Doncaster East Smugmug customisation for photographer

I was recently asked by a customer to customise their Smugmug (a photo hosting service) site so it looked more like a web site. The problem with Smugmug is the standard layout is a continuous list down the page and wasn’t considered very attractive. It was also felt the standard Smugmug layout didn’t help the client quickly find the relevant section of the site.

In a few hours I was able to research Smugmug and customise the site so the client had a site they were very happy with.

As a computer consultant and support person I have an extensive knowledge of computer technology including internet technologies. This allows me to assist clients when the technology isn’t their core business.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Supporting business and home computer users in Templestowe, Templestowe Lower,
Doncaster, Doncaster East, Lower Plenty, Montmorency and Eltham
No call-out fee. Satisfaction guaranteed.

Alert: 550-"JunkMail rejected (Spamcopy, Spamhaus)

The most absurd thing happened to me this week which I thought I’d share.

None of us like spam, but lately I’m seeing the techniques used by email services, such as Hotmail, are rejecting emails that aren’t spam. Here is what appears to be happening.

You sign up with an email service provider (could be your ISP) and you send an email. You may have been using the service for years with no problems. Then for some unknown reason the emails you’re sending are rejected as spam. I’ve seen this happen to my business clients as well as quite a few others, including myself.

What is happening is you’re using a email service to send your emails and those email services are shared with others. Someone else using the service sends spam, but they may not even be aware they’re doing it, because their computer may be infected. The address of the mail server is then blacklisted by one of the spam filter companies such as Spamcop, Spamhaus, or the service Hotmail uses. You then go to send an email and it gets rejected as spam. The recipient never sees the email so doesn’t know you’ve sent it.

In business the problem is you may end up with an irate client and lost business because their mail server is rejecting your valid message. A business trying to work with you may lose business because you think they’re not responsive. In this situation make a call to the client. If the information is important, ask for a different email service.

This is an example where the solution causes just as many problems as the original problem.

The irony of all this is, in a recent test I sent an email to myself and the email was rejected. This is just plain silly and is likely to lose the hosting company my business if it happens too often. It means emails sent to me may be getting rejected and that could be losing me business.

If you are using Hotmail as your business email service I’d seriously suggest you should move to another service. I’ve frequently seen Hotmail reject emails when there has been no issue with any other service.

For those receiving bounced emails with messages rejected as spam when you know they aren’t, hopefully this will let you know what is happening. In most instances I’ve found if you wait 24-48 hours and resend the message it does get through. So if you can’t contact the person, resending the email is better late than never.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

MyAnswers: The application has failed to start because iertutil.dll was not found.

The following MyAnswers solution 2197 is now available:

Windows XP computers failling to start with dialogue titled: Explorer.EXE "Unable To Locate Component", with the message "The application has failed to start because iertutil.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix the problem"

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: How to unlock a Huawei X1-U8180 locked to Optus network

The following MyAnswers solution 2195 is now available:

How to unlock a Huawei X1-U8180 locked to Optus network. (This is not a hack but follows Optus' procedures.)

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: Google Australia search reverts to old blue design with Internet Explorer 8.

The following MyAnswers solution 2196 is now available:

When I search using Google (www.google.com.au) with Windows XP and Internet Explorer 8 I no longer have the option to select pages from Australia. There are no options on the left. The page has the blue old design and not the new black menu across the top. How do I fix this?

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Alert: iertutil.dll was not found. Computer repairs in Templestowe, Templestowe Lower and Wonga Park

This week was an interesting week in terms of computer support and repairs. What stood out was the need to fix three computers from different clients, one day after the other. Each computer was running Windows XP and would start to the Desktop and only show the Desktop background. No icons, no toolbar and no way to do anything useful. Often the window titled “Explorer.EXE – Unable To Locate Component”, with the message “The application has failed to start because iertutil.dll was not found. Re-installing the application may fix the problem” would be displayed.  

I fixed each computer and whilst after the first I thought the second and third would be much quicker. As it turned out, whilst the solution was basically the same, each computer needed to have the solution applied differently. The computers were returned to clients fixed and cleaned up. Most computers I repair have a number of infections and many have toolbars installed in their browsers which hijack the search feature of the browser. After the initial fix it was also sometimes necessary to fix other programs.

What was concerning was I haven’t been able to isolate what caused the problem. I’m not sure if it was a malware infection damaging the computer, or perhaps an update to the operating system. I suspect malware, but can’t be sure. What is important is it was possible to fix the issue without having to resort to a reinstall of the operating system.

I’d like to remind people they should have a backup copy of all their important data, their photos and their music. This was a tricky repair and for many the easiest solution may be to reinstall the operating system. I prefer to fix the problem and retain users data where possible.

