Q: How do I transfer files from my old computer running Windows 98 Second Edition to my new Windows 7 computer?

It is inconceivable to me that there is no easy way to transfer data from a computer that’s only 10 years old.

Hewlett Packard’s tech support people said that it is impossible to transfer from Windows 98 Second Edition to Windows 7 – that no equipment exists anymore to support the transfer.

What do I do?

A: Windows 7′s free “Windows Easy Transfer” program works pretty well at copying your files from a Windows XP or Windows Vista computer. But as you’ve discovered, the program conveniently ignores people with older Windows versions, like Windows Millennium, or Windows 98. That leaves you in the lurch.

Since there’s no automatic way to move the information from your Windows 98 computer to your new computer,  you’ll have to do the grunt work yourself.

You can transfer your information several ways:

• Floppy drives. Since you don’t need to copy a lot of information, the easiest transfer method is probably to buy a floppy drive that plugs into your new computer’s USB port. You’ll find several USB floppy drives for less than $20 sold by Amazon. Buy one, plug it into your Windows 7 computer, and you’ll be able to read any information your Windows 98 PC can store onto your diskettes.
• Hard drive. If your Windows 98 computer can no longer copy information to floppy disks, turn your old Windows 98 computer’s hard drive into a portable hard drive. Just buy an enclosure that can read the IDE drives that were in style back then. Insert the old hard drive into the enclosure, an easy enough task. Then, plug the portable hard drive into your Windows 7 computer’s USB port, and you can cherry pick the files you want to salvage.

No matter which transfer method you choose, be aware that most Windows 98 programs won’t run under Windows 7. You’ll have to buy updated version of your programs, and check to see if they can still open the same file formats used back in Windows 98.

Windows 98 only came out 12 years ago, but that’s several generations in computer time.

Q:

But my Windows Experience Index shows only 5.9, with my weak link being my hard disk transfer speed.

I’m really disappointed. How much stock should I put into Windows rankings? Can I do better by replacing my current hard drive? What hard drives are on the market that are scoring 7 and up in transfer speed?

Are there changes I can make to my hard drive, like changing the filing system, that will speed it up and score it higher?

A: A low-scoring hard drive nearly always torpedoes a fast computer’s Windows Experience Ratings. You’ve asked very good questions, so I’ll tackle them one by one.

• How much stock should I put into Windows rankings?

Windows Experience Ratings work best mostly when comparing several computers on the showroom floor:

1. Click any computer’s Start button.
2. Right-click Computer, and choose Properties.

The resulting Windows Experience Index lets you see at a glance which computer beats the other in a fistfight.

To probe a particular computer’s strengths and weaknesses, click the words “Windows Experience Index,” shown to the left, and Windows fetches the window shown at the top of this page. As you can see, the usual bottleneck with high-performance computers comes with their hard drives.

When it comes to speed, hard drives haven’t kept up with processors, memory and graphics cards. Sure, hard drives hold more files than ever. But they can’t move those files around very quickly.

• Can I do better by replacing my current hard drive?

Yes, you can. But before doing that, try the cheap approach: Make sure your motherboard drivers are up to date. Drop by your computer manufacturer’s Web site, and see if they’ve posted any updates for your computer’s motherboard. If you know the motherboard manufacturer, drop by its Web site, instead. Updating a driver sometimes improves your scores.

If that doesn’t help, it’s time for a second hard drive. See, most vendors cut costs by putting one huge hard drive in a computer. It’s a sales ploy, as prospective buyers feel reassured at seeing all that space. But that large size comes at a price: a slow transfer speed.

So, what do you do? Here’s the secret:

Buy a small, fast hard drive, and use it to store Windows and your programs. Then, use your whopper hard drive for storing all your music, digital photos, and videos. The Windows Experience Index only measures your primary hard disk — the one where Windows lives — so you’ll not only increase your score, but speed up your computer.

• What hard drives are on the market that are scoring 7 and up in transfer speed?

Solid State Drives, the big brothers to the flash drives carried around on keychains, are today’s fastest drives. With no moving parts, these drives really kick up your performance.

Unfortunately, they’re expensive. An Amazon search for SSD internal hard drives found a 256 GB drive on discount for $699. The fastest drives could be the OCZ Vertex 2 series; as I write this, Amazon sells a 60GB OCZ Vertex 2 for about $170. Sure, they’re small. But they’re large enough for Windows and a handful of key programs. Everything else can live on your slow-but-mammoth second drive.

• Are there changes I can make to the format of my HD, such as the filing system, that will speed it up and score it higher?

