Computer Info Centre

Trick to Convert Internet Download Manager (IDM) Trial into Full Version Free

2011-09-16T09:21:00.000-07:00

Internet Download Manager (IDM) v. 6.07 is the best download manager software at this time. The software can be easier for us to download files on the internet, for example, when we were watching a video on Youtube, the video that we are witnessing can be downloaded directly through this IDM program, this software also has the stability to download the file, with a resume and pause features, and can accelerate the download process.

You can download this software from the official website at the address:
www. internetdownloadmanager.com. or click here >>

However, this IDM 6.07 is paid software. So, if you download directly from its official website will be given 30-day trial, and after the trial period runs out you must purchase a license of the software is expensive with a hefty price. For that, I will give you a way how to make a trial IDM is a full version, here is the steps ....

If you already installed on your computer and the trialnya IDM software is up then it will appear warning that you must purchase a license this software to be able to use it again.

To make it a full version, then there must be a special way to handle it. The first step is to open the IDM program, if there are no shortcuts on the desktop, you must open it from the IDM installation folder and it usually is on drive C: / Program Files / InternetDownloadManager, after IDM window opens, select the menu download and click option!

Once the options window opens, select the Dial Up tab and uncheck the checkbox Use Windows Dial Up Networking, then click OK.

Once the window opens to enter the serial number, enter your full name, eg, TOM on First Name, and Last Name column RIDER , then enter your email address, and the most important is the serial number. Enter the code: 76JYH LX2HH-BWU14-V9AEG on the serial number column, but at the time of filling serial number, an Internet connection you have to be turned off first. This prevents the IDM to validate them online via the internet.

Then click OK, then open the IDM program. Then the software IDM (Internet Download Manager) on your computer will be a full version. Good luck!

XP Quick Fix Plus - Free Portable Repairing Tools

2009-11-27T08:03:00.000-08:00

XP Quick Fix Plus a freeware by LeeLu Soft 2009 v2.0 (Plus)

There are a lot of excellent free Windows comprehensive repairing and fixing tools around the internet. But there are times when you want just one quick fix for example when you are under a virus attack and you just want to enable the Task Manager or the Registry Editor so you can fight the virus back, or when some new installation changed your XP behavior and My Documents opens on every start up.

This is the right time to draw XP Quick Fix Plus with 40 common Windows XP problems fixes, only 0.58mb, portable, small and fast, a must have on every computer and with a small extra, a command line utility to fix 6 common problems directly from command line !

Note ! There can be a problem with the same symptoms as described in XP Quick Fix, but it happened because of a different reason, in this case, XP Quick Fix, may not solve the problem but also will not harm your computer.

How to use XP Quick Fix Plus GUI

XP Quick Fix is a portable application, There is no install process, just unzip to any folder and run it. It includes two files:
LFX.exe (584kb) the main program GUI with 40 fixes
QFC.exe (38kb) a command line utility with 6 fixes

Using XP Quick Fix is very simple, just run it, and click on the button with the relevant fix Some of the fixes may effect only after a restart.

Clicking a fix button is safe and will not harm even a proper configured computer !

XP Quick Fix Feature

Enable Task Manager
Enable Registry Editor
Stop My Documents Open At Start-up
Enable Folder Options
Restore Missing Run Dialog
Enable CMD
and many more tools ...

How to use the Command Line Utility

In a case there is no way to run XP Quick Fix Plus from Windows or if you need to run the fix from a batch file or script, there is a simple command line utility (QFC.EXE) included in the original zip file, only 38kb.

Open a command line (cmd.exe), change directory to the program folder and run QFC.EXE with the parameters:

QFC /t - quick enable the Task Manager
QFC /r - quick enable the Rgistry Editor
QFC /f - quick enable the Folder Options
QFC /e - quick restore the Run Dialog
QFC /p - quick restore My Computer Properties
QFC /x - Quick fix Windows can't run exe files

Note ! parameters are case sensitive.
Note ! You can run only one parameter at a time.

OS Support

XP Quick Fix Plus was made for Windows XP and was not tested on any other OS except Windows XP SP2.

Notes

Very important ! XP Quick Plus Fix will not remove any virus or mallware !!, it will just enable some of the features that were disabled by the virus or other programs, you still have to take the required steps to remove the virus, but it will for sure help you fight back.
Be aware, if your computer is a part of an organizational network some issues are likely because of the organization group policy, this tool is only for use with personal and private computers !
if you computer is part of an organization network advice your system administrator before using this tool !

LeeLu Soft Freeware License

Start to Download XP Quick Fix Plus >>

How to Send a Fax from Your Computer

2009-09-25T11:16:00.001-07:00

So how can you send a fax from your computer using the Internet or email? We are in the days of an easy lifestyle where we can do everything from our computers using the Internet for free. Sending and receiving your fax is one of them.

You know how not long ago, you needed to have a bulky fax machine and a phone line to send and receive faxes. Not to mention the costs of getting a fax machine, faxing paper, phone line, and more.

But today you can easily send and receive your faxes from your computer using your email. Many of these online fax services even offer you a free local phone number to use as your faxing number.

Why sending a fax from your computer is better than a fax machine?

Simply because you can save a lot of time and send and receive your faxes with a simple click. Also you will save a lot of money by using free online fax services.

Not to mention you can access your faxes from anywhere in the world - as long as you have an Internet connection and your computer. You can see all your incoming faxes in your email online. How easier can it get?

How to Send a Fax from Your Computer?

It is very easy and you can do it in 3 simple steps. Here they are...

Step 1: Choose a Good Fax to Email Service Online

There are many various services and programs available online that give you an easy-to-use fax number linked to your email address. So any fax that you receive in that number will be automatically sent to your email address as an attachment.

Also when you want to send a fax, you can login to your web account and upload your fax in many formats and then send it to any local or even international fax number that you want.

Step 2: Upload Your Fax Document Online

You can upload your documents that you want to send in various formats - like Microsoft Word, picture files, Excel, or a simple text file.

Then you can choose from one of their professional, ready-made fax document templates and cover page to add an impressive layout to your faxing document.

Step 3: Click the Send Fax Button

After everything is ready, you simply click the button to send out your fax to the number you want. Yes, as easy as that.

The most important step among these three is choosing the best online faxing program that helps you with all the features and benefits you want to have. So make sure you do enough research and choose the best online fax to email service.

Author: Alex C Johnson

Did You Know? You can send and receive your faxes by email in 3 minutes from now - easily and fast? Simply get your Free Fax to Email Service now.
Want to find the most reliable and easy-to-use online fax services? Check out this helpful guide to discover the best Free Online Fax Services.

Top 55 Tips for Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

2009-08-26T10:15:00.000-07:00

Here is The Top 55 SEO tips for beginner, newbie, or new webmaster..

Search engine optimization or SEO pertains to the the way you optimize a site in order to improve its ranking in search engine results pages. If you secure a place in the top 10 list of major search engines for keywords or key phrases which are related to you site, more people will visit your site and hopefully, they will convert into customers. SEO involves a lot of different techniques to make sure that the website will be visited by your target audience. With millions of sites in the World Wide Web, it is almost impossible for people to know your site exists if you do not optimize it. It is therefore important to do several SEO techniques to make your site visible to your target market and beat the competition.

In SEO, the goal is to improve site ranking in search engines. When someone looks for something on the net and uses keywords or key phrases that are related to your site, you will want your site to appear on the first page of the search results. There are different SEO methods or techniques that should be done to make this happen. In this article, take a look at some SEO tips for beginners:

If you absolutely MUST use Java script drop down menus, image maps or image links, be sure to put text links somewhere on the page for the spiders to follow.
Content is king, so be sure to have good, well-written and unique content that will focus on your primary keyword or keyword phrase.
If content is king, then links are queen. Build a network of quality backlinks using your keyword phrase as the link. Remember, if there is no good, logical reason for that site to link to you, you don’t want the link.
Don’t be obsessed with PageRank. It is just one isty bitsy part of the ranking algorithm. A site with lower PR can actually outrank one with a higher PR.
Be sure you have a unique, keyword focused Title tag on every page of your site. And, if you MUST have the name of your company in it, put it at the end. Unless you are a major brand name that is a household name, your business name will probably get few searches.
Fresh content can help improve your rankings. Add new, useful content to your pages on a regular basis. Content freshness adds relevancy to your site in the eyes of the search engines.
Be sure links to your site and within your site use your keyword phrase. In other words, if your target is “blue widgets” then link to “blue widgets” instead of a “Click here” link.
Focus on search phrases, not single keywords, and put your location in your text (“our Palm Springs store” not “our store”) to help you get found in local searches.
Don’t design your web site without considering SEO. Make sure your web designer understands your expectations for organic SEO. Doing a retrofit on your shiny new Flash-based site after it is built won’t cut it. Spiders can crawl text, not Flash or images.
Use keywords and keyword phrases appropriately in text links, image ALT attributes and even your domain name.
...

Click here to read the next 45 SEO tips for beginner ..

Computer Tips : 23 Easy Ways To Speed Windows Xp

2009-06-13T10:18:00.000-07:00

Computer Info, Tips and Tricks about the Operating System.. (Windows XP)

Since defragging the disk won't do much to improve Windows XP performance, here are 23 suggestions that will. Each can enhance the performance and reliability of your customers' PCs. Best of all, most of them will cost you nothing.

1.) To decrease a system's boot time and increase system performance, use the money you save by not buying defragmentation software -- the built-in Windows defragmenter works just fine -- and instead equip the computer with an Ultra-133 or Serial ATA hard drive with 8-MB cache buffer.

2.) If a PC has less than 512 MB of RAM, add more memory. This is a relatively inexpensive and easy upgrade that can dramatically improve system performance.

3.) Ensure that Windows XP is utilizing the NTFS file system. If you're not sure, here's how to check: First, double-click the My Computer icon, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Next, .. examine the File System type; if it says FAT32, then back-up any important data. Next, click Start, click Run, type CMD, and then click OK. At the prompt, type CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS and press the Enter key. This process may take a while; it's important that the computer be uninterrupted and virus-free. The file system used by the bootable drive will be either FAT32 or NTFS. I highly recommend NTFS for its superior security, reliability, and efficiency with larger disk drives.

4.) Disable file indexing. The indexing service extracts information from documents and other files on the hard drive and creates a "searchable keyword index." As you can imagine, this process can be quite taxing on any system.

The idea is that the user can search for a word, phrase, or property inside a document, should they have hundreds or thousands of documents and not know the file name of the document they want. Windows XP's built-in search functionality can still perform these kinds of searches without the Indexing service. It just takes longer. The OS has to open each file at the time of the request to help find what the user is looking for.

Most people never need this feature of search. Those who do are typically in a large corporate environment where thousands of documents are located on at least one server. But if you're a typical system builder, most of your clients are small and medium businesses. And if your clients have no need for this search feature, I recommend disabling it.

Here's how: First, double-click the My Computer icon. Next, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Uncheck "Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching." Next, apply changes to "C: subfolders and files," and click OK. If a warning or error message appears (such as "Access is denied"), click the Ignore All button.

5.) Update the PC's video and motherboard chipset drivers. Also, update and configure the BIOS. For more information on how to configure your BIOS properly, see this article on my site.

6.) Empty the Windows Prefetch folder every three months or so. Windows XP can "prefetch" portions of data and applications that are used frequently. This makes processes appear to load faster when called upon by the user. That's fine. But over time, the prefetch folder may become overloaded with references to files and applications no longer in use. When that happens, Windows XP is wasting time, and slowing system performance, by pre-loading them. Nothing critical is in this folder, and the entire contents are safe to delete.

7.) Once a month, run a disk cleanup. Here's how: Double-click the My Computer icon. Then right-click on the C: drive and select Properties. Click the Disk Cleanup button -- it's just to the right of the Capacity pie graph -- and delete all temporary files.

8.) In your Device Manager, double-click on the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers device, and ensure that DMA is enabled for each drive you have connected to the Primary and Secondary controller. Do this by double-clicking on Primary IDE Channel. Then click the Advanced Settings tab. Ensure the Transfer Mode is set to "DMA if available" for both Device 0 and Device 1. Then repeat this process with the Secondary IDE Channel.

9.) Upgrade the cabling. As hard-drive technology improves, the cabling requirements to achieve these performance boosts have become more stringent. Be sure to use 80-wire Ultra-133 cables on all of your IDE devices with the connectors properly assigned to the matching Master/Slave/Motherboard sockets. A single device must be at the end of the cable; connecting a single drive to the middle connector on a ribbon cable will cause signaling problems. With Ultra DMA hard drives, these signaling problems will prevent the drive from performing at its maximum potential. Also, because these cables inherently support "cable select," the location of each drive on the cable is important. For these reasons, the cable is designed so drive positioning is explicitly clear.

10.) Remove all spyware from the computer. Use free programs such as AdAware by Lavasoft or SpyBot Search & Destroy. Once these programs are installed, be sure to check for and download any updates before starting your search. Anything either program finds can be safely removed. Any free software that requires spyware to run will no longer function once the spyware portion has been removed; if your customer really wants the program even though it contains spyware, simply reinstall it. For more information on removing Spyware visit this Web Pro News page.

11.) Remove any unnecessary programs and/or items from Windows Startup routine using the MSCONFIG utility. Here's how: First, click Start, click Run, type MSCONFIG, and click OK. Click the StartUp tab, then uncheck any items you don't want to start when Windows starts. Unsure what some items are? Visit the WinTasks Process Library. It contains known system processes, applications, as well as spyware references and explanations. Or quickly identify them by searching for the filenames using Google or another Web search engine.

12.) Remove any unnecessary or unused programs, from the Add/Remove Programs section of the Control Panel.

13.) Turn off any and all unnecessary animations, and disable active desktop. In fact, for optimal performance, turn off all animations. Windows XP offers many different settings in this area. Here's how to do it: First click on the System icon in the Control Panel. Next, click on the Advanced tab. Select the Settings button located under Performance. Feel free to play around with the options offered here, as nothing you can change will alter the reliability of the computer -- only its responsiveness.

14.) If your customer is an advanced user who is comfortable editing their registry, try some of the performance registry tweaks offered at Tweak XP.

15.) Visit Microsoft's Windows update site regularly, and download all updates labeled Critical. Download any optional updates at your discretion.

16.) Update the customer's anti-virus software on a weekly, even daily, basis. Make sure they have only one anti-virus software package installed. Mixing anti-virus software is a sure way to spell disaster for performance and reliability.

17.) Make sure the customer has fewer than 500 type fonts installed on their computer. The more fonts they have, the slower the system will become. While Windows XP handles fonts much more efficiently than did the previous versions of Windows, too many fonts -- that is, anything over 500 -- will noticeably tax the system.

18.) Do not partition the hard drive. Windows XP's NTFS file system runs more efficiently on one large partition. The data is no safer on a separate partition, and a reformat is never necessary to reinstall an operating system. The same excuses people offer for using partitions apply to using a folder instead. For example, instead of putting all your data on the D: drive, put it in a folder called "D drive." You'll achieve the same organizational benefits that a separate partition offers, but without the degradation in system performance. Also, your free space won't be limited by the size of the partition; instead, it will be limited by the size of the entire hard drive. This means you won't need to resize any partitions, ever. That task can be time-consuming and also can result in lost data.

19.) Check the system's RAM to ensure it is operating properly. I recommend using a free program called MemTest86. The download will make a bootable CD or diskette (your choice), which will run 10 extensive tests on the PC's memory automatically after you boot to the disk you created. Allow all tests to run until at least three passes of the 10 tests are completed. If the program encounters any errors, turn off and unplug the computer, remove a stick of memory (assuming you have more than one), and run the test again. Remember, bad memory cannot be repaired, but only replaced.

20.) If the PC has a CD or DVD recorder, check the drive manufacturer's Web site for updated firmware. In some cases you'll be able to upgrade the recorder to a faster speed. Best of all, it's free.

21.) Disable unnecessary services. Windows XP loads a lot of services that your customer most likely does not need. To determine which services you can disable for your client, visit the Black Viper site for Windows XP configurations.

22.) If you're sick of a single Windows Explorer window crashing and then taking the rest of your OS down with it, then follow this tip: open My Computer, click on Tools, then Folder Options. Now click on the View tab. Scroll down to "Launch folder windows in a separate process," and enable this option. You'll have to reboot your machine for this option to take effect.

23.) At least once a year, open the computer's cases and blow out all the dust and debris. While you're in there, check that all the fans are turning properly. Also inspect the motherboard capacitors for bulging or leaks. For offers about discounts:
www.discountsvu.com

Following any of these suggestions should result in noticeable improvements to the performance and reliability of your customers' computers. If you still want to defrag a disk, remember that the main benefit will be to make your data more retrievable in the event of a crashed drive.

Author: Rathish kumar

The next article, let's talk about Tips and Tricks on Windows Vista..

Troubleshooting and Maintaining Your Laptop Battery

2009-05-21T23:24:00.000-07:00

Troubleshooting and Maintaining Your Laptop Battery

The actual life of a laptop battery will vary with computer usage habits. For most users, it is not uncommon to experience differences in battery life, of anywhere from just under one hour to over two hours in each sitting. If you are experiencing shorter battery life cycles, say 10 to 15 minutes, it may not yet be time to order that new battery.

There are several factors to take into consideration when determining if the time has come to replace your battery. This information may also apply to that new battery that you have recently purchased, that has been giving you fits. The two primary things to consider when troubleshooting battery problems is Usage Habits and Battery Memory. We will cover both in their complexities in just a moment, but first, let us take a look at what you should expect from your battery's life cycle.

NiMH batteries usually last 1.5 to 2.5 hours.
LiION batteries usually last 2.0 to 3.0 hours.

These are average results and the results will vary greatly depending on your system's conservation settings, the temperature of the room and the climate that you are operating your computer in. As a general rule, your Lithium Ion battery will last much longer than your standard Nickel Metal Hydride battery.

Now let's take a look at the various usage habits to consider when troubleshooting your laptop's battery. These processes are very similar to the way that your portable stereo uses batteries ... just think how much faster your stereo dell Inspiron 9400 battery eats batteries when you are playing the CD or the tape deck, as opposed to when you are just playing the radio.

The more you use physical devices --- which require more electricity to operate --- the more of the battery's power you can expect to consume. The devices that create a larger power drain are the hard drive, the floppy drive and the CD-ROM.

When the computer dell 310-6321 battery is able to use its physical memory resources to store information, the computer will use less of the battery's power, since the process is mostly electrical in nature. However, when the processes you are using exhaust the physical memory resources available to your system, the system will turn to virtual memory to continue the process at hand. Virtual Memory is designed to extend system memory resources by building a memory swap file on the hard drive, and then transfer needed information between the hard drive and the physical memory as required. Since the hard drive is a electricity hog, the use of virtual memory becomes an electricity hog by proxy.

Two other processes that engage virtual dell 310-6322 battery memory on your computer are computational programs and the calculation processes used by spreadsheet applications and database programs. Both of these items engage the processor to a greater degree as well, which in itself is a consumer of electricity. Because they both compute and calculate large quantities of information, they will also increase the amount of electricity that your laptop will consume.

by: johnsunvalley

More information about laptop visit the website:
Laptop Accessories - Discount Laptop Batteries, Laptop Keyboards, Laptop AC Adapter, LCD Screen Panel

Laptop parts- Laptop Battery, Laptop Keyboards, Laptop AC Adapter, LCD Screen Panel

Download 5 Plug-ins in Firefox Browser

2009-04-14T16:51:00.000-07:00

Firefox browser is one of the most growth in users. For users of Firefox already know that made in Mozilla browser has a lot of plug-in.

Plug-ins are additional tools that can be installed on the Mozilla Firefox browser to add a particular capability or facilities, increase the comfort use internet or enhance the browser view.

There are thousands of plug-in available in Firefox which can be downloaded and installed free of charge. The following are the five plug-in Firefox which is very useful and quite popular among internet users Techdream version. What is your favorite plug-in?

1. Autocopy

By using this plug-in, Firefox will automatically copy text that has been blocked. We do not need to press the keys Ctrl + C, so more sparingly time. Plug-in Autocopy This can be downloaded at:
https:// addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/383

2. Fire Uploader

With this plug-in, you can upload or download video, image files or documents from any site, including Flickr, Google Picasa Albums, Youtube, Facebook, Box.net. Yhis Interface also very user friendly. Download the plug-in:
http://www.fireuploader.com/ # fupHome

3. GMail Manager

Plug-in is very useful to the GMail account. With this plug-in, you can set a different account from GMail Firefox and monitor whether there is new e-mail or not. Some of the interesting features of this plug-in is:

* Automatically log in and open the inbox with just one click.
* Displaying number of unread email in the inbox.
* List of 10 most recent messages.
* Raise alerts when a new incoming email.
* Customize the icon on the toolbar / statusbar.

Plug-in Manager GMail you can download at:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1320

4. Foxmarks

Plug-in allows you to access the bookmarks on any computer as a plug-in will save a copy of the bookmarks on the server. Hence, you can access your bookmarks from any computer. Plug-in will be very useful for you who often use the computer that is different. To download, visit the following link:
http://www.foxmarks.com/

5. IE Tab

There are several websites that can only be run on the browser Internet Explorer (IE). so you would not want to have to use IE. Firefox offers a plug-in called IE Tab. With this plug-in you can open a new tab which is the IE tab in Firefox browser, without having to open the IE window. Download IE Tab through this link:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1419

source information:
http://worldlightinformation.blogspot.com

RAM Upgrade: How Much Is The Best For Your Computer

2009-03-19T17:33:00.000-07:00

The gainful process for upgrading the computer is addition of RAM that will speed up the running of the slothful computer. The computers will be purchased with more than sufficient RAM. But after some years this will become insufficient due to the new programmers that crop up. More memory power is required for the latest operating systems. When a computer has insufficient RAM, it changes the spill over data very often from the hard drive and thus reduces the performance of the computer.

