security software
is interfering in loading specific pages. Google, itself, has some ideas about
this topic – read them at www.snipca.com/X2781. The company also announced programs
that may suspend Chrome: you will find them at www.snipca.com/X2868. Finally, if
you have Chrome’s latest version installed, type “about: conflicts” into the
bar and press Enter to list commonly known and suspicious conflicts.
Chrome’s
page “Aw, snap!” is similar to Internet Explorer’s 404-error message
Can I sell my Microsoft Office suit?
I have recently purchased Microsoft
Office Home and Student 2007 (CD version) from a retailer. I understand that it
comes with a license for 3 PCs. However, I want to remove it from my PC then
buy and use 2012 version (due to new features). Can I sell my 2007 version and
will the buyer be able to use it? I searched on Microsoft’s website but there
was no result.
Like most pieces of software, Microsoft’s
products are sold under license. Thus, while you can buy or own a physical
disc, the license may not be transferred. Microsoft announced their product
licenses online. To view them, visit www.snipca.com/X2773.
The good news is that retail software
license for Microsoft Office Home and Student 2007 can be transferable. Especially,
the license notifies that “the software’s first user can perform transference
for one piece of software once, and this agreement is directly applied for the
third-party. First user has to remove software installation after transferring
it”.
Thus, you have the right to sell physical
product and its license while buyer has the right to install and use it. However,
when they do so, the software requires new activation. To do this, buyer has to
call and explain the case to Microsoft.
However, it’s noted that Microsoft asks you
to include the license’s proof which is Certificate of Authenticity what
supplied inbox. In other word, if you don’t have proof of license, this against
the right to sell it.
You have to note that buyer will be the
software’s second user so he or she doesn’t have further permission to sell it.
Is this email a deceit?
I kept receiving messages from an email
ending with @rocketmail.com. The content suggested me to click on the link
attached, but I wondered whether someone was trying to infect my computer. Whereas
I just deleted emails, I felt annoyed by this type of contacting. Have you ever
heard about this kind of address and how can I deal with this?
We have never heard about the specific
address provided, but the spammer could send to mass of emails. The simplest
reaction is, in case you don’t realize the sender’s name or email address, not
to trust the content. You may be deleting these mails now and we advise you to
keep on doing so.
If you want to prevent those messages from
appearing in your inbox, there’s many ways to do so. Unfortunately, you didn’t
tell us anything about your computer or email setting, thus we can’t give any
particular advice. However, if you are using Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express,
Windows Mail or Windows Live Mail, go find “junk email” option.
For instance, Windows Live Mail –
Microsoft’s latest emailing app which is freely downloadable from www.snipca.com/X2856
- offers some junk-mail filter. To control its operation, start Windows Live
Mail then press Menus on top-right corner. Choose Safety options then click
Options tab. By default, protection level is set at ”Low” which only move
obvious junk-mail into Windows Live Mail’s Junk Email folder. To receive fewer
junk-mails, click to choose “High” – however it may mark some normal mails as
spams or put them in Junk Email folder.
Windows
Live Mail includes some protection level against junk mails
