[Sussex] Elderly Aunts with computer problems (windows ones :-( )

[John D.]

On Tue, 2005-04-19 at 08:11 +0100, Stephen Williams wrote:

> A complete re-install shouldn't be necessary in this case, but often a
> complete re-install will cure a lot of Windows faults (apart from the
> inherent ones of course :-D).
> 
> First, have a search for the missing mscoree.dll file on drive C: If it's
> missing from
> C:\Windows\System, there may be an archived copy somewhere within C:
> \Windows somewhere.
> 
> If you need a copy of the .dll file itself I can send you one off-list.
> 
> If you can find it, copy it to C:\Windows\System, then run the command:
> 
> C:\Windows\System\regsvr32.exe mscoree.dll
> 
> This should re-register the .dll file and cure the problem.

OK.

> Otherwise you could try re-installing .net framework.
> 
> However, a machine of this vintage may not be able to feed data to the
> DVD-RW drive fast enough to burn DVDs reliably. Your Aunt might be
> disappointed in the results even if you get it working. If you do try
> it, set it to write at 1x or 2x at most to start with.
> 
> I'd suggest an external USB2 drive for your Aunt. Then you could
> transfer the drive to your place and burn her stuff to DVD on your super
> fast Linux PC, simultaneously  demonstrating the benefits of Linux.
> 
> It'll mean your Aunt's PC having USB2 and Windows 98 SE with USB
> support, but that shouldn't be too difficult.

I haven't looked at the "innards" of her PC, but suspect that it only
has USB 1.1 - also she only wants to really be storing her digital
pictures after she's done any image edit - family photos etc.

Plus, while I didn't notice the actual make of the DVDRW, I did notice a
reference to "burn proof" facilities - so that, if I understand
correctly, should negate any problem there - though I must remember to
explain to her not to go diving in and trying to record any data too
quickly, just in case. Thanks for reminding me about that one - I'd
forgotten.

As for external drives, I suspect I'd just get the "fixed income"
arguement to that, though the "cruzer" pen/keyring plug in discs that
she has, she got from someone at the "D&J" computer club/classes,who
managed to get them cheap from somewhere or other (though they're only
128mb models).

I doubt whether she'd go for linux (they don't "DO" linux at the
computer club/classes) and even then, she might only entertain it, if
lots of work had been done to The Gimp, for the provision of "wizards"
etc. She'd be OK with browsing/e-mail as I've already convinced her of
the benefits of Firefox and Thunderbird (plus the heavy coverage those
apps have received in the media).

> I don't recommend setting up a second partition for this level of user.
> I've done this in the past and all that happens is the (now smaller) C:
> drive fills up quicker whilst the D: drive remains empty.

Hum? Yes, that'd definitely make sense. Because once she's learned how
to drive the DVDRW, I suspect she'll copy any data to CD/DVD anyway. It
was just something that occurred to me because of the relative success
that I had once I'd learned about seperate /home partitions.

regards

John D.