InBox

Ian cannot seem make the Copy, Cut and Paste buttons work in Outlook Express. If he hits reply to an email, the buttons show but they are inactive. How can Ian activate them?

The buttons stay greyed out until you highlight some text. Start a reply, highlight some text in the message body, then you will notice the Copy and Cut buttons become active. The Paste button will only show as active when there is something copied or cut to the clipboard and waiting to be pasted.

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Kim wants to know if she should install Windows XP Service Pack 2. She is running Windows XP Home Edition Version 2002 and still on Service Pack 1. Kim reckons she will soon have to upgrade to Service Pack 2 as support for the first pack finishes in October. Kim has put off upgrading to the second service pack as she has heard some people were having problems with some functions when they upgraded. She wants to know if there any major differences between the two packs and what problems she is likely to face if she upgrades.

Service Pack 2 is an important security update so install it. The problems that sometimes manifest after the installation usually relate to network access being blocked by the firewall and other protection included in the pack. These pages cover the most likely issues and provide workarounds for most cases:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/842242
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875357
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/875351

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Andrew wants to know how he captures a screen.

To capture the whole desktop - press the Print Screen button on your keyboard. Open an image editor such as MS Paint, and click Edit/Paste. For more options and capabilities, such as window capture or area capture, check www.tucows.com which has a screen capture programme.

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Christine wants to know if it is safe for her children to have their own email addresses. She has a 7-year-old and two teenage children.

Children at primary school can have their own email address but make it an Alias or Forwarding type of account that actually directs the mail via your main family account so you can supervise your children's contacts. Your internet provider helpdesk will be happy to help with these options. Teenagers on the other hand are usually mature enough to handle their own standalone internet service provider, Hotmail or Yahoo account.