Q. This is a problem I have never seen. While I am working, this bluish box plants itself in the middle of the screen, on top of my work. At the same time I see the “butterfly” symbol on the taskbar. I know it’s MSN and I do not use MSN, have never used it and I cannot delete it.
— Peggy Aiello, Los Gatos, Calif.
A. Count yourself among the many computer buyers who get machines that come loaded with MSN as part of licensing deals with Microsoft.
Microsoft software engineers took a few heavy-handed steps to pop up that butterfly advertising MSN’s various Web offerings every time the computer boots up.
The simplest fix is to change the configurations for your computer to stop the little pop-up programs that MSN engineers created. This is done by clicking on Start and then Run and typing in the name “msconfig” (no quotes). In the next display open the tab on the far right for Startup. This lists maybe a score of small applications that run every time the machine gets switched on.
Look for any item starting with “msn . . . ,” such as msmsgr or msmsgs and click to remove the check mark alongside.
Q. I am trying locate a book that will enable me to obtain a comprehensive overview of computers. My purpose is to understand what I read in your column and other articles.
— Ron Dougherty @comcast.net
A. Ouch. It’s scary when a reader says he needs to find some other writer to explain things I’m supposed to make understandable for one and all. However, I must confess that some of my answers come from my own library of computer literature.
Let me suggest “PC Annoyances: How to Fix the Most Annoying Things About Your Personal Computer,” by Steve Bass, a top editor at PC World. This 177-page book uses the huge number of problems the magazine has encountered to list the most likely issues with Windows XP, America Online, printers, scanners and Internet connections, among other troubles.
A PC World colleague of Bass’, Preston Gralla, has written a great book called “Windows XP Power Hound: Teach Yourself New Tricks.” Wade through these 359 tightly written pages and you’ll look like a Windows wizard.
Last, but also best of these three offerings, is the more complex and rewarding “Windows XP Annoyances for Geeks,” by David A. Karp. My own battered copies of these three books get a lot of use. All come from O’Reilly & Associates Inc. (www.oreilly.com).
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Got a question on personal technology? Send a note to Jim Coates at [email protected]. Questions can be answered only through this column.
MORE COATES: Jim answers more questions each Saturday in the Business Technology section.