Problems with Internet Explorer 8 suddenly having tiny font size almost impossible to read

Dear viewers,

I don't know how many of you may have experienced this problem.

All of a sudden, font size in text boxes on Internet Explorer and some other browser and even regular programs and applications installed in your computer become so small that you can hardly read the text. The same happens when you try to input text for a search on Google, Yahoo etc.,it is so minuscule and hard to read. The font in the buttons under text boxes is so small and barely readable ...all other text is fine.

The problem with the tiny fonts is not just limited to text boxes in web pages. The tiny fonts are also displayed in windows for local applications like the control center for Norton Internet Security and others.

These issues seem to show sometimes after a Windows update, installation or un-installation of a program or application, or even more frustrating for no apparent reason...

In some cases, the "tiny" fonts show within various applications, seemingly not caused by the applications themselves since it happens in unrelated programs; and even more frustrating, many of the programs fonts are just fine, only a select few are very, very small.

I had never experienced this issue, (until last week), in a computer I built for a friend of mine. I transferred all the files and data from her old computer to the new computer I built, using a very handy program by Microsoft, called "Windows Easy Transfer".

This program is very useful because it does away with having to copy all files and data from the old computer to the new, one by one. It saves a lot of aggravation and saves a lot of time in the process too.

All went well but the following day my friend called me and said, "George I don't know what is wrong, but when I try to fill out my name and address in certain text boxes, the font is so small I cannot read it! Also some text boxes within Internet Explorer have so tiny letters I can't read what they say!"

I went to her house to check all of this, made some notes and then "googled" the issue in my computer after I came back to my office.

After looking at hundreds of comments from people in several forums , complaining about this issue and asking for help, who found no solution for the problem I finally came across a comment from a forum member who calls himself "Wireless Dude" who said:

"I had the same problem just this evening and started to thoroughly investigate the problem. Earlier in the evening I had just un-installed an application, when the problem started. After about an hour of sniffing around my Windows Vista install, I noticed that a lot of my fonts in my Windows/Fonts directory had been deleted! I re-installed the fonts, copying the directory from another computer, (the installation is invoked automatically when you simply copy the fonts into the Windows/Fonts directory).

The key fonts that had been deleted were "Arial", "Courrier New", "New Times Roman", etc. Such fonts are heavily used throughout Windows operating systems.

Once I had re-installed the fonts, everything went back to normal and menus were not displaying the "tiny fonts" that many users have been experiencing after a weird anomaly like this occurs"

As you can imagine, the first thing I did was to copy the Windows/Fonts directory from my computer to a flash memory stick, called my friend, went to her house, re-installed the Windows/Fonts directory in her new computer I had built for her and PRESTO!!! all was back to normal.

She said, "George you really are a computer guru", to which I responded, "had it not been the smarts of an unknown fellow who goes by the name of "Wireless Dude" on the Internet, it would have taken me, God know how long, to find a solution to this problem so many are having and not finding a solution.

As far as I know, Microsoft has not addressed any solution for the problem,( maybe they have), but I have not seen it anywhere.

Well, for you folks who may have this problem in your computers and have been living with it for a while, I hope this will be of help.

By the way, if you cannot copy the Windows/Fonts directory from another computer, you can download the fonts directly from http://www.microsoft.com/.

Have fun and PLEASE let me know, (those who may have this problem), how you managed.

Thanks,

George Freire

Taking the mystery out of 64-bit Windows

Dear Viewers,

Most of you I assume are using Windows, (whatever version), as the OS in your computer.

Most of you have also heard about Windows 32-bit and 64-bit versions, (just a comment here, Widows XP only comes in the 32-bit version except in some very remote applications). Do you guys and girls know what is the difference between 32-bit and 64-bit?

You computer "gurus" who might read this blog, I am sure know the difference between these two versions, however, possibly most of the other readers, don't.

If you’re shopping for a new computer, chances are you already have enough to consider without wondering whether you should buy a computer with a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 7.

There’s no need to fret. For most people, there’s little reason to think about this choice when you’re making your next computer purchase. That’s good, since many people don’t understand the difference between a PC running a 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows, and the version they choose won’t make a big difference in most cases.

Microsoft has a Web site that is very interesting and explains in simple language what this is all about. Click on the following address and make yourselves experts on the subject:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/taking-the-mystery-out-of-64-bit-windows

If you have questions, you can always contact me for clarification.

Enjoy!

George Freire

Internet Explorer 9 Beta: UI Smackdown

Dear Viewers,

Microsoft Internet Explorer has been tremendously improved.

According to experts, the new version 9 is so much superior to what they had in the past and possibly the best in the field now...

If you want to check it out and download the Beta version, click the address below.

Internet Explorer 9 Beta: UI Smackdown

I am downloading it today, and soon will be able to let you know how I like it.

George Freire

Remote Access to Your PC or Mac: LogMein Free

Dear viewers,

Here is a completely free program that will allow you to get to your home or office computer from anywhere you may be,as long as you leave your computer "on" while you are away:

LogMeIn Free gives you remote control of your PC or Mac from any other computer with an Internet connection.

