Making Facebook show just one public face

April 6, 2011 at 2:32PM

Q I joined Facebook to keep my grandchildren company. Through some miscue on my part, I now have two separate Facebook accounts, each with its own set of photos and friends. How can I cancel one account while keeping the photos and friends from both accounts? Is it possible to combine the two accounts?

GIL SNYDER, MIAMI

A Facebook says it's not possible to merge two separate accounts. But you can download everything from one account (see tinyurl.com/3hkghts) so you can upload it to the other one.

You can't pick and choose what to download because it all comes in one package that includes your profile, Wall posts, photos and videos, friend list, notes you made, events for which you sent an RSVP, messages, and comments made by you or others.

When you're finished with the old account, delete it. See tinyurl.com/yf9w4tx.

A note to those who are more deeply involved with Facebook: If you are a "group administrator," meaning that you control the membership of a group, make sure to authorize your surviving Facebook account to be an "admin" before you abandon an old account. See tinyurl.com/3z8cp5r.

Q The new HP desktop I recently bought won't function. It came with one month of Norton Antivirus protection, and after that the program kept telling me I had no protection. I tried to install the free Microsoft Security Essentials program, but it warned me to remove any existing antivirus programs first. I thought I did that, but when I tried to restart the PC I got a blank screen. What should I do now?

IAN NAISH, Ottawa

A You've accidentally deleted some files that Windows needs to function. If you got a Windows 7 installation disk with your new PC, put it in the DVD drive. When a menu appears on the screen choose "system recovery options," then "startup repair," which can fix some missing or damaged Windows files. If you didn't get an installation disk with your PC, look for a "recovery disk" that can fix the same things.

If you didn't get either disk with your PC, you'll need to contact HP and order a Windows 7 recovery disk. Since you have access to another computer, you'll find the instructions for ordering a recovery disk at tinyurl.com/momltl. Otherwise, call HP at 800-474-6836.

Once Windows is working again, you can get rid of the trial version of Norton Antivirus on your PC by using a free removal tool from Symantec, the company that makes the Norton security products. You can find it at tinyurl.com/286wgyw.

E-mail tech questions to steve.j.alexander @gmail.com, or write to Tech Q&A, 425 Portland Av., Minneapolis, MN 55488. Include name, city and telephone number.

about the writer

about the writer

Steve Alexander

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