No. If it was this easy, computer manufacturers would be boosting their scores by doing just that.

If you want the highest hard drive scores, go with the SSD drives. I’ve never seen a reviewer who didn’t immediately gloat over their speed increase. Many buyers begin lamenting over how slow everybody else’s computer seems to run in comparison.

So, to boost your Windows Experience Index, as well as your own experience, pony up the money for an SSD drive.

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My latest book, Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-It-Yourself For Dummies features easy step-by-step guides with photos that help you upgrade and maintain your computer, laptop, or netbook. The book is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Q:

While installing software today, I noticed that the power source wasn’t plugged all the way into the video card, so I pushed it in more tightly, and bam: The computer suddenly shut off, and it won’t turn back on.

Do you think I’ve fried the computer’s motherboard or its power supply?

A: First, a rap on the knuckles: Always unplug your computer before working inside your PC. Even if you’re just tightening a connector, turn off and unplug your computer first.

Now, back to your question. When troubleshooting a potential power supply problem, let your ears be your guide, by listening for these things:When you turn on your PC, do you hear the power supply’s fan whir into action? Even the quietest fan can be heard when you place your ear next to the round vent on the back of your computer.

If you don’t hear a spinning fan, then you’ve killed the power supply. That’s a fairly inexpensive and easy-to-install repair.

But if the fan still spins, the power supply is probably still alive, so your motherboard might be dead. Motherboards cost more than a power supply.

There’s another scenario: If you hear the fan and you hear your hard drive clicking and whirring as it loads an operating system, then you might have killed something else: the video card.

To further isolate the problem, turn to your stash of old parts and begin swapping the suspect parts with old ones you know to be good. That makes it easy to find the bad part, and lets you avoid a trip to the repair shop.

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Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-It-Yourself For Dummies features easy step-by-step guides with photos that help you upgrade and maintain your computer, laptop, or netbook. The book is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

A: Your 64-bit version of Windows can download and run the 32-bit version of Adobe Reader without any problem. Adobe offers Adobe Reader 32-bit program for free on its Web site.

As for Flash, Adobe doesn’t yet make a Flash player for a 64-bit browser. Adobe has really dropped the ball on this one. Perhaps they’ve tired of patching all of its security flaws.

However,  your 64-bit version of Windows comes with both the 32-bit and the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer. By running the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer on your 64-bit computer, you can still view Flash on the Web.

Both versions of Internet Explorer share the same home page, and Favorites menu. Unless you specifically choose to run the 64-bit version of Internet Explorer, the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer usually runs. For example, the 32-bit version runs when you start the browser from any one of the following locations:

• The Quick Launch toolbar
• The Desktop
• The Start menu
• A link or a file type that’s set up to open with Internet Explorer

The 64-bit version of Internet Explorer runs only when you choose “Internet Explorer (64-bit)” from the Start menu.

Choose About from Internet Explorer's Help menu to see if you're running the program's 32-bit or 64-bit version.

Not sure which version of Internet Explorer you’re running? Then click “About Internet Explorer” from the browser’s Help menu. If you don’t see the words “64-bit” listed, then you’re running the 32-bit version.

As for changing your 64-bit version of Windows to the 32-bit version, that’s another ball of wax. In short, it’s a huge chore, and you probably wouldn’t be able to harness the full power of your current computer. The 64-bit version of Windows is the way of the future, and Adobe’s Flash will soon be pushed aside.

Let your computer double as a TV set by adding a TV tuner — a gadget that pulls in a TV signal, letting you channel surf and watch shows on your monitor.

The easiest TV tuners simply plug into a USB port, available on every computer, laptop, and netbook. When combined with the Media Center found in Windows Vista and Windows 7, TV Tuners also double as digital video recorders: Like a TiVo, they automatically record your favorite TV shows, letting you watch your faves whenever you’re ready.

USB tuners are easy to install, and they’re easily moved from one computer to another. (Keep an eye on your roommates.)

You’ll only pull in free HDTV station broadcasts if you’re within broadcast range, however, so your luck will vary considerably depending on where you live.

Step 1: Install a USB TV tuner

To install a USB TV tuner onto a netbook, laptop, or desktop computer, follow these steps:

1. Unpack your TV tuner and find all the parts. The tuner itself has a USB plug on one end, and a coaxial cable port on the other. The Hauppauge WinTV-HVR-950Q tuner I used here includes a remote control, a miniature antenna for pulling in free HDTV signals from the air, and recording software for computers that lack Windows’ Media Center.