There may be various reasons for the slow performance of a computer. One among them is the RAM capacity. It is advised to check up the RAM immediately when the computer breaks down. How can the requirement of RAM be verified? It is very simple. Just go to the windows task manager and then press Ctrl+Alt+Del to go to the performance tab. The vista users should just click start task manager. If the figure indication is zero next to Available in the case of windows and Free in the case of Vista, then it is a must that the RAM has to be upgraded.

In general, 1 GB RAM is quite sufficient for the users of average Windows XP. The computer that is utilized for running programs like functioning with images and burning of CD’s with Nero Express programme will have a better speed with 1 GB RAM than the 512 MB RAM. But a minimum of 2 GB RAM is required for those users who utilize the computer with the programmers to work with the huge graphic files or digital video. Here again, it is recommended to have 2 GB RAM for a better performance for those computers which are to be upgraded to windows vista.

There are various types of RAM available in the market. Some of them are DDR, DDR2 and DDR3. Those RAM which are produced with the new technology will definitely have a fast performance. But, in general almost many mother boards do accept only one kind of RAM. Hence, it is a must for the user to check up the manual of the computer regarding the type of the RAM that can be installed and its procedure before finalizing the capacity of the RAM and its type. There are also various online equipment available to get the information handy regarding the usage of the type of the RAM in the computer.

Many of the computers that are upgraded now use mostly the dual channel memory. This is mainly due to its extreme good performance. Thus the preference now goes to install two numbers of 512 MB RAM than one number of 1 GB RAM. Here again, the documentation has to be checked before taking up the installation work of RAM. It is also safe to buy quality product without minding paying of a little higher cost rather than going for an inferior quality.

Author: Lesley Lyon

The Most Computer Drivers - Free Download

2009-02-04T02:18:00.000-08:00

Your computer is made up of many components. Most of the components are inner, such as sound devices, video cards, NIC devices and a range of devices integrated on the motherboard. There are also computer peripheral device hardware which is external from the personal computer, for example: printing machines, digital scanners and web cameras. For our computer system to be capable to run the right way each one of these devices call for the fitting device driver.

Download your computer device driver here!

ATI Catalyst Drivers

ATI Technologies Inc - (Freeware)

ATI Catalyst: A free software suite for ATI Radeon graphics that helps improve PC performance by increasing overall stability and providing innovative...

ATI Catalyst Drivers 9.1 Vista 64 - Download
ATI Catalyst Drivers 9.1 Vista - Download
ATI Catalyst Drivers 9.1 XP 64 - Download
ATI Catalyst Drivers 9.1 XP - Download

NVIDIA Forceware

NVIDIA Corporation - (Freeware)

NVIDIA ForceWare software unleashes the full power and features in NVIDIA's desktop, gaming, platform, workstation, laptop, multimedia, and mobile pro...

NVIDIA Forceware 181.22 WHQL Vista 64 - Download
NVIDIA Forceware 181.22 WHQL Vista - Download
NVIDIA Forceware 181.22 WHQL XP 64 - Download
NVIDIA Forceware 181.22 WHQL XP - Download

Realtek AC'97 Driver A4.06

Realtek - 17.87MB (Freeware)

Realtek Drivers and codecs for Realteks series of audio chipsets for motherboards.

Download

IntelliPoint 6.3

Microsoft Corporation - 15.01MB (Freeware)

With IntelliPoint mouse software, you can customize the unique features of your Microsoft mouse to fit your needs. Each mouse button - including the w...

Download

IntelliType Pro 6.3

Microsoft Corporation - 15.27MB (Freeware)

With IntelliType Pro keyboard software, you can customize the unique features of your Microsoft® keyboard to fit your needs. Many keys can be reassign...

Download

SetPoint 4.70

Logitech - 51.25MB (Freeware)

Logitech MouseWare is the software used to install and control Logitech mice. It contains drivers and software enabling you to take full advantage of ...

Download

Java Runtime Environment 1.6.0.12

Sun Microsystems - 15.52MB (Freeware)

Java software allows you to run applications called "applets" that are written in the Java programming language. These applets allow you to play onlin...

Download

Microsoft ActiveSync 4.5

Microsoft Corporation - 7.52MB (Freeware)

ActiveSync is the latest sync software release for Windows Mobile 5.0-based devices.

Download

DirectX 9.0c (Nov 08)

Microsoft Corporation - 86.25MB (Freeware)

Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich i...

Download

.NET Framework

Microsoft Corporation - (Freeware)

The .NET Framework version redistributable package includes everything you need to run applications developed using the .NET Framework.

.NET Framework Version 3.5 SP1 - Download
.NET Framework Version 2.0 SP1 - Download
.NET Framework Version 1.1 - Download

More driver visit:
www.filehippo.com
www.driveruptodate.blogspot.com

Types of Computer Hardware

2009-01-29T18:06:00.000-08:00

Computer hardware is a physical part of a computer that executes within the hardware. It is unlike computer software or data that can be frequently changed, modified or erased on a computer. Computer hardware is not frequently changed and so is stored in hardware devices such as read only memory (ROM) where it is not readily changed.

Most computer hardware is embedded and so is not visible to normal users. Below are the different types of hardware's found in a computer:

Motherboard: It is the central or primary circuit board making up a complex electronic system such as a computer. A motherboard is also known as a main board, logic board or system board.
Central processing Unit: A CPU is the main component of a digital computer that interprets instructions and process data in computer programs.
Random Access Memory: A RAM allows the stored data to be accessed in any order. RAM is considered as the main memory of the computer where the working area is used for displaying and manipulating data.
Basic Input Output System: BIOS prepares the software programs to load, execute and control the computer.
Power Supply: Power Supply supplies electrical energy to an output load or group of loads.
Video Display Controller: It converts the logical representation of visual information into a signal that can be used as input for a display medium.
Computer Bus: It is used to transfer data or power between computer components inside a computer or between computers.
CD-ROM drive: It contains data accessible by a computer
Floppy disk: It is a data storage device
Zip Drive: It is a medium capacity removable disk storage system.
Hard Disk: It is a non-volatile data storage system that stores data on a magnetic surface layered unto hard disk platters.

Author: Isabella Rodrigues

Buy Quality Computer Hardware Online

2009-01-21T01:49:00.000-08:00

Computer hardware means the physical part of a computer. No software or program can do anything without proper hardware. Moreover the success or performance of a software program depends completely on the computer hardware being used. So it becomes absolutely important that we buy quality computer hardware.

Now that you have decided to buy computer parts, the next big step is where to buy them from. One tends to always buy from a friendly neighborhood computer hardware dealer. But, with the advent of Internet, one has the convenience of going through literally hundreds of product catalogs and arriving at a purchasing decision.

The Internet is a popular place to check out computer hardware sales, but you must be sure that when you buy hardware (or any purchase) over the Internet, the site offers some kind of security to prevent information about you from being stolen.

Buying a computer part online is often cheaper than buying it from a dealer, as the overhead costs are reduced. This means that you pay less and get more. This is one advantage that has led people in increasing numbers to shop for parts online, especially from a wholesaler. Since the entire sales channel is literally cut in half, you do not pay for the extra margin, which you would have had you purchased the same from a retailer. There is also the convenience factor of shopping online.

In fact, cheap and discount computer hardware is very easy to find online. Whether it is notebook parts, input devices, printer, printer supplies you can find them extensively advertised and sold online.

One should always take care to ensure that the parts that one is buying are genuine. What this means is that one should always buy these computer hardware from a reputed online dealer.

Author: Mike Nicholson
Computer hardware UK offers quality computer hardware online:

Overclock Your Computer

2009-01-21T01:37:00.000-08:00

There are two schools of thought as to why you can, or would even want to overclock most CPUs and GPUs. One of them takes the peace, love and understanding route, namely that the manufacturing process is never 100 per cent reliable, so not every chip that rolls off the same production line is born equal. Those with the most lustrous coats and shiniest eyes (bred on Pedigree, presumably) are ready to be high-end components, but those with a bit of a squint and a runny nose may have a funny turn if they exert themselves too much.

Hence, some chips are slapped with a lower official clock-speed and sold for less groats than their beefier brethren. The potential for their intended glory remains, however. Overclocking techniques can unlock at least some of that potential, albeit at the risk of frying the chip completely.

The tinfoil hat/Angry Internet Men theory is based on the same concept but chucks in a bit of paranoia. In this scenario, every same-series processor is born equal, but The Man artificially neuters most of them and slaps different badges on what are fundamentally the same chips. Overclocking, then, is simply a way of taking back what's rightfully yours.

The truth likely lies somewhere between the two. Mass production certainly makes more financial sense than dozens of separate lines, and it's true that a low-end CPU or GPU can be made to punch far above its weight, but their stability isn't as guaranteed as a chip that's officially able to run at a higher speed. No manufacturer wants to deal with a steady trickle of returned parts, after all. But it does mean home overclocking is almost always productive - and seemingly more so with every new hardware generation.

It's also increasingly easy. The earliest overclocking on the 4 to 10MHz 8088-based CPUs of 1983, involved desoldering a clock crystal from the motherboard and replacing it with a third-party one, with only partially successful results. Ouch. Still, the precedent was set: a dedicated guy-at-home could exceed his chip's official spec. IBM, then very much the top dog of PC land, wasn't entirely happy about this, so follow-up hardware included hard-wired overclock blocks.

More soldering this time of a BIOS chip, managed to get around this. By 1986 IBM's stranglehold had been broken, resulting in a raft of 'clone' systems - and a wealth of choice. Intel's 286 and 386 processors became the de facto standard chips, and bus speed and voltage controls began to shift from physical switches and jumpers to BIOS options and settings.

It was the 486 that really changed everything however. It's telling that this was the chip most prevalent during the era that birthed the first-person shooter as we know it: 1993's Doom very much popularized performance PCs for gaming driving system upgrades in the same way a Half-Life 2 or Crysis does these days. At the same time, the 486 introduced two concepts absolutely crucial to overclocking both then and now. Firstly, it popularized split product lines; no longer was it a matter of buying simply a processor, but rather which processor. The 486SX and DX offered some serious performance differential, and notably the SXs were hobbled/failed DXs, giving rise to the ongoing practice of assigning different speeds and names to what were the same chip.

For a while too, the 25MHz SXes could be overclocked to 33MHz by adjusting a jumper on the motherboard; something less salubrious retailers took full advantage of. Secondly, it introduced the multiplier: performing more clocks per every one mustered by the system's front side bus. The 486's 2x multiplier thus effectively doubled the bus frequency. This was something overclockers would make the best of for successive processor generations - bumping up the multiplier was the simplest and often most effective way of increasing CPU speed. Nowadays (since the Pentium II, in fact), the multiplier is locked to prevent this, save for high-end chips, such as Intel's Extreme Edition series. For a while, there were complicated ways of defeating the multiplier lock: soldering on a PCB for earlier chips, third-party add-ons and the infamous practice of drawing a line onto certain AMD CPUs with a pencil. No CPU manufacturer's likely to make that mistake again.

Around this time, RAM overclocking became more common place, as memory speeds were ratified, and with that came more tweaking of the front-side bus to compensate for the locked multipliers. Overclocking shifted further towards the BIOS and away from jumpers, which in turn led to overclocking software.

The first was 1998's SoftFSB, which enabled bus-tweaking from within Windows for the first time. With the Pentium III era came aftermarket coolers, as processors now chucked out so much heat that a standard cooling block and fan wasn't enough to cope with an overclocked chip. And so it continued, overclocking largely becoming easier and more common place with each processor generation. This leads us to the Core 2 chips of today, and Intel's current terrifyingly unassailable dominance of the CPU market. Generally drawing as little as half the power of the Pentium 4s that preceded them, most of the range offers a vast amount of overclocking headroom, to the point that a low-end Core 2 Duo can almost go toe-to-toe with the top of the line.

So how's it done? Key to processor overclocking is the front side bus (FSB). In the very simplest terms, this is the connection between the CPU and the rest of the PC, and its speed defines the processor's speed to a significant extent. Intel CPUs final speed is the FSB times the multiplier - so if you've got an FSB of 266MHz and a multiplier of 9, your chip will run at approximately 2.4GHz. While the multiplier is usually locked - though some chips let you at least lower it, to conserve power and reduce heat - the FSB isn't. Bump up the FSB and you bump up the chip. In our example taking the bus to 290MHz gives us a 2.6GHz processor. This is no random example, incidentally, it's what we run the Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 in one of our office test systems at, giving it a healthy 200MHz boost that makes a noticeable difference in CPU-intesive games and hi-def video re-encodes.

What stops us from going higher? Not a lot in the case of this particular chip. We're playing it safe for desktop work, cos we're in a particularly sweaty office. When we're playing around with high-end tasks, we can have it running stably at over 33GHz (with an FSB of 370 or so) on a decentish, third-party air cooler. That's more or less trading blows with the best Intel has to offer on a $200 chip. But while going to 280MHz on the FSB took a BIOS tweak, a reboot and Microsoft BOB's your uncle, going much higher does involve more fuss.

First up, when our Q6600 is at 33GHz, it's also running at nearly 70°C when under maximum load (and around 50°C when idling). It's perfectly stable, but it could damage it in the long run, and on top of that the fan is making enough noise to wake the deaf pensioner in the next street over. Watercooling, a fancier air-cooler or even just a spot of dust-cleaning will bring the heat down, but there can come a point where that stuff becomes more expensive and hassle than simply buying a better processor.

Hurdle the second is the motherboard. Pushing up the FSB doesn't affect only the CPU, but also the motherboard and, in many cases, the RAM and PCI-e slot to boot. In our case, we're using a motherboard that supports a monstrously high FSB. When shopping for a motherboard, its max FSB will usually be referred to as four times the actual speed, due to the way the processor actually fetches data. So when we've got the FSB set to 266MHz, in effect that's 1,066MHz. When it's up to 372MHz, we need a motherboard that's happy at nearly 1,500MHz. That simply isn't a given, especially on cheaper boards, so shop carefully.

As well as that, if you've got a board with a stingy BIOS, you may not be able to alter RAM and PCI timings independently of the FSB, which can lead to those falling over. Ours does, and for our mighty near-Gigahertz Q6600 overclock, we have to lower the RAM's clock speed a little to compensate for the strain put on it by the raised FSB - we have it sitting pretty at 893MHz. It could comfortably go higher, but the real-world benefits (as opposed to the willy-waving benefits, which are a different matter entirely) would be so miniscule that it's simply not worth placing the extra pressure on the RAM.

Similarly, while faster and, most likely, more expensive RAM will cope better at their stock speeds with a massive FSB, the pay-off is often so minor that value RAM, running at a lower clock-speed may well be enough to make your overclocking masterplan hugely successful. Even the best memory will net you something in the region of just a five per cent performance boost - worth having if every little helps, but it's the FSB that makes the big difference. And for that, the motherboard is critical.

Thirdly, there's the matter of voltage. The faster your chip runs, the more power it needs to feed it. As the FSB goes up, you'll find your motherboard's North Bridge and your RAM also get hungrier.

Unfortunately, your hardware will automatically report its revised power requirements, so trial and miserable error are required to find the sweet spot. Volt tweaking is a fiddly and danger-fraught business.

Some overclocking-friendly motherboards can automatically adjust voltages for you, but are understandably conservative about it, so for the really big overclocks you'll need to set them yourself. This needs to be done by the tiniest increments possible, establishing reboot-by-reboot how many volts your embiggened CPU needs; as low as possible, essentially, as firing too many into it can fry it.

Establish in advance what your chip's out-of-the-box volts are and, through a mix of common sense and googling, decide on a number you're not going to risk going higher than. We pushed our Q6600 from 13 to 1.4V, which is a fairly big increase as volt modding goes. It's not just a matter of the so-called vCore either - as you go for the big overclocks, you'll find you're having to play with the arcane likes of CPU PLL and FSB termination voltage. Again, so long as you raise stuff in tiny increments the risk of killing your chip, RAM or motherboard is fairly minimal.

It's a different matter with AMD processors, which for a while now have had an onboard memory controller, which allows the chip to communicate more directly with the RAM, which in turn means there isn't an FSB as such. Instead, you're overclocking something known as the HyperTransport bus, which is achieved in more or less the same way, but can require lowering the NT's own multiplier to retain stability when you bump the speed. If you've gone for one of the recent AMD Phenom Black Editions, you'll find it comes with the multiplier unlocked, which makes overclocking an easier affair.

By contrast, overclocking a graphics card is dead simple. As a more self-contained piece of hardware, there's none of this confusing multiplier or FSB business; just overclocking the card itself, finding the right speeds for both the GPU and the card's onboard memory. Free software - some of it official NVIDIA/ATI driver plug-ins - will do the trick from within Windows, and built-in safety cut-offs and stability tests make it incredibly hard to damage the card, though of course you are going beyond the warranty.

It's also grown a little more complicated of late in that you may need to overclock the shader clock as well as the GPU and RAM for the best boosts. In the case of NVIDIA cards, it used to be that this was twinned to the GPU speed, meaning a raise in one had a synchronous effect on the other, but for a little while now they've been able to be altered independently. So if you hit the speed ceiling on the GPU, it may yet be possible to eke more performance out of the card by pushing the shader clock a little further.

While the present situation is that you can overclock everything and be pretty confident it'll work, the future of the form is harder to call. One thing seems sure: it's not a dirty little nerdy secret anymore, but an increasingly common practice, most especially with Core 2 chips. There's a vast aftermarket cooler industry to support it, and even cheap motherboards can handle a bit of a free boost. If anything overclocking will become easier, with more and better applications to achieve it within Windows, rather than from the BIOS, and possibly more in the way of automatic volt-modding. But much depends on the future of desktop processing. There's a big war brewing between Intel and NVIDIA as to whether the CPU or the GPU will be the major element in the PC of the near-future.

Intel are pushing ray-tracing using a multi-core CPU to render game graphics, while NVIDIA's CUDA enables its recent GeForce cards to perform parallel processing, such as video encoding and in-game physics, far faster than a CPU could manage. If either of these bed in, overclocking will need to take them into account. At the same time, the slow move to ever-more cores potentially reduces the need for conventional overclocking, as raw clock speed continues to be a lesser concern to multi-threading and, in the case of 3D cards, the number of stream processors and texture units. That's hardly going to stop anyone from trying it, of course. Even when its effects are minimal, overclocking's always going to be a sure-fire way of making a system feel like its yours rather than simply a collection of mass-produced parts.

Modding the case is one thing, but what makes a PC is its performance. When you've painstakingly tweaked that performance into something that suits your own purposes, and it's become something that feels like you've gone far beyond what you paid for it, the system will feel more unique than all the green neon tubing in the world could ever hope to achieve.

Author:
Sandra Prior’s

website:
http://usacomputers.rr.nu
http://sacomputers.rr.nu.

Other Tips and Tricks

Driver for Windows Vista

2009-01-12T03:03:00.000-08:00

Windows Vista is Microsoft’s new generation of graphical operating systems used on personal computers. It is designed to host both managed and native applications on a productive and secure platform. Compared to its predecessor Windows XP, Vista has numerous new and reworked features which make it more reliable, secure, and powerful.

Windows Vista does not use drivers that the user specifies during installation for the storage device. Since Windows Vista does not support a number of older hardware and software, it generally requires an update or new driver to operate smoothly and efficiently.

As far as Window Vista installation is concerned, it can be done with the help of a Windows Vista installation disc. While installing this operating system, the user requires using advanced settings in the Window Vista Setup to specify the storage device driver.

The storage driver which the user specifies during Windows Vista installation is loaded during the overall scenario. It only supports the drivers present in its installation disc.

Storage device features for the driver that the user specifies while installing the operating system are not available in Windows Vista. It will not show them even though Vista appears to use the .inf file which matches to the storage device driver the user specifies during installation.

To resolve the problem, the user requires loading the specific driver again. Outlined below are the required steps to complete the task:

* Insert the Windows Vista Installation Disc into the CD/DVD drive.

* Reboot the computer from the installation disc.

* Insert the media which has the new storage device driver.

* Configure the Windows Vista Setup program using the advanced settings.

Note: The user needs to click Load Driver to load the particular driver from the media. This will configure the Windows Vista Setup Program to use the specific driver.

Indeed, the drivers implemented for Microsoft Windows XP and Microsoft Windows Server 2003 may lead to technical default in Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. This is why when it comes to reliability of the Windows Operating System, the Microsoft is always the brunt of much criticism.

Author : K.P.Pandey

How to Restore Registry from Backup File?

2008-12-20T02:51:00.000-08:00

After we backup registry by creating a file, it is no use doing this without knowing how to restore registry from the backup file. We can do it in a very easy way by using Import command which is in the Regedit Software. (If you don’t know how to create the backup file, Please Read “Backup Registry …“.)

Open Regedit Software. Know how to do, please read “Edited Windows Registry Tool …” .
Click on File > Import
Choose the registry backup file which is in dot reg (.reg) format.
Then click Open.
Now the registry is recovered from your backup file

However, we can restore the registry in another way. If your backup file is in dot reg (.reg) format, you do not need to open Regedit software for registry recovery. You just double-click on the backup file and then click “Yes”.

