Simple Check Can Reveal Computer ‘Memory Leak’
Q What exactly is “memory leak”? How can I tell if my computer has memory leak and what can I do about it?
--David S., Brentwood
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A Memory leak occurs when your computer closes an open program and that program fails to release whatever memory it used while running. One way to check for memory leak is to press and hold down your Windows key and tap the Pause/Break key to bring up System Properties.
Click on the Performance tab and check System Resources for the percentage of free or available RAM. (Note: if your keyboard doesn’t have the Windows key, just right-click on My Computer and then click on Properties.) Now click on Performance. Now, close a program that is running, and then repeat the process above. If the System Resources number increases, that program is releasing the RAM it used while running. If you find programs that will not release memory, consider getting a newer version of the program.
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Q My office used an older version of Word Perfect. I’m used to the blue background with white text. The office has now switched to Microsoft Word. Is there any way Word can let me use that same blue background with white text.
--Stella L., Los Angeles
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A Both Office 97 and Office 2000 versions of Microsoft Word allow you to edit with white text over a blue background. To enable that feature, just click on Tools and then click on Options. Click on the General tab and then click in the box to the left of “Blue background, white text”.
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Q I use Microsoft Word. Is there a way that Word can tell me the number of words and characters in my documents?
--John S, Tehachapi
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A Microsoft Word, in both Office 97 and Office 2000 versions, has a feature called Readability Statistics. To turn this feature on, open any Word document and click on Tools. Now click on Options and then on the Spelling & Grammar tab. In the Grammar section, check the “Show readability statistics” box. Click on OK to close.
Now when you click on Tools and then on Spelling and Grammar, Word will spell check your document and then give you the number of words, characters, paragraphs and sentences in your documents.
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Q Whenever I open Microsoft Outlook Express, it retrieves new e-mail messages. I would prefer to work on existing e-mail messages and then tell Outlook Express to go fetch new messages. Can this be done?
--Janet M., North Hollywood
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A Microsoft Outlook Express is set to check for new e-mail messages every time you open the program. To disable this feature, open the program and then click on Tools. On the General tab, look at the Send/Receive Messages section. There is a check mark to the left of “Send and receive messages at start-up.” Click on that check mark to remove it. Now click OK. Now Outlook Express will no longer search for new messages until you click on the Send/Receive icon.
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Q My HP printer prints documents face up. I have to reorganize printed pages so that page one is first, etc. Is there a work-around for this?
--S. LeVine, Beverly Hills
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A If you use Microsoft Word (Office 97 or 2000 versions) it’s easy. From within a document, click on File and then on Print. In the Print dialogue box, click on Options (located in the lower left corner of the Print dialogue box). Click on the box located to the left of “Reverse print order” in the “Printing options” section. Your printer will now print your document face up in reverse order so that page one will be the first page.
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Jeff Levy hosts the “On Computers” radio talk show from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on KFI-AM (640). He can be reached at jefflevykfi@hotmail.com.
