January 24, 2009

Umair Mohsin responds to your queries...

UNABLE TO USE FIREFOX 3

Q My system is Intel Celeron 512 MB Ram, 1.7 GHz processor and 64 MB built in graphics card. I am currently using Firefox 2.0.0.11 and using V PTCL wireless connection. The problem is that I am unable to use Firefox 3.I. However, I installed Firefox 3 without any problem and it worked fine, but within few minutes it stops responding and does not open any page. What should I do?

A Most of the Firefox 3 crash and hang issues are because of incompatible Firefox 3 add-ons and extensions. Firefox hangings have also been known to occur when you go beyond five tabs (processor also goes to 100 per cent utilisation).

The basic idea is to determine whether an extension or theme is causing a problem in Firefox 3. Run Firefox in safe mode, safe mode disables all the plug-ins and themes. Click Start on your desktop, open the Programmes list and navigate and select Mozilla Firefox (in Safe Mode). This should determine whether an add-on is causing you problem.

Likewise, switch to different themes (best alternative is to switch to default theme and restart the Firefox 3 browser) and see if the theme was causing the problem. Click the Tools menu and then choose Add-ons, click the Extensions panel and check for new updates by clicking on Update button.

Mozilla.com constantly adds faulty plug-ins on their Blocklist pages that are known to cause crashes. So always keep abreast of these blocklisted add-ons, make sure you are not using any of them with your browser.

The simplest way to regain control is to press Ctrl - Alt - Delete and kill the Firefox.exe process. Then, Restart.

GOOGLE 403 FORBIDDEN

Q For a month or so I am using internet through DSL which is PTCL 512kbps. Actually I am using it through LAN and there are four PCs that connect to one connection through switch.

The problem is that whenever I search Google it returns with an error page saying ‘Cannot be opened’ and error is “403 forbidden” (http://sorry.google.com/sorry/? continue=http://209.85.175.132 /search%3Fq%3Dcache:CZDobjaxmxgJ:www.hello.com/%2BHELLO%26hl% 3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26cd%3D1%26gl%3Dpk%26client%3Dfirefox-a)

I am using the latest version of Mozilla Firefox (3.0.5) and my operating system is WinXP and also Windows Crystal XP. I have tried several ways to solve this problem, such as: sent Google team a mail with error number, I received an automated response from them, yet the problem persists; also, deleted web history, cookies from Mozilla Firefox; I tried reinstalling both my operating system and browsers; I installed AVG antivirus and Comodo firewall and found that my PC is not effected.

All four PCs encounter the same problem and none of them is infected by any viruses. Please help me out in this regard and do not suggest changing the browser.

A The Google 403 error is just Google’s attempt to keep infected computers from automating queries to Google, so certain queries are blacklisted with this and other forms of errors. Thus, even users that are not infected still get this error.

Very likely you are using the connection via a proxy and if everyone was on Google together, then Google sees “one machine” asking for a lot of queries very quickly (more than humanly possible) and goes into a protection mode. (A while ago there was a worm which queried Google for targets similarly.)

It seems like your IP address has got the problem. See if PTCL can assign you a new one. Also, just in case, get a packet sniffer programme and see what automated queries it is sending. That may help you narrow down the application on your computer, if that truly is the reason why Google’s blocking you.

Also try to see if you can access this website:

http://www.freebsddiary.org/google-links-forbidden-original.  php and send a query to the email address on the page with the code.

Other things you can try is changing some of the network settings back to default if you have changed the settings for TCPIP, network pipelining, etc., and in the future do not do fancy search operators like intitle:, link:, inurl:, etc. Google thinks you are a bot, if you do so.

Also try a different DNS provider to your ISP. These two are free and used by many www.dnsadvantage.com,  www.opendns.com

In the meantime, until the problem is resolved, you should consider http://www.a9.com. A9 is powered by Google.

CONVERTING PC SOFTWARE INTO MOBILE SOFTWARE

Q I created a software on the computer in which I have kept the material regarding Pakistan Penal Code for legal purposes. I want to use that software on my Nokia mobile phone, I would like you to suggest any software or pattern, so that I can compress the software into a mobile phone software to use everywhere.

A I do wish you had mentioned whether you had a Symbian OS or you will require a Java Platform solution on the S40 or something else.

First of all, there is no software in the world that can ‘compress’ from one format to another mobile format. You will be required to programme in that mobile environment from scratch on the platform of your choice. Worse, even when sticking to the same platform and programming environment, JME for example, the supported features vary very much from device to device.

What you can look at is Qt [cute] at http://trolltech.com/.  QT is a cross-platform application framework. Using Qt, you can develop applications and user interfaces once, and deploy them across many desktop and embedded operating systems without rewriting the source code.

A better option, however, would be to download a Reader and convert the text of the Pakistan Penal Code into that format.

If you have a Nokia series 60 mobile phone which support the Symbian operating system, you will be happy to know that Adobe has released a programme for visualising PDFs with small displays, the Symbian Adobe Reader, the portable version of the well-known Adobe Acrobat Reader, the most popular PDF reader in the world. Amongst the features worth mentioning is the interface which is identical to the PC version and a lighter motor. You can download it from http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readerforsymbian.html.

If you have a Series 40 phone, then you can try ReadManiac http://www.deep-shadows.com/hax/ReadManiac/download.htm, and convert the penal code into its format.

 

DVD VIDEO COMPILATION
 

Q I professionally compile, edit and convert DVDs, CDs on my PC. I have Sony DVD writer (dual layer burning capability), besides BENQ DVD Rom for copying DVDs.

My system is Intel 3.2 GHz with matching board, 1 GB DDR-II Ram, PCI Express capturing Card, 250 GB of hard drive, OS XP Pack-II) including an updated antivirus (AVG 8), Comodo Firewall, Prevx CSI, as you usually suggest). For the last few weeks I have been facing a problem during DVD video compilation, when the DVD is about to start the burn process, after creating menu and chapters, it sticks onto one per cent progress and does not progress further and finally I have to abort the programme, sometimes burning progress stops after 50 per cent with a warning that burning progress failed, with a log file indication to be saved for which I lost many DVDs and valuable time, instead of using good quality DVDR.

For your info, I use Nero 8 and Cyberlink Power DVD Producer. The amazing thing is that the problem is not permanent, it happens sometimes while DVD burning of longer duration files, while VCDs and CDs are successfully compiled without any problem. What should I do? Is it the DVD burner problem? Are new DVD writers with SATA cable are more efficient?

A Since I too owned a Sony DVD writer, I have found that the Sony DVD writer was very particular about the disc brands/speeds I used. For example, if the discs were scratched even the slightest bit, it would not work. Also it did not seem to like DVD-RWs by any company except Imation and purple DVD+R's never seemed to work.

So what I will suggest is that you try a different brand of blank media (Imation is highly recommended) and update your Nero to the latest build. You can also try using another software like DVD Fab. DVDFab is all-in-one DVD copying/burning/converting software. With 8 "DVD to DVD" copy modes of DVDFab Platinum, you can back up any DVD to DVDR in just a few clicks. With 10 "DVD to Mobile" copy modes of DVDFab Mobile Option, you can convert DVD title to mobile devices like iPod, PSP, ZUNE, cell phone, etc. You can easily get a trial copy from searching Google.