Source Information:
www.computerfreetricks.com

How to Backup Registry

2008-12-20T02:32:00.000-08:00

Editing Registry is very harmful to your computer system if you make an error in registry changing. It may lead the Software, Hardware, or your Computer system to disaster. So, by this reason we must be carefully changing the REGISTRY. If you are not sure what you are editing, please avoid doing it.

In order to secure your Computer System, we have to backup Windows Registry before changing each registry value. Moreover, Backing up Registry also prevents the registry database errors.

Launch regedit program. Click here to learn “how to open regedit software?”. We use the Export Command to create a registry backup file. Let you see the Registry Editor window, then right click on “My Computer” and select “Export“.

Now Windows Os bring you to Export Registry File window. Choose where to save your backup file at the “Save in” dialog. Name your registry backup file in the “File name” box and then save it. Now we already obtain the Backup file. Anyway, I will write the article “How to Restore Registry” next time. Good luck!

Source Info:
www.computerfreetricks.com

Download Office Convert Excel to Image Jpg/Jpeg Free 4.9

2008-12-19T01:06:00.000-08:00

Office Convert Excel to Image Jpg/Jpeg Free is a simple application which helps users to convert Excel files to imges. The converter produces fully functional IMAGE documents with text, pictures, graphics etc, using the original excel formatting.It can create popular image formats as JPG, BMP, GIF, TIF, TGA, RLE, PNG, EMF, WMF from dozens of documents as Excel (xls, xlsx, xlsm) with retaining the original style. More professional and easier interface is affordable for everyone. You must like it as soon as you use it.

Here are some key features of "office Convert Excel to Image Jpg/Jpeg Free" :

· Convert Excel (XLS,XLSM,XLSX) to JPG,BMP,GIF,TIF,TGA,RLE,PNG,EMF,WMF.
· Support Command Line.
· Convert document to Vector format WMF.
· Specify the option to convert combined xls sheets.
· Support drag and drop files.
· Choose the entire folder to convert.
· Intelligent processing of large files.
· Easy to use. Convert with one click.
· Save the imported file list.
· Create images with high good quality.
· Process the conversion at very high speed.
· It can automaticly view the output files after converted.
· Provide the best service for you.

Requirements:

· Adobe Reader 7
· 128 MB RAM Memory or higher;
· 733 Mhz Pentium ll CPU or higher;

Limitations:

· Nag screens
· Cannot set parameters
· Cannot make batch conversion

Download Office Convert Exel to Image:

Missing Microsoft Windows .dll files

2008-12-14T04:59:00.000-08:00

This article will help you how to resolve your computer system problem without reinstall your operating system (Windows XP). A missing or corrupt .dll file can be caused by any of the below possibilities:

Another program was uninstalled that removed a .dll file that was required by another program or the operating system.
A program was installed that overwrote the .dll file with either an older version or a version that is incompatible with other programs causing .dll errors.
A bad installation of a program corrupted one or more files causing the .dll errors.
Another user or program maliciously or mistakenly deleted the .dll file or an associated file.
A hardware issue exists with the computer, such as a bad hard disk drive, causing the data on the drive to become corrupt, casing the .dll errors.

In some situations, it may be possible to download or copy a .dll file from another computer onto your computer to resolve the issue. However, because .dll error messages are almost always a more serious issue and/or replacing the missing .dll file with a replacement will cause additional errors or report additional missing files, we suggest you try the below suggestions first.

If you're encountering .dll errors that are preventing you from getting into Windows, to troubleshoot the computer, boot the computer into Safe Mode by restating your computer than press F8 button of your keyboard.

If your computer boots normally and/or you're able to bypass the .dll errors and still operate Windows, and you're a Microsoft Windows XP or Windows 2000 user, Microsoft has included some tools that can help resolve .dll file errors relatively easily; before trying any of the below recommendations you, may want to first try the below suggestions.

Use the Windows XP SFC command to have windows scan and repair files; to run this command, follow the below steps:

Click Start
Click Run
Type "sfc /scannow" and press enter
Insert Your Windows XP or 2000 CD

Once the above steps have been completed, Windows will verify that all protected windows files are intact.

Get more tips and tricks to resolve your computer error from this site!

Tips to Make Windows Vista Run Super Fast - Part 2

2008-11-29T03:31:00.000-08:00

Next step to make your Windows Vista run super fast..

If you have read the first part of the tips than there is six more steps that you should do:

3. Open Folder Options and click on View tab:

Now disable following options:

Display file size information in folder tips.
Display simple folder view in Navigation pane.
Hide extensions for known file types.
Show encrypted or compressed NTFS files in color.
Show pop-up description for folder and desktop items.

Other options don't affect the system performance. You can enable/disable them according to your requirements.

4. Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Manage (You can also open it by typing services.msc in RUN or start menu search box and press Enter).

Now goto Services & Applications -> Services. Here you can set a few unnecessary services to Manual, which will not start with windows and will decrease the boot time and will increase system performance.

Please follow the following tutorial to know about which services can be safely set to MANUAL:

Windows Vista Services that can be Safely set to MANUAL

5. Type msconfig in RUN or Startmenu search box and press Enter. Now goto Startup tab and deselect the unnecessary entries, which you don't want to start automatically with Windows, e.g. you can disable VGA driver utility, Sound Card utility, etc to speed up the startup time and to increase system performance.

You can also disable these items using Windows Defender. Open Windows Defender and click on Tools and then click on "Software Explorer".

6. Open Sound in Control Panel (or type mmsys.cpl in RUN or Startmenu search box and press Enter), goto Sounds tab and select No Sounds in Sound Scheme section. Or you can remain some of your favorite sounds but set Exit Windows, Windows Logoff, Windows Logon and Start Navigation to (None).

7. After following all above mentioned points, you'll see a big improvement in your Windows Vista performance. If you want to tweak more, then you can use 3rd party tools which are listed here:

Windows Vista Tweaking Software List

8. At last I'll advise to defrag the HDD regularly, install only necessary software, use the latest drivers and keep your Windows updated.

.. Good luck!!

Source : www.askvg.com

Tips to Make Windows Vista Run Super Fast - Part 1

2008-11-29T03:22:00.000-08:00

So you are using Windows Vista and feel that its slower than Windows XP? Then you have come to the right place. Following tutorial will help you in tweaking your Windows Vista to the max and you'll feel a significant improvement in your system performance.

So without wasting any time lets start:

1. Following is a registry file containing a few registry modifications, which are completely safe and can increase the performance of Windows Vista. Just download the attached ZIP file, extract it and then run the file:

Tweak Windows Vista

Restore Default Settings (Use this file if you want to restore default Windows settings)

2. Right-click on My Computer icon on Desktop and select Properties (or press key + key), click on Advanced system settings link in left side pane (You can also open it by typing sysdm.cpl in RUN or start menu search box and press Enter). Now click on Settings button in Performance section:

Now disable all unnecessary options in Visual Effects tab, you can remain following options enabled according to your requirements:

Enable desktop composition (If you want to use Windows Aero theme)
Enable transparent glass (If you want to use transparency in Windows)
Show preview and filters in folder (If you use Details Pane in Explorer)
Show thumbnails instead of icons (If you want to show thumbnails in Explorer)
Show window contents while dragging (If you want windows to show content while moving them)
Smooth edges of screen fonts (If you want to show smooth fonts)
Use drop shadows for icon labels on the desktop (If you want to show shadows under desktop icon labels)
Use visual styles on windows and buttons (If you want to use Windows Aero or Basic theme.)

3. Open Folder Options and click on View tab:

Next step >>

Antivirus Information

2008-11-29T02:29:00.000-08:00

Protecting your computer from a virus is getting harder and harder each day. While it may border on the paranoid. We should keep our computer clean from latest viruses. How and where do we get those problems resolver:

Antivirus Informations and Software Download (freeware)
or try this powerful antivirus: AVG Free Editions 8.0 !

Antivirus database and virus definitions:

Virus definitions and database ready to download with

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) installation: "Access Denied" error

2008-11-24T02:51:00.000-08:00

If you are getting "Access Denied" error during installation of Service Pack 3 (standalone update for Windows XP) it’s probably caused by some kind of permission conflict. To fix this problem, try to close all applications (processes) running on your computer that could potentially protect the system. Applications, such as antivirus, spyware protection tools or any other kind of processes that are keeping the system safe, can limit access to parts of windows registry needed for service pack installation. After closing these applications, try to install windows service pack 3 update.

If the problem persists and your installation is again interrupted by "Access Denied" error, try this:

Download and install SubInACL.exe http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=e8ba3e56-d8fe-4a91-93cf-ed6985e3927b&displaylang=e
Copy the text below, paste it in notepad and save it as reset.cmd or you can also download it here.

cd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Windows Resource Kits\Tools"
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CURRENT_USER /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subkeyreg HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %SystemDrive% /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
subinacl /subdirectories %windir%*.* /grant=administrators=f /grant=system=f
secedit /configure /cfg %windir%\inf\defltbase.inf /db defltbase.sdb /verbose

Run reset.cmd you’ve created (this process can take some time).
Now you can install service pack 3.

This guide worked for me and I hope it will do the same for you.

Source: http://forums.microsoft.com/TechNet/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=2873777&SiteID=17

source: http://filex.exofire.net

Protect Your Computer from Latest Virus

2008-11-24T02:29:00.000-08:00

A deadly new virus under the name of W32/Nyxem-D which spreads via email attached file is set to strike on the 3rd day of every month half an hour after the infected computer boots up. The damage caused by this virus could be extensive. If unsuspecting user opens the infected attached file it gets into the system and start delivering itself to all the available email addresses residing in the infected computer.

Once activated it overwrites all DOC, XLS, MDB, MDE, PPT, PPS, ZIP, RAR, PDF, PSD and DMP files by replacing their contents with the data string: DATA Error [47 0F 94 93 F4 K5]. This can create a big mess, as all integrated to the computer drives will suffer. This means your flash cards, network drives, external drives or any drive which gets identified by an alphabet.

This virus is also known as "CME-24," "BlackWorm," "Mywife.E" and "Kama Sutra" and seems even capable of disabling out-of-date antivirus software.

Over 300 thousand computers are believed to be infected by this worm mainly in India, Peru, Turkey and Italy, where people are less prone to safeguard their computers with up-to-date antivirus programs.

What should you do to protect your computer from this and other malware?

Upgrade your antivirus software. If you don't have an antivirus software installed and you don't feel like buying them. These two are excellent antivirus programs you can get for free. AntiVir Personal Edition Classic or Alwil Software Avast Home Edition
Scan your computer for possible malware regularly. A great free tool that scans your computer remotely for viruses and eliminates them you can find at: http://housecall.trendmicro.com/housecall/start_corp.asp
Get a firewall and install it. A great free firewall that you can download and install is Zonealarm. You can download it from http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/home.jsp
Regularly get patches for your version of Windows and update.
Use email filters similar to Eprompter. It gives you the ability to delete unwanted spam or suspicious looking mail, which might contain viruses. Get it free from: http://www.eprompter.com.

If you take these precautions, your chances of getting infected will be reduced drastically.

more information and downlodable software visit: http://info-antivirus.blogspot.com

Author: Nowshade Kabir

How to Compare Antivirus Software?

2008-11-24T02:22:00.000-08:00

There's an influx of antivirus software in the internet these days. Antivirus software are everywhere in the internet. Article about them are also common. The problem with having too much of one thing is that you will have a hard time selecting the good from the bad. To come up with a list of possible choices one has to compare antivirus software.

Comparing is not easy, considering the number of antivirus to compare. Many website are there to help with comparison but they only compare a few. They focus their comparison to selected antivirus that are already there for many years. How about those antivirus software that have just recently started but may also have the ability to perform well? They don't have the chance to be tested and be proven competitive with the popular ones.

Popularity

There should be a means to compare antivirus software not based on popularity but with their ability to thwart virus attacks. I have read articles that compare antivirus software and they are impressive. They test antivirus software based on how they detect known virus. Many antivirus software fared very well. Others did not do well because they were not able to detect new virus. The problem is that they limit their comparison to a chosen few. What about those that are left out? How will they be given a chance?

Who says So?

There are also those who compare antivirus software based on what the company that made them has to say about their product. I don't know if this is reliable enough. There are people who claim to have done something but if you ask them to do it they can't. There are just too many people who tell lies this days. I don't say that all of them are liars but who would know the difference between an honest company from a lying one. They all write pretty good things about their products. Who would say bad things about something they themselves made?

Who's Initiative?

The initiative to compare antivirus software should come from people other that those who made it or have any vested interest about it. The objective of the comparison should be to help people in choosing the right antivirus and not to promote one. People would love to know the truth about antivirus. There are already so much antivirus out there. It's already difficult to know all of them. Another product profile may turn buyers off. What people need is honest, comprehensive, fair and accurate comparison of antivirus software based on performance and ability to protect computers from virus attacks.

It may take a long time before anyone can compare antivirus software comprehensively. That would be very difficult to do considering that there are so much of these products in the market today. There are also many things to consider. A definite plan should be established first before the factual, realistic and unbiased way to compare antivirus software is realized.

For now to determine which antivirus software is right for you should visit : www.info-antivirus.blogspot.com for honest Antivirus Software Reviews

Author: Anu

Linux Versus BSD

2008-11-13T22:40:00.001-08:00

If you compare Linux and OpenBSD in their desktop environment features, Linux offers more applications than OpenBSD; but in a server solution BSD systems are known to be robust, more stable and secure, and without so many patches distributors release soon after their new version of Linux slithered to light.

What is a BSD Unix?

BSD family of Unix systems is based upon the source code of real Unix developed in Bell Labs, which was later purchased by the University of California - "Berkeley Software Distribution". The contemporary BSD systems stand on the source code that was released in the beginning of 1990's (Net/2 Lite and 386/BSD release).

BSD is behind the philosophy of TCP/IP networking and the Internet thereof; it is a developed Unix system with advanced features. Except for proprietary BSD/OS, the development of which was discontinued, there are currently four BSD systems available: FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD and Mac OS X, which is derived from FreeBSD. There are also various forks of these, like PC-BSD - a FreeBSD clone, or MirOS, an OpenBSD clone. The intention of such forks is to include various characteristics missing in the above BSD systems, on which these (forks), no matter how well they are designed, only strongly depend. PC-BSD, for example, has more graphical features than FreeBSD, but there are no substantial differences between these two. PC-BSD cannot breathe without FreeBSD; FreeBSD or OpenBSD are independent of one another.

What is Linux?

Albeit users like to use the term "Linux" for any Linux distro including its packages (Red Hat Linux, Mandrake Linux, etc.), for IT professionals Linux is only the kernel. Linux started in 1991, when its author, Linus Torvals, began his work on a free replacement of Minix. Developers of quite a few Linux system utilities used the source code from BSD, as both these systems started parallelly in about the same time (1992-1993) as Open Source.

Today, there are a few, if not many developers of their own kernels/operating systems (FreeDOS, Agnix, ReactOS, Inferno, etc.), but these guys simply missed the right train in the right hour. They did not lose anything except for the fact that they may be even better programmers, but without the public opinion acknowledging this at large. Linus built his fame also from work of many developers and he went on board in the right time. Linus deserves a credit as a software idea policy maker and he helped very much in this respect.

(Open)BSD vs Linux

It is often difficult to say what is better if you compare two things without regarding the purpose of their use. Mobile Internet may appear better for someone who travels often, but for people working at home such mobility is not necessary. In this view, it is a stupid question when someone asks: "What is better, a mobile or static Internet?" It all depends...

BSD systems are based upon real Unix source code contrary to Linux, which was developed from scratch (kernel).

Author: Juraj Sipos

The Right Way to Use the Powerpoint Templates

2008-11-04T23:56:00.000-08:00

There are a lot of Powerpoint templates that you can make use of. The question now is how you are going to use them to the fullest or to your advantage. Today, you will learn how to use Powerpoint templates more effectively.

Know the theme of your Powerpoint presentation. It becomes a lot easier for you to choose your Powerpoint templates when you know the topic or the purpose of the discussion. For example, if you're attending an astronomy convention, it could be a good idea if your chosen template designs will be related to space, such as stars or planets. If it doesn't have one, then you have better chances of coming up with a more effective Powerpoint presentation with plain-colored Powerpoint templates or those that are not too flashy or colorful.
Download the template designs. There are a number of templates that are already included in the Powerpoint bundle of Microsoft; however, there are incomparable to the number that you can find in the World Wide Web. Thus, before you settle for the first thing that you can find, try to look for others in the Internet. A lot of them can be downloaded for free, so you don't need to worry about spending a dime for it. You can also shop for themed template designs.
Powerpoint templates should not cover the texts or images. The templates that you're going to use should not be too bold or too light that texts and even images don't appear clearly on the screen. Complement is the rule. If you're using light-colored texts, darker templates are advisable. The opposite is ideal if you have darker-colored words. If you will be using a lot of images, such as during product launches, go for Powerpoint templates that are of lighter hues.
Keep them uniform all throughout the presentation. You may be tempted to make use of different template designs all throughout the Powerpoint presentation. Don't. It doesn't just look too annoying to your audience, but it will also bring down your credibility. Consistency is always associated with professionalism. It will also save you a lot of time and effort.
Use the format menu. Would you like to change the existing template design of your Powerpoint presentation? It's actually very easy. You just need to save the Powerpoint template that you want to use. Then, on the Format menu of your Powerpoint application, select Apply Design Template. Locate where you have placed the template design. The choose Apply. It will change not just one but all template designs that you are currently using.

Using Help

When you are unsure of how to work your way around your Powerpoint templates, you can always hit the Help button of Powerpoint. You can also check out the websites where you got the template designs, since most of them do have guidelines on how to use their themes to your presentations. There are also plenty of tutorials, articles, and videos that can show you how to utilize templates.

Author: Daniel McMillan

Windows Versus MAC

2008-10-29T01:43:00.000-07:00

The debate between Windows and Mac users has been raging for years. However, no definitive conclusion has been reached. Ultimately, both systems have their benefits and drawbacks. Choosing between the two is simply a matter of personal preference and usability needs. Thus, it is important to consider the real differences between these two platforms when deciding which to use.

Believe it or not, Microsoft and Macintosh are actually very similar. Both essentially perform the same functions. In fact, the two companies even share several patents for the technology they use. They simply use different interfaces to interact with users.

When it comes to print publishing, Mac seems to be the operating system of choice. Its typography, which is the way text is presented, is more accurate than Windows’. Thus, what you see on the screen is more likely to be what you get on paper. This also applies to color schemes. The colors you see on your monitor will be very close to what comes out of the printer. Macs also work better with .pdf formatting, which can come in handy if you need to work with such files. Finally, Macs tend to be more secure and immune to attacks from computer viruses.

Macs might also be the answer for small businesses. They tend to be easier to create small networks with. However, you may have a problem if the programs you need for your business are not available for Mac. The same applies to college students. Some campuses provide software for student use that may only work with Windows. So, be sure to check out what programs you will need before making a decision.

Similar to the problems businesses face, those who love to play games may not want to choose a Mac. A lot of programs cannot run on a Mac computer. However, if you are computer-savvy, there are ways around this. You can even install the Windows operating system on your Mac and switch to this interface for games. If this doesn’t suit you, just keep waiting. More and more companies are formatting their programs for Mac. In fact, you can even buy Microsoft Office for your Mac computer.

For 3-d graphic and video creation, Microsoft Windows seems to be the winner. Windows has better graphic capabilities and video playback. Microsoft PCs also have faster processors than Macs. Furthermore, Windows is the smarter choice for web design. It is easier to use .NET and ASP on a Windows platform. Additionally, since most people still use Windows, formatting a site on this platform ensures you see what 90% of your users will see. Finally, Windows is considered more user-friendly because most people are familiar with its interface. Switching to Mac requires some relearning and adjustment.

Ultimately, the operating system you choose will be the one that best suits your needs. Both are functional and user-friendly. Neither one will preclude you from participating in any one computer-related activity. So, do some research, know the facts, and choose the computing system that works for you.

Author: Justin Mongiardo

DDR Memory

2008-10-09T23:44:00.000-07:00

Double data rate random access memory, or DDR RAM, is a memory technology used for storage and high-speed retrieval of data on a computer. It builds on the now-obsolete Single Data Rate (SDR) synchronous dynamic random access memory, and enables the computer to achieve greater bandwidth by double-pumping data. That is, the transfer of information is doubly fast with a DDR RAM.

The more recent versions of DDR RAM are DDR2 and DDR3, which have faster memory bus signalling capabilities and clock frequencies. DDR2 operates at a clock frequency of over 400 MHz. The central powerhouse of your system operates faster and more efficiently on such improved memory circuitry, retrieving information faster and enabling you to run multiple applications.

It must be remembered that if you want to upgrade the memory of a computer that uses DDR1, you cannot buy a DDR2 module and use it to supplement a DDR1 chipset. The slots for DDR1, 2 and 3 are different. Some motherboards, however, have slots for all these DDR formats. The booklet on the motherboard should tell you how to install additional RAM on your computer. Sixty-four bit processors often support more than 3.5 GB of DDR RAM. A 64-bit Windows Vista system, for example, will support memory of up to 128GB.

A DDR RAM operates at a lower voltage than an SDR RAM, resulting in lower power consumption. Though it has the same architecture as an SDR RAM, a DDR RAM has 184 pins, instead of 168. It also has a single notch at the connector, not two. The bus width of DDR memory is 64 bits per channel. Most DDR-based chipsets come with matched pairs of modules and are made for processors that are 1GHz or faster.