If you live in Templestowe, Templestowe Lower, Doncaster, Doncaster East, Eltham, Lower Plenty, Montmorency, or the surrounding area and experience this problem, give me a call on 0415 910 703.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au  

MyAnswers: How do I delete a service in Windows XP? E.g. My Web Search Service

The following MyAnswers solution 2194 is now available:

How do I delete a service in Windows XP? E.g. I'd like to delete My Web Search Service.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

MyAnswers: I receive emails from eBay. How do I unsubscribe?

The following MyAnswers solution 2192 is now available:

I receive emails from eBay. How do I unsubscribe?

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Lakes Entrance detour via Scrivener Road

Leaving Lakes Entrance this morning around 9:30am found the road out was blocked with traffic at a standstill. Took Scrivener Road out. Police are directing Lakes Entrance traffic to Scrivener Road. Pretty worrying. Dirt track. Wet muddy and slippery with large trucks trying to get through with little room to move. If you're visiting Lakes Entrance this morning perhaps have a stop earlier and hope whatever the problem is, it clears. Noticed CFA vehicle and ambulance with lights and siren this morning in Lakes Entrance when leaving. Kelvin Eldridge www.OnlineConnections.com.au Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer. No problem too small.

MyAnswers: Using iPhone 3GS Bluetooth to connect Android tablet to the internet

The following MyAnswers solution 2190 is now available:

I decided to test connecting an Android Tablet (Toshiba and Acer) to an iPhone 3GS using Bluetooth tethering to connect to the internet and was surprised by the result.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Alert: Mates Rates (AU) - Sell your products & services on our website

I’ve been receiving quite a few spam emails from Image Marketing Group under the banner of Mates Rates.

I’d advise that if you receive a spam email from a company you should consider not dealing with that company. Remember if they’re spamming you then they’re spamming others. You should use businesses which are respectful of the laws of the country.

If you receive these emails delete them and don’t be tempted to deal with them.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Hailstones in Templestowe

Certainly is a wild and woolly day weather wise in Templestowe. The power is still off and now we've just had a hailstone shower. Kelvin Eldridge www.OnlineConnections.com.au Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer. No problem too small.

Alert: Action Required : Upgrade to Latest Acrobat Reader for Windows?

I received a number of these emails just now so it looks like a mass sending of emails is under way to most likely trick people in some way. If you receive any unsolicited emails regarding Acrobat Reader software you should delete the emails.

Don’t click on links in unsolicited emails. Open your browser and go to the Adobe site if you require an updated version of Adobe Reader or other products.

All other emails will undoubtedly by fake with malicious intent. This email has links to a web site which has name servers ending in .ru which indicates Russia. The web site was registered supposedly by someone with an address in London in the UK.

I often wonder why if these emails lead to a valid web site address the site can’t be taken down immediately so no harm is done. The domain registrars should take more responsibility and act quickly to minimise harm to the community. They are after all making money from providing the domains so people can get ripped off so they should take more responsibility for their services.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

 

Red Energy increases electricity Service To Property charge by 25%

When I received the letter from Red Energy regarding electricity price increases it is never a good omen. However when I looked at the Service To Property charge, I was floored. A staggering 25% increase and this is before we see the flow on from the Carbon Tax which will add hundreds of dollars a year to most people’s energy bills.

The problem is I feel we’re being conned by the government. As people install low energy lights, solar panels and other government initiatives, the cost of those initiatives will be put back onto us through our energy bills. We are in effect being taxed indirectly and we can’t see the taxes. The government schemes are not cost effective. Each low energy light which can be purchased for a dollar or two is worth $10 as part of the scheme and we all end up paying for that.

I decided to pay for my own low energy lights, reduce my electricity usage rather than putting in solar panels which would put a cost on myself and neighbours, but now, even though we use under 40% of the average household, that effort is being eroded as the government cost is being put on the Service To Property, which is a cost I can’t reduce.

The irony is those who installed solar panels will soon find their savings completely eroded by the energy credits they now have to pay for via their increased energy bills. A group of 11 neighbours got together and found their saving from installing solar panels to be only around $200 a year. Now with this increase, a significant portion of that saving will have been further eroded. They’re unlikely to ever recover the cost of installing the panels.

What can we do about it? Unfortunately I’m at a loss as to what we can do about. For the government this is about raising taxes indirectly. They know we don’t have any real choices when it comes to power and gas.

