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Q: I have started getting an error message while using Word.  It shows up as Microsoft visual c++ runtime library and states Runtime error “Program: C:\Program Files\Microsoft\Office\office10\winword.exe – Abnormal program termination.”  I called Dell and got an Indian who did not know the difference between Word and WordPerfect.  I then removed Word and reinstalled it.  This worked for 2 weeks and it returned.  I tried removing and reinstalling Word again and was unsuccessful.

– H.S.
Fort Walton Beach, FL

A: In my search for an answer for you, I found two possible solutions.  One is that your document template Normal.dot is corrupt.  To fix this, close down all instances of Internet Explorer, Outlook, and any Microsoft Office applications.  Use the ‘Search’ function on your Start menu to locate the file named Normal.dot.  Rename it to something else, like Normal.old.  Then start Word.  It will create a new Normal.dot, containing the default template settings.

If the above doesn’t fix the error, you may have a problem with a Microsoft Works add-in for Office.  Go to Add/Remove Programs (via Control Panel) and look for something similar to “Microsoft Works Add-In.”  Remove it, reboot, and your problem should go away.

Q: I bought one of those LapLink cables and then decided I didn’t want to transfer everything — all the bad as well as the good.  Do you think the cable could be used for computer to computer connections and selected transfers or backups?  I guess the question is: is software necessary?  I have a 32 bit Vista and a 64 bitVista.

– Cheryl R.
Crestview, FL

A: There is limited support for this kind of connection using justVista, but the LapLink software doesn’t force you to copy everything.  That said, you’d be far better off connecting your computers via their network ports.  No special software is required, and the transfer speed is far higher.

TIP OF THE WEEK – Streaming Audio and Vista: Have you switched toVista and lost the ability to record streaming audio off the Internet?  I thought I had.  Under XP, recording streaming audio was as easy as using the Audio Mixer to select “Wave Audio” or “Stereo Mix” as the source, then using any audio recorder.  When I got my firstVista machine, this capability seemed to have been removed.  The only recording device I could select was “Microphone” which is pretty much useless for streaming audio.  At first, I thought this was Microsoft’s latest attempt to enforce Digital Rights Management, but as I dug into the problem, I discovered thatVista has the same recording capability as XP, but the settings are disabled and hidden by default.  You can search for them, but you almost have to know where they are to find them.  Here’s how:  Right-click on the speaker icon in the System Tray (near the clock) and select ‘Recording Devices.’  In the window that comes up, right-click and select both ‘Show Disconnected Devices’ and ‘Show Disabled Devices.’  What you’ll see depends on the manufacturer of your audio hardware, but it should be obvious which one is the main output.  It’ll be labeled something like “What U Hear” (Creative) or “Stereo Mix” (Realtek).  Highlight the one you want, and set it as the Default.