Temporary Internet Files, folder contains Web page content that is stored on your hard disk for quick viewing. Temporary Internet files are stored on your computer by your web browser and are used to increase the access speed of commonly visited websites.
Deleting your temporary Internet files can be helpful if you want to free up some space on your hard drive or you wish to remove information of previously visited websites. There are no major disadvantages if you take away your temporary Internet files except for a slight speed decrease as commonly visited sites transfer images onto your computer once again.
For Internet Explorer 5 and above, you can follow these directions to clear out temporary files and delete cookies.
1) Open Internet Explorer and click on Tools
2) Click on Internet Options
3) On the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Delete Files
4) You may also want to check the box "Delete all offline content"
5) Click on OK and wait for the hourglass icon to stop after it deletes the temporary internet files
6) You can now click on Delete Cookies and click OK to delete cookies that websites have placed on your hard drive.
To clear the Internet History in IE:
1) Open Internet Explorer and click on Tools
2) Click on Internet Options
3) On the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Clear History
4) Click OK
To clean up other temporary files on your computer in Windows 98 or higher:
1) Click Start, Programs (or All Programs), Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup
2) Choose the correct drive usually C:\
3) Check the boxes in the list and delete the files
Out of these sometimes the operating system takes some files to use though these files most often they are unusable. To remove these files go to ‘Start menu’, then ‘Run’. Type ‘Temp’ and then press enter. Again go to ‘Run’ and give enter.
Computer Problems MADE EASY!
Friday
Setting up Network Connections on Windows Vista Computer
How to setup a computer with built-in Ethernet for Internet access at Carthage is explained below:
A balun is needed (small black connector adaptor) and Ethernet cable. A cable must be bought in on or off campus, but you must purchase the balun from the Carthage Computer Center.
Ethernet cable must be plugged into the Ethernet card in your computer. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into the balun, and plug the balun into the network jack by the phone jack in your room. If you are using a hub to connect two or more people using one jack, follow the instructions for "Connecting a Hub".
Turn your computer on if it isn't already.
You may start connecting to Internet resources on- and off-campus if your computer settings are correct.
If computer is detached from a network jack and reconnected to another one, it may not communicate on the network until the computer is told to get another IP address. That process is called "releasing and renewing" an IP address.
To manually release and renew, follow these steps:
Click on the Start button
Type cmd in the box and hit Enter
Type ipconfig /release and hit Enter
After the IP is reset to 0.0.0.0, type ipconfig /renew and hit Enter. Your computer should then see its correct IP address, beginning with 10. You are now able to browse the Internet.
When your computer is set up correctly, the Carthage network automatically assigns an IP address to you. Follow the directions below to verify your computer's settings.
When your computer is set up properly, the Carthage network automatically assign an IP address to you. You must already have a wireless network adaptor inside your computer for these instructions to work. Follow the directions below to verify your computer's settings.
A balun is needed (small black connector adaptor) and Ethernet cable. A cable must be bought in on or off campus, but you must purchase the balun from the Carthage Computer Center.
Ethernet cable must be plugged into the Ethernet card in your computer. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into the balun, and plug the balun into the network jack by the phone jack in your room. If you are using a hub to connect two or more people using one jack, follow the instructions for "Connecting a Hub".
Turn your computer on if it isn't already.
You may start connecting to Internet resources on- and off-campus if your computer settings are correct.
If computer is detached from a network jack and reconnected to another one, it may not communicate on the network until the computer is told to get another IP address. That process is called "releasing and renewing" an IP address.
To manually release and renew, follow these steps:
Click on the Start button
Type cmd in the box and hit Enter
Type ipconfig /release and hit Enter
After the IP is reset to 0.0.0.0, type ipconfig /renew and hit Enter. Your computer should then see its correct IP address, beginning with 10. You are now able to browse the Internet.
When your computer is set up correctly, the Carthage network automatically assigns an IP address to you. Follow the directions below to verify your computer's settings.
When your computer is set up properly, the Carthage network automatically assign an IP address to you. You must already have a wireless network adaptor inside your computer for these instructions to work. Follow the directions below to verify your computer's settings.
Setting up Network Connections on Windows XP Computer
You can get a complete home network up and running in some easy steps. Here's a summary of what's involved:
Note each computer's location and its hardware, including peripherals such as printers and modems.
If you wish to share an Internet connection between your computers using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), choose which computer will be your ICS host?
The ICS host has a direct connection, either by dial-up modem or high-speed link, to the Internet and provides access to the Internet for other computers on the network. Ideally, the host should be a computer running Windows XP. I'll assume you have made this choice in the following steps.
The most common choices are Ethernet and wireless LANs. For an Ethernet LAN you will need to install a network interface card, or NIC, in each computer and run cabling between the computers.
Make a list of the hardware you need for each computer, not forgetting any cabling, and buy it. If you're a little dazzled by the choices and configurations, consider purchasing a networking kit. These kits contain all you need to set up a two- or three-PC network. If possible, look for hardware which features the Windows XP Logo, indicating it is fully compatible with XP.
Install the network adaptors and install your modem on the ICS host computer (you can also let the computers connect to the Internet independently by installing modems on each).
Physically cable the computers (and hubs or routers) together. Of course, you won't need to do this if you've chosen to go the wireless route.
If you're installing an Ethernet network and have a lot of cabling work to do, you may prefer to get a professional to come in and do this work for you. It won't be cheap, but you can be sure you get the job done correctly and hopefully with minimal damage done to walls, ceilings and floors.
Switch on all computers, printers and other peripherals.
Go to the ICS host computer and make sure it is connected to the Internet.
To run the Network Setup Wizard on the ICS host, click Start -> Control Panel -> Network and Internet Connections -> Setup or Change Your Home or Small Office Network. Follow the instructions in each screen and press Next to continue.
1. Insert the Windows XP CD in the first computer's drive.2. When the XP Welcome Menu appears, click Perform Additional Tasks.3. Click Setup Home or Small Office Networking and follow the prompts.4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 for each computer on your network.
Note each computer's location and its hardware, including peripherals such as printers and modems.
If you wish to share an Internet connection between your computers using Internet Connection Sharing (ICS), choose which computer will be your ICS host?
The ICS host has a direct connection, either by dial-up modem or high-speed link, to the Internet and provides access to the Internet for other computers on the network. Ideally, the host should be a computer running Windows XP. I'll assume you have made this choice in the following steps.
The most common choices are Ethernet and wireless LANs. For an Ethernet LAN you will need to install a network interface card, or NIC, in each computer and run cabling between the computers.
Make a list of the hardware you need for each computer, not forgetting any cabling, and buy it. If you're a little dazzled by the choices and configurations, consider purchasing a networking kit. These kits contain all you need to set up a two- or three-PC network. If possible, look for hardware which features the Windows XP Logo, indicating it is fully compatible with XP.
Install the network adaptors and install your modem on the ICS host computer (you can also let the computers connect to the Internet independently by installing modems on each).
Physically cable the computers (and hubs or routers) together. Of course, you won't need to do this if you've chosen to go the wireless route.
If you're installing an Ethernet network and have a lot of cabling work to do, you may prefer to get a professional to come in and do this work for you. It won't be cheap, but you can be sure you get the job done correctly and hopefully with minimal damage done to walls, ceilings and floors.
Switch on all computers, printers and other peripherals.
Go to the ICS host computer and make sure it is connected to the Internet.
To run the Network Setup Wizard on the ICS host, click Start -> Control Panel -> Network and Internet Connections -> Setup or Change Your Home or Small Office Network. Follow the instructions in each screen and press Next to continue.
1. Insert the Windows XP CD in the first computer's drive.2. When the XP Welcome Menu appears, click Perform Additional Tasks.3. Click Setup Home or Small Office Networking and follow the prompts.4. Repeat steps 1 to 3 for each computer on your network.
Setting up Windows XP Remote Desktop Feature
At home or in an office with several Windows XP computers on the network requiring programs and applications to be shared between computers, Remote Desktop will do this. Remote Desktop is already built into your Windows XP operating system and is easy to set up. The steps below will walk you through the process of setting up Remote Desktop on your computer. A word of caution to those who have modified some of the Windows files – these instructions may not follow exactly and you may need to contact Windows Support to complete the set-up process.
1. First you have to right-click on the “My Computer” icon on your desktop, then click on Properties at the bottom of the window that opens up.
2. After clicking on Properties, you will get another window that opens up. That looks like this:
You will have to click the tab that says “Remote”.
3. In the “Remote” window, look for the check window that will “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer,” and select it. You may or may not want to choose the users you allow to access your system at this point. You only need to select remote users here if you will be connecting to this computer with accounts other than the default account for the local machine. After you are done, clicks apply and then “ok” to close the window.