2. Slide the tuner’s USB plug into a USB port. Windows usually recognizes newly installed USB devices and sets them up to work correctly. If you don’t see the words “Device Installed Successfully,” install the tuner’s software, which should contain the right drivers.



3. Visit the manufacturer’s Web site and download the latest setup software for your model of TV tuner, and run that software instead of the CD included in the box. (It’s more up-to-date.) Also, some TV tuners come with their own TV-viewing software. Instead of installing that bundled program, however, run a piece of software called “Windows Media Center Kit setup,” if you see one. That kit lets you control the tuner through Windows 7’s Media Center, instead of the bundled viewer.



4. Set up the remote, if included. USB TV tuners usually have the receiver built into their box. Aim the remote control at the little box’s built-in receiver when changing channels. (The remote control included with this particular tuner only works with its own recording software; it doesn’t work with Windows 7 Media Player.)

When you’re through connecting the tuner, you need to connect your TV signal: Without a TV signal, you won’t see any TV shows.

The tuner described here comes with an antenna that screws onto the tuner. If you live within range of a broadcast station, that’s all you need to grab a few HDTV channels.

If you’re out of range, though, you need to connect the tuner to your cable signal, described next.

Step 2: Connect a TV signal to your TV tuner

This part’s easy, as the vast majority of TV tuners grab a TV signal only one way: through a coaxial port: a little threaded plug that lets you screw a connector onto it. If your room already has an unused coaxial cable poking out through the wall, screw it onto your tuner’s coaxial port. That’s it!

But if that coaxial cable’s already being hogged by a TV or cable box, then you need a splitter: a cheap little gadget that splits one cable into two, letting one end stay plugged into your TV or cable box, while the other plugs into your computer’s tuner. They’re available at nearly any store that sells TVs.

Installing a splitter is cheap, easy, and lets your TV work normally, even when your computer’s recording a different channel.

Follow these steps to install a splitter, which magically turns one cable into two: One for your computer, and the other for your TV or cable box. Here’s how

1. Unplug the coaxial cable from the RF or VHF\UHF “In” port on your cable box or TV. Found on the back of every TV and cable box, that coax port accepts the signal from a TV cable that runs from either the wall or an antenna. You may need a pair of pliers to loosen the connector from the port on the back of your TV or cable box; your fingers can handle the rest.


Unplug the coax cable from the back of your TV set or cable box.

2. Screw the coaxial cable’s connector into the end of the splitter with only one port (left). Coaxial cables should always screw onto a splitter; the push-on connectors tend to fall off. On the splitter’s other end, connect the coax cable for your cable box or TV set, as well as your computer’s TV tuner (right).


Plug your TV cable into the splitter's single port; plug two cables into the other end, one for your computer, and one for your TV.

3. Plug one of your two new cables back into the spot where you unplugged it in Step 1, on either your TV or cable box. Then plug the other end into your TV tuner’s coaxial port . The splitter then lets your TV keep its same connection, so it still receives the same channels. Plus, your computer receives all the channels, as well.


Plug the TV cable into your TV tuner.

4. Fire up Windows 7′s Windows Media Center, follow the setup screens to tell the program about your tuner, and start watching TV on your computer.

Once you’ve connected your new tuner to a signal and set up Media Center, you can watch TV on your computer. You won’t receive high-definition signals, but most cable companies broadcast channels 2-99 in regular definition.
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Hitting the shelves this September, Upgrading and Fixing Computers Do-It-Yourself For Dummies features easy step-by-step guides with photos that help you upgrade and maintain your computer, laptop, or netbook.

The book is now available for pre-order on Amazon.

Q:

But lately, my computer has BSoD’ed a few times, and in the past few weeks it just completely shut down for no reason. I’ll be playing a game, browsing the web, and once I was browsing files in Explorer with nothing else open, and my laptop just shut down.

When it shuts down while plugged in, the charge light turns off, and the laptop won’t come on for a minute or two after the crash. What do you think the issue is? And what can I do about it?

A: BSOD, an acronym for Blue Screen of Death, appears when Windows rudely stops working, leaving you gaping at cryptic wording across a blue screen. Unfortunately, the wording neither explains exactly why your computer crashed, nor does it apologize for all the unsaved work you’ve just lost.

Sometimes it’s obvious why your computer suddenly went on furlough: You’ve just restarted after installing a new piece of hardware, for example, or installed a new driver for a part inside your PC. But when the reason’s not obvious, it’s up to you to do the sleuthing. To narrow down the culprit, follow these steps:

1. Click the Start button, right-click Computer, and choose Manage.



2. In the right-hand column, click Event Viewer. (Double-click the window’s title bar to make it full-size, as Windows 7 packs a lot of information in there.)