What a DDR RAM does is, it performs twice as many operations as an SDR RAM per clock cycle. The advent of DDR RAM was hailed as a landmark development that revolutionized the technology of random access, or volatile memory, but recent developments that have resulted in revision of DDR models have been just as interesting. At the beginning of the millennium, aspersions were cast on the use of DDR memory in home PCs, but now, all those doubts are gone and one can hardly live without the reassuring pace and efficiency of a DDR RAM. A big difference in systemic performance, coupled with improved BIOS efficiency, is an undoubted result of the quantum leap from SDR to DDR.

Author: oempcworld

Read More: SD Memory, SIMM Memory, Flash Memory

Flash Memory

2008-10-09T23:40:00.000-07:00

Flash Memory comes in a lot of different formats for a lot of different purposes. It can be used for everything from PDAs to cell phones, from holding pictures on cameras to pen drives that let you carry your documents more easily. The reason for the popularity of flash memory is its great storage in a small size, as well as the durability of the media. Flash media is more capable of surviving falling, being stepped on, or even having liquids splashed on it then film rolls and hard disks.

What types of flash memory are available?
The most popular types include Compact Flash, Secure Digital, and Sony’s Memory Stick Pro. Compact Flash is most often used in personal cameras, and comes in sizes ranging from 32MB up to 8GB. Having a 1GB Compact Flash cards in your camera has become very common, enabling you to take photos all day without worrying about filling your card.Secure Digital, or SD memory, is a much smaller format then Compact Flash, which makes it perfect for cell phones and PDAs where space is at a premium. At the same time, the tiny cards can carry nearly as much data as the larger Compact Flash cards. A 2GB Secure Digital flash memory can cost less than $20, allowing plenty of storage for your PDA or cell phone.

Memory Stick Pro is used in both cameras and the PSP portable gaming system. This Sony Brand memory tends to cost a bit more then Compact Flash and Secure Digital per megabyte, but is proprietary in a number of Sony produced devices.
Finally, there are also USB flash memory drives available, ranging from 64MB all the way up to 16GB drives. A 1GB drive can carry around more data then a CD can, and can be written and re-written to over and over again.
So if you're looking for flash memory for your camera, cell phone, PDA or PSP, take a look at what we have to offer. We also have Smart Media, MultiMedia and XD Picture Cards available for you to browse through.

Our address is
OEMPCworld.com
2800 Bowers Ave
Santa Clara CA 95051

Tel: (408) 350-0341
TF: 1 866 839-5875
Fax:(408) 521-1888
www.oempcworld.com
Author: oempcworld

Simm Memory

2008-10-09T23:37:00.000-07:00

The single inline memory module or SIMM is still the most common memory module format in use in the PC world, largely due to the enormous installed base of PCs that use them (in new PCs, DIMMs are now overtaking SIMMs in popularity.) SIMMs are available in two flavors: 30 pin and 72 pin. 30-pin SIMMs are the older standard, and were popular on third and fourth generation motherboards. 72-pin SIMMs are used on fourth, fifth and sixth generation PCs.

The SIMM board is connected to a circuit control board by an edge connector. Single in-line memory modules represent a high density, low profile single in-line package for electronic components such as dynamic random access memory integrated circuit components. A plurality of these components can be mounted in line on a circuit panel whose height is little more than the length of the components themselves. With a SIMM, several memory devices such as DRAMs are mounted on a printed circuit board having an edge connector. The SIMM is designed to plug into a computer socket in electrical communication with address, data and power supply buses for the computer so that the randomly-addressable memory cells of the SIMM can be addressed directly by the computer's CPU rather than by a bank-switching technique commonly used in larger memory expansion boards. One edge of a SIMM module is a card-edge connector, which plugs into a socket on the computer which is directly connected to the computer buses required for powering and addressing the memory on the SIMM.

Our address is
OEMPCworld.com
2800 Bowers Ave
Santa Clara CA 95051

Tel: (408) 350-0341
TF: 1 866 839-5875
Fax:(408) 521-1888
www.oempcworld.com
Author: oempcworld

Sd Memory Cards

2008-10-09T23:35:00.000-07:00

The SD Memory Card is a groundbreaking new bridge media that's helping to pave the way for tomorrow's fully networked society. This tiny, easy-to-use card offers a host of powerful advantages. It links various kinds of digital equipment through its easy connectivity that supports a host of application formats and does not require the use of a PC. Further, the SD Memory card has the broad interoperability and compatibility needed to ensure that its applications will continue to expand far into the future.

SD Memory Card is well on its way to becoming the de facto standard memory card for digital connectivity. Soon, the SD Memory Card will provide universal access to an even wider array of multi-media data. The ubiquitous network era is coming, and its key is the SD Memory Card.

The miniSDTM card was developed to meet industry demands for downsizing mobile phones. It is only 37% the volume of an SD Memory Card.

Despite its tiny size, the miniSDTM card offers all the benefits of the original SD Memory Card. By inserting the miniSDTM card into the miniSDTM adapter, you can share a variety of digital data among standard SD-enabled products.

The microSDTM memory card is a functionally compatible with the SD memory card but is smaller in dimensions. The microSD memory cardcommunication is based on an advance 8-pin interface and microSD memory card host interface supports regular SD or miniSD memory card adapter
and operate as SD memory card.

Our address is
OEMPCworld.com
2800 Bowers Ave
Santa Clara CA 95051
Tel: (408) 350-0341
TF: 1 866 839-5875
Fax:(408) 521-1888
www.oempcworld.com
Author: oempcworld

Getting Free Photoshop Tutorials

2008-09-27T23:08:00.000-07:00

The Photoshop software is truly a big deal for most people. It pays to have this program in your computer in order to manipulate your pictures as your desire. With this at hand, you can be sure that you get to improve those digital images you have taken even before they get printed. This is more reason for you to give away beautiful pictures to friends and relatives.

However, it is not enough that you have the Photoshop program installed in your computer. It is a must that you have a basic knowledge in Photoshop so you can do the things that you want. As such it is very important to get a Photoshop tutorial.

There are options such as to hire a tutor or enrol in program where you can learn Photoshop skills. You can also choose to buy books that will teach you the aspects of the program. These are options that are open to you. However, it may even be a better choice for you to get a free Photoshop tutorial. Here, you get to learn a new skill without having to spend the extra money in your pocket.

The Free Photoshop Tutorial

There are many ways for you to get a free Photoshop tutorial. Be sure that you get to use these options because it sure is a good thing to save your extra money instead. If you can have something for free, then just grab it and make the most out of it.

Ask a Friend for Help in the Photoshop

Some people are fortunate enough to have friends and relatives who are skilled in the Photoshop application. If you happen to have a friend of your own, then ask him or her to teach you basic Photoshop. This is a good way to get the free Photoshop tutorial. You can even use that extra time of learning as a bonding activity.

Explore the Photoshop Program

If it happens that you cannot access any friend to give the tutorials, you can explore the Photoshop program. The manufacturers do provide basic tutorials with the installation. You can easily check the options for the basic tutorials. This can explain to you how certain commands work and when to use them. You can read on the instructions and the step-by-step processes. There are also editions in the Photoshop software that can actually give tutorial using visuals. You will definitely enjoy viewing how a project is developed.

Download Files Online

You can also get free Photoshop tutorials online. There are numerous web sites that will give help for free. You can access the tutorial in PDF format and see the instructions. You can also browse through the sites to find the discussion on a particular topic. You may even love the options of seeing the tutorial in video format.

Ask for Assistance Online

The manufacturer can provide an option for you to get help online. However, you may find it even amazing to explore the different discussion boards and forums where other Photoshop users converge. This can be an opportunity to get free Photoshop tutorials from them. You can post your question and you can expect the other users to give you the advice you need.

Conclusion

Get your free Photoshop tutorials and learn the basic skills needed to operate the program. This way, you can turn out your nice images into fabulous pictures.

by: Mario Churchill

Troubleshooting Hardware Boot-Up Problems (Part-1)

2008-09-14T21:58:00.000-07:00

This guide deals with troubleshooting a PC that won't boot to the point where it at least starts loading an operating system (hardware related problem). This article is intended for a person who has a little knowledge of PC's and is comfortable opening up and working inside a PC. If this isn't you, then I recommend taking your PC to a qualified PC repair shop. This is meant as a general troubleshooting guide and by no means covers every scenario that can occur, any omissions or mistakes were not intentional and will be updated as necessary.

Now let's get started..

Keep it Simple

First and foremost, I cannot stress enough that when it comes to troubleshooting PC's, KEEP IT SIMPLE! You will save yourself a lot of time and effort if you start looking for the simplest and most obvious solutions first.

With that being said here is a list of a few things you should start checking first..

1. Check the Power Cable

(reason: ensure the PC is getting power and that the problem isn't simply a bad power cable)

Is it plugged into the back of the PC tightly?
Is it plugged into a power source?
If it is connected to a power bar --- is the power bar plugged in and turned on?
If possible try a different power cord and/or power bar
Is a breaker blown in the building? Try a different wall plug

2. Check the monitor

(reason: make sure the monitor is still working. When you boot a PC you expect to see something on the monitor, if you don't, one may think their PC isn't working when in fact there is something wrong with the monitor)

Is the power cable plugged in tight to the back of the monitor?
Is the power cable plugged into a power source?
If it is connected to a power bar --- is the power bar plugged in and turned on?
Is the monitor turned on?
Is the monitor's video cable plugged tightly into the video card on the PC?
Are the contract and brightness settings of the monitor adjusted correctly?
If possible try a different monitor.

3. Visually check the power supply

(reason: a PC may boot to a point with a failing power supply but can quickly overheat causing it to the PC to stop functioning)

Does the fan turn when the PC is turned on?
Does it feel hot to the touch?
Do any lights come on when the PC power button is pressed?

4. Check the keyboard

(reason: a PC needs a keyboard to boot, most times if there is a keyboard problem a message will be displayed on the screen, however this may not always be the case and the computer may just stop booting)

Is the keyboard connected to the PC?
If possible try a different keyboard.

5. Check the floppy and CD drive

(reason: when a PC boots, by default it will try and boot from the floppy or CD drive first. If there is a disk in either of these drives even if it is not a bootable disk, the PC may try to boot from the disk. Most times an error is displayed when it can't boot from the disk but this isn't always the case)

Is there a disk in the floppy drive?
Is there a disk in the CD drive?

A person may think that it is a waste of time to check such simple things and want to skip the above checklist. I cannot count how many times I have been called to troubleshoot a PC only to find that a power bar was turned off or there was a disk in the floppy or CD drive. Take the time now to check the easy things--- I guarantee you it will save a lot of headaches and frustrations.

by: Keith Park

< Advance Troubleshoot >

Troubleshooting Hardware Boot-Up Problems (Part-2)

2008-09-14T21:48:00.000-07:00

Advanced Troubleshooting

When a computer is first turned on, the hardware runs a Power-On Self Test (POST). If errors are encountered during this POST test, they are usually indicated by a beep or in the form of a code displayed on the screen. With this error code you can determine what part of the system is having problems and find a solution. You have probably heard a beep code in the past and just not realized it. You know the one or two short beeps your computer makes when you first turn it on, that is a beep code indicating everything checks out OK. With some PC's it may seem like there isn't any beep code, what is probably happening here is there is a problem with the internal speaker inside the PC, it is either not present, not functioning any longer or not connected properly to the motherboard. If this is the case in your instance, check to see a visual code is being displayed on the monitor, if nothing then skip ahead to the next section.

To check for an error code on your PC, turn the computer on and listen for any beeps or look on the monitor screen for a code. As I mentioned, one or two short beeps indicates everything is OK, if you experience any different sequence or length of beeps, write down what you heard, (e.g. 1 long beep followed by two short beeps) or write down the error code on the screen. Error codes vary from PC to PC depending on the manufacturer of the motherboard inside the PC. It would be beyond the scope of this guide to include every manufacturer error codes as some may be missed and some may change as new technology is introduced. Performing a search on the Internet using your favorite search engine will find many sites specific to your PC. They will have a list of codes, what they mean and potentially how to fix them, look for the code you wrote down previously. The hardware generally checked by the POST test is the motherboard, CPU, power supply, memory and video card. If the error c!

ode indicates a problem in one of these areas, make sure all cards in the PC are seated correctly in the motherboard slots and that the power supply cables are connected snuggly to the motherboard. If all of this has been done and you still receive an error code then chances are the device has failed and will need to be replaced.

If the POST test doesn't reveal the source of the problem the next step is to open up the PC.

Staying with the theme of keeping it simple we will want to try and start the PC with the minimum hardware required to boot a computer. All you need to boot a PC is the motherboard, memory, some sort of media (floppy disk, hard disk, CD, etc.) and a video card. What we will want to do is remove or disconnect any unnecessary hardware.

Leave one form of media drive connected to boot with, preferably the floppy drive if available, and disconnect all other drives.
Remove all cards except for the video card.
Remove all memory except for one stick
Insert bootable media (floppy disk, CD, etc.) and power on the PC

If the PC doesn't boot with the minimum hardware then the problem may lie with the video card, memory or the motherboard. Try using a different stick of memory if you have one as well try using a different video card. Friends and family can be great sources for this, ask to borrow their video card or memory from their PC, just make sure to return it when you are done. If swapping the memory and video card don't work then you more than likely have a problem with the motherboard and it will need to be replaced.

If it does boot.

Turn it off
Insert or connect one hardware device that was previously removed
Try booting again.
Repeat these steps until the computer no longer boots.

Once the PC doesn't boot again the last hardware device that was connected is the problem and should be replaced or permanently removed.

If you get to this point and your PC still doesn't want to load an operating system then it is time to have a qualified computer technician look at the problem or purchase a new PC. You gave it your best shot but sometimes a fresh set of eyes can see something that may have been missed.

by: Keith Park

My Full Microsoft Office Standard Review

2008-08-10T23:53:00.000-07:00

The full version of Microsoft Office Standard released in 2007 has been described as “user friendly and well organized”. The full standard version of Microsoft Office includes: Microsoft Excel, Outlook Express, Power Point, and Microsoft Word. The interface is beautiful and the menu options are easy to navigate. There is a “ribbon” on top of the window that contains all of the related buttons categorized together. At first it may appear confusing, but it is very easy to get used to. You will even see options that you may have never known about! Many people appreciate not having to deal with drop down menus. Microsoft put in a lot of effort to improve the features in Microsoft Office Standard 2007.

The Quick Launch tool bar allows you the choice of pinning certain commands for short cuts. Its default settings are already helpful and highly useful. Two of the Quick Launch default short cuts include the “save” and “undo” buttons, which of course are always helpful.

The standard version of Microsoft Office 2007 also offers business features. It is very easy to browse through the templates and to choose the one you want to work with. You can even open up the template window in internet explorer without having to close out of Microsoft Office. Microsoft.com also offers many templates that can be downloaded from the website to use with Microsoft Office.

All in all, Microsoft Office Standard 2007 has a good interface, easy features, and excellent performance. The 2007 upgrade is an improvement from the 2003 version. It is very easy to make all of your documents look their best. Whether you need to use the Microsoft Office Standard Suite for Word, Excel, PowerPoint, or Outlook, you will find the features user friendly. Microsoft also offers good customer support for its Office programs.

Author: Carl Eppsteen

Microsoft Office Tutorials:

Driver Data

2008-07-28T01:38:00.000-07:00

Your PC has a number of hardware components that need to communicate with each other and with the programs you’re using. This can get tricky, simply because there are quite a few components that make up a computer. Some of these components may perform similar tasks at any given time, which means that the system needs to be able to distinguish between them and to activate the correct piece of hardware at the correct time.

Others may work in conjunction with each other and need to be able to communicate properly with one another. All this is managed through driver files that are written specifically for your operating system, much like a multilingual dictionary, which allows the operating system to act as a translator and a mediator for your hardware.

While it may sound simple enough, bear in mind that a single piece of hardware may be used on a system that is running one of many operating systems, and could have literally any configuration. Hardware manufacturers write drivers for as many operating systems as they can, and as quickly as they can, which means that there is always room for improvement in the coding of a driver.

It also means that errors can occur and that a driver may not be compatible with a certain arrangement of hardware or software. In short, it’s worth knowing how to check and update your drivers.

For most people, the first time they will come across the concept of a driver is when they buy a new piece of hardware and are prompted to install the drivers. Sometimes windows has its own set of drivers for the hardware, and separate disks are not required. Other times, if a better driver can’t be found, windows comes with a standard driver. However, neither option is ideal, partly because the driver windows has for your hardware, may not be the most recent one and will probably not be ideal for your hardware.

Even worse, the windows driver may be thoroughly incompatible with your hardware. In most cases, you will want to install at least the drivers that came with the hardware, but even here you may discover incompatibilities. The good news is that there are a number of ways in which to combat these problems.

The Right Tools
The first thing you need to do is ensure that you are using the correct drivers for your hardware. Check and confirm this by browsing through the device manager and check the properties of all your hardware. All the components that make up your system should be listed. Double click on any particular component to check whether or not it is functioning properly, or whether or not it is in conflict with another device.

You can also check which drivers are being used and confirm whether or not they match your hardware. You can also check the resources the device is using. The driver file itself usually determines these settings, although they can be tweaked to eliminate incompatibilities with other hardware. Sometimes these settings need to match certain jumper configurations, so it’s a good idea to refer to the manual that came with the hardware to ensure that these settings are appropriate for your particular configuration. You may even discover that you can squeeze better performance from a device – even if it seems to be working properly – by tweaking driver settings.

Remove and Install
If you’re struggling to get a device driver to function properly, and you have tried tweaking its resource settings to avoid conflicts, try removing the driver and reinstalling it. In some cases the hardware vendor might provide you with an executable file that performs the installation automatically. More often than not, you have to perform the installation manually.

If you have removed the device from the device manager, you may want to try using the hardware installation wizard in the control panel, under add new hardware. When the wizard detects your hardware, use the have disk option to browse for the driver files on the disk supplied by your hardware vendor.

Once those have been located, the hardware will be installed and you can restart your computer to check that it’s functional. It’s a good idea to remove all the hardware listed in the device manager, and to reinstall each device after a reboot. This way, windows gets the chance to iron out any potential incompatibilities.

If you are still experiencing problems, you need to find out if there are any known incompatibilities with your hardware combination, or whether or not there are any bugs in your driver software.

Author: Sandra Prior

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 - Do You Have to Wait so Long?

2008-07-06T04:35:00.000-07:00

Almost every Windows' user know that the release of Service Pack 2 (SP2) is the only time worth upgrading their Windows, and I can't agree more. However, if you are getting a new PC, you should get Vista instead of XP, and the reason is simple, you don't want to double pay Microsoft when Vista SP2 release. Let me show you some tips to speed up your Vista, at least until SP2 release.

Tip 1 - Decide on Vista or "XP".

What I really meant is you need to decide whether you want your Vista to be as simple as XP or you want to enjoy more cool features in trade of some stability issues. Because if you want more stability, just turn your Vista into "XP", lose everything else such as Superfetch, ReadyBoost, ReadyDrive, Aero Theme and Windows Defender...

If you prefer the looks and superb support of new hardware by Vista, but in trade of some stability issues, you can tweak accordingly but remains Vista characteristic.

Tip 2 - Use tweak tools, tips and tricks.

Many speed up tools, tips and tricks will help you get over the majority issues in Vista, use them correctly, at least invest on some backup tools and tweaking books.

Tip 3 - Regular updates on Windows, drivers and firmware.

Vista is constantly improving, so check your updates once a week or two. Manufacturer will release updated firmware to help you improve your hardware compatibility, so check and upgrade them frequently.

Tip 4 - Get newest and advanced hardware when possible.

Try to meet Vista requirements when first purchase, do some research on the internet and don't rely on "Vista Capable" logo. When you get advanced hardware such as the solid state hard disk or the hybrid hard disk, you can expect Vista to boot very fast! This will eliminates some major issues cause by boot up speed.

To help you downgrade your Vista to "XP" or tweak the settings, try "Unleash Vista Power Advance Guide" and some tweaking tools recommended inside.