4. The next step is to click on the Start button in the lower left corner of your computer screen.
5. Go to Programs, Accessories and Communications. Inside the communications folder, you will see the shortcut for Remote Desktop. Select the Remote Desktop icon.
6. After clicking the Remote Desktop icon, you will see the actual Remote Desktop Connection icon pop up.
7. In the Remote Desktop window, select Options and you will see all the available options for opening your Remote Desktop Connection. This is also the area where you enter the name of the computer on your network you wish to access remotely, or browse your network for computers you can remotely connect to. You can also enter the user name and password if you wish to skip the authentication on the local computer you are connecting remotely to. After you set the options you desire, click the Connect button.
8. Once you click the Connect button, you should see the desktop of the remote computer open up in a window. You may have also chosen to have the desktop of the remote computer open in full screen mode.
1. First you have to right-click on the “My Computer” icon on your desktop, then click on Properties at the bottom of the window that opens up.
2. After clicking on Properties, you will get another window that opens up. That looks like this:
You will have to click the tab that says “Remote”.
3. In the “Remote” window, look for the check window that will “Allow users to connect remotely to this computer,” and select it. You may or may not want to choose the users you allow to access your system at this point. You only need to select remote users here if you will be connecting to this computer with accounts other than the default account for the local machine. After you are done, clicks apply and then “ok” to close the window.
4. The next step is to click on the Start button in the lower left corner of your computer screen.
5. Go to Programs, Accessories and Communications. Inside the communications folder, you will see the shortcut for Remote Desktop. Select the Remote Desktop icon.
6. After clicking the Remote Desktop icon, you will see the actual Remote Desktop Connection icon pop up.
7. In the Remote Desktop window, select Options and you will see all the available options for opening your Remote Desktop Connection. This is also the area where you enter the name of the computer on your network you wish to access remotely, or browse your network for computers you can remotely connect to. You can also enter the user name and password if you wish to skip the authentication on the local computer you are connecting remotely to. After you set the options you desire, click the Connect button.
8. Once you click the Connect button, you should see the desktop of the remote computer open up in a window. You may have also chosen to have the desktop of the remote computer open in full screen mode.
5 Smart Ways on How to Clean Your Computer
For increasing use of computer many information is stored in the PC registry. The more computer process data the more increases the registry size of the computer. For using many years of a computer, the operating system goes to slow down. It affects badly the inter computer system. There are some ways to clean up the computer.
5 smart ways to clean your computer are described below:
1. Now a days registry cleaner software programs has a special function to increase the performance of the computer. One of these issues is the discovery and resolving of problems that cannot be addressed or rectified by any anti-spy ware or antivirus programs.
2. Computer operators beset by annoying detecting and solving problems that bother the smooth process of daily schedules. It can get rid of such problems by a registry repair package for windows users. This is owing to the function of the cleaner which clears out the quantity of errors that get lodged in the computer registry and author such kinds of issues.
3. Moreover, the top of the range registry cleaners are geared to perform optimization procedures for the overall system of the computer. Such optimization effectively makes development in size to the efficient operation of your computer.
4. Most grating and usually encountered matter for users of the Windows system is the fault that produces the alarmed screen of death. This error usually brings to a standstill the process of the computer. Registry cleaning programs are able to stop the progress of this problem.
5. Repairing of the Windows registry can be used to clear out an unacceptable and problem causing. It prevents those entries from developing into full blown matters which can be of graver result to the PC.
5 smart ways to clean your computer are described below:
1. Now a days registry cleaner software programs has a special function to increase the performance of the computer. One of these issues is the discovery and resolving of problems that cannot be addressed or rectified by any anti-spy ware or antivirus programs.
2. Computer operators beset by annoying detecting and solving problems that bother the smooth process of daily schedules. It can get rid of such problems by a registry repair package for windows users. This is owing to the function of the cleaner which clears out the quantity of errors that get lodged in the computer registry and author such kinds of issues.
3. Moreover, the top of the range registry cleaners are geared to perform optimization procedures for the overall system of the computer. Such optimization effectively makes development in size to the efficient operation of your computer.
4. Most grating and usually encountered matter for users of the Windows system is the fault that produces the alarmed screen of death. This error usually brings to a standstill the process of the computer. Registry cleaning programs are able to stop the progress of this problem.
5. Repairing of the Windows registry can be used to clear out an unacceptable and problem causing. It prevents those entries from developing into full blown matters which can be of graver result to the PC.
Understanding Windows Registry Error. What are they?
The windows system registry is one of the most important parts of a Windows-based computer system. Not to be tampered with lightly, the registry is a system-defined database used by the Windows operating system to store configuration information. Most Windows applications write data to the registry during installation and system components store and retrieve configuration data through the registry. The data stored in the registry varies according to the version of Microsoft Windows.
The data is stored in the registry in a tree structure format, for those who have never opened the Registry Editor, you'd find its layout is similar to what you would see when you open your Windows Explorer. Each node within the registry tree contains a key which may have both sub keys and data entries (called values). Depending on the application you run, the application may need only the associated key while others may need the value data set for that specific key. A hive in the registry is a group of keys, sub keys, and values in the registry that has a set of supporting files containing backups of its data. The Windows boot process automatically retrieves data from these supporting files.
Some problems that a computer will have because of missing keys or invalid keys in the Windows registry are called the windows registry errors. Signs of this problem will be when the computer slows down and is sluggish, when it freezes up or even when it crashes which as you know is extremely frustrating! Every time the problem is that when you remove certain hardware or software from your computer and don't remove the old drivers that were in there.
Hopefully you have learned a little bit about repairing windows registry problems and you feel more secure so that maybe the next time you need to do a system registry repair, maybe you will feel brave enough to do it yourself.
The data is stored in the registry in a tree structure format, for those who have never opened the Registry Editor, you'd find its layout is similar to what you would see when you open your Windows Explorer. Each node within the registry tree contains a key which may have both sub keys and data entries (called values). Depending on the application you run, the application may need only the associated key while others may need the value data set for that specific key. A hive in the registry is a group of keys, sub keys, and values in the registry that has a set of supporting files containing backups of its data. The Windows boot process automatically retrieves data from these supporting files.
Some problems that a computer will have because of missing keys or invalid keys in the Windows registry are called the windows registry errors. Signs of this problem will be when the computer slows down and is sluggish, when it freezes up or even when it crashes which as you know is extremely frustrating! Every time the problem is that when you remove certain hardware or software from your computer and don't remove the old drivers that were in there.
Hopefully you have learned a little bit about repairing windows registry problems and you feel more secure so that maybe the next time you need to do a system registry repair, maybe you will feel brave enough to do it yourself.
7 Smart Ways in Choosing the Best Digital Camera
Nowadays many people have the demand of having digital camera. Many other people would like to begin using this technology, but find the task of choosing an appropriate digital camera to be irresistible. So finding the best digital camera is not so easy. Here are 7 smart ways in choosing the best digital camera:
1) Computing Platform: This is an obvious consideration but it is fast becoming less of an issue than it once was. Most current cameras can be interfaced with both Mac and Windows platforms.
2) Image Quality: Image quality is a complex subject that includes exposure accuracy, color purity, optics, and image compression techniques.
3) Onboard Image Capacity: The amount of onboard image storage could be pretty important. There is generally a tradeoff between image capacity and image quality, so don't get too excited about high image capacity until you compare the amount of storage in relation to image resolution.
4) Reusable Memory Cards: Many cameras allow you to make your own decision about the memory/cost tradeoff by allowing you to store images on plug-in cards. This approach allows users to add as much or as little memory to the camera as they feel they need.
5) Exposure Versatility: digital cameras have the incapability to handle radically different lighting conditions. With film cameras, you can compensate for different lighting situations by using different types of film. With a digital camera, the camera's image sensor acts as the film, and it is not interchangeable.
6) Flash Capability: You have to also look for the availability and capabilities of a built-in flash. Key factors here are the range over which the flash will be useful, and the number of "modes" it has.
7) Self-Timer: A self-timer is simply a shutter delay that allows you to trigger the camera, and then run around to be included in the picture before the shutter snaps.
1) Computing Platform: This is an obvious consideration but it is fast becoming less of an issue than it once was. Most current cameras can be interfaced with both Mac and Windows platforms.
2) Image Quality: Image quality is a complex subject that includes exposure accuracy, color purity, optics, and image compression techniques.
3) Onboard Image Capacity: The amount of onboard image storage could be pretty important. There is generally a tradeoff between image capacity and image quality, so don't get too excited about high image capacity until you compare the amount of storage in relation to image resolution.
