Ask A Geek

Q: What is an index.dat analyzer and why would I want to analyze my index.dat file?

A: Index.dat is a file that Internet Explorer uses to cache recently visited websites. An index.dat analyzer would be a program that would analyze the information stored in index.dat. People would normally use an index.dat analyzer if they want to see what they viewed or if they want to see what someone else viewed using their web browser. Read the rest of this entry »

Q: Is there a setting to change that will allow me to open new IE windows in an expanded view? Recently, all my windows open to only narrow toolbar. I have to go to view and maximize each time.

Q: When I trying to download from Internet explorer I get an error message “windows installer not found.” How can I fix this?

Q: I have Mozilla FireFox set as my default web browser and when I click a URL in a Word Document I get an error message from Word saying “Unable to open [URL]. Cannot locate the Internet server or proxy server.” Word does not even try to open Mozilla FireFox it just tells me that it cannot open the URL. Is there anyway I can fix this?

A: This is one of those great Windows/Word features where if you don’t have Internet Explorer set as your default browser then you are going to have to either set Internet Explorer to be your default browser or do a tweak to your registry that I don’t suggest most people do. The easy solution is obviously just to set Internet Explorer as your default browser. Read the rest of this entry »

Q: I have Windows XP and use Internet Explorer. A few weeks ago some of the sites I visit did not work as they had. Some of the links on the pages are showing up as gif files instead of html. This is on my computer, if I use a computer elsewhere the links are still html. Does anyone know what might be wrong and how to fix it?

Q: I would like to increase the length of the search engine bar and perhaps decrease the length of the address bar in FireFox and Internet Explorer so that I can see the entire search question. Is there a way to do this? I don’t need to see much of the address bar info after the .com but often need to see the entire query in the search bar.

Q: Whenever I try to open Internet Explorer I get the following message: “The instruction at 0×0096001c referenced at 0×0096001c. The memory could not be written.”

I get the following options:
Click OK to terminate the program
Click CANCEL to debug the program

However if I click CANCEL, nothing happens, and if I click OK, I get another error message: “The instruction at 0×00962560 referenced at 0×0096250. The memory could not be written.”

The only option I get is: Click OK to terminate the program.

I click OK, and nothing happens.

This is frustrating because it happens every time I try go open Internet Explorer, so I cant use it at all. Is there anything I can do to fix this?

Q: I want to set yahoo as my primary email on Internet Explorer 7. I have downloaded yahoo messenger and it is suppose to put yahoo mail in the list for email. That is under Internet options, and then programs. Yahoo mail does not show up. I have tried this before and it worked, but does not now. How come I cannot get this to work?

Q: I have an HP Pavillion dv9000 laptop with Vista installed. I’ve been getting pop-ups that Windows Automatic Updates has stopped working, then the HP assistant (a toolbar type of thing on the desktop) stopped working, then the CaTrayLauncher stopped, and now Internet Explorer takes several attempts before it finally opens.

My Norton360 says everything is fine. What do you think is causing it? What can I do if it is a virus? I don’t use Vongo, can I delete it and the tray thing?

Q: I am using web-based software for my company and they have created personalized forms and documents that I need. Most of these are created PDF or word documents. I don’t have any problems opening or using the PDF, but after I’ve opened the word documents, there is no toolbar with options to print, etc. The web company says it’s probably a browser issue which they can’t address. I use IE. I’m not very computer savvy, so any help would be appreciated.