Author: Kok Choon Kow

Computer Audio and Video (Free Download)

2008-06-18T09:33:00.000-07:00

Computer info Centre, presenting multimedia applications that available to download, latest update on June 2008, try it now for free:

Audacity 1.3.5 Beta
Audacity Development Team - 3.04MB (Open Source). Audacity is a free, easy-to-use audio editor and recorder for Windows. Download now
Audiograbber 1.83
Audiograbber - 1.59MB (Freeware). Audiograbber is that grabs digital audio from cd's. It copies the audio digitally-not through the soundcard-which enables you to make perfect copies o... Download now

BSplayer 1.37.826

BSplayer - 2.76MB (Freeware),BSplayer is an application that plays back all kinds of media files (avi,mpg,asf,wmv,wav,mp3...) and specialises in video and divx playback. Download now

Codec Pack All-In-1 6.0.3.0

9.59MB (Freeware). Do you download movies and get confused by all the different formats and codecs? Now you don't need to worry about downloading your movie codecs separ... Download now

dBpowerAMP Music Converter 12.4

Illustrate - 4.03MB (Freeware). Often called a Swiss army knife of Audio, dbpowerAMP is able to: Download now

DivX Play 6.8.3.9

DivX Team - 19.76MB (Freeware). The DivX Play Bundle gives you everything you need to start watching high-quality DivX videos, including DivX Video-on-Demand movies. Download now

Foobar2000 0.9.5.3

foobar2000.org - 2.68MB (Freeware). Foobar2000 is an advanced audio player for the Windows platform. Some of the basic features include ReplayGain support, low memory footprint and nativ... Download now

GOM Player 2.1.9.3754

Gretech - 5.57MB (Freeware). GOM is a FREE media player with popular audio & video codecs built-in. Download now

iTunes 7.6.2.9

Apple Inc - 57.01MB (Freeware). iTunes is an audio player for playing and organizing digital music files, and purchasing digital music files in the FairPlay digital rights management... Download now

jetAudio 7.1.1 Basic

COWON America - 23.42MB (Freeware). JetAudio is integrated multimedia software made up of a single compact rack. Not only does it play various music and video files, it also has features... Download now

K-Lite Codec Pack 3.95 (Full)

13.47MB (Freeware). K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of codecs, DirectShow filters and tools. Codecs and DirectShow filters are needed for encoding and decoding (playing... Download now

K-Lite Mega Codec Pack 3.95

17.37MB (Freeware). K-Lite Codec Pack is a collection of codecs, DirectShow filters and tools. Codecs and DirectShow filters are needed for encoding and decoding (playing... Download now

KMPlayer 2.9.3.1431 Beta

KMPlayer - 14.19MB (Freeware). The KMPlayer is a versatile media player which can cover various types of container format such as VCD, DVD, AVI, MKV, Ogg Theora, OGM, 3GP, MPEG-1/2/... Download now

Media Player Classic 6.4.9.1

1.93MB (Open Source). Media Player Classic was designed to look just like Windows Media Player 6.4, but with many additional new features. It has a built in DVD player with... Download now

MediaMonkey 3.0.3.1173 RC7

Ventis Media - 6.55MB (Freeware). MediaMonkey is a music manager and jukebox for serious music collectors and iPod users. It catalogs your CDs, OGG, WMA, MPC, FLAC, APE, WAV and MP3 au... Download now

Miro 1.2.4

Participatory Culture Foundation - 24.52MB (Open Source). Miro (formerly known as Democracy Player) is the free and open source internet TV platform. Download now

QuickTime Alternative 2.6.0

12.70MB (Freeware). QuickTime Alternative allows your system to play QuickTime movie files (.mov) without having to install the full version of the Quicktime Player. It i... Download now

QuickTime Player 7.50.61.0

Apple Inc - 22.67MB (Freeware). QuickTime Player from Apple allows the playback of quicktime movies (.mov) and many other formats: Download now

Quintessential Player 4.51

Quinnware - 2.21MB (Freeware). Quintessential is a multi format audio player with lots of extra features. With its new extended freeform skinning engine and plethora of feature ext... Download now

Real Alternative 1.80

6.12MB (Freeware). Real Alternative allows your system to play Real Media files (.ra .ram) without having to install the full version of RealPlayer. Download now

RealPlayer 11.0.0.446

RealNetworks Inc - 12.67MB (Freeware). RealPlayer (renamed from RealOne) allows your system to play Real Media files (.ra .ram). Download now

Songbird 0.6 Beta

Pioneers of the Inevitable - 14.25MB (Open Source). Songbird is a desktop Web player, a digital jukebox and Web browser mash-up. Like Winamp, it supports extensions and skins feathers. Like Firefox, it ... Download now

VLC Media Player 0.8.6h

VideoLAN.org - 8.96MB (Open Source). VLC (initially VideoLAN Client) is a highly portable multimedia player for various audio and video formats (MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, DivX, mp3, ogg...)... Download now

Winamp 5.531 Full

Nullsoft - 8.57MB (Freeware). Nullsoft Winamp is a fast, flexible, high-fidelity music and video player for Windows. Winamp supports MP3, CD, WAV and other audio formats, custom ap... Download now

Windows Media Player 11

Microsoft Corporation - 24.56MB (Freeware). Windows Media Player is the all-in-one media player that provides the best experience for discovering, playing, and taking your digital entertainment ... Download now

Zoom Player 5.0.2

Inmatrix - 1.45MB (Shareware). Zoom Player is a very fast media player. Prior to Zoom Player, playing media files on the PC was either overly simplistic for the Power User or overly... Download now

Data Source: www.filehippo.com

DVD Repair, Scratched DVDs and Unfinalized DVDs recovery tips and tricks

2008-06-16T02:03:00.000-07:00

Simple and (hopefully!) free procedures to handle unsuccessfully finalized DVDs, damaged DVDs or DVDs that have not been burned correctly by a video camcorder,recorder or burner and has some corrupt data.

It is a good idea for you to first consider other possible causes of what appear to be DVD errors such as a dirty disc surface, a dirty lens in the DVD reader or other software and hardware related problems. Prior to embarking on any of the following you need to eliminate all possible causes for having trouble with a DVD. Check to see your DVD burner has the latest firmware by going to the manufacturers website. Check to see if the media (brand and type) is compatible with your DVD burner/reader. Once you are certain that you have an unsuccessfully finalized DVD or a corrupt DVD you can get started.

Scratched DVD Disks
A simple visual inspection of the surface of the disc will tell you straight away whether your first problem is physical damage to the disc. If you can see a scratch or scratches on the surface then this may need to be addressed first. I say "may" because personally I use DVDFab to check to see if the disc will copy before I embark on any other course of action. DVDFab can read through a lot of surface errors because of its superior algorithms so I always take the lazy route and see if I can simply make a new copy. Now failing that you could go online and buy some expensive DVD scratch repair kit. Or you could do as I do and go to your local hardware store or even your own garage! All you will need is a bottle of any neutral colored (clear) car polishing product. Turtlewax happens to be the one I use. Take a VERY soft cloth (NOT paper towel), apply a little polish to the surface of the disc and GENTLY (remember, it's not a car!) rub the disc. Use straight strokes from the centre of the disc to the outer edge and continue to do this until you can see the scratch either disappear or reduce noticeably. Then using the same motion and fresh cloth buff the disc back to its original shine. Now try it with DVDFab. If you are still unsuccessful repeat the process until you can be certain, again by visual inspection, that the problem is now not coming from a damaged disc surface.

DVD Data Repair/ Recovery
The software you can use for this are DVDFab, Nero 8 (trial) and Isobuster. In the case of Isobuster you can try the free features first but failing that the full featured version needs to be purchased. A straight search of Yahoo or Google will find you the relevant sites.

Put the problem disc in the DVD drive of your computer then:
1. DVDFab. Try to use DVDFab first, as it has the best algorithms for reading anything on a DVD including how it integrates with the DVD drive, honestly sometimes I think it would read a bagel if you put it in there!

Select "DVD to DVD." DVDFab will now try to read the contents of the disc and, if it can, write the contents to a folder on your hard drive. It is as simple as that. It is either going to work or not! If it does do it then the copy you now have on your hard drive will be fully repaired and you can then burn a new copy.

Failing that:
2. Isobuster. Using the free functions try to make a disc image file and burn to another DVD. Isobuster has three alternate methods of dealing with data corruption. It can replace the corrupted area with nothing, with fake data or with a series of zeros. It will give you the choice and just select them in order to try each until one works. Isobuster will not create the disc image file unless it knows it will be successful. If Isobuster has created the file (note where it was going to put it first!) you will have to re-name the extension to .iso. Use the disc image file to burn a new DVD disc. At this point, if you now have a new disc, you need to check that new one carefully. There is always the possibility that Isobuster has just made a perfect copy of your faulty disc! So now you have a brand new faulty disc!

Failing that: You will need to pay for the full version of Isobuster but ONLY buy it if you got this far. If Isobuster free couldn't even read the disc then don't bother. From this point forward the best you can hope for is the extraction of the MPEG video files or data files on the disc. You ARE going to lose the video menus and you may lose some of the video or data.

Start Isobuster then load the disc.
When Isobuster has detected the files on the disc run the "Find Missing Files and Folders" option under the "File" menu.
You will now have an entry on the left hand column of "files and folders found by their signature."
Select that, then go to "File," "Files found via their signature" then "Extract files found via their signature." Choose a location and let it run.

Now you will have all the files where you selected them to go. The ones with the extension .VOB are the MPEG files from your disc wrapped in the VOB container. They can then be imported into a video editing program using the "Import DVD/VR" function or can be read by most DVD burning software.

Unfinalized discs
If at all possible try to get the original device used to create the disc to finalize it. If this is not possible or the original device is failing to successfully finalize the disc you may have to resort to the Isobuster routine above.

If you have been left with an otherwise perfectly good disc, but unfinalized, do the following.
This requires Nero 8 (Trial version).
Go to the Nero website, download and install Nero 8. Yes, it's big...sorry!

Place the unfinalized disc into the computer DVD tray. Open Nero 8 StartSmart.
Click "create and edit" at the top of the screen.
Click "author, edit and capture video." NeroVision 5 will start.
Click on the disk tools drop down menu then click "finalize disk."
In the option box that appears choose "no menus" and let it run.

Hopefully you now have a fully finalized disc that is readable.
Hope this helps!

About The Author:
Lance is not very good at writing about himself in the third person. He is an ex-patriot Australian living in Taiwan running a business consulting company. His grasp of the Chinese language ranges from poor to laughable and in most circumstances his actual use of the Chinese language results in laughter. The silent conversationless world in which Lance lives leaves him plenty of time to research things and that is what he does well. He is particularly good at finding out how to do stuff and relating it to others who are also not necessarily experts in that specific field..

SPAM - History and Prevalence

2008-06-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

The term Spam is thought to be derived from a Monte Python skit. But the fact that Spam makes up over 80 percent of emails sent isn't that funny!

A Monte Python sketch performed in 1970 references the British rationing during World War II. SPAM was one of the only meat products that was readily available and not being rationed. Python's sketch is set in a café and every item on the menu contains Spam lunch meat. A song repeating the word SPAM is being sung and is drowning out the waiter who is dictating the SPAM filled menu in detail.

An instance of unsolicited commercial email was originally noted in 1978. Although it seems that the idea was born years earlier when an unsolicited electronic messaging using the media occurred by telegram in 1864! In the 1980's the term Spam started to be used to describe annoying users of early chat rooms who would repeatedly type the word Spam in an abusive manner to drive others out of the room. Especially others from rival groups surrounding said topic. They would also flood the screen with quotes from the Monte Python sketch in the same manner. Soon rather than being called flooding or trashing it became common place to refer to these methods as spamming. Later it evolved to mean excessive multiple posting of the same message. In the 1990's we began to see the excessive amount of "get rich quick" schemes being advertised in this manner. Commercial spamming began in 1994 courtesy of two lawyers advertising their immigration law services. Shortly there after the focus of spamming and anti spam efforts moved to email and that is where the focus of this phenomenon remains today.

Most of us receive some type of Spam everyday. Spam is incredibly easy and inexpensive to create and can be very profitable. There are a number of companies set up to send "bulk e-mail". They are able to send billions of messages a day. In the US there have been a number of lawsuits concerning Spam and laws created trying to reduce the production. Therefore, it is becoming more prevalent that these companies operate out of foreign countries. They have also changed their soliciting methods to read "spam-free" which refers to a person who has chosen to "opt-in" by clicking a box near the end of some enrollment form thereby agreeing to have updates or newsletters sent. Sometimes this box is pre checked and you must un-click in order to "opt-out". These names are then sold to the bulk e-mailing companies.

Spam filtering software is the best technology available at the present time to reduce Spam. Spam filtering is included in most versions of anti virus software. It is pretty simple for spammers to sidestep these filters simply by misspelling keywords. Also, these filters often block e-mail that you do want to receive because of key words being misinterpreted. SPAM hits other venues besides email such as instant messaging, chat rooms, newsgroups, forums, mobile phones, online games, search engines, and blogs. For the time being it looks like the only way to avoid a majority of Spam is to avoid traditional email all together. Requiring a person to fill out a form that is in turn sent to the recipient successfully blocks spammers. This is currently how many business and organizations including the White House are handling their e-mail.

The term Spam is thought to be derived from a Monte Python skit but is not received by many as being humorous. Spamming is a phenomenon that has been beneficial for some and a nuisance to the masses who make up the recipients of the billions of messages sent per day.

About the author:
I have an extensive background in Finance and Fiscal Procedure. I also have a web business where I offer Educational Computer Games. I am very interested in the product itself as well as the subject matter that it involves. Please use the link above to visit us at The Software Spot! Thank you, Allison Merlino
Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Computer Hardware Upgrade

2008-06-03T00:36:00.000-07:00

Should You Upgrade Your Hardware PC?

What if you found that your computer is out of date? You probably want to upgrade your computer since you have no choice to do so. Your works depend on your hardware computer upgrade. That’s how you going to have a good result.

But before you make any further step, try to learn about your computer. Search all options and ask for advice. Only after this you can go and buy a new component. It’s also useful to check if you really need an upgrade.

Sure, it’s not funny if you keep your old computer but you still loose data when you do your works. Its just a matter of time before you experience a hard drive problem when you still using your old computer. You don't want to loose your data, right? Of course most people only think of backing up their data after they experience a problem. Don't set yourself up for a data loss disaster. Check what hardware you need for your computer.

If you have problem with your hard disk, such as crash when you do your work, better you have it renewed. Most people upgrade their hard disk to increase the size so that they can use it for games, movies and playing a lot of music. A 20 GB hard drive is sufficient to keep new office and internet applications, and all your files and data. A medium sized hard drive would be around 40 GB and the maximum would be around 60 – 80 GB.

You can choose which perfect for your work. Of course the price is also depending on the capacity of your hard disk. If you are a gamer, you may want to have high capacity hard disk such as that 60-80 GB. But if you just used it for your writing, a 20 GB is more than enough.

Another hardware you may need to upgrade is the RAM or Random Access Memory. This memory keeps data that is being worked on now and may or may not be transferred to the hard drive that represents the long-term memory of the computer. Current processors can perform an enormous number of operations per second. Almost all computer have 64 MB RAM and often 128 MB. If you want to run newer applications on your PC then you must upgrade to 128/256 MB RAM. A lot of people who upgrade from 98 to Win 2000 discover that their computers lock up very often. This is because they don't have enough RAM.

So, those are only some part of hardware you might want to upgrade. There are others such as motherboard, CPU or port which you can upgrade. Your action depend on your need.

About The Author
Tony Gevano interest in observing people's way in choosing things has made him become a writer in various kinds of materials. He wrote almost anything he likes. You find his writing in different Website, among them is in: http://www.d-tools.info.

The Hard Disk Guide

2008-05-23T01:11:00.000-07:00

From throwing our unnecessary files, to defragmenting, from partitions to formats-learn how to keep your hard disk in top shape. The hard disk is the place where all your programs and data are stored. If the hard disk Stops working you could end up losing all your data. What we’ll do here is take you on. A quick tour of the different things you need to know about it, so you can keep it working smoothly.

What is the hard disk?
The hard disk is a magnetic mass storage device installed in special bays within the system unit. The hard disk could do compared to a large cupboard having several shelves. With different items being neatly arranged and stored on each self. The hard disk stored all the data you need to store on your PC-the operating system (for example, Windows), Software program (for example an office suit), business or household applications and data, games, e-mail message, address books and so on.

A hard disk off the assembly line is just a mass of magnetic media. The magnetic surface of the hard disk has to be structured into specific areas where data can be stored properly, a process known as formatting. When you buy a new computer, the system comes with a formatted hard disk.

A hard disk needs to be divided into partitions before it can be used. The hard disk on a newly purchased computer comes configured with a single large partitions, the primary partition (C: in My Computer) and an extended partition, which may be further subdivided into logical partitions (D: E: and so on in My Computer) if required. Partitioning makes the storage of data more efficient and reduces the access time to retrieve data.

The storage capacity of hard disk has increased by leaps and bounds since IBM XT’s first 10 MB hard disk. Nowadays, 10GB is the entry level and 17 GB is common. The hard disk communicates with a PC’s motherboard through an expansion card or a disk interface card.

How does it work?
The disk is formatted to divide its magnetic surface into concentric circular paths called tracks (these are like the grooves on a phonograph record) and wedge-shaped slices called sectors. Data is stored in the form of a file or groups of disk sector called clusters. A disk drive locates data by moving its magnetic read-write head to specific track within a specific sector.

When a new file is created in a freshly formatted hard disk, it is assigned cluster numbers in a sequential order. If the file is expanded, then the first available clusters are assigned. When file is deleted, their cluster numbers are simply marked as available. Over course of time, when files grow in size to require additional cluster or are deleted, the perfectly ordered sequence of clusters gets disturbed, a process known as fragmentation.

Partitioning the hard disk
Partitioning divides a large hard disk into smaller virtual-not physical-hard disk or partitions, leading to an efficient utilization of space and boosting your PC’s performance. Partitioning could be very useful in following circumstances:

One PC, several users-If several persons have to work on the same PC, partitions could be assigned for each of them so that each person has his or her own “working space.” This could be useful in home setting too, where you could have separate partitions for your spouse, children’s games, business applications and data and so on.
Work on multiple operating systems-You may want to work on more than one operating system on your PC, for example Win98, Linux and Windows95. (Maybe you have applications that work perfectly in Win95 but suddenly crashed in Win98). You can keep these various operating systems safely on the same hard disk by installing them in separate partitions.

Partitioning Tools
There’re several partitioning tools available for your hard drive. Two of the most popular ones are:

PartitionMagic Version 4.o for Windows95 and 98-Partition Magic, from Power Quest is a useful and powerful partitioning program. It effortlessly creates, moves, converts and resizes partitions on your hard disk without the necessity of reformatting the disk of erasing valuable data.
FDISK- is a freely available partitioning utility that runs in the DOS environment. Its greatest UPS is that it is available for free. It is cumbersome to use and also requires formatting of the hard disk (perhaps its biggest drawback).

Tips and Tricks:
- Formatting a hard disk
- Hard disk Optimizing

About The Author

Pawan Bangar, Technical Director, Birbals, (Hbirbals,Seobirbals,Ebirbals,Ibirbals)
Cell:91-175-3150734 Cell:+91-98153-52253 email: pawan@ebirbals.com
Yahoo Messenger:pawanishappy@yahoo.com;
MSN messenger:ebirbals@hotmail.com

Formatting A Hard Disk

2008-05-23T01:03:00.000-07:00

As with most mechanical devices, prolonged use of the hard disk results in inevitable wear and tear and malfunction. Repeated adding and deleting of files takes its toll on the hard disk and you may get disk error, including the notorious “fatal error” of Windows. This is an indication that you may need to re-format your hard disk to have it working properly again.

However, before deciding to re-format the disk it may be worthwhile to try out other alternative:
1. Run Disk Defragmenter
2. Use a cleanup shareware programs such asregclean.exe, available for download.

However, if after trying out these alternatives, you continue to get fatal error message, then you probably need to format your hard disk.

The procedure of formatting is simple enough but has to be done carefully. When you format the hard disk, all the data on the disk is lost-Windows operating system, software programs, business applications data, games, e-mails messages. In short everything.

How to do the formatting
Windows 95
1. Double-click on My Computer icon. Then click the icon for the drive you want to format. (e. g. C:)
2. On the File menu, click Format and follow the instructions.
Remember that you can not format a disk if there are files open on that disk. If the disk has been compressed, use Drivespace or other compression to format the disk.

Windows 98
1. Click Start, click Shutdown, click Restart, and then click on OK.
2. Press and hold the CTRL key until the Microsoft Windows 98 Startup Menu appears.
3. Select Command prompt only and press Enter.
4. At the C:\prompt, type format C: and press ENTER.
5. Follow the instruction on the screen.

After formatting you’re left with a blank hard disk with more space then before. The next step is to restore the programs you need on your disk.

1. First reinstall Windows and then application programs you use.
2. Restore your backups into appropriate files. If you use a Zip drive or a CD-writer, these need to be installed first.
3. Reinstall all drivers for the printer, modem or other peripherals.

Do the defrag
A file on your disk may not be stored all in one place or cluster. For example, if you create a Word document and make changes to it at a later date, the change may get saved in a different cluster from the original file. The more often you make changes to a file, the more disorganized the cluster becomes, and the disk becomes fragmented. This makes the magnetic head that reads and writes data to and from the disk, works harder to retrieve the entire file. Fragmentation of hard drive reduces the storage efficiency and then access time for retrieving information. The process of defragging helps to rearrange the files and unused space on your hard disk so that programs run faster.

Before Defragging, it may be a good idea to check how much of your hard drive is fragmented. You can do this by running ScanDisk. Empty the temp folders and Recycle Bin before defragging. Windows 95 and Windows 98: Open the Start Menu, choose Programs, choose Accessories, and choose System Tools and click on Disk Defragmenter. You defragging schedule will depend on how much you use the PC. A good rule of the thumb is to defrag every two weeks. Make sure all your files are closed and then you have turned of the screensaver also.

Spring Cleaning
No more hard disk space left? Getting disk error or illegal operations? It may be time to clean up your hard disk. A few spring cleaning pointers to help you out.