4) Reusable Memory Cards: Many cameras allow you to make your own decision about the memory/cost tradeoff by allowing you to store images on plug-in cards. This approach allows users to add as much or as little memory to the camera as they feel they need.
5) Exposure Versatility: digital cameras have the incapability to handle radically different lighting conditions. With film cameras, you can compensate for different lighting situations by using different types of film. With a digital camera, the camera's image sensor acts as the film, and it is not interchangeable.
6) Flash Capability: You have to also look for the availability and capabilities of a built-in flash. Key factors here are the range over which the flash will be useful, and the number of "modes" it has.
7) Self-Timer: A self-timer is simply a shutter delay that allows you to trigger the camera, and then run around to be included in the picture before the shutter snaps.
What is this called VoIP?
VoIP means Voice over Internet Protocol. VoIP is simply the transmission of voice traffic over IP-based networks.
The Internet Protocol (IP) was originally designed for data networking. The success of IP in becoming a world standard for data networking has led to its adoption to voice networking.
VoIP has become popular largely because of the cost advantages to consumers over traditional telephone networks. Most Americans pay a flat monthly fee for local telephone calls and a per-minute charge for long-distance calls.
VoIP calls can be placed across the Internet. Most Internet connections are charged using a flat monthly fee structure.
Using the Internet connection for both data traffic and voice calls can allow consumers to get rid of one monthly payment. In addition, VoIP plans do not charge a per-minute fee for long distance.
For International calling, the monetary savings to the consumer from switching to VoIP technology can be enormous.
VoIP telephone calls can be placed either to other VoIP devices, or to normal telephones on the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).
A broadband (high speed Internet) connection is required. This can be through a cable modem, or high speed services such as DSL or a local area network. A computer, adaptor, or specialized phone is required. Some VoIP services only work over your computer or a special VoIP phone, while other services allow you to use a traditional phone connected to a VoIP adapter.
If you use your computer, you will need some software and an inexpensive microphone. Special VoIP phones plug directly into your broadband connection and operate largely like a traditional telephone. If you use a telephone with a VoIP adapter, you'll be able to dial just as you always have, and the service provider may also provide a dial tone.
Some VoIP services offer features and services that are not obtainable with a traditional phone, or are available but only for an additional fee. You may also be able to avoid paying for both a broadband connection and a traditional telephone line.
The Internet Protocol (IP) was originally designed for data networking. The success of IP in becoming a world standard for data networking has led to its adoption to voice networking.
VoIP has become popular largely because of the cost advantages to consumers over traditional telephone networks. Most Americans pay a flat monthly fee for local telephone calls and a per-minute charge for long-distance calls.
VoIP calls can be placed across the Internet. Most Internet connections are charged using a flat monthly fee structure.
Using the Internet connection for both data traffic and voice calls can allow consumers to get rid of one monthly payment. In addition, VoIP plans do not charge a per-minute fee for long distance.
For International calling, the monetary savings to the consumer from switching to VoIP technology can be enormous.
VoIP telephone calls can be placed either to other VoIP devices, or to normal telephones on the PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network).
A broadband (high speed Internet) connection is required. This can be through a cable modem, or high speed services such as DSL or a local area network. A computer, adaptor, or specialized phone is required. Some VoIP services only work over your computer or a special VoIP phone, while other services allow you to use a traditional phone connected to a VoIP adapter.
If you use your computer, you will need some software and an inexpensive microphone. Special VoIP phones plug directly into your broadband connection and operate largely like a traditional telephone. If you use a telephone with a VoIP adapter, you'll be able to dial just as you always have, and the service provider may also provide a dial tone.
Some VoIP services offer features and services that are not obtainable with a traditional phone, or are available but only for an additional fee. You may also be able to avoid paying for both a broadband connection and a traditional telephone line.
What is this called Modem?
A modem is a device that takes a digital signal and converts it into something that can be transferred over an incompatible medium. Mostly: transmit digital data over voice grade telephone lines. A true analog to digital converter can convert any analog signal into its digital representation. A true digital to analog converter can convert any digital value or stream into an analog signal. A modem can only convert a digital DataStream into some type of sound that is compatible with the telephone system. And a modem cans retrieve the same DataStream from the received 'sound'. The way a modem accomplishes this is by modulating sound (or noise) in such a way that the receiving modem can reconstruct the digital DataStream. And this can be done from very basic, one note for digital highland another note for digital zero, as in 300 Baud systems to extremely complex systems, like V90 or V92.
The modem has significantly evolved since the 1970s when the 300 baud modem was used for connecting computers to bulletin board systems (BBSs). With this type of modem each bit, represented digitally by a 1 or 0, was transmitted as a specific tone. The receiving modem responded with its own dedicated frequencies so that the modems could “talk at the same time.” The technical term for this type of modem is asynchronous.
While the 300 baud modem could transmit about 30-characters per second, fast enough for text-based BBSs, people were soon sharing programs and graphics. This required faster modems, and the modem went through many incarnations in rapid succession over the following three decades. By 1998 the standard dial-up modem maxed out its transmission range at 56 kilobits per second. While many tens of times faster than the 300-baud modem, far greater speeds could yet be reached with an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) modem.
A modem modulates outgoing digital signals from a computer or other digital device to analog signals for a conventional copper twisted pair telephone line and demodulates the incoming analog signal and converts it to a digital signal for the digital device.
The modem has significantly evolved since the 1970s when the 300 baud modem was used for connecting computers to bulletin board systems (BBSs). With this type of modem each bit, represented digitally by a 1 or 0, was transmitted as a specific tone. The receiving modem responded with its own dedicated frequencies so that the modems could “talk at the same time.” The technical term for this type of modem is asynchronous.
While the 300 baud modem could transmit about 30-characters per second, fast enough for text-based BBSs, people were soon sharing programs and graphics. This required faster modems, and the modem went through many incarnations in rapid succession over the following three decades. By 1998 the standard dial-up modem maxed out its transmission range at 56 kilobits per second. While many tens of times faster than the 300-baud modem, far greater speeds could yet be reached with an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) modem.
A modem modulates outgoing digital signals from a computer or other digital device to analog signals for a conventional copper twisted pair telephone line and demodulates the incoming analog signal and converts it to a digital signal for the digital device.
Understanding Dial-Up Connection
Dial-up Internet connection is a type of Internet connectivity that operates through a standard telephone line. By running the telephone line to a modem device in the personal computer, and configuring the computer to dial a specific phone number, the computer is granted Internet connection.
Dial-up Internet connection is offered through a number of Internet service providers (ISPs). Most ISPs lease a set of telephone numbers, sometimes local, sometimes national, that dial into network pipelines that feed into the Internet. Subscribers to the ISP usually pay a monthly or yearly fee. For this fee, the subscriber can access the Internet any time of the day or night to cruise the World Wide Web, send and receive email, participate in IRC chat rooms and USENET newsgroups.
Before a person can subscribe to a dial-up service, he or she must have a computer and dial-up modem. A modem is an inexpensive component that fits into a free slot inside the computer. There are also external modems that sit alongside the computer, connected to the computer by a serial or alternate type cable. A telephone line feeds into the modem.
Dial-up modems normally have a maximum theoretical transfer speed of 56 kbit/s (using the V.90 or V.92 protocol), although in most cases 40-50 kbit/s is the average. Factors such as phone line noise as well as the quality of the modem itself play a large part in determining connection speeds. Some connections may be as low as 20 kbit/s in extremely "noisy" environments, such as in a hotel room where the phone line is shared with many extensions.
Dial-up connections usually have latency as high as 400 ms or even more, which can make online gaming or video conferencing difficult, if not impossible. First person shooter style games are the most sensitive to latency, making playing them impractical on dial-up. However, some games such as Star Wars: Galaxies, The Sims Online, Warcraft 3, Guild Wars, Unreal Tournament, and Audition are capable of running on 56k dial-up.
An increasing amount of Internet content such as streaming media will not work at dialup speeds.
Dial-up Internet connection is offered through a number of Internet service providers (ISPs). Most ISPs lease a set of telephone numbers, sometimes local, sometimes national, that dial into network pipelines that feed into the Internet. Subscribers to the ISP usually pay a monthly or yearly fee. For this fee, the subscriber can access the Internet any time of the day or night to cruise the World Wide Web, send and receive email, participate in IRC chat rooms and USENET newsgroups.
Before a person can subscribe to a dial-up service, he or she must have a computer and dial-up modem. A modem is an inexpensive component that fits into a free slot inside the computer. There are also external modems that sit alongside the computer, connected to the computer by a serial or alternate type cable. A telephone line feeds into the modem.