When you are reviewing electricity retailers, a very important figure to consider is their Service To Property charge. Don’t just look at the kWh rate. I’ve found some retailers with lower kWh rates to end up being more expensive because of their Service To Property charge. A good technique is to enter your usage for the last 12 months and then compare both the rate and the service to property charges across electricity and gas retailers.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

 

MyAnswers: Google Samsung Nexus S available online for $269.

The following MyAnswers solution 2188 is now available:

Google Nexus S available online for $269.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Many thanks to Anthony Osborne for his articles during 2011.

For those living in the Rowville/Lysterfield area you may wish to keep an eye on the JustLocal blog maintained by Anthony Osborne (www.AnthonyOsborne.com). A big thanks to Anthony for the articles helping to keep the community of Rowville and Lysterfield updated with happenings in their area.

You can read the Rowville/Lysterfield blog at www.AnthonyOsborne.com and also http://justlocal3178.blogspot.com.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

MyAnswers: Brother all-in-one unit MFC-885CW shows NO CARTRIDGE.

The following MyAnswers solution 2187 is now available:

Brother all-in-one unit MFC-885CW shows NO CARTRIDGE on the display even though there is a cartridge installed.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)

Do you know who you're dealing with?

I recently wrote a blog post for Credit Matters to provide atip to help business people check out new businesses they may be dealing with. The blog post is republished here for JustLocal readers.

Have you ever received an email out of the blue and thought you’d be interested in the services of the business. Dealing with a complete stranger is potentially a recipe for a disaster. One technique to gain more information, which I find very useful, is to use the government’s ABN site. You can check out the person’s business details by entering their ABN number or their business name. Whilst this doesn’t mean they’ll be good to deal with, at least you’ve started the review process and the information you gather can be very useful.

For example I met a person who promoted themselves as being very successful in a networking group. When I checked their details they weren’t registered for GST, which meant at the time their business turnover was less than $50,000 a year. I have no problems dealing with other small businesses, but I do feel a little cautious when people try to portray themselves as different from what they are. With another business in Eltham, I wanted to purchase a dishwasher, but since I couldn’t find their business name in the register I didn’t feel confident in using their business.

I check out businesses a number of times a week and going to the government web site, and then through their pages, I found was a bit slow. To speed things up I created a search engine I could add to Internet Explorer. The search engine is the field in the top right of Internet Explorer versions 7 and 8, and in Internet Explorer 9 the search engine has been combined with the field where you enter a web site address. A lot of people don’t even know the search engine feature is there but I find it a very useful feature. I can now enter the ABN number or the company name, select the ABN search by number or name, and presto, I have their details.

If you regularly check ABN details for businesses and would like to install the ABN search engines in Internet Explorer, visit the “Fun With Search” page I created (http://www.justlocal.com.au/clients/search-fun/), scroll down to the Australian Business Number section and click on each of the links to install the search engines. (Don’t set the search engine as the default as more than likely you don’t want the ABN search engine as the default.)

Once the search engine is installed you can search the ABN register by number or name. For example, in the search box in Internet Explorer type “Online Connections” (without the quotes), click on the drop down arrow next to the search field, select “JustLocal ABN (Name)” and you’ll go direct to the ABN site. There you’ll see the first two entries which are for my business.

This is where it gets exciting. You can see the postcode so you know where I’m located. You’ll see two entries so you can see how my business structure has changed over time. You can see the business is registered for GST. Most importantly you’ve confirmed the business is a registered entity.

Checking that a business is registered is just one of the steps you can take to check out a business you may wish to deal with. By adding an ABN search engine to the Internet Explorer browser the task of checking the ABN details becomes very quick and easy. I trust you’ll find using the search engine as convenient as I do.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

Alert: Daily Deal - APPLE IPHONE 4S BLACK 64GB 24CT GOLD PLATED

I received a number of copies of an email with the subject Daily Deal - APPLE IPHONE 4S BLACK 64GB 24CT GOLD PLATED.  These emails are fake and should be deleted.

What is interesting about this fake email is that nearly all the links in the email are links to eBay. If you check links before visiting the site to see if the advertisement is legitimate this could trick some people. You need to check all the links and in particular the link you use. The email is well formed and looks like and eBay email which could trick a number of people.

The emails were sent from Italy and the suspect links resolve to an Italian domain.

Take care in the run up to Christmas and the subsequent sales period. A bargain too good to be true probably is.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au

"Flash Player Upgrade required" message when in Facebook. - MyAnswers

The following MyAnswers solution 2186 is now available:

"Flash Player Upgrade required" message when in Facebook. I've installed the Flash upgrade. Every time I restart the computer I have to upgrade Flash again as I get the same message. I'm using Windows Vista.

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Kelvin Eldridge
www.MyAnswers.biz
(An Online Connections service.)