InBox

Q. Nick needs help with the Microsoft Power-toys Resize program recommended last week for reducing image sizes for use in emails and on TradeMe. After installing the tool, he is stuck. He tried right-clicking on photo images as email attachments and in Microsoft picture editor, but nothing happened. He didn't get the "resize pictures" option he expected.

A. Nick is not alone. Several readers had trouble getting it to work. Simply go to your "my pictures" directory, find an image and right-click on it. You'll see the "resize picture" option in the drop-down. The other thing that confuses people is the picture doesn't change in size. The Power-toy creates a file of the same name, with an added abbreviation for the size you choose, so as not to overwrite your original. Look in the same directory as the original for the smaller file.

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Q. Betty is confused by the Windows XP defragmenter message "please run chkdsk /f". She has scheduled the defragmentation process for years without a hitch. Recently, when checking that the task was complete, she received the message: "Disk defragmenter has detected the Chkdsk/f. is scheduled to run on the volume (C:). Please run Chkdsk/f." She wants to know what this means and how to carry out the instruction.

A. The chkdsk command scans the disk for errors and the /F part tells it to fix any errors it finds. Go to "start/run", type chkdsk/f and press enter. It will ask you if you want to schedule the check to run on the next system restart. Press Y, then press enter. When you next re-boot the machine it will do a full disk check, fixing errors as it goes. This is basic maintenance and is safe to do.

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Q. Colin has lost the time and date on his Mac computer. He says it reset and now refuses to hold any changes.

A. All computers have a small battery on the internal board that saves settings. Your local dealer can replace the dead battery before it corrodes and damages the board.