Dial-up modems normally have a maximum theoretical transfer speed of 56 kbit/s (using the V.90 or V.92 protocol), although in most cases 40-50 kbit/s is the average. Factors such as phone line noise as well as the quality of the modem itself play a large part in determining connection speeds. Some connections may be as low as 20 kbit/s in extremely "noisy" environments, such as in a hotel room where the phone line is shared with many extensions.
Dial-up connections usually have latency as high as 400 ms or even more, which can make online gaming or video conferencing difficult, if not impossible. First person shooter style games are the most sensitive to latency, making playing them impractical on dial-up. However, some games such as Star Wars: Galaxies, The Sims Online, Warcraft 3, Guild Wars, Unreal Tournament, and Audition are capable of running on 56k dial-up.
An increasing amount of Internet content such as streaming media will not work at dialup speeds.
Understanding DSL Connection
DSL is a kind of broadband connection. DSL is defined as digital subscriber line. It runs through your phone line and connects to a DSL modem which then connects to your computer through an Ethernet card normally you can find an Ethernet card at any of your retail computer stores anywhere from 50-150 dollars.
DSL, once connected, provides your computer with an instantaneous connection to the internet, unlike your dialup modem which has to connect via dialing up to an internet provider. DSL service is your internet connection and provider all in one, so you won't need any extra internet service providers.
DSL service isn't cheap. Matter of fact, it's more expensive than cable modem which uses your existing cable television lines for service. Nowhere have I seen DSL monthly subscriber charges to be less than 40 dollars a month. You must realize there are also initial and installation charges which can be fairly expensive.
DSL companies will either send you a 'self-install' kit which includes the modem, filter, and Ethernet cable which will allow you to install the service yourself. They normally charge 100-200 dollars to send you this kit. You can also get them to install it and that normally costs 100 dollars extra, on average.
Of course this question has to be asked. You're paying more money for this service, so what types of speeds are you expecting to see? Well, I'll explain right off the bat that most of the numbers I can throw out won't mean much to the majority of people, so instead of giving you the numbers, which you can see from any DSL company's website, I will instead give you some times that I've recorded for downloads and whatnot.
DSL is much faster than dialup especially in the page loading and downloading of larger files such as mp3 or graphics.
Depending on your location from the DSL provider, your speeds could vary.
Most companies will charge you a few hundred dollars to provide you with the modem and initial startup service.
DSL, once connected, provides your computer with an instantaneous connection to the internet, unlike your dialup modem which has to connect via dialing up to an internet provider. DSL service is your internet connection and provider all in one, so you won't need any extra internet service providers.
DSL service isn't cheap. Matter of fact, it's more expensive than cable modem which uses your existing cable television lines for service. Nowhere have I seen DSL monthly subscriber charges to be less than 40 dollars a month. You must realize there are also initial and installation charges which can be fairly expensive.
DSL companies will either send you a 'self-install' kit which includes the modem, filter, and Ethernet cable which will allow you to install the service yourself. They normally charge 100-200 dollars to send you this kit. You can also get them to install it and that normally costs 100 dollars extra, on average.
Of course this question has to be asked. You're paying more money for this service, so what types of speeds are you expecting to see? Well, I'll explain right off the bat that most of the numbers I can throw out won't mean much to the majority of people, so instead of giving you the numbers, which you can see from any DSL company's website, I will instead give you some times that I've recorded for downloads and whatnot.
DSL is much faster than dialup especially in the page loading and downloading of larger files such as mp3 or graphics.
Depending on your location from the DSL provider, your speeds could vary.
Most companies will charge you a few hundred dollars to provide you with the modem and initial startup service.
Understanding Broadband Connection
Broadband is just a word we use when we're talking about any kind of fast Internet connection. It's as simple as that.
If you're reading this, the chances are that you already have an Internet connection and want to upgrade, or you're setting up an Internet connection at home for the first time.
If you already have an Internet connection, you probably connect to the Internet with a modem that plugs into your telephone line (often referred to as a "dial-up connection"). And you're probably no longer satisfied with the performance it offers.
If you're setting up an Internet connection for the first time, it really makes sense to go for broadband right from the start, as the entry-level packages are generally much better value than the dial-up alternative.
A broadband connection is actually not all that different from a dial-up connection. The equipment is very similar - a different kind of modem, but still a modem, and in many cases the connection is still made through your telephone line.
The difference is that you'll have an Internet connection that is always on, 24 hours a day. Normally you pay a flat monthly fee, no matter how often you use the Internet. And a broadband connection is much faster.
A broadband connection is not difficult to install. First, you sign up with an Internet Service Provider (or 'ISP'). The ISP will supply you with your Broadband connection. If you already have an ISP shop around - other companies might offer you a better deal. If you are signing up for a contract, most ISPs will arrange a date to connect you up and supply you with everything you need to get started.
As well as connecting you up, most ISPs will send you a CD. All you need to do is put this into your computer and follow the step-by-step instructions. Some companies offer a home installation service and will send over an engineer to set up your Broadband connection for you.
There are many types of broadband connection. Such as ADSL, cable, wireless, satellite, SDSL, LLU etc. You can choose what is suitable for you.
If you're reading this, the chances are that you already have an Internet connection and want to upgrade, or you're setting up an Internet connection at home for the first time.
If you already have an Internet connection, you probably connect to the Internet with a modem that plugs into your telephone line (often referred to as a "dial-up connection"). And you're probably no longer satisfied with the performance it offers.
If you're setting up an Internet connection for the first time, it really makes sense to go for broadband right from the start, as the entry-level packages are generally much better value than the dial-up alternative.
A broadband connection is actually not all that different from a dial-up connection. The equipment is very similar - a different kind of modem, but still a modem, and in many cases the connection is still made through your telephone line.
The difference is that you'll have an Internet connection that is always on, 24 hours a day. Normally you pay a flat monthly fee, no matter how often you use the Internet. And a broadband connection is much faster.
A broadband connection is not difficult to install. First, you sign up with an Internet Service Provider (or 'ISP'). The ISP will supply you with your Broadband connection. If you already have an ISP shop around - other companies might offer you a better deal. If you are signing up for a contract, most ISPs will arrange a date to connect you up and supply you with everything you need to get started.
As well as connecting you up, most ISPs will send you a CD. All you need to do is put this into your computer and follow the step-by-step instructions. Some companies offer a home installation service and will send over an engineer to set up your Broadband connection for you.
There are many types of broadband connection. Such as ADSL, cable, wireless, satellite, SDSL, LLU etc. You can choose what is suitable for you.
Understanding Mozilla Firefox. How Do I Use it?
As a web browser Mozilla Firefox is the product of Mozilla Corporation. Under the terms of proprietary EULA the official versions are distributed. It is the second most popular web browser in terms recently uses global. Firefox uses the Gecko layout engine for displaying web pages. Out of many features some significant points are discussed below.
Tabbed Browsing: This browser supports opening many tabs at a time. So it is very good advantage for the operators.
Popup Blocking: It blocks all pop up ads and pop up window can also be disabled. So it is very user friendly software to browse web site.
Prevent scripts from doing various things: Preventing scripts from moving windows, closing them, changing the status bar and setting cookies all are possible. For changing these
settings, select Advanced and then Scripts & Plug-ins from the Preferences window. Uncheck the desired boxes then.
Site Navigation toolbar: It displays content from the (link) tags provided by a document, allowing one for finding the way to various parts of a site.
Sidebar: The sidebar provides many tabs by default, and others can be added by the user.
Page info dialog: Provides extra information about encoding, MIME type, and referrer and Meta tags. Some of this information is also obtainable in IE's properties dialog.
Save plug-ins: Mozilla saves plug-ins when saving a Web page as total. You can also keep them from the Page Info window.
Cookie Manager: Cookie manager allows you view the cookies that have been set, their values and their ending times.
Download Manager: Download manager provides a tabular view of all of the files that you have ever downloaded. It allows you to open them without having to search around on your file system.
View Source: View the syntax colored source of a page, without having to view it in Notepad.
There are many other features in it. More about it and its features can be learned if is used.
Tabbed Browsing: This browser supports opening many tabs at a time. So it is very good advantage for the operators.
Popup Blocking: It blocks all pop up ads and pop up window can also be disabled. So it is very user friendly software to browse web site.
Prevent scripts from doing various things: Preventing scripts from moving windows, closing them, changing the status bar and setting cookies all are possible. For changing these
settings, select Advanced and then Scripts & Plug-ins from the Preferences window. Uncheck the desired boxes then.
Site Navigation toolbar: It displays content from the (link) tags provided by a document, allowing one for finding the way to various parts of a site.
Sidebar: The sidebar provides many tabs by default, and others can be added by the user.
Page info dialog: Provides extra information about encoding, MIME type, and referrer and Meta tags. Some of this information is also obtainable in IE's properties dialog.