Toss out unwanted applications: check out all the software applications you have loaded on the PC. Delete the old applications if you have installed newer versions. Go to the Control Panel’s Add/Remove program option and uninstall those applications you don’t need.
Run ScanDisk: the ScanDisk option in Windows is very useful application which fixes problem like lost clusters, invalid directory entries and physical disk errors. Run ScanDisk once a month. Go to start, choose Programs, choose Accessories, and choose System Tools and click on ScanDisk. Click the drive that contains the folders and files you want to check.
Defrag often, once in two weeks.
Empty Recycle Bin: Right-click on Recycle Bin icon on the Desktop and choose Empty Recycle Bin from the dropdown menu.
Clean out your folders: do you really need all those download you had undertaken for a past research project or those games you seldom plays? Delete those folders that are not required.
Delete .tmp files and create more space on hard disk. Close all programs. Go to Windows Explorer. Press the key to open find dialog box. Enter *.tmp in the box. Make sure that C: Drive is listed in the Look-in box. Include sub-folders by checking them. When .tmp files appear, delete them.
Delete temporary Net files to create more space. Go to the temp Internet Files folder in Windows Explorer. Delete all present files.
There are several Windows components on your hard disk that you could do without. You could remove these individual components from the Add/Remove Windows setup option and create more space on your disk

Some windows components that are not necessary are accessories such as Desktop Wallpapers (a saving of 700kB) and games (a saving of 600kB)

Before you format:

Enter the hard drive’s technical specifications (number of cylinders, tracks, sectors etc.) into the PC’s BIOS setup table so that it is available for the machine’s Startup program.
Backup all your important data onto another hard disk, recordable CDs, Zip Drive, magnetic tapes or floppies. If you have a sort of backup space or are in hurry, copy only important folders. Backup your e-mail and address books too. After taking the backups, check them out to make sure that they are okay.
Backup any folders that you share with others over a network.
Keep handy the installation disks or CDs of the application software you use, such as Windows or an office suite. These will have to be re-installed after formatting.
Keep handy the driver disks for your printer, sound card, CD ROM driver, modem or other devices. These will have to be re-installed after formatting.

FAT Facts
When a hard disk is formatted, a File Allocation Table (FAT) is created on the disk. FAT keeps a record of the locations of all the files on the disk FAT 16 is the file allocation system used in DOS and Windows 95. FAT 32 file system is used in Windows 98 or Win 95 OSR 2. FAT 32 is considered to be more efficient as it saves more space on the disk.

Back to:
- The hard disk guide
- Hard disk optimizing

About The Author
Pawan Bangar, Technical Director, Birbals, (Hbirbals,Seobirbals,Ebirbals,Ibirbals)
Cell:91-175-3150734 Cell:+91-98153-52253 email: pawan@ebirbals.com
Yahoo Messenger:pawanishappy@yahoo.com;
MSN messenger:ebirbals@hotmail.com

Hard Disk Optimizing Tips

2008-05-22T18:19:00.001-07:00

The performance of hard disk largely affects the overall performance of a PC. Hard disk performance factors include storage capacity, data access time (the time it takes for the read write heads to find a required position on the magnetic surface), data transfer time (measure how many million bit per second can be transferred from disk to RAM) and reliability.

Keep your hard disk in tip-top condition and optimize its performance.

Create separate folders for each business application, data or for each family member. This will keep your disk clean and organized.

Avoid the compression.

Though file compression increases the amount of storage space, it also considerably slowdown system performance.

Keep 10% free. Always keep at least 10% of your hard disk free-filling it beyond 90% of its capacity will lead to system slowdown and potential loss of information.

Run the Maintenance Wizard utility of Windows 95 and 98. This utility make your programs run faster, checks your hard disk for problems and free hard disk space. You can schedule it to0 run on a regular basis at a specific time, for example once a week or other interval of your choice. Start Maintenance Wizard by clicking on Start, choose Programs, choose Accessories, choose system tools and click on Maintenance Wizard.

Use software package that help to optimize your hard disk’s performance, e.g. Symantec’s Norton Utilities.

About The Author
Pawan Bangar, Technical Director, Birbals, (Hbirbals,Seobirbals,Ebirbals,Ibirbals)
Cell:91-175-3150734 Cell:+91-98153-52253 email: pawan@ebirbals.com
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When Should I Clean My Windows Vista Registry?

2008-05-18T04:54:00.000-07:00

The Microsoft Vista registry needs to be kept in top condition if you want your computer to run at 100% efficiency. Having a dirty and error ridden registry is the equivalent to having a broken and/or outdated computer. Why? Simply because nothing will work or because everything will be really, really slow. Having said that, the best thing that you can do is to get more active when it comes to your PC's registry health. If you don't, well, your computer won't remain reliable for too long.

When it comes to registry repair, one of the biggest questions is "how often should I clean my Window's Vista registry?" Generally speaking, at least once per week. However, there really is no "perfect" schedule for registry cleaning.

How often a person cleans his/her PC registry should be directly proportionate to how often the computer is used. For instance, if you only use the computer once per week, running a registry scan every week wouldn't have much of an impact. But then again, if you were to use the computer every day for a month, and each day the computer was used for 6+ hours, then the frequency of scans would have to be increased to keep up with the accumulating errors.

Truth be told, you don't really need a registry cleaner if your are 100% careful with all of your computer activity. Please note that you need to be 100% CAREFUL -- not 80%, not 90%, not even 99%, 100% or nothing. Why 100% careful? Because any and every command you give to the computer is capable of creating a registry error. The more commands given, the more errors there will likely be -- the more errors the registry accumulates, the more often you'll need to run the vista registry cleaner.

If you only do a very few select things on your computer and NEVER EVER install or uninstall software, games, applications, etc. then you might actually get by without registry repair software. However, the chances of you not making a mistake and causing an error to occur are very remote -- and all it really takes is 1 inconveniently located error to send your system into a downward spiral of sluggishness and random crashing.

Admittedly, it might not happen all at once -- As a matter of fact, it could take a few weeks to a few months for you to notice the changes. But know this, it will happen if nothing is done to stop it. Those one or two weekly errors will continue to build and build until there are hundreds, all of which will be working together in order to turn your PC into a great big pile of junk.

For Safe & Effective Registry Repair, Use The Tips Below:

1) Always properly uninstall programs, games, software, etc.

2) Run virus and spyware scans to get rid of any malicious software that may be placing harmful keys & entries into your registry.

3) Never try to manually fix your registry. Doing so could result in complete system instability.

4) Always back up your registry before you run a scan with your preferred registry cleaner. Most registry repair software comes equipped with a fast "back-up" feature.

5) Be sure that the registry cleaner you use is capable of cleaning your Microsoft Vista registry. Certain registry cleaners are built for certain operating systems and will likely do you more harm than good if used.

About the Author:
Jason Z Bell, RegistryRepairTips.com has done the research so you don't have to! If you are looking for the Best Registry Cleaner, including detailed Registry Cleaner Reviews of the best registry cleaners for 2008, check out RegistryRepairTips.com

Speed Up Windows Vista - 5 Effective Steps

2008-05-12T21:22:00.000-07:00

As usual, every generation of new Windows Operating System will consume far more resources than before, but this also means more features and greater user experience! It applies to Vista as well. In this article I will show you 5 very effective steps to speed up Vista, I can almost feel your Vista taking off! (Just kidding)

Without further delay, let's talk about the first step:

1. Add more RAM

More memory means more resources to hold programs and services without accessing your hard disk. 4 GB is recommended, but you are limited to 3.2 GB to 3.6 GB RAM that actually available from a 4 GB memory machine. This is the limitation of 32 bits Vista ( x86), if you want more RAM support, you will have to upgrade to 64 bits ( x64).

Let's say you have a limited budget, and you want more speed, then the second step can help you:

2. Use USB memory stick to run ReadyBoost

You can buy a 4GB USB memory stick with reasonably cheap price, and you can use it to accelerate your PC and transfer data between computer as well, many has reported ReadyBoost to be very effective on 512 MB and 1GB RAM computer, it can speed up Vista overall performance 20~50% faster.

Now comes the step 3, you really going to love Vista for this:

3. Hybrid sleep mode

Sleep mode introduced itself since Windows 98, and now Vista extend this great feature and combine with XP hibernation mode to become hybrid sleep mode. It will allow user to shut down the computer instantly (Not really shutdown, but rather into sleep mode) and boot up instantly (5~7 seconds!). You do not have to worry about data loss due to power failure, because it saves your computer status in hibernation mode automatically before going into sleep mode, thus safe guard your data even you unplug the power!

The Vista default power plan on all new installations is conservative. You want that to your notebook to save power, but not your desktop computer! so step 4:

4. Change your power plan to maximum performance

You want your processor to be ready in the fastest mode, by changing the plan to maximum performance, you can speed up Vista overall performance by another 10% to 15%!

Now the final step, and you need some technical knowledge to perform this:

5. Disable unused services

Many services in Vista is unused by most other users, by reducing the services run in background, you can dramatically increase Vista performance. However, you really need technical knowledge to perform this step, I urge you to find some guide and do some study before even trying it on your own computer!

This concludes the 5 effective steps to increase Vista performance, but the most effective way is still adding more RAM! Unless you really short of money, go get more RAM.

(C) Copyright 2008 Kok Choon - Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety as long as all links and author resources box in place.

About the Author

Do you want to learn more advance steps to speed up your Vista? Try my New Ebook "Unleash Vista Power Advance Guide", with 58 step by step instruction and detail pictures, you should be able to pickup the skills in 48 hours! ==> Speed Up Vista

How To Correct A Continually Rebooting Computer

2008-05-09T23:52:00.000-07:00

When you sit down at your computer desk and press the power switch on your desktop, the last thing you want to experience is a continually rebooting computer.

There are a variety of causes that contribute to this problem, from something as simple as a stuck power button to a much more serious problem as your power supply slowly failing. Other causes for this problem may be overheating PC components, or viruses affecting your system.

Now, if you’re like the rest of us, having a computer that reboots constantly is not our idea of a productive day. So how do you diagnose this problem and where do you start to to make corrections. Here are some common but often overlooked causes and solutions that will get your system running again.

First take a look at the power button and see if its stuck in the socket. If so, you may be able to simple tap the front of the case to release the button. In some cases, you may have to remove the system unit cover to get the button to return to the out position.

If you cannot stop the computer from rebooting by pressing the power button and releasing it, turn off the power switch in the back of the computer next to the power supply. If your power supply do not have a power switch, you will have to unplug the system from the wall outlet.

This must be done as soon as possible so that the constant rebooting will not damage components such as the hard drive. Constant rebooting also have the danger of power surges that can further damage larger components such as the motherboard.

Second you check your computer’s software by checking to be sure no virus or malware have not effected your hard drive. Virus and malware are small software that is downloaded along with other files that is designed to cause mischief.

To remove any viruses and malware, use a anti-virus program that will search your hard drive and remove these file quickly. These files can cause such damage as wiping your hard drive of all data or hijacking your web browser so you have no control over your online surfing.

If you find no malware on your computer, take a look at your BIOS to see if it has become unstable or has been changed. BIOS stands for Basic Input Output System and is a small program designed to check all components for proper operation when the computer is turned on.

If your BIOS has been changed or if you’re not sure if its been changed, try to reset the BIOS settings to the default settings after you access the BIOS as the computer reboots.Once inside the BIOS, you should have the option to load your default settings, save the change, and reboot the computer.

However, there are times when a continually rebooting computer will not allow you to access the BIOS. You can then reset the BIOS by removing the system unit cover and locating the jumper on a three pin header.

You must consult your computer or motherboard manual to properly perform this procedure and it should be done as a last resort. Before making any changes to your BIOS, you should backup your BIOS if your computer reboots at long intervals.

After checking your computer’s software for its rebooting problem, you must check to be sure hardware is not at fault. This problem may exist because one of your memory modules are unseated from its socket . Memory modules are long, narrow sticks that attach to the motherboard.

Remove any static electricity from yourself, remove the system unit cover and check these memory modules to be sure they are secure. Check the connections to the hard drive and the connections leading from the power supply.

Power supply connectors should be checked if you’ve done work inside your computer recently. Power Supplies are known to slowly fail and lead to rebooting problems. There is no way to check an ailing power supply and this should be considered the problem as a last resort.

Following these steps will help you correct any computer that continually reboots itself. If no virus or malware is found, carefully and thoroughly check all connections. And if the problem still exist, the most likely cause would be the Power Supply.

About The Author

Otis F. Cooper is solely dedicated to boosting the knowledge and confidence of every computer user. Sign up to receive his informative articles every month and learn PC Repair absolutely free.Sign up now at http://www.ultimatepcrepair.com

Dual Boot Windows and Linux: Single and Multiple Hard Drives

2008-05-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

The internet is full of technical articles, many of which are way too complicated for the average computer user who just wants to solve a simple problem. If you pay close attention, the internet is also a place where the “gurus” spend a lot of time yelling for help in discussion boards and forums. So don’t feel bad, nobody has all the answers.

So you want to dual boot Windows and Linux on the same computer—it is really quite easy. I only have enough room here to tell you the most common way to do this on a single hard drive or using multiple hard drives. Obviously then, there are many ways to get the job done, but there are some critical things you should know. Let’s start with some critical information.

Windows and Linux: Same Hard Drive
The windows operating system MUST occupy the master boot record (MBR). Linux, on the other hand does not have to. In this scenario, you must install windows first! After Windows has been successfully installed, then you can install Linux. This is critical! The Linux “boot loader” is called GRUB. When you install Linux—MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT INSTALL THE LINUX BOOT LOADER TO THE MBR.

Configure the Windows Boot Loader: A Two Step Process
It is also possible to use GRUB to dual boot Windows and Linux on the same drive but this is a bit more complex—the Windows boot loader will get the job done. In the following commands, you will create a copy of the Linux boot sector and then save it in a file in the top level directory under Windows (C:\).

Step 1: Linux
From the shell in your Linux installation (boot from your installation disks):
Execute the following shell command, replacing /dev/hda3 with the location of your Linux boot partition.

shell# dd if=/dev/hda3 of=/bootsect.lnx bs=512 count=1

Copy the new file—bootsect.lnx—to a floppy disk and reboot to Windows.

Step 2: Windows
Copy bootsect.lnx to C:\ in Windows. Then execute the following command at the DOS prompt.

C:\> attrib -H -R -S \boot.ini

Edit boot.ini so that the first two lines are:
[boot loader]
timeout=30

After the last line, add:
c:\bootsect.lnx=“Start Linux”

That’s it, you are done! Reboot your machine and you will see a menu allowing you to select either Windows or Linux. Congratulations.

Windows and Linux: Two Hard Drives
This is also quite easy. In this case, you will boot to the Linux drive. We will add Windows to the Linux boot loader (i.e., GRUB). GRUB is my favorite boot loader.

Edit the /boot/grub/grub.conf file. One of the very first lines should contain:

timeout=30

After the last line add:
title Start Windows
map (hd1) (hd0)
map (hd0) (hd1)
rootnoverify (hd1,0)
makeactive
chainloader +1

Reboot your machine to the Linux drive and you will see a menu allowing you to select between Linux or Windows. Nice work!
This article is obviously short and does not include any explanations of how these commands work. There are variations on what I have shown here depending on your hardware setup, but I believe that these are the most common and should get the job done nicely. I would be happy to direct you to additional resources if this does not work for you.

About the author:

David Picella is a Family Nurse Practitioner and PhD Student at UW Milwaukee. He is the founder of The Saint Gerard Fertility Care Center in Duarte, CA, which promotes morally acceptable scientific breakthroughs in reproductive medicine.

Download AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 8.0

2008-05-05T02:40:00.000-07:00

AVG Free Edition is the well-known anti-virus protection tool. AVG Free is available free-of-charge to home users for the life of the product! Rapid virus database updates are available for the lifetime of the product, thereby providing the high-level of detection capability that millions of users around the world trust to protect their computers. AVG Free is easy-to-use and will not slow your system down (low system resource requirements).

Highlights and Features :

Automatic update functionality
The AVG Resident Shield, which provides real-time protection as files are opened and programs are run
The AVG E-mail Scanner, which protects your e-mail
The AVG On-Demand Scanner, which allows the user to perform scheduled and manual tests
Free Virus Database Updates for the lifetime of the product
AVG Virus Vault for safe handling of infected files

Is AVG Free right for you?

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition is for private, non-commercial, single home computer use only. Use of AVG Free Edition within any organization or for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. Your use of AVG Free Edition shall be in accordance with and is subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the AVG Free Edition License Agreement which accompanies AVG Free Edition.

What's New in AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition :

• Improvements :
· Small improvements in installation process.
· Improvements in Resident Shield scanning.
• Fixed Bugs :
· Fixed problem with missing help in Rescue Disk Wizard (Windows 98 and ME only).
· Fixed problem with displaying Resident Shield notification windows in some cases.
· Fixed wrong saving of proxy_host value in advanced AntiSpam settings.
· Fixed problem with default Resident Shield extension list settings after installation.
· Fixed problem with cleaning files with read-only attribute.

Download AVG Free Edition 8.0
Download AVG Free Edition 7.5
www.scanwith.com

AVG Anti Virus Update

The priority update section includes the latest virus database updates and/or program updates crucial for your AVG proper functioning. To secure the maximum protection, always download the latest priority update as soon as it is available!

What's New in AVG Anti-Virus Updates?

· Added detection of new variant of Win32/Flux, Worm/Agent, new variants of trojans BackDoor.RBot, Dropper.ErPack, Vundo.

Download AVG Free Anti-Virus 8.0 Updates
Download AVG Free Anti-Virus 7.5 Updates
www.scanwith.com

Tip: We recommend that you update directly from your AVG Free application by clicking on the Check for Updates button. Your AVG will then automatically update. Manual update from the website is not recommended unless you have a specific need to do so.

Note: It is strongly recommended that you perform all updates from the AVG interface. The program can distinguish between full and differential updates; while this page offers only full update files for download.
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How to Clean Your Computer Motherboard (Mainboard)

2008-05-04T03:01:00.000-07:00

If you have not done the inspection mentioned in the previous article - How to Clean your Case, now is the time to do so. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there clusters of dust there? Is there grime caked on to it? If so, the inside needs to be cleaned. If the fan blades are clean but it has been several years since you have cleaned the motherboard or if the computer is around cigarette smoke, it probably should be cleaned anyway. Dust and particles in the air (like cigarette smoke) can build up on the circuitry of the motherboard and cause it to heat up and/or corrode.

The first thing that you need to do is unplug your computer. Then open up the case to get access to the motherboard. Cases open differently. If you don't know how to open your case, look on the back of your computer along the edge for some screws. These screws may hold on side panels or an upside down U shaped panel that covers the sides and top. Removing the screws will allow you to take off the cover. Other cases have the screws on the front of the computer. To get access to these screws, you must first remove the front panel by pressing a hidden latch. The cover is there to give easy access to the inside of your computer, so if you look hard enough, you should be able to figure out how to remove it.

Remember that if you touch anything on the motherboard, you should be grounded by either touching the metal frame of the computer with your other hand or by wearing a special grounding device.

The goal of cleaning the motherboard is to remove all dust and debris from the motherboard and all components inside of the case. This can be done using one of three methods.

The preferred method is to use a can of compressed air to blow it out. Always hold the can in an up-right position to prevent the propellent chemicals which can damage or corrode components from coming out. Dust and dirt should be blown away from the motherboard and out of the case.

Another way to remove dust is to use a vacuum. The common advice is to only use a battery operated vacuum because an AC powered vacuum causes static and static can ruin the motherboard. I have used an AC powered vacuum (before I knew that it was not recommended) to clean my motherboard many times and it has never caused any problems, but I may have just been lucky. When using the vacuum, keep the nozzle a couple of inches away from the motherboard or any other components so that it does not come in contact with them and so that any small parts are not sucked into the vacuum.

If you do not have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, you can use a dry cloth and brush to clean the motherboard. Be careful not to dislodge or break anything using this method.

While cleaning the motherboard, be careful not to unplug any cables or connections or to dislodge any loose components, such as, jumpers.

Methodically clean the whole inside of the case going over all of the motherboard from one end to the other and all other components. Don't forget to clean the fans and heat sinks. Do not open up the power supply box or stick anything in it beyond the fan. If you do, you could get a shocking surprise and ruin your computer.

If your computer does not work when you put it back together, something was obviously dislodged during the cleaning. Open the case back up and push all connections and cards into their slots. Look for anything that may have become disconnected.

Cleaning the motherboard is probably the most dangerous form of cleaning but it is necessary to prevent an early death of your computer.

About The Author

Ray Geide writes a free weekly newsletter called Ray's Computer Tips and moderates a discussion board answering computer questions called Computer Q&A.

He is an experienced computer programmer who has been writing top-rated software for over a decade. Though he has written for some big-name companies, he prefers to write for his own company, Super Win Software, Inc. http://www.superwin.com/

How to Clean Your Computer Case

2008-05-04T02:58:00.000-07:00

There is nothing wrong with leaving spills, dirt, and stains on your computer case. After all isn't that what the case is for, to protect the electronic components inside from spills and dirt? This is true, but there are still parts of the case that need to be cleaned and checked if you want your computer to live a long and prosperous life.

Unless you like looking at dirt every time you look at your computer, you should go ahead and clean those spills, stains, and dust off of the case. You can do this with just about any cloth and cleaner. Do not use highly abrasive cleaners that might ruin or mar the surface and do not use solvents on plastic. A wet sponge will even work. Just make sure that the cleaner or any liquid does not seep into the inside through cracks and vents. If there is any possibility that you are going to get that messy, turn off and unplug the computer first and wait to turn it back on until any liquid has had a chance to fully dry.

After you have wiped off the outside, it is time for a little inspection. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there dust there? Is there a lot of dust and grime caked on to it? If so, that is an indicator that the inside also needs to be cleaned (I will tell you how to do that in next week's article - How to Clean your Motherboard).

Some clean environments never have to have the inside cleaned. Some need it cleaned monthly. When I lived in Russia, even though I didn't notice it, the air was not clean. The fan on the computer would cake up with dirt and grime after about a month of use. And so I would have to clean the fan, vents, and inside monthly. If I had let it go for several months without cleaning, the fan would have stopped working and the computer would have overheated. Where I now live in the US, the air is clean and I have gone years without having to clean it. Again, the indicator of this is the blades of the fan and the vents. If they are dirty, they need to be cleaned.

