VIRUS ALERT from Panda Software:

PandaLabs has detected the appearance of Sober.AH, a new variant of the well-known sober family of email worms, which has already started to cause numerous incidents in computers around the world. In fact, it is already one of the viruses most frequently detected by the Panda ActiveScan online antivirus solution.

One of the reasons for its success is that this new variant uses social engineering techniques, tricking users into running files that contain the system code. Among other possibilities, Sober.AH can reach computers as an attachment to an email message purporting to be a warning from the FBI, advising users that they have accessed illegal Internet addresses.

BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE UP TO DATE AND DO NOT OPEN ANY SUSPICIOUS EMAILS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE FROM PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW.

Password Bypass

If you find logging on to Windows a bore, you can stop Windows displaying the login screen every time you start Windows by making it automatically log you on as a certain user (obviously this is only useful for sole users of a computer). To do this, click Start, then Run, type 'control userpasswords2' (without the enclosing quotes) and press Enter. Click to remove the tick from the box labelled 'Users must enter a user name and password to use this computer' and click OK. Type the appropriate username and password in the box that appears and click OK.

Secret Mail Friends

If you'd like to send an email to a large number of people but you don't want the recipients to know who else the message has been sent to, type the names into the Bcc box instead of the Cc box. Bcc stands for Blind carbon copy - everyone who receives the email will only see the sender's address. If you use Outlook Express and the Bcc line isn't present, open a new mail and click on the View Menu and All headers and the Bcc box will appear.

Find the Desktop

If you are proficient at using your PC, you'll often have several programmes running at once. For example, you may be cutting and pasting text from Internet Explorer into an email or a Word document. However, even seasoned users can be overwhelmed with the number of programme windows open at one time. If you find yourself adrift in a sea of windows, hold down the Windows key and then press the letter D at the same time. This will minimise all windows and return you to the safety of your Desktop.

Mouse Moves

Ever find yourself double-clicking on icons many times before you get them to open? If so, open the Control Panel by clicking on the Start Menu, then selecting Settings and Control Panel. When the window opens, double-click on the Mouse icon and a dialogue box will open. Click on the buttons tab (if it isn't already selected), and then move the slider at the bottom of the dialogue box slightly to the left. Lowering the value will increase the amount of time you have to finish the second of the two clicks required to tell the PC that you want to open, rather than just select, a file.

A Perfect View

If you like viewing images online but are feeling hemmed in by Internet Explorer's numerous menus and toolbars, you'll be glad to hear that they can be switched off. Navigate to a page with a large picture you like and press the F11 key. This makes the toolbar shrink into small icons and hides your Taskbar and Start Menu at the bottom of the screen. To restore it to normal, press F11 again and Explorer will change back to its original state.

Being Choosy

Sometimes you need to open several files at once and it can be a bit laborious opening them one by one. To get round this, open the folder containing the files you want to open, then hold down the Control key and click on each file in turn. When you've chosen all your desired files, right-click on one, and then choose Open from the menu that appears.

Another useful tip

Before changing settings that you think might prevent Windows XP from working properly, run System Restore and take a "snapshot" of your system. System restore takes snapshots at the beginning of each day, but you'll lose all other configuration changes that occurred between that snapshot and the time you restored it. By taking a snapshot just prior to making significant changes, you ensure that you don't lose other configuration changes that you might want to keep. To use the System Restore Wizard, make sure you're logged on as an administrator, and then follow these steps:

1. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore.
2. On the Welcome screen, click Restore my computer to an earlier time, and then click Next.
3. On the Select a Restore Point page, select the date from the calendar that shows the point you'd like to restore to, and then click Next.
4. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, verify that the correct restore point is chosen, and then close any open programs.
5. Click Next if you are ready to proceed or click Back to change the restore point.
6. The computer will shut down automatically and reboot. On the reboot, you'll see the Restoration Complete page, and then click OK.