Save plug-ins: Mozilla saves plug-ins when saving a Web page as total. You can also keep them from the Page Info window.
Cookie Manager: Cookie manager allows you view the cookies that have been set, their values and their ending times.
Download Manager: Download manager provides a tabular view of all of the files that you have ever downloaded. It allows you to open them without having to search around on your file system.
View Source: View the syntax colored source of a page, without having to view it in Notepad.
There are many other features in it. More about it and its features can be learned if is used.
Understanding Internet Explorer. How Do I Use it?
As a web browser Internet Explorer is the product of Microsoft Corporation and the highest usage browser in the world. To use this for browsing you have to go up to the “Address Bar” near the top of the page and click on it. Now type the web address of the site you want to visit and press enter. Internet explorer will go directly on that page. The main toolbar is a collection of eleven different keys and each keys has a different functions those are described here.
The Back Key: This is the first key on the top left of the browser. This key is used to go previously viewing back page.
The Forward Key: This key will take you forward to the next page if you have previously browsed different pages.
The Stop Key: It stops any type of file from loading. It also stops animations from continuing once a page is loaded.
The Refresh Key: This key is used to reload the current page that is currently visited by you. If any changes is occurred in the page you can see the updated reloading the page.
The Home Key: This key is used to the default startup page but will not take you to that page from where it was started.
The Search Key: This key is used to go to the default search page that is previously selected by you. If you have not selected it before it will take you to the Microsoft's default search page.
The Favorites Key: To open up the favorite menu this key is used. You can choose a favorite that you wish to go to from the list. You also can add a favorite to the list and your favorites are possible to be organizing here.
The Print Key: It will bring up a tool box of print. It is used to print any web page currently viewing. It is possible to set the item, how many and copies to be print.
The Font Key: This key is useful to fit comfortably when the text is too small or too large. To cycle through the available font sizes you have to press this key.
The Mail Key: To open the drop down menu where mail can be selected and sent, this option is used.
The Edit Key: If the Office XP is installed in the computer this key will be on the toolbar. When you press the key, it will launch it.
The Back Key: This is the first key on the top left of the browser. This key is used to go previously viewing back page.
The Forward Key: This key will take you forward to the next page if you have previously browsed different pages.
The Stop Key: It stops any type of file from loading. It also stops animations from continuing once a page is loaded.
The Refresh Key: This key is used to reload the current page that is currently visited by you. If any changes is occurred in the page you can see the updated reloading the page.
The Home Key: This key is used to the default startup page but will not take you to that page from where it was started.
The Search Key: This key is used to go to the default search page that is previously selected by you. If you have not selected it before it will take you to the Microsoft's default search page.
The Favorites Key: To open up the favorite menu this key is used. You can choose a favorite that you wish to go to from the list. You also can add a favorite to the list and your favorites are possible to be organizing here.
The Print Key: It will bring up a tool box of print. It is used to print any web page currently viewing. It is possible to set the item, how many and copies to be print.
The Font Key: This key is useful to fit comfortably when the text is too small or too large. To cycle through the available font sizes you have to press this key.
The Mail Key: To open the drop down menu where mail can be selected and sent, this option is used.
The Edit Key: If the Office XP is installed in the computer this key will be on the toolbar. When you press the key, it will launch it.
What is this called Eavesdropping?
Eavesdropping means the act of secretly listening to a private talk. This is usually thinking to be immoral and there is an old saying that eavesdroppers seldom hear anything good of themselves. .
In ancient China, it is said that to prevent eavesdropping when discussing important matters, soldiers would instead draw the characters on hands or papers. This is where the superstition of the "black dot" on a piece of paper comes from.
Eavesdropping is something of a cliché plot device in fiction] allowing the hero or villain to gain vital information not easily obtainable by other means by deliberately or accidentally overhearing a conversation. For instance, in "Letting In the Jungle" by Rudyard Kipling, Mowgli overhears the hunter Buldeo telling some men that Mowgli's adopted mother Messiah is about to be executed, so Mowgli sets about rescuing her.
For example read the following story:
Lucky Trimble crouched in a wedge of shade behind the Dumpster. Her ear near a hole in the paint-chipped wall of Hard Pan’s Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center, she listened as Short Sammy told the story of how he hit rock bottom. How he quit drinking and found his Higher Power. Short Sammy’s story, of all the rock-bottom stories Lucky had heard at twelve-step anonymous meetings—alcoholics, gamblers, smokers, and overeaters were still her favorite. Sammy told of the day when he had drunk half a gallon of rum listening to Johnny Cash all morning in his parked ’62 Cadillac, then fallen out of the car when he saw a rattlesnake on the passenger seat biting his dog, Roy, on the scrotum.
Lucky balanced herself with a hand above the little hole that Short Sammy’s voice was coming out of. With her other hand, she lifted the way-too-curly hair off her neck. She noticed two small black birds nearby, panting like dogs from the heat, their beaks open, their feathers puffed up. She put her ear to the hole because Sammy’s voice always got low and soft when he came to the tragically end of the story.
In ancient China, it is said that to prevent eavesdropping when discussing important matters, soldiers would instead draw the characters on hands or papers. This is where the superstition of the "black dot" on a piece of paper comes from.
Eavesdropping is something of a cliché plot device in fiction] allowing the hero or villain to gain vital information not easily obtainable by other means by deliberately or accidentally overhearing a conversation. For instance, in "Letting In the Jungle" by Rudyard Kipling, Mowgli overhears the hunter Buldeo telling some men that Mowgli's adopted mother Messiah is about to be executed, so Mowgli sets about rescuing her.
For example read the following story:
Lucky Trimble crouched in a wedge of shade behind the Dumpster. Her ear near a hole in the paint-chipped wall of Hard Pan’s Found Object Wind Chime Museum and Visitor Center, she listened as Short Sammy told the story of how he hit rock bottom. How he quit drinking and found his Higher Power. Short Sammy’s story, of all the rock-bottom stories Lucky had heard at twelve-step anonymous meetings—alcoholics, gamblers, smokers, and overeaters were still her favorite. Sammy told of the day when he had drunk half a gallon of rum listening to Johnny Cash all morning in his parked ’62 Cadillac, then fallen out of the car when he saw a rattlesnake on the passenger seat biting his dog, Roy, on the scrotum.
Lucky balanced herself with a hand above the little hole that Short Sammy’s voice was coming out of. With her other hand, she lifted the way-too-curly hair off her neck. She noticed two small black birds nearby, panting like dogs from the heat, their beaks open, their feathers puffed up. She put her ear to the hole because Sammy’s voice always got low and soft when he came to the tragically end of the story.
How Do I Send A Fax Directly from my Computer?
There are mainly three ways to send a fax directly from your computer. They are described below:
1) Using fax modem and fax software
If you want to send a fax using your computer you have to install a fax modem into your computer. Almost all modems are nowadays dual-function devices, and work as data modems and as fax modems in one device. The fax modem fits into an internal slot of your PC and connects to your telephone line via a regular telephone cable.
2) Using a network fax server
This way is like to the first one. Though, the difference compared to first one is that only one hardware/software installation is required per network. This means that all users on a network can send faxes, without having anything installed on their personal computer. This arrangement is normally useful for office environments and not for home or SOHO requirements.
3) Using an internal fax service provider
Using this way you simply sign up for a subscription with a provider, who will allocate an inbound number for you, at which you can receive faxes, and enable you to send faxes directly from your email program.
For fax reception, any fax received at the number allocated by the provider will be automatically forwarded to your email as an attachment. You will need a fax viewer to view these attachments; however, fax viewers are often installed by default on your operating system.
For fax transmission, you will need to notify your internet fax provider of the address from which you send your emails. The provider will instruct you on how to format your emails, so that they will go out as faxes. Normally, this means modifying the "To:" address in some way.
1) Using fax modem and fax software
If you want to send a fax using your computer you have to install a fax modem into your computer. Almost all modems are nowadays dual-function devices, and work as data modems and as fax modems in one device. The fax modem fits into an internal slot of your PC and connects to your telephone line via a regular telephone cable.
2) Using a network fax server
This way is like to the first one. Though, the difference compared to first one is that only one hardware/software installation is required per network. This means that all users on a network can send faxes, without having anything installed on their personal computer. This arrangement is normally useful for office environments and not for home or SOHO requirements.
3) Using an internal fax service provider
Using this way you simply sign up for a subscription with a provider, who will allocate an inbound number for you, at which you can receive faxes, and enable you to send faxes directly from your email program.
For fax reception, any fax received at the number allocated by the provider will be automatically forwarded to your email as an attachment. You will need a fax viewer to view these attachments; however, fax viewers are often installed by default on your operating system.