You can do some of the cleaning from the outside. First, turn off the computer. Then get out the vacuum sweeper and using the hose, vacuum out the vents and the fan(s). If you have compressed air (you can purchase compressed air from your computer store), you may want to blow air in through the vents (or intake fan if you have one) to loosen the dust and suck it out using the vacuum. If there is still dust or dirt in the vents or on the blades of the fan, you can use a Q-tip to clean them.

If you do not have a vaccum, you can use compressed air alone. Always use short bursts to avoid moisture buildup. Start with the computer off and blow into every hole and vent. Then turn the computer on and blow everything except for the exhaust fan once again.

With the case clean, your computer will look nicer and with the fan and vents cleaned out it will breathe easier and run cooler.

About The Author

How to Clean a Printer

2008-05-04T02:57:00.000-07:00

Does your printer have frequent paper jams? Does it put ink where ink shouldn't be? Is the outside of your printer dirty or covered with smudges? If so, it is time to clean your printer.

First, there are some general rules that apply to cleaning just about any electrical device. It is best to turn off the printer before cleaning it. Do not spray water or cleaner on or in the printer. Instead wet the rag with it and clean the printer with the rag.

Different types of printers require different cleaning methods. So if you can get your hands on cleaning instructions for your make and model of printer, do so and follow them. Unfortunately, many manufacturers only make that kind of information available to their licensed technicians. In that case, you are stuck with these instructions, so read on.

Open up your printer and take a look.

If you have an ink jet printer and there is an ink mess inside, clean it up with wet paper towels.

If you have a printer that uses toner either vacuum or blow it out. Some toner, especially color toner, can be harmful to you, so only use a vacuum with a micro-toner filter or blow and run. Figure out where the drum is (it is shiny and larger in diameter than the rollers) and do not touch or scratch it. If you do, the scratches will turn up as marks on every paper that you print and will require that you replace the drum (not a cheap option) to fix it.

Examine the path that the paper takes through the printer. Clean all of the rollers (but on a toner printer, not the drum or rollers near the drum and watch out for the rollers after the drum because they may be hot). It may take some disassembly and/or contorting of your arm to get to some of the rollers. Access is not always easy. The most important rollers to clean are the ones which pick up the paper from the paper bin and transfer it into the printer. If these rollers are dirty or bad, they will cause consistent paper jams.

The rollers are made of either hard plastic or rubber. All of the rollers can be cleaned with water or rubbing alcohol. If the rubber rollers have deposits that you can't get off, you can use harsher cleaners but be careful because those cleaners can damage the plastic rollers and parts.

To clean a roller, wipe across the roller with a wet rag, rotate the roller, and wipe again. Do this until you have worked your way all the way around the roller. Look at the rag. If it has been blackened by the roller, move to a clean part of the rag and clean the roller again.

Once everything is clean on the inside, close it up and clean the outside. Wipe off the case and each of the buttons or knobs. If there are staples or paper clips sitting on it or wedged in the cracks, remove them and throw them away.

Other areas of the printer can be cleaned but to do so, you will have to either get training and special tools or leave it to a trained professional.

About The Author

How to Clean your Mouse

2008-05-04T02:55:00.000-07:00

If your mouse is working sluggishly or not at all, don't go out and buy another cheap mouse. The cause is probably just a dirty mouse. A quick cleaning could fix the problem.

First, you need to identify which kind of mouse you have. If you turn your mouse over and part of a ball is showing, you have a ball mouse. If you see a lens, you have an optical or laser mouse. Each type of mouse requires a different type of cleaning.

The optical or laser mouse does not need to be cleaned near as often as the ball mouse, but it and the surface it runs on can still get dirty. If you do not clean the surface that the mouse moves on, it will soon turn black. So about once a month or so, wipe the surface off with a wet rag. The lens probably never will get dirty, but if it does, take a soft cloth, cotton swab, or q-tip wetted with window cleaner or alcohol and clean the lens.

The ball mouse may need cleaning quite often, so you should get well acquainted with the following cleaning procedure. The dirtier the ball mouse gets, the harder it is to get it to move the cursor on the screen smoothly. If you have to move the mouse across the mouse pad several times to get the cursor to move halfway across the screen, it needs to be cleaned.

The mouse does not need to be disconnected to clean it, but you should close all of the programs that are running, so that you don't accidentally click on something and mess it up. If you do decide to disconnect the mouse, be sure to turn off the computer first. The mouse cord should never be unplugged from the computer while it is running. Doing so could ruin your motherboard.

Turn the ball mouse over and find the cover that holds the ball in. Look for arrows on the cover to show which way it needs to be turned. Place two fingers on the cover and push in the direction of the arrows. Once the cover has been turned about an inch, cover it with your hand and turn the mouse back over to the upright position. The ball and cover should fall into your hand. If it doesn't, shake the mouse gently.

Wipe the ball off with a wet rag.

Now look in the ball well and find the three rollers. Start by cutting across the buildup on the rollers with your fingernail (a knife or steel dental pick may also be used gently), then turn the roller and remove the buildup as you go along. If you do this correctly, you will end up with one curled strip of buildup for each roller. Make sure to remove the buildup from the well. If it falls inside somewhere, blow and gently shake it until it comes out.

Take a wet rag and clean each of the rollers by wiping across it, then turning it and wiping again. Continue until the entire roller is cleaned. Put the ball back in the ball well and lock the cover back in place.

If the mouse still has problems once it is assembled, try cleaning it again. If that doesn't work, you may need to buy a new mouse.

It is a good idea to regularly clean the surface that the mouse is on because the cleaner the surface, the less dirt will get inside the mouse and the less often you will have to clean it.

If your mouse is shared by many people (especially if one of them is sick), you may want to disinfect the top of the mouse between users.

Follow these instructions and your mouse will be up and darting again in no time.

About The Author

How to Clean your Keyboard-Part 2

2008-05-04T02:52:00.000-07:00

When it comes to cleaning your keyboard there are many methods that can be used, some harder and more effective than others.

The easiest method is the Shake Method. It is so easy that you can do it right now. Pick up your keyboard, turn it over being careful not to press any keys, and shake it. See all of that stuff fall out? It is dirtier than you thought, isn't it? You can use one of the following methods to clean it further.

The Blow Method - You can buy cans of pressurized air at the computer department or computer store which are made especially for cleaning your computer. They usually have either a hose and nozzle or a tube extending from the nozzle. Hold the keyboard up vertically (that means that end of the keyboard is up and the other end is down), aim towards the keys and press the button. Keep blowing until all of the debris is blown out. Be sure to get around and in between all of the keys. This can be done with the computer on, but it is better if it is off so that you do not have to worry about pressing the keys and coming up with a page of aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa's.

The Vacuum Method - This is just like the Blow Method except that a vacuum is used instead of a can of pressurized air. It is quite simple. Just turn the vacuum on, pull out the hose, and run the nozzle over the keys. Before doing this make sure your keyboard does not have any loose pop off keys that could be sucked into the vacuum.

The Cotton Ball Method - This can be done in addition to the above methods and in lieu of the following methods. Take a cotton ball or cloth and wet it with rubbing alcohol. It should not be so wet that the alcohol runs down into the cracks of the keyboard. Wipe the tops and sides of the keys.

The Dishwasher Method - I hesitate to tell about this method because there is the possibility that it could fry your keyboard. When I had less experience with computers, I dunked my keyboard in a sink full of water to clean it. It did work afterwards, so I don't doubt those who say this method will not mess up your keyboard, but if it does, don't complain to me. I warned you. If your keyboard is not the standard membrane type of keyboard or if it is on a laptop, do not even think of trying this.

This is how you do it. Unplug the keyboard and place it face down in an empty dishwasher. Do not disassemble the keyboard and do not put it in a dishwasher that has dirty dishes in it. Some say to add soap, some say not to. Run the dishwasher through a regular cycle. Take the keyboard out, shake the water out, and stand it on end until it is completely dry (this may take several days). If it does not work after doing this, it may not be dry. Let it stand another week and try it again. If it still does not work, I warned you.

The Disassembly Method - This is the most thorough method, but it should not be done on laptop keyboards or non-standard non-membrane keyboards.

Turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard. Turn the keyboard upside down. You may want to get two books or short boards to place the keyboard on. Position them so that they hold up the keyboard on the edges when it is turned over. This should leave the keys dangling and not touching the books or the floor. This is especially needed when the keyboard's back is off; otherwise the keys will be lifted out of their position by the floor (or whatever surface it is laying on).

Get a screwdriver and remove all of the screws from the back of the keyboard. Lay the keyboard down on the books and carefully remove the back.

Take everything apart and clean thoroughly. It is better to take the keys out one at a time and clean them so that you do not put them back in the wrong place. Wipe each one down with a wet cloth and then with a dry cloth. Any keys that may be hard to put back in, can be cleaned in place without removing them. Wipe around the keys as they sit in place and blow any debris out with your lungs (using compressed air or a vacuum may upset the keys). If you are really brave, you can remove all of the keys at once and give the frame a good wipe down too.

Do a once over and make sure that you have cleaned everything. Then reassemble it all.

Don't forget the keyboard's cable. Wrap a wet cloth around it and wipe it down. It may have an accumulation of grime that needs to be scrubbed off. Also if any of the letters on the keys have rubbed off, you can use a fine point permanent marker to draw the letter back on the key.

Use these cleaning methods and your keyboard will last a long time and be something you can be proud of.

About The Author

How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 1

2008-05-04T02:48:00.000-07:00

I know most of you will not heed this advice, but KEYBOARDS CAN MAKE YOU SICK (how's that for tactfulness?). Germs live on your hands and fingers. When you type, many of them jump on to the keyboard. When someone else types on your keyboard, those germs transfer to their fingers. Or when you later type on the same keyboard, those germs reconquer your fingers. Regularly disinfecting the keyboard can prevent this.

To disinfect the keyboard, turn off the computer. Then spray disinfectant on a cloth. Be sure to use disinfectant and not just any type of cleaner because not all cleaners disinfect. Also do not spray the disinfectent directly on the keys. Spray it on the cloth. Wipe down the top and sides of the keys. Give the keys a few minutes to dry off before turning the computer back on.

Now that you know how to do it, you should make it a regular practice to disinfect the keyboard. It's one step towards a healthier you.

So you have your keyboard disinfected and life is great. Then your child spills koolaide all over it. What do you do? There are certain steps that you should take when something, like pop, beer, wine, coffee, milk, or kool-aide, is spilled on the keyboard.

The first thing to do is immediately unplug the keyboard from the back of the computer and turn the keyboard over so that its keys are down. This will allow the liquid to drain out. You will probably want to put a cloth under the keyboard or at least make sure that the surface you have put it on is washable.

Then use the mouse to shut down Windows and turn off the computer (this is important because later you will have to plug the keyboard back into the computer and you should never plug any device into a computer while it is on).

While the keyboard is upside down use a cloth to dry as much of the liquid off as you can. If you have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, while the keyboard is upside down blow or vacuum it out. Then let the keyboard set upside down for at least a night so that it can adequately dry out.

If the liquid that spilled on it was sticky, you may want to follow the extensive cleaning procedure explained in the next article, How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 2.

Liquid spilled on a laptop keyboard can easily reach the hard drive, so turn it over immediately and leave it in that position until it dries.

Keyboards are quite resilient and so it should work when you turn it on again. But if not, another attribute of keyboards is that they are cheap and so it won't cost too much to buy another one.

With these pointers in mind and a quick reaction, you just may save your keyboard from total destruction the next time it gets coated with coffee.

About The Author

How to Clean the Registry

2008-05-04T02:45:00.000-07:00

In the beginning Windows' registry consisted of two files totaling around 5mb in size. Today it consists of at least 12 files with the Software file itself being 30mb or bigger in size. As the size of the registry has exploded, so has the trash and clutter in it. It may seem like a daunting task, but cleaning the registry properly can fix system problems, speed your computer up, and make it run more efficiently.

I have spent many years developing and refining thousands of procedures to do just that. I could share these methods of hunting down the trash with you and let you find them and delete them by hand, but if you were to sit down at your computer right now and work nonstop, you would still be busy with them a week from now when the next issue of Ray's Computer Tips arrives. By then your registry would have new clutter and you would have to start all over again.

To make registry cleaning easier on everyone, I wrote a program called RegVac Registry Cleaner (http://regvac.com/regvac.htm) to perform those procedures. It has been so successful that several companies have asked me to model their registry cleaners after RegVac and even more have copied processes that first debutted in RegVac.

The first place RegVac cleans is the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section (the Classes Vac in RegVac does this). This section contains settings for the classes of Windows. Think of a huge box full of snakes and you will get an idea of how complicated and interwoven it is. It is so complicated that many registry cleaners bypass it or simply perform surface scans of it. RegVac uses over a hundred processes to follow each tentacle of each class deep into this area and make sure that they abide by the rules.

Next RegVac validates the entries in 22 lists with 7 different methods (the FilesList Vac does this). This is a minor part of RegVac but the bulk of most other registry cleaners even though they usually do not clean all 22 lists.

Another part of RegVac, the Software Vac, which is unique to RegVac, finds old software sections in the registry and provides a way to remove that software's entire branch. Other registry cleaners only remove a few entries in this area often leaving huge portions of the registry that do nothing but take up space and get in the way.

Even more trash can be discovered in hundreds of stashes used to store data you will never use. Most registry cleaners do not even touch these. The Stash Vac lists these stashes and lets you go through and select which ones to empty out. Please use caution when using the Stash Vac because some of the items listed there may be important. For example, one folder in the Stash Vac lists places where data for international keyboards are stored. You probably will never use the data for Bulgarian keyboards, so you can remove it, but if you live in the US you may experience problems after removing the United States 101 keyboard. The items that you can safely remove are usually obvious.

Last but not least, when cleaning the registry, you should look for broken links to files on the computer (this is what the Bad Link Vac does). If a file is referenced in the registry but it does not exist on your hard drive, that is a good indicator that something is wrong. Many programmers start out writing a registry cleaner thinking all it has to do is check for these broken links and remove them. In fact, that is all many registry cleaners do.

Even though that is all they do, they often don't do it correctly. If you check the results of such scans, you will find out that many of the broken links are really good links. I spent several months refining this part of RegVac so that as far as I know it is 100% accurate. Despite this, please realize that some software enter broken links in the registry and require them to be there in order for them to run. RegVac skips the ones it knows about, but you still need to be careful with this part of RegVac.

RegVac has six more tools that clean even more areas: the Add/Remove Editor, the System Config Utility, the OpenWith Editor, the AutoComplete Editor, the Junk Keys Editor, and Registry Backup, Pack, and Restore.

Many of you already use RegVac but if you don't, you can downloaded a free 30 day trial of RegVac at http://regvac.com/regvacz.exe. For more information about RegVac Registry Cleaner go to http://regvac.com/regvac.htm. If you like RegVac, you can purchase it for only $29.95. All future updates are free.

Keep the Windows registry clean and running smoothly with RegVac Registry Cleaner.

About The Author

How to Clean Disc Drives

2008-05-04T02:37:00.000-07:00

When your CD or DVD (disc) drive starts giving you problems, your first thought may be to replace it or take it to the repair shop, but a good cleaning may be all it needs.

Below are three methods to clean the disc drive. The easiest method is the least effective. The hardest method is the most effective. Since the hardest method takes some time to do, I recommend that you start with the easiest method. If it solves your problems, congratulations. If not, try the next method.

The Cleaner Disc method - this, the easiest method, uses a special cleaner disc which can be purchased in computer stores. The disc usually comes with a little bottle of cleaner solution. Apply a few drops of the solution to the disc and insert it in the disc drawer (be sure to read and follow the instructions that come with the cleaner disc). The drive will turn the disc and clean the lens. Unfortunately, this only works adequately about half the time.

The Cleaning Stick method - this is what I do in desperation when the cleaner disc does not work and I don't want to disassemble the drive. Since all that is needed (at least in my mind this is true) is a little more pressure applied to the lens, I start out in search of a thin, flexible stick of some type which is at least six inches long. It should not have sharp or rough edges that would scratch the lens. Next, get a soft, thin cloth and put water or rubbing alcohol in the middle of it. Place one end of the stick under the wet part of the cloth and slide it into the opened disc drawer. The goal is to rub the wet cloth on the lens to clean it. Do not apply so much pressure that you will scratch and ruin the lens. Also try blowing into the disc drive to remove any dirt that may have accommulated in it. If you do not succeed at this, proceed to the next method.

The Disassembly method - this method should work but it requires you to disassemble the drive. So if you are not comfortable with taking the drive apart, please take it to a computer repair shop and let them do it.

Take the cover off your computer, unplug the cords from the back of the disc drive, remove any screws holding it in, and slide it out (you may need to remove the face plate on the end of the drawer to get the drive out). Remove the screws in the drive housing and take the cover off. The bottom side of the drive is a circuit board, so if that is what you see when you take the cover off, figure out how to access the other side. On the correct side, you should see a lens that runs on a track (there is no harm in moving the lens along the track but do not touch the lens itself). Use a wet, soft cloth to clean the lens.

Sometimes a disc drive malfunctions because there is too much dust or debris in it, so be sure to clean out the inside with either compressed air, a soft cloth, or a cotton swab. Reassemble the disc drive, put it back in the computer case, and cross your fingers. Hopefully, it will work when you turn on the computer.

If these methods work, you just saved yourself some money. If not, you needed a better disc drive anyway.

About The Author

A Comparison: Using Registry Repair Tools Versus Local Computer Repair Shop to improve PC performance

2008-05-03T00:36:00.000-07:00

What do you think is a more effective way of repairing your PC system registry files? Taking it into your local computer repair shop or downloading a piece of diagnostics software to get the job done? Quite honestly it's not a cut and dry answer, but this article will explore the differences. More specifically we'll discuss how trial and error effects your bill, why software is consistent, and which choice is best for your PC problems. By the end of this article you should be able to decide if trying PC repair software is a good choice for you next time you run into a hardware of software error.

The Trial and Error Process of Technicians

You probably don't realize it but even those positioned as computer experts rarely know exactly what the problem is without first running some tests. Just like a doctor or auto repair tech there is a trial and error portion to diagnosing and repairing a problem. Most computer repair people have a list of issues in their mind that a problem could be, they start at the top and run down that list until they locate the issue. If they can't find it then it means research time. No one is an expert at everything, and quite often technicians will use scanning software to check your hardware, registry, and files to find a problem.

The consistency of Registry Repair tools

I'm not going to suggest that registry repair software is better then taking your PC to a repair shop. How ever, registry repair tools perform the same scan each time, similar to that list of issues the technician has in his had. The difference is that the software does it in about 10 minutes or less, every time. The software then diagnoses the issues found and offers a remedy all in well under a half hour.

The verdict here is that a piece of registry repair software performs a very similar task to your computer repair person. The difference is you're not paying the software by the hour, it's a one time fee to buy the software and that's it. Add in that software generally offers new updates as time goes on and you're actually protecting yourself for a longer period of time all for one price.

Which option is best for your PC repair needs?

I always recommend that you try diagnostic software first.

Why?

Simple the cost is much less then a trip to the repair shop, and most of these software publishers offers a money back guarantee. If you're not happy with how the program performed you just ask for your money back. What's the worst that could happen? You could end up at the repair shop anyways, but best case scenario you locate and fix the problem yourself saving you both time and money.

About the Author:

To learn more about how to fix registry errors visit http://www.registryrepaircenter.com a popular website offering registry cleaner reviews of the top products on the market.

Computer peripherals – to accelerate the performance of your PC

2008-05-03T00:17:00.000-07:00

Computer peripheral is a term that is sometimes referred exclusively for devices that are connected externally, generally those that are connected through some form of computer bus like the USB. Its most common
examples include joysticks, printers and scanners.

However in a mixed opinion, some people say, internal devices like the video capture cards are not really computer peripherals since they are added inside the computer case. In their opinion the term peripherals is exclusively reserved for devices that are hooked up externally to the computer. It is arguable however whether PCMCIA cards qualify as peripherals under this biased definition. Because there are some hard wares that go fully inside the laptop, while some others like WiFi cards, have external appendages.

Due to these deliberations, the term is hardly used these days. Earlier these were used to refer to things like floppy disk drives and modems. Now a day’s most of these devices are integrated inside the computer's case. Over and above the external devices typically function on their own such as mp3 players and cell phones.

The common peripherals include:

• Storage: CD, CD ROM, CD writer, DVD, DVD ROM, DVD writer, HD DVD, HD DVD ROM, HD DVD Writer, etc. Other examples in this category include USB flash drive, tape drive, floppy disk, and punch card. In the non removable category are the disk drives, disk array controller, etc.

• Input: In this category devices like keyboard, pointing devices, mouse, trackball, joystick, touch screen, game pad are included.

The devices like the power cord/ transformer, microphone, brain computer interface, image scanner, computer terminal, computer speech recognition, webcam, digitizing tablet, barcode reader are also included in this category.

• Output: For the printing purposes the devices that are used like the plotter, printer, Braille embosser, etc, the devices for the sound like the computer speech synthesis, sound card, speakers, etc are the output peripherals.

The devices for the visuals like the digital camera, graphics card, monitor, the devices for networking like the modem and the network card, expansion devices like the docking station, etc are other output peripheral devices.

Many online computer shopping, portals are giving discount on every purchase of computer peripheral item.