3. In this order, look at the Critical, Error, and Warning entries, and see if you spot a trend. (The reader noticed more than 20 entries for “Microsoft-Windows-Kernel-Power” failures, followed by an error code of “41,” with the words, “The system has rebooted without cleanly shutting down first.”)



4. Google the error code number, as well as the name of the failure.

In this case, Microsoft’s Knowledge Base listed the Error Code 41 problem: His laptop was most likely overheating because of the stress of intensive gaming, as well as poor ventilation.

He began placing his laptop on a flat surface like a book, which allowed for better air circulation and a cooler laptop.

If you’re spotting this problem on a desktop PC, it’s probably time to take your PC outside, remove its case, and blow all the dust out of your PC with a can of compressed gas. Be sure to clear the dust-clogged vents, and blow away the thin layer of dust covering all the parts of your PC. When you’re through, the PC should look shiny and new inside again. Replace the cover, and, if overheating was the cause, the problem should clear up.

If the issue continues, check the other scenarios listed on Microsoft’s Knowledge Base:

1. Overclocking: Done mostly by enthusiasts, this refers to running special programs that make the computer work more quickly than normal, which can cause problems.
2. Check the memory: Check for memory problems by using a memory checking program.
3. Power Supply: Make sure that the power supply has enough watts to handle your computer. If you’ve added memory, installed a newer processor, installed additional drives, or added external devices, they may require more energy than your power supply can provide.
4. Overheating: (That’s the scenario discussed here.)
5. Defaults: Use system defaults, and run the system. (Microsoft tosses this one in as a last resort, apparently telling people to reinstall Windows and see if the problem continues.)

Photo by dno1967 from Flickr

A: When writing information to your hard drive, Windows usually breaks the files into pieces, stuffing them into whatever empty space it can find.

When retrieving a file, Windows rummages for those scattered pieces, which takes a little time. To speed things up, Windows includes a disk defragmentation program: The program gathers up all those scattered bits, and files them away next to each other, so Windows can grab them more quickly.

Unlike early Windows versions, Windows 7 automatically defragments your drives every week, usually at 1 am on Wednesday. (Early Windows versions made you run the Disk Defragmentation program manually, a chore many people simply forgot about.)

You can see Windows 7′s automated defragmentation schedule (and make sure that it’s running on schedule) by following these steps:

1. Click the Start button and click Control Panel.



2. Click System and Security.



3. In the Administrative Tools section, click Defragment your hard drive.

There, you’ll see a list of all your drives, with their defragmentation percentage. (If Windows 7 has been working its defragmentation magic automatically, as it should, you’ll see “0% fragmented,” along with the time and date the defragmention program last worked.

If you don’t leave your computer turned on in the evenings, though, the defragmentation program won’t be able to run. If that’s the case, tell Windows 7 to defragment the drives at a different time, perhaps during your lunch hour when you’re away, but your PC’s still turned on.

To do that, click the Configure Schedule button.

There, you can choose a different time or day; schedule the defragmentation to take place daily, weekly, or monthly; or even tell Windows to defragment different disks on different schedules.

Click OK after making any changes.

Q: What is the difference between the Windows 7 System Recovery disc that came with my computer, and the System Image you describe how to make in Windows 7 For Dummies? And in what order do I use those if something goes wrong? Do I have to use them all?

A: Earlier, I explained how to create a System Image – a complete backup of your C: drive, which includes Windows, your programs, and the files in your libraries.

I also explained how a System Recovery disc differs from a Windows 7 System Repair disc. Here’s some more information to help you use them each in the right way:

System Recovery Disc: Tossed in with many new computers, the System Recovery disc is designed to handle only the most dire of emergencies. It’s meant to be used when your computer crashes, and you’re left with no other option. The System Recovery disc completely erases everything on your computer – Windows, your programs, and all of your files – and it returns your computer to the state it was in when first sold. That means it will have Windows and the computer’s bundled programs, but none of your files or installed programs.

System Image: A System Image, by contrast, lets you create a complete copy of your current C: drive: Windows 7, your programs, and all your data. It’s contains everything on your C: drive up to the moment you create it. If your computer crashes, you can use the System Image to reinstall Windows, your programs, and all of your files. It’s much better than the System Recovery Disk because it preserves all the information you’ve placed on your computer since you bought it. A System Image only contains your C: drive, though; it doesn’t contain information on your other drives. Those should be backed up separately.