For fax transmission, you will need to notify your internet fax provider of the address from which you send your emails. The provider will instruct you on how to format your emails, so that they will go out as faxes. Normally, this means modifying the "To:" address in some way.
7 Top Easy Ways on How to Detect Spyware on your Computer
Spyware is computer software that is installed secretly on a personal computer to intercept or take partial control over the user's interaction with the computer, without the user's informed consent.
There are many ways to detect spyware on your computer. The 7 top ways are given below:
1) Normally the goal of spyware is to remain hidden, gather its desired information, and send it out. The key is to remain alert for any changes in the behavior of your computer. In particular, keep an eye out for things like new files or folders that you did not create, programs that you did not install,
2) The programmers of spyware design it specifically to remain hidden and can use many tricky technical techniques to do so. Because of this, it is important to perform regular scans using spyware detection software.
3) Firewalls can be useful in detecting spyware because of its tendency to "phone home". A properly-configured firewall should detect this behavior and alert you to it, so that you can block it and scan your computer for any problems.
4) Slow performance of your computer means the attack of spyware.
5) Your computer crashes (blue screen), freezes or hangs up to almost a stand still. When you check resources available, you find CPU usage constantly running at high (80%, 90% or even 100%). You notice there are many processes running in background.
6) When you open your Internet browser, your start page has changed without you recalling ever changing it yourself.
7) When you visit the web site, even one you recognize and trust, you are constantly bombarded by pop-up windows. Closing those pop-ups seems to do nothing as new ones are opened as soon as you close the previous ones.
If any of the above happens to your computer you can easily detect spyware.
There are many ways to detect spyware on your computer. The 7 top ways are given below:
1) Normally the goal of spyware is to remain hidden, gather its desired information, and send it out. The key is to remain alert for any changes in the behavior of your computer. In particular, keep an eye out for things like new files or folders that you did not create, programs that you did not install,
2) The programmers of spyware design it specifically to remain hidden and can use many tricky technical techniques to do so. Because of this, it is important to perform regular scans using spyware detection software.
3) Firewalls can be useful in detecting spyware because of its tendency to "phone home". A properly-configured firewall should detect this behavior and alert you to it, so that you can block it and scan your computer for any problems.
4) Slow performance of your computer means the attack of spyware.
5) Your computer crashes (blue screen), freezes or hangs up to almost a stand still. When you check resources available, you find CPU usage constantly running at high (80%, 90% or even 100%). You notice there are many processes running in background.
6) When you open your Internet browser, your start page has changed without you recalling ever changing it yourself.
7) When you visit the web site, even one you recognize and trust, you are constantly bombarded by pop-up windows. Closing those pop-ups seems to do nothing as new ones are opened as soon as you close the previous ones.
If any of the above happens to your computer you can easily detect spyware.
I Have a Hearing Disability, How Do I Adjust My Computer Audio & Video?
The term "learning disabilities" covers much impairment that impacts the capability to process information. Technologies to assist persons with learning disabilities include speech systems that read printed material aloud, digital assistants to maintain schedules and lists of tasks, software to correct spelling, and task management software to guide users through the successful completion of projects. Many of these are standard productivity software programs used in business and education.
Internet is a vast network of computers that spans the world. This important network allows persons with disabilities to share and exchange information in an accessible form. The Internet supports applications like e-mail, instant messaging, and the World Wide Web. PCs connected to the Internet, or a private Intranet, can be adapted with a wide variety of technologies to allow access to applications such as e-mail, web browsers, and online databases. The Internet and Intranets empower persons with disabilities to access information using speech, Braille, magnification, or some other form of assistive technology. The Internet increases independence for people with mobility issues to interact, work, and socialize. Assistive software can be loaded onto a network to allow that software to be shared by all users belonging to the network.
Accessibility utilities are being integrated into computer operating systems such as Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX. While these accessibility utilities differ from one platform to another, most operating systems include utilities to magnify text and graphics, convert text into synthesized speech, and help users control the keyboard and mouse functions. Operating systems are growing more compatible with assistive technology in general, and this is evidenced by Microsoft's Active Accessibility, which helps assistive technologies work together with the operating system and application programs.
Legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and the Disabilities Discrimination Act in the United Kingdom is fostering the development of assistive technology for persons with disabilities. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in the United States is helping to make the World Wide Web more accessible as well.
Internet is a vast network of computers that spans the world. This important network allows persons with disabilities to share and exchange information in an accessible form. The Internet supports applications like e-mail, instant messaging, and the World Wide Web. PCs connected to the Internet, or a private Intranet, can be adapted with a wide variety of technologies to allow access to applications such as e-mail, web browsers, and online databases. The Internet and Intranets empower persons with disabilities to access information using speech, Braille, magnification, or some other form of assistive technology. The Internet increases independence for people with mobility issues to interact, work, and socialize. Assistive software can be loaded onto a network to allow that software to be shared by all users belonging to the network.
Accessibility utilities are being integrated into computer operating systems such as Windows, Macintosh, and UNIX. While these accessibility utilities differ from one platform to another, most operating systems include utilities to magnify text and graphics, convert text into synthesized speech, and help users control the keyboard and mouse functions. Operating systems are growing more compatible with assistive technology in general, and this is evidenced by Microsoft's Active Accessibility, which helps assistive technologies work together with the operating system and application programs.
Legislation such as the Americans with Disabilities Act in the United States and the Disabilities Discrimination Act in the United Kingdom is fostering the development of assistive technology for persons with disabilities. Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act in the United States is helping to make the World Wide Web more accessible as well.
I Have a Color Vision Disability, How Do I Adjust My Computer Monitor?
The eye has both rods and cones that are responsive to light. For the cones, which is what you use when it is usual lighting conditions (daylight) there are three types, each of which has a different color hue that it responds to. It does this because it is responsive to different wavelengths of the light. It's not RGB (red green blue) but it's more blue, yellow/green and yellow. Each of these colors corresponds with the different wavelengths.
Color blindness can cause confusion in a computer interface. The main area to be concerned with is the use of "color-coding" or "color-cueing." Designers frequently color-code individual words, buttons, or areas of the screen to differentiate functions or to group similar items. If the designer wishes the interface to be evenly effective to individuals both with and without color blindness, color-cueing should take into account potential red/green and blue/yellow confusion.
What can be done to keep away from confusion? Most sources on usability and interface design suggest avoid relying on color coding exclusively. Always provide an additional cue; don’t rely on color alone. For example, the standard default web browser of a link is underlined blue lettering. Interestingly, this particular color coding would stand up quite well, even without the additional cue of the underline, since blue is the universally recognizable color.
A second way to counteract color deficiency confusions is to make sure that colors have a high degree of contrast with each other. Color should differ strongly in brightness. A very light green and a very dark red will be easier to distinguish than a red and green that are similar in brightness. Remember that the more similar two colors are in brightness or in saturation, the harder they will be to distinguish.
It is not easy to accurately test an interface for problems related to color-blind users, without actually running usability tests with real subjects. The "quick and dirty" approach is to take a snapshot of the environment (a "screen grab") and remove the color so you are looking at it in grayscale. In Photoshop, select the Adjust menu and then desiderate. In Paint Shop Pro, select Colors and then Grey Scale. The result does not represent what a color-blind person sees, but does give you a chance to see how much brightness contrast there is in the screen shot. Keep in mind that a color-blind user’s eyes will not respond in exactly this way to brightness differences -- this is just an approximation.
Color blindness can cause confusion in a computer interface. The main area to be concerned with is the use of "color-coding" or "color-cueing." Designers frequently color-code individual words, buttons, or areas of the screen to differentiate functions or to group similar items. If the designer wishes the interface to be evenly effective to individuals both with and without color blindness, color-cueing should take into account potential red/green and blue/yellow confusion.
What can be done to keep away from confusion? Most sources on usability and interface design suggest avoid relying on color coding exclusively. Always provide an additional cue; don’t rely on color alone. For example, the standard default web browser of a link is underlined blue lettering. Interestingly, this particular color coding would stand up quite well, even without the additional cue of the underline, since blue is the universally recognizable color.
A second way to counteract color deficiency confusions is to make sure that colors have a high degree of contrast with each other. Color should differ strongly in brightness. A very light green and a very dark red will be easier to distinguish than a red and green that are similar in brightness. Remember that the more similar two colors are in brightness or in saturation, the harder they will be to distinguish.
It is not easy to accurately test an interface for problems related to color-blind users, without actually running usability tests with real subjects. The "quick and dirty" approach is to take a snapshot of the environment (a "screen grab") and remove the color so you are looking at it in grayscale. In Photoshop, select the Adjust menu and then desiderate. In Paint Shop Pro, select Colors and then Grey Scale. The result does not represent what a color-blind person sees, but does give you a chance to see how much brightness contrast there is in the screen shot. Keep in mind that a color-blind user’s eyes will not respond in exactly this way to brightness differences -- this is just an approximation.