Simply install LogMeIn on the computer you want to access (it takes about 2 minutes), log into your account from another computer and click the computer you want to control. You'll see its desktop and be able to use all the applications on your remote computer as if you were sitting in front of it - even if you're across town, across the country, or across the world.

•Works with Windows PCs and Mac OS X
•Two-minute set-up
•100% free

LogMein Free includes:

•Access from any Internet-connected web browser
•Access to a Windows PC or Mac
•Remote control and desktop viewing
•Copy and paste between computers
•Wake on LAN
•Reboot/reconnect (including safe mode)
•Basic reports (remote access sessions and user access)
•Chat
•AES 256-bit encryption
•SSL/TLS intrusion detection
•IP address lockout
•No need for firewall, router or proxy configuration
•No requirement for remote PC admin rights

If you want to control file transfer, remote printing, desktop sharing, and more, the company offers a "Pro" edition that provides full remote access so you can transfer files between computers, print documents from your remote computer to a local printer, share files with others and more. It is the complete remote access solution for mobile professionals and telecommuters.

To see all the information and download this program go to:

https://secure.logmein.com/US/products/free/

I have this program, (the free option), installed in both my Desk Top and Lap Top, therefore I can always work on my main computer regardless of where I am.

I hope it will be helpful for some of you.

George Freire

Fix the Windows Clock So It Syncs Properly

Here is a good trick to keep your Windows clock always synchronized and right to the second.

Mr. Rick Broida, (my favorite tech expert at PCWorld), advises:


"Windows 7 may be the best Windows yet, but it suffers from the same annoying problem that plagued Vista and even XP: Its clock doesn't keep good time.

That's because the default time server Windows uses to fetch the current time, well, bites. I don't know if this is because of server overload or what (obviously there are a lot of Windows systems out there, all looking for a clock fix), but I'm tired of getting the same cryptic error when I try to sync manually.

Ah, but there's a fix. If you're trying to get your system to keep better time, try this:

1. Right-click the taskbar clock and choose Adjust date/time.

2. Click the Internet time tab, then the Change settings button. (This might be a little different in Windows XP.)

3. Erase what's in the Server field and replace it with pool.ntp.org.

4. Click Update now. In a few seconds, Windows' clock should get synchronized.

5. Click OK, then OK again, and you're done. "

I have followed his advice and now my Windows clock is always right!

Maybe you visitors want to try it right now!

George Freire

Fake Antivirus Software Uses Ransom Threats

Remember my post of August 30 that started:


"Yesterday my computer was working great but when I started it this morning, a message popped up, saying that the computer had been attacked by a virus."

Guess what, today I received an e-mail from PCWorld with an article that analyses precisely this serious problem which I am sharing with you all:


"Fake Antivirus Software Uses Ransom Threats
John E Dunn, techworld.com
Sep 4, 2010 12:00 pm


Fake antivirus programs appear to be adopting some of the money-raising tactics of more threatening ransom malware, security company Fortinet's latest threat report has found.

The most prevalent malware variant during August was TotalSecurity W32/FakeAlert.LU!tr, a malicious program that masquerades as antivirus software in order to sell worthless licenses for non-existent malware. On its own it accounted for 37.3 percent of all malware threats detected by the company during the month.

Unlike standard fake antivirus programs, however, the new version of TotalSecurity takes the ruse a stage further by preventing any applications other than a web browser to run, claiming they are "infected." The user is invited to have the infection cleaned by buying the bogus TotalSecurity product.

Adding an extra layer of sophistication to its arsenal -- and no doubt aware how quickly bogus antivirus software is blocked by genuine security products -- TotalSecurity can now vary the downloads it feeds to target PC using server-side polymorphism. Put another way, the exact version downloaded to a victim's PC will constantly change which makes detection harder.

"This is a technique typically seen with botnets, such as Waledac, and has been picked up by the developers of TotalSecurity. This is another example of how relying purely on antivirus is not a silver-bullet approach to protecting systems from infection," said Fortinet's threat research head, Derek Manky.

According to Fortinet, such attacks demonstrate the vulnerability of PC-based antivirus software. A layered defence would have a better chance of detecting TotalSecurity by either intercepting the initial spam used to spread it or by blocking the download website.

Once rare enough to be a curiosity, malware using threats and direct interference with a PC's operation have slowly become more common.

A previous report from Fortinet in March noted a sudden surge in the technique, about a year after the first aggressive use of ransomware in the form of the notorious Vundo Trojan. That particular piece of malware used crude encryption of a victim's files.

In July came news of the odd Krotten Trojan that disables a victim's PC in a variety of ways before asking for a tiny payment to be made to a Ukrainian mobile phone network. Two months before that researchers in Japan discovered the Kenzero porn blackmail Trojan that threatens to post a victim's embarrassing browsing history to a public website.

Be careful, but sometimes you may inadvertently open a web page that will cause such a problem in your computer.One way to solve the problem was explained to you in my post of August 30 referred to above.

George Freire