System Repair Disc: To use a System Image, you need a System Repair Disc. This disc, separate from your System Image, can be stored on a single CD or DVD. In fact, Windows 7 automatically asks if you’d like to create a System Repair Disc whenever you create a System Image. Down the road, if your computer crashes, you insert the System Repair Disc into your computer. Your computer loads from the System Repair Disc rather than your computer’s hard drive. When it begins running, the System Repair disc offers you many repair options, including restoring your computer from your System Image.

Driver and Utility Disc: Commonly tossed in with new computers, this contains drivers and utility programs bundled with your computer when sold. If you ever reinstall Windows using a “stock” version of Windows, probably from a DVD borrowed from a friend, Windows won’t have all the drivers it needs to make all parts of your computer work correctly. So, by inserting the Driver and Utility disc, Windows can grab the drivers from there, letting your computer work like normal.

You’ll never have to use any of these discs unless your hard drive dies or your Windows is somehow messed up beyond repair. If something goes terribly wrong, here’s the order you should use these discs:

1. Always use a System Image first. That returns your computer to the state it was in when you created the System Image. And, if you created a System Image from your computer when it was working fine, you should be in good shape, with Windows, your programs, and your files intact. You won’t need any the System Recovery disc or the Drivers and Utility disc.
2. No System Image? Then your second choice is the System Recovery Disc that came with your computer. That wipes out everything, unfortunately, leaving you with a “new” computer that has Windows and your computer’s originally installed programs, but nothing else. You won’t need to use the Drivers and Utility disc, but you’ll have to reinstall any programs you’ve purchased or downloaded.
3. No System Recovery Disc or a System Image? Then borrow a copy of Windows 7 from a friend, install it onto your computer, entering the Windows 7 Product Key from the sticker on your computer. Then, after installing Windows, insert your Driver & Utility disc so Windows can install the right drivers for your computer.

In short, a System Image is the way to go. If you haven’t done so, be sure to create a System Image now, when your computer is still working well.

Q: Whenever I clicked my browser’s New Tab button, the new tabbed page used to show thumbnail views of my most visited Web sites, so I could select one at ease. This feature has now disappeared. Can I get it back or have I done something to banish it forever?

A: No, you didn’t do something to banish that thumbnail view. Microsoft is the culprit here, and you won’t find that feature reappearing in Internet Explorer.

On most browsers, you can fetch an empty tab by clicking that stub of a tab to the right of all your open tabs.

Once that new tabbed page appears, you can fill it by visiting a Web page of your choosing.

Google’s Toolbar, which rides atop browsers like Internet Explorer and Firefox, filled that formerly empty tab with thumbnail views of your most visited Web sites.

Microsoft, however, preferred to fill that empty space by touting Internet Explorer 8′s new features. Not happy that Google had covered its promos, Microsoft forced Google to “retire” that feature from their toolbar.

So, to get that feature back, you can install either Firefox or Google’s own Chrome browser. Both work fairly similarly to Internet Explorer. Personally, I use Firefox, as I find it more secure than Internet Explorer.

Q: I’ve read the networking chapter in your Windows Vista For Dummies book, and now my Windows Vista computers can share the files in their Public folders. However, I cannot get the Windows Vista computers to share any of their

A: Unlike Windows XP, Windows Vista complicates the sharing of folders on a home network. Windows XP let you share nearly any folder fairly easily. Windows Vista, by contrast, expects people to share only one folder: the Public folder and its contents. (Windows 7′s new Homegroup system simplifies sharing considerably.)

As Microsoft’s designers intended, Vista’s sharing method keeps your files and folders more secure. When you deliberately place something into a folder named Public, you know you’re making it up for grabs.

These restrictions can be too much for small home networks, though, where you want your computers to share nearly everything easily and without restrictions.

To give everybody network access to a particular folder on your Windows Vista computer, follow these steps:

1. In Windows Vista, right-click the folder you’d like to share and choose Share. The “Choose People to Share With” window appears.



2. From the “Add” drop-down list, choose Guest, and then click Add. The word Guest appears in the Name column.  Leaving the Permission Level set to “Reader” lets any visitor read or copy the folder’s files, but not change or delete them. Leave the Permission Level set to Reader unless you trust everybody who sits at your computer, even future visitors who  may use the computer’s Guest account.



3. To let any visitor read, write, change, or delete the material in the shared folder, choose Co-owner from the Permission Level drop-down list.
   
4. Click the Share button to save your changes.

Following these steps gives everybody access not only to that folder, but its contents, including other folders inside it.