Transferring Songs on your Computer to your iPod
Nowadays we know that the iPod from Apple is a popular product. Many people all over the world are using iPod for hearing songs. So it is a common question is that how can I transfer songs on my computer to my iPod? There are three ways for transferring songs on your computer to your iPod. You can select one of the following update modes from the iPod Preferences menu in iTunes:
1. You can automatically update all songs and playlists. This is the default mode, in which your entire music library, including playlists, is automatically synched to your iPod. If the music library on your computer exceeds the iPod storage capacity, iTunes will offer to choose a selection of songs to sync to iPod.
2. You can select the playlists for automatically update. With this option, iTunes automatically copies only the playlists you have selected to iPod when you connect it to the computer. This option can be selected by accessing the Music tab of the iPod settings.
3. Another way is manually deal with music. You can also choose to transfer music to iPod manually. This allows you to drag and drop individual songs and playlists from iTunes to iPod. You can find this option by accessing the Summary tab of the iPod settings.
If the number of songs on your computer exceeds the capacity of the iPod, Apple's "AutoFill" feature within iTunes will select the number of songs, audiobooks, and podcasts that fit on the iPod as directed by the user or at random.
You can also organize your iPod to appear as a hard drive on the desktop with the exclusion of the iPod touch models while intermediary software is available and manually drag files of any type to the iPod. Music files copied to the iPod in this way won't play on the iPod,
without first copying them to a computer and importing them into iTunes, but this is useful for backing up or transporting any type of file. To know more please refer to "Using Your iPod as a Storage Drive “and "Putting iPod Into Disk Mode" from the Apple Support Site.
1. You can automatically update all songs and playlists. This is the default mode, in which your entire music library, including playlists, is automatically synched to your iPod. If the music library on your computer exceeds the iPod storage capacity, iTunes will offer to choose a selection of songs to sync to iPod.
2. You can select the playlists for automatically update. With this option, iTunes automatically copies only the playlists you have selected to iPod when you connect it to the computer. This option can be selected by accessing the Music tab of the iPod settings.
3. Another way is manually deal with music. You can also choose to transfer music to iPod manually. This allows you to drag and drop individual songs and playlists from iTunes to iPod. You can find this option by accessing the Summary tab of the iPod settings.
If the number of songs on your computer exceeds the capacity of the iPod, Apple's "AutoFill" feature within iTunes will select the number of songs, audiobooks, and podcasts that fit on the iPod as directed by the user or at random.
You can also organize your iPod to appear as a hard drive on the desktop with the exclusion of the iPod touch models while intermediary software is available and manually drag files of any type to the iPod. Music files copied to the iPod in this way won't play on the iPod,
without first copying them to a computer and importing them into iTunes, but this is useful for backing up or transporting any type of file. To know more please refer to "Using Your iPod as a Storage Drive “and "Putting iPod Into Disk Mode" from the Apple Support Site.
7 Smart Ways to Choose the Right Computer Technician
Nowadays many people use computers as personal. Computer is widely used. That means there will need so much maintenance of computers. By that way there are many computer technicians or computer servicing company are in a several area. Usually every computer or all its equipments will have a warranty of one to three years. That means the computer providing company gives the free service in the warranty period. But when there is no warranty or the warranty period is over you have to go to a technician or have to call a technician at home. There are many computer servicing companies or computer technicians. You have to choose the right computer technician for your computer. The 7 smart ways to choose the right technician are given below:
1) The technician must be known about the problem what he wants to solve. Because if he doesn’t identify the problem, how could he solve the problem?
2) The technician must have a degree about computer problem. This will make him a good technician who has the ability to solve the problem.
3) The technician must have experience about computer’s problems. Without having experience a technician can not do the job.
4) A technician who has the responsibility about his job, he can do the job with more consciousness.
5) Trouble-shooting intelligence is the best requirement of a good technician. Technicians who can trouble-shoot well he also solve the problem easily.
6) You have look for the best technician in a reasonable payment. Sometimes highly payment does not work if the technician does not have the ability to solve the problem.
7) A technician with more experience and reasonable payment who is responsible about his job is the best technician.
Although you are owner of our computer and the computer is very sensible product so you have to choose the best technician for it.
1) The technician must be known about the problem what he wants to solve. Because if he doesn’t identify the problem, how could he solve the problem?
2) The technician must have a degree about computer problem. This will make him a good technician who has the ability to solve the problem.
3) The technician must have experience about computer’s problems. Without having experience a technician can not do the job.
4) A technician who has the responsibility about his job, he can do the job with more consciousness.
5) Trouble-shooting intelligence is the best requirement of a good technician. Technicians who can trouble-shoot well he also solve the problem easily.
6) You have look for the best technician in a reasonable payment. Sometimes highly payment does not work if the technician does not have the ability to solve the problem.
7) A technician with more experience and reasonable payment who is responsible about his job is the best technician.
Although you are owner of our computer and the computer is very sensible product so you have to choose the best technician for it.
7 Smart Ways to Choose the Right Internet Provider
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) means who are providing internet service. There can be many ISPs in your area. These are the companies that offer services such as dial-up, DSL, cable and satellite Internet connection with the use of data transmission technologies that comply with the Internet Protocol datagram's.
There are many ways to choose the right internet provider (ISP). The 7 smart ways to choose the right internet provider are given below:
1) Usually, ISPs offer a structured option for Internet connection options, with corresponding fixed or accumulative values that correspond to Internet connection speed or many other service factors. Choose the best value that you can find out of the Internet connection service that you require.
2) All ISPs say that the mission of being the one that provides the fastest Internet connection speed; however, doing that would require modern equipment. A company that regularly updates its equipment and service software makes an ideal choice for that only means that they are consistent in providing their clients with finest Internet service that technology can give.
3) If you are living in rural areas has their downside, one of which is limited options for ISPs. In cases like this, clients must consider the availability of Internet connection services that their area supports.
4) For somebody who wants a high-speed Internet connection, it is important to know how many other users you will need to use the line with. Lesser ratio per modem is always best.
5) If you propose to setup a personal website, it is important to find out if there are ISPs that offer services such as web hosting or technical support. Usually, these kinds of services are offered for free or included in service packages, allowing clients to enjoy substantial savings in his or her initial website operations and maintenance.
6) Check whether or not the ISP that you are considering can provide you with the kind of service and structured payment plan that meets your preferences.
7) Some ISP firms offer extra and free services as in spam blocking, virus protection, instant messaging and chat rooms.
Do your research on how well ISPs manage and respond to service problems. Know what kind of support is available in phone, email, chat, etc. also, check whether these companies charge extra for technical support.
There are many ways to choose the right internet provider (ISP). The 7 smart ways to choose the right internet provider are given below:
1) Usually, ISPs offer a structured option for Internet connection options, with corresponding fixed or accumulative values that correspond to Internet connection speed or many other service factors. Choose the best value that you can find out of the Internet connection service that you require.
2) All ISPs say that the mission of being the one that provides the fastest Internet connection speed; however, doing that would require modern equipment. A company that regularly updates its equipment and service software makes an ideal choice for that only means that they are consistent in providing their clients with finest Internet service that technology can give.
3) If you are living in rural areas has their downside, one of which is limited options for ISPs. In cases like this, clients must consider the availability of Internet connection services that their area supports.
4) For somebody who wants a high-speed Internet connection, it is important to know how many other users you will need to use the line with. Lesser ratio per modem is always best.
5) If you propose to setup a personal website, it is important to find out if there are ISPs that offer services such as web hosting or technical support. Usually, these kinds of services are offered for free or included in service packages, allowing clients to enjoy substantial savings in his or her initial website operations and maintenance.
6) Check whether or not the ISP that you are considering can provide you with the kind of service and structured payment plan that meets your preferences.
7) Some ISP firms offer extra and free services as in spam blocking, virus protection, instant messaging and chat rooms.
Do your research on how well ISPs manage and respond to service problems. Know what kind of support is available in phone, email, chat, etc. also, check whether these companies charge extra for technical support.
7 Smart Ways to Choose the Right Printer
Printers are like computers and other technology. Like other technologies they also evolved almost everyday into something bigger and better. Newer versions and models are coming out. There are many types of printer can now be found. You have to choose the right printer for you. There are a lot of options and types of printers on the market today. The two major types of printers on the market are ink jet which is primarily used in homes and laser printers mainly used in business. The types of printers are endless and you have to choose the perfect one for your use.