About the Author:
Mohit Sharma is an expert author and have written many good quality articles on online shopping, and mobile stores.

Vista Registry Cleaners - Do They Actually Work?

2008-04-28T17:12:00.000-07:00

Are you having trouble with your Window's Vista computer?

Heh, who isn't these days?

The truth is that everyone goes through it from time to time -- whether it be slow speed or just random crashes, we all experience a bit of Vista "hysteria" every now & again. The sad fact is that instead of fixing the problem, most people just "live with it". This is really unfortunate because the problem isn't even that big of a problem. In fact, most Vista computer issues can be fixed quite simply through registry repair repair software.

However, that leads us to the big question; will a Vista registry cleaner actually work?

In short, yes they do in fact work. But then again, that answer only applies to specific kinds of Vista registry cleaners that are proven to work -- it doesn't apply to the poorly designed and problematic registry cleaners that are developed & sold on a regular basis. Having said that, as long as you get your hands on a reliable registry cleaner, you'll be in good shape in terms of registry repair.

"Why is the registry so important anyway?"

Well basically, it's what keeps your computer stable and functioning. Without the registry, your computer would become confused and it wouldn't be able to tell this from that, nor would it even be able to start up properly. In a nutshell, it wouldn't be able to work on any level whatsoever. Now that you know that, you should also know that having lots & lots of registry errors is nearly the equivalent to not having a registry at all. This is due to the fact that the errors cause a great deal of confusion within the PC, which thereby causes decreased speed, sudden crashes, strange error messages, as well as many other performance hindering symptoms.

"These errors sound serious. what can I do to prevent them?"

Honestly, nothing. Even though registry error prevention is indeed possible, it is by no means easy. Error prevention means being remarkably careful with every action you take and every command you give to the PC. Considering the fact that most people aren't even remotely near that careful, it's just simpler and less time consuming to repair the errors instead -- and the best way to do that is with a registry cleaner.

A Vista registry cleaner is truly the only way to scan and fix your PC's registry properly & without hassle. The software will make sure that any & all registry vulnerabilities are removed completely so that your system will be less prone to damaging attacks -- and yes, the registry does get attacked. The attacks usually come from viruses, spyware, and adware, all of which place malicious keys & entries into your registry. A good registry cleaner not only removes these entries, but it strengthens the registry for the long haul as well.

You should also know that most reliable vista registry cleaners come fully equipped with a "back-up" feature that is guaranteed to keep your PC in working condition. If anything happens with the registry during a scheduled scan or repair, simply use the "back-up" copy of the registry and you'll be back in business.

As you can see, ignoring effective registry repair is not only stupid, it's downright dangerous.

- More informations about registry

- More tips to fixing the registry

Submitted By: Jason Z Bell

About the Author

PC Registry Repair has done the research so you don't have to! If you are looking for Registry Cleaner Reviews, including a detailed Registry Cleaner Comparison, of the best registry cleaners for 2008, check out pc-registry-repair.com.

How to Keep Computer Clean?

2008-04-28T01:14:00.000-07:00

Cleaning The PC :

Ever hear a strange noise coming from your computer. Maybe it sounds like a plane about to take off. That's the sound of a fan that needs to be cleaned. You may notice that your computer case has holes in the front and side. These holes allow air to pass through the case. Usually air is pulled from the front of the case over the hard drive past the motherboard and out the back of the case.

Usually there are two fans that accomplish this. One fan is usually mounted on the back of the case and the other is in the power supply. There is also a fan that is located on top of the CPU's heatsink. The outer rim of the fans will eventually get a build up of dirt around them. This will cause the fan to wobble causing it to make noise or even stop.

The best way to clean your computer is with a can of compressed air. Simply take the cover off of the case and spray the inside with the compressed air. Spray the fans and make sure they spin easily. Check the heatsink and make sure you clean it well. If it is full of dust the system could start shutting down on its own or you will start to get blue screen errors. Make sure you clean the fan in the power supply. Don't worry about spraying air inside the main concern is to make sure that the fan does not stop because of dirt.

If you want you can also clean any add on cards contacts or even your memory contacts. All you need is a pencil eraser. Simply run the eraser across the card or memory sticks contacts. Make sure you clean off any loose piece of eraser left behind.

If you want to clean your keyboard try using a paint brush. You can use a little glass cleaner as well.

Finally a handy trick for cleaning the outside of your case is to use hand cleaner. You can find hand cleaner in most automotive stores.

About the Author

Evan Freedman is an author for The Computer Geek Web Design and for CSSZafco.com, distributor of computers and accessories. Evan has been diagnosing and fixing computer for over 25 years. Please visit the site to view a huge assortment of Computer Technology.

Computer Repair Service, Fixing The Problems

2008-04-27T06:17:00.000-07:00

by mack.seo

Most of our offices and homes are fast becoming cases or warehouses for spoilt computers. Most of the times, we lack the required technicians to effect repairs or we are simply not advised on what to do when our computers stop working. We may be tempted to rush for new computers. Repairing your computer may save a chunk of your money.

Why struggle with computers and technology?

There is a service, Tech-pros, which you can consult to see if you computers can be reclaimed. What do you expect from a computer repair service? It is very common for most of us to anticipate the scenery prior to meeting the technician; while your computer is with the technician and the aftermath of your computer being repaired. This is because no one wants to get entangled in a mess. It may be wise to consider the following: Where can you get a good repair service? This subject can be answered by where there is an availability of quality services and accessories. It is recommended at times to get to the manufacturer of that make, but keep in mind that this can be very expensive.

Thanks to technological advancements, there are lots of individuals who can provide proficient services similar to those of and even above manufacturers. For example, service companies like Tech-pros may be operational with veteran, specialized technicians who do not only have the specific information and talents, but will equally undertake to help you get the most out of your asset. Another thing to consider is how long will it take to repair your computer? Computers can be a vital part of businesses or academic investments. So they should not be left to lie in wait. When such important assets go down, it may be probable for Tech-pros to get you going again. For the most part, this will depend on how talented the technicians are and above all, how reachable are the spare parts.

These constitute no problem today with the multiplicity of talented technicians and computer accessories. There exist large stores of original accessories as well as used parts of all assortments. A good computer repair service should not take more than five working days for the most complex type of diagnosis.

When looking for a computer repair service, also consider the repair rating. Do some online and off-line shopping. Get information from friends and colleagues. They might have had similar problems and may give you the best advice on finding an appropriate repair service. Thanks to numerous online feedbacks for its past clients, Tech-pros possesses of this quality. It may be wise to give it a try; one does not know.

Back up, Restore, Update and Remove Device Drivers With Easy

2008-04-27T06:08:00.000-07:00

GoldSolution Software announces the release of Driver Magician 3.26, a device driver tool for the Windows operating system which can back up, restore, update and uninstall device drivers with ease.

Device driver is very important for computer hardware, and all devices in computers will be useless without correct drivers. Driver Magician can extract driver files from hard disk and back them up to a directory of your choice.

When operating system is reinstalled, all drivers will be easily restored from drivers backup. It is especially helpful if original driver diskettes were lost.

Driver Magician has four backup modes, which are "in folders", "in a compressed file", "in a self-extractor" and "in an auto-setup package". If device drivers are backed up in an auto-setup package, all drivers can be restored with one mouse click. It simplifies drivers installation process greatly.

There is about 30,000 device drivers information in driver update database of Driver Magician. The database is updated everyday to give users the latest drivers information. Matured new drivers will obviously improve performance of hardware.

Unknown devices is annoying to computer users, Driver Magician can detect unknown devices and provide correct download link for it. This saves time to find correct drivers on the Internet.

Driver Magician can uninstall un-present drivers easily to increase system stability. Driver Magician is the right choice for device driver backup, restoration, update and removal with all future versions and upgrades available for free. It is both affordable to every computer user and a real value.

System Requirements Driver Magician will run under Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista on an Intel-based 586 PC or greater. It works on both 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems. The program requires 32 MB of RAM and 5 MB disk space to install.

Price and Availability Driver Magician is available now. The price for single user license is $29.95 USD. A trial version is available from the GoldSolution Software web site at:
http://www.drivermagician.com
EVALUATION COPIES ARE AVAILABLE ON REQUEST

More informations about Device Drivers visit : Driver Update Online

by Michael Lee

Your Computer May Be Infected. Here's How To Check.. (NOT about virus)

2008-04-27T05:06:00.000-07:00

by: Fazly Mohamed

NOTE: Please take time to read on - it may be vital for your PC's security. If you are not in the mood, just save it or print it out for later reference.

A recent research revealed that 80% of the computers today is infected with these dangerous spyware and most of the users not aware of it. (Your computer could fall into this lot too.) The most dangerous fact is, even though the anti-virus software is running, these software can even inactivate them and take over your PC.

Have you experienced any of the following?

Awsome popups comes out of nowhere, when browsing the web
Home page reset to some other site

How can this happen?

The components installed when viewing certain sites, starts up and running as soon as it's finished installing (or after the page is completely loaded) and with every windows startup since then. Their job is to collect information and report (or transfer) it to an external computer.

What is deceptive software? (Reference: www.microsoft.com)

Spyware and unauthorized adware are two examples of "deceptive" software. Deceptive software includes programs which take over your home page or search page without first getting your permission. There are a number of ways deceptive software can get on your system. A common trick is to covertly install the software during the installation of other software you want such as a music or video file sharing program.

Whenever you are installing something on your computer, make sure you carefully read all disclosures, including the license agreement and privacy statement. Sometimes the inclusion of adware in a given software installation is documented, but it may appear at the end of a license agreement or privacy statement.

Sometimes deceptive software gets silently installed on your system without any warning at all. If you use Internet Explorer as your Web browser, this can happen if your Internet Explorer security setting is set to its lowest value. Make sure to keep this setting at the medium level or higher. Doing so will help you control what is being installed on your computer.

Have you ever had an experience where you were repeatedly asked to accept a download even after you said "no"? Creators of deceptive software often use such tricks to get you to load their software. If this happens to you, do not click "yes". Instead, try to close the Web page that first asked you to accept the download by hitting the "X" in the corner of the window. Alternatively, quit Internet Explorer and restart it to begin browsing the Internet again. If you visit a Web page that continually displays these tricky pop-up windows, that Web site may not be worthy of your trust.

Your computer may be infected by now, but you may not know. Just have a checkup with a software specifically designed for it, to know the status of your computer. You must clean infections once you find it and the game is not over yet. The spyware might reinfect your PC. So it's highly recommended that you run a firewall on your system after the clean up. This will allow you to monitor every single communication occurs with your computer and block the ones which you feel unnecessary. The firewall acts as a barrier between your PC and the external world (Internet / Network).

A good spyware detector recommended by most people is, http://noadware.cjb.net and it shows you all the infections and potential dangers in great detail. It's free to scan but not to clean. It's a good idea to have a scan even you have no idea of cleaning, since you know the status of your PC in great detail. This gives two advantages.

Firstly, if there are minor infections and if you have a fair knowledge on registry settings and how to edit them, you may have a try to clean them up. Secondly, if it shows that there are major infections, you can avoid using credit cards and doing other confidential stuff, until you clean it up later.

You must run a firewall. In many new operating systems (eg. Windows XP), there is a built-in firewall. Google search on how to activate it. Others may try one at http://www.download.com

You may have a question by now. What is the purpose of these spyware? Even though we cannot give an explicit and clear cut answer, we can safely state that every thing boils down to the urge of more profits. How? The spyware collects all your personal information and transfer it to an external computer. The information is reviewed by a software in the receiving computer and then delivered targeted popup ads to your PC. There are many things that spyware does in addition to this. The most dangerous of those is that collecting the credit card numbers.

If you have some technical knowledge on your PC, here's a technical explanation on what trouble does the spyware cause.

1. An extra process is running to monitor and log your activities in your PC.

2. Constant transfer is taking place between your PC and the spyware writer's computer.

The first process in it self is an unneeded process and it contributes to slow down your PC. Second is the most harmful. It transfers logged info to the external PC (spyware writer's PC). Then the external PC transfers targeted popups to the infected PC. This, in addition to slowing down your PC because of these extra processes, it also slows down the internet connection, as the bandwidth is shared. In short, PC with a spyware is like a dumping ground for snakes. Once its there and up and running, it can do almost anything with your PC.

Please pass this on to all you know. The most risk is for people who use Internet Explorer, as it is the most popular web browser and that very fact has drawn more attention of many malicious software developers.

About The Author
Fazly Mohamed - fazlymohamed @ yahoo.com

Seven Tips to Having a Healthy Computer

2008-04-26T01:26:00.000-07:00

Submitted by emsi

Decatur, GA – Whether we are part of a small business, a multinational, or are just trying to find a recipe online at home, we seem to spend just as much time fixing ‘issues’ and ‘conflicts’ on our computers as we do working on them. For the home user this is merely an inconvenience, but to a business it can add up to tens of thousands of dollars lost to decreased productivity or repairs.

Although the mere thought of trying to ‘fix’ a computer would cause a cold sweat to break out in most of us, it is in fact the simple little things that even the most timid technophile could prevent, which cause the majority of our desktop woes.

Malware, viruses, identity theft and spyware account for about 80% of all computer issues resulting in downtime,” reveals IT guru Chip Reaves. “It is estimated that the lost-productivity cost due to these alone is around $50 billion, and the associated IT costs of dealing with it has skyrocketed from $20 billion to $198 billion in the last five years.

That is a lot of money and a lot of work-time lost. But Reaves, the National Director of Computer Troubleshooters, explains that there are certain simple tips everyone could adhere to – businesses and individual computer users alike – that will keep our computers (and wallets) in tip-top shape.

1. Old Hardware.

Studies have shown that the likelihood of physical problems with computer equipment goes up significantly after 24 to 36 months,” says Reaves. “Consider replacing computer systems every three years – considering how inexpensive computers have become, one major repair bill could easily cost more than purchasing an entire new system.

2. Power Protection.

Surges and power drops can cause data loss and are always damaging to sensitive components, reducing their lifespan. Most people do use surge protectors, but what many don’t realize is that surge protection wears off over time. For the best protection make sure that the surge protectors for all your computer equipment are replaced every 2 to 3 years.

3. Illegal Software.

Many businesses don’t realize that they don’t ‘own’ software; just the licenses to use it on a specific number of PC’s. Manyt software programs automatically report their usage via the internet, and breach-of-license letters and audits from software manufacturers to businesses are on the rise.

4. Training.

Having to spend money training your staff might sound like a waste, but most employees understand less than 20% of the software packages they use. The gain in productivity far outweighs the training costs.

5. Firewall and Security.

The internet is full of hackers who regularly try to access computers for nefarious purposes. If they get in (either directly, or with the help of exploits from malware or viruses) the list of problems they can cause is pretty big; including stealing files or customer records, and deleting important data. It’s important to be sure that all computers in your organization are updated with the latest security patches from Microsoft or Apple, and that firewalls are installed and maintained properly.

6. Backup Data.

It sounds so obvious but most companies fail to keep 100% of their important data backed up 100% of the time – there are often gaps in what’s being backed up which are only discovered when it’s too late. The consequences of lost data can put a company out of business on the spot, and data retrieval is frighteningly expensive.

7. Spam, Viruses and Spyware.

80% of all Computer Troubleshooters’ service calls worldwide are from people with problems directly linked to these issues. You should consider good virus protection, spam filters and anti-spyware programs as mandatory if you want a trouble-free computer.

With a small amount of common sense, weekly maintenance (much of which we can set our computers to do themselves) and some small financial outlays, we can have many more trouble-free workdays and spend far less on the IT repair man. This will allow us more ‘up’ time to complete our work and give us the chance to explore the myriad other technology opportunities that can help us improve our businesses, or our lives. Now that’s technology in action.

About the Author
Chip Reaves is the National Director of Computer Troubleshooters. To help pay for his studies in computer science at Georgia Tech, Reaves began fixing computers for local businesses in the late 1980’s. The part-time work quickly became a full-time business, with Reaves establishing Chiptech in 1992. Reaves was surfing the web when he discovered Australia- based Computer Troubleshooters in 1998, and by 1999 he had negotiated the rights to operate CTS in the US, a move than has lead to over 230 CTS locations in North America today. Reaves is also on the board of directors of two local charitable organizations. Chip Reaves’ website can be found at www.comptroub.com

The Different Between One Registry Cleaner Software And Another

2008-04-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

Here’s a fact: 92% of computers run on Windows, and every 32-bit edition of Windows has a storage sector where options and settings are saved. This sector is called the registry, and it is one of the busiest databases in a computer. As such, it is one of the databases that are most susceptible to corruption and breakage. This is why the demand for an efficient registry fix is consistently high. But there are many options on the internet when it comes to a quick registry fix.

Which is the best one? Which registry fix is worth the download? Which registry fix will provide the best results? In this article, we will review five of the most popular registry cleaners available on the World Wide Web today. It is hoped that you, the reader, will be guided properly on how to choose the best registry fix for your needs.

Stompsoft Registry Repair
Stomp is known as the most thorough and most aggressive registry fix in the market today. Where other registry fixers can only diagnose 50 to 70 registry-related errors, Stomp can pinpoint more than 700.
Is this a good thing or a bad thing?
Some say that Stomp merely counts errors in the registry that Windows will auto-correct eventually. Some say that Stomp merely looks for errors in places where files don’t really have a bearing on the processes conducted by the system. Regardless, Stomp’s aggressiveness wouldn’t hurt, and at the end of the day, it’s still about how well the registry is fixed, and on this, Stomp has a pretty good record.

CCleaner
Being a free registry cleaner, CCleaner has built a huge and solid following, with most of its patrons claiming that they have been using this registry fix as soon as it was released almost 5 years ago, and they have never looked for any other reg cleaner since then.

For a free registry fix, CCleaner’s features are simply amazing. CCleaner does things right. It erases the useless and redundant files in the registry, and it never meddles with files that may affect the performance of Windows.
And it is constantly updated! This is something that free registry fixes can seldom afford.

Registry Mechanic
Registry Mechanic is likewise a stable registry fix. With the newest update, Version 6.0, Registry Mechanic is now capable of recognizing previously unrecognizable errors, and correcting the same, resulting in a cleaner, better performance for your Windows-based PC.

Many online authorities attest to the integrity of Registry Mechanic, mainly because of the aforementioned stability and consistency of this registry fix. This has created a wave of acclaim for the program, which has been translated to many downloads for the same.

Registry First Aid
Speaking of acclaims, if the number of awards is to be used as gauge, then Registry First Aid should top this list. Registry First Aid is a registry fix that boasts of a seamless cleaning process for your Windows operating system. It promises a stable program that will provide the registry fix you need fast and easy.

Registry Medic
Registry Medic’s claim to fame, on the other hand, lies in three things: its amazing user-friendly interface, its powerful scan engine, and its ability to remove and immunize your system from spyware and malware infestation.

Registry medic is indeed more than just a mere registry fix. It aims to be a spyware cure and prevention solution as well, making it one of the top downloads of people who wish to speed up and protect the integrity of their PCs.

About The Author

Mehmet Onatli has over 10 years experience in repairing computer. Download a free trial of RegCure http://www.registryheal.com/ today!

3 Tips To Choosing The Perfect PC Registry Cleaner

2008-04-24T05:11:00.000-07:00

By: Chelsey Fox

Why should you put up with a slow and sluggish PC when you have help at hand? The number one reason behind a slow computer is a corrupt windows registry. If you run a windows registry scan on your system, you will notice that your registry probably contains several hundreds of invalid entries, missing DLL files, untraceable shortcuts, etc. If you simply remove these invalid and missing entries, your computer will start behaving like a brand new machine! The best way to clean your windows registry is by using a professional windows registry repair utility. In this article I will tell you why.

You can try to fix your windows registry by hand, but unless you are a computer genius, you shouldn't even touch your registry because a single mistake can land you in big trouble. If you delete a valid registry entry by mistake, your entire computer might stop working altogether! This is where a windows registry repair utility scores! Let me give you some tips on how to choose a professional windows registry repair utility:

1. A compatible registry cleaner is a must

It is no use buying a top-notch registry cleaner software unless it is compatible with your system. There are some pc registry cleaners which are compatible only with Windows XP; others are compatible both with Windows 2000 and XP. Before buying any windows registry repair utility, check the system requirements needed by the program. An incompatible registry cleaner will harm your system rather than doing any good.

2. How easy it is

You need to buy a windows registry fixer which is easy to use. Usually, a professional registry repair tool should be fully automated and you don't need to configure anything manually. You simply need to install the software, push the 'Scan' button and the software should list all the invalid entries that need to be cleaned from your registry. When you click another button the entries are removed! You shouldn't purchase a software that is too complicated to use, because chances are that you won't be able to use it.

A professional registry repair tool should also have the option to schedule scans. This way, you don't need to launch the software program manually every time you want to clean your registry. The software would simply launch on its own and run the scan in the background, without bothering you in the least. Never buy a pc registry cleaner that doesn't offer the automatic scheduling option.

3. Backing up registry

Even with the best registry cleaners, problems can happen. What would you do if something goes wrong with your system after you have cleaned the registry? If you have backed up your registry, you should be able to restore your previous settings with no problems. Most professional pc registry cleaners offer you the option of 'automated registry backup' before removing the invalid registry entries. Don't buy a pc registry cleaner that doesn't offer this vital option!

I have tried a lot of windows registry repair softwares in the past and finally settled on Registry Fix 5.5. This is a very popular software and keeps my computer clean and efficient. You can read my registry fix review

Another Tips

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

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