InBox

A reader finds that every time he turns on his computer a dialogue box appears saying "(Kodak Software Update.exe) lacks a '-' (the app id separator)". The reader is using a Kodak digital camera and Kodak Easy Share.

Start Kodak Easy Share, go to its properties or settings, find where you set it to check for updates and disable that function. Most software designed to do a specific task has no need to update, yet so often the software vendor includes an update feature defaulted to on. If the program works for its task then it's not a big deal that it will not perform any further updates.

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Dave receives the error message, "Server does not support a SSL connection", in Outlook Express when he tries to send emails.

It's simply an incorrect setting in your mail program which is trying to use the SSL encryption system through a mail server that doesn't support it. Select Outlook Express / Tools / Accounts / Mail / Properties / Advanced and remove the tick from "Outgoing Mail SMTP. This server requires a secure connection (SSL)". Once this is done, the mail program will be able to converse in the same language as your provider's mail server.

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Bert is having problems with some legacy files. He uninstalled some programmes and then performed a search which turned up some left-over files. He then deleted these but discovered when he opened up the registry that there were also legacy files, which could not be deleted, related to those programmes. He wants to know what is the purpose a legacy file.

A file is considered to be a legacy file if it exists in an older version but is not part of the current version (not in the current version's file list). When you un-install a program, update to a later version, or even install a program that provides a newer version of a file, then the system backs these up as legacy files. If you are sure they are not needed then you can delete them by changing the file permissions, but take care because a bad decision here could cause you much grief.