Ink printers are generally used in home basis. Laser printers are use in office or business purpose. The 7 smart ways to choose the right printer are describing below:
1) If you want to use the printer for only printing text then you has to need high speed of the printer. If you are going to use it for photographs then you should choose a printer specifically for photographs and those kinds of printers have a high price.
2) You should also be considering what the costs of replacement cartridges are. Unfortunately, ink cartridges are pretty expensive. While ink jet printers are overall cheap when you first purchase it.
3) You may want to choose a speedy printer if you intend to use it on large amount of printouts.
4) Printers have many types. Each type has their own benefits and weakness, as most things in the world do.
5) Easy to control the printer. That means the printer must have easy control system and you have to make sure that the options are satisfy you requirements.
6) You have to make sure amount of space it takes up on desk or stand and what you want. If you want to use the printer for mobile use you have to buy a less weight printer.
7) You have to choose what printer you need wireless or hard wires. If the printer makes too much noisy then you should avoid the printer to buy.
Ink printers are generally used in home basis. Laser printers are use in office or business purpose. The 7 smart ways to choose the right printer are describing below:
1) If you want to use the printer for only printing text then you has to need high speed of the printer. If you are going to use it for photographs then you should choose a printer specifically for photographs and those kinds of printers have a high price.
2) You should also be considering what the costs of replacement cartridges are. Unfortunately, ink cartridges are pretty expensive. While ink jet printers are overall cheap when you first purchase it.
3) You may want to choose a speedy printer if you intend to use it on large amount of printouts.
4) Printers have many types. Each type has their own benefits and weakness, as most things in the world do.
5) Easy to control the printer. That means the printer must have easy control system and you have to make sure that the options are satisfy you requirements.
6) You have to make sure amount of space it takes up on desk or stand and what you want. If you want to use the printer for mobile use you have to buy a less weight printer.
7) You have to choose what printer you need wireless or hard wires. If the printer makes too much noisy then you should avoid the printer to buy.
How Do I Keep my Laptop Secure? Keeping your Laptop Secure.
Laptops are mini computer what can carried any where any time you want. But it is too expensive to buy and it can be stolen easily because of its size and weights. Now a day’s laptop contains vital data for its remote access. So security of laptop is a common priority to its user. There are many ways to keep your laptop secure. Common of them are describing below:
Physical security involves physical barriers put in place to inhibit access to where your laptop is kept. Such barriers hinder the following circumstances:
Laptop can be stolen.
Your laptop can be damaged.
Vital information can be stolen from your laptop.
Anyone who stole your laptop he can use it to cheat with the people.
You can limit the access of your laptop by using security software. This security software prevents access to your desktop. It ensures that only the owner of the laptop has access to using the applications on the laptop.
You can keep your laptop secure to be conscious about its security. Because without security consciousness on the part of the user or laptop owner, every control put in place to deter access to the laptop would be useless. Here are some suggestions to keep your laptop secure.
Avoid using computer bags
Always lock the door to your office.
Never leave access numbers or passwords in your carrying case.
You have to encrypt your data.
If not in use put it in a safe and lock it.
Avoid setting your laptop on the floor.
Try not to leave your laptop in your hotel room or with the front desk.
Insure your laptop against loss, such as damage, fire etc.
Buy a laptop security device.
Make sure when nature calls you activate the screen lock and all access doors to your office are locked.
If you really want your laptop secure you have to be conscious about its physical security. You have to use security software to ensure that the data can not be accessed by any other. Although you have to aware about to follow the suggestions what is discussed earlier.
Physical security involves physical barriers put in place to inhibit access to where your laptop is kept. Such barriers hinder the following circumstances:
Laptop can be stolen.
Your laptop can be damaged.
Vital information can be stolen from your laptop.
Anyone who stole your laptop he can use it to cheat with the people.
You can limit the access of your laptop by using security software. This security software prevents access to your desktop. It ensures that only the owner of the laptop has access to using the applications on the laptop.
You can keep your laptop secure to be conscious about its security. Because without security consciousness on the part of the user or laptop owner, every control put in place to deter access to the laptop would be useless. Here are some suggestions to keep your laptop secure.
Avoid using computer bags
Always lock the door to your office.
Never leave access numbers or passwords in your carrying case.
You have to encrypt your data.
If not in use put it in a safe and lock it.
Avoid setting your laptop on the floor.
Try not to leave your laptop in your hotel room or with the front desk.
Insure your laptop against loss, such as damage, fire etc.
Buy a laptop security device.
Make sure when nature calls you activate the screen lock and all access doors to your office are locked.
If you really want your laptop secure you have to be conscious about its physical security. You have to use security software to ensure that the data can not be accessed by any other. Although you have to aware about to follow the suggestions what is discussed earlier.
What is this Called Cookies?
HTTP cookies or tracking cookies are small pieces of text, stored by a user's web browser, that contain the user's settings, shopping cart contents, or other data used by websites. They are transmitted as parcels of text sent by a server to a Web client usually a browser and then sent back unchanged by client each time it accesses that server.
Cookies are used for verifying, session tracking, and continuing unambiguous information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The word cookies derived from magic cookies what is a well-known terms in the UNIX operating system. Every cookie has its own uses, advantages and disadvantages.
Mostly known that cookies are come computer programs what run in the browsing computer. That means cookies are a simple piece of data that work in a specific way and only effect on the web server not to the browser. Many antispyware products detect cookies though they are not viruses or spywares of because they allow the users to tract when they visit multiple websites.
Allowing users to log in to a website is a use of cookies. Usually cookies are used to remember the user who is visiting the website in order to show the appropriate content. Without them, some websites would cease to function. Cookies are also used to remember the passwords and "signed on" status of users. HTTP cookies are used by Web servers to differentiate users and to maintain data related to the user during navigation, possibly across multiple visits.
Tracking cookies, however, are used to track internet users' web browsing habits. Websites leave these tracking cookies on users' computers, and tracking software can determine where a user has been by viewing the cookies left on the computer. Cookies are also used to track users across a website. Third-party cookies and Web bugs, explained below, also allow for tracking across multiple sites.
Cookies are used for verifying, session tracking, and continuing unambiguous information about users, such as site preferences or the contents of their electronic shopping carts. The word cookies derived from magic cookies what is a well-known terms in the UNIX operating system. Every cookie has its own uses, advantages and disadvantages.
Mostly known that cookies are come computer programs what run in the browsing computer. That means cookies are a simple piece of data that work in a specific way and only effect on the web server not to the browser. Many antispyware products detect cookies though they are not viruses or spywares of because they allow the users to tract when they visit multiple websites.
Allowing users to log in to a website is a use of cookies. Usually cookies are used to remember the user who is visiting the website in order to show the appropriate content. Without them, some websites would cease to function. Cookies are also used to remember the passwords and "signed on" status of users. HTTP cookies are used by Web servers to differentiate users and to maintain data related to the user during navigation, possibly across multiple visits.
Tracking cookies, however, are used to track internet users' web browsing habits. Websites leave these tracking cookies on users' computers, and tracking software can determine where a user has been by viewing the cookies left on the computer. Cookies are also used to track users across a website. Third-party cookies and Web bugs, explained below, also allow for tracking across multiple sites.
How Can I Permanently Delete Files from the Recycle Bin?
When you delete a file from your computer, it is temporarily stored in the Recycle Bin. This usually gives you an opportunity to restore the file to its original location if you discover that the file should not have been deleted. To permanently remove files from the computer and reclaim any hard disk space they were using, you need to permanently delete files from the Recycle Bin. You can choose to delete individual files from the Recycle Bin or empty the entire Recycle Bin at once.
You can permanently bypass the Recycle Bin by changing the configuration of the Recycle Bin:
You have to right-click the Recycle Bin and then click Properties. After that, there will be a delete option. Click on it, the document will be permanently deleted.
Another way is the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, click to select the Do not move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted check box. Click OK.
You can also configure Windows XP to skip the verification message whether or not you are using the Recycle Bin. In the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, click to clear the Display delete confirmation dialog check box, and then click OK.
If you bypass the Recycle Bin, you receive the following confirmation-request message:
Are you sure you want to delete filename?
If you do not bypass the Recycle Bin, you receive the following confirmation-request message:
Are you sure you want to send to the Recycle Bin?
The confirmation message is a quick way to determine whether or not you are using the Recycle Bin.
You can bypass the Recycle Bin on a one-time basis, or you can permanently configure Windows XP to bypass the Recycle Bin.
There's good and bad in this. The good is that if you accidentally delete something you have a good chance of being able to get it back. The bad: So can anyone else.
You can permanently bypass the Recycle Bin by changing the configuration of the Recycle Bin:
You have to right-click the Recycle Bin and then click Properties. After that, there will be a delete option. Click on it, the document will be permanently deleted.
Another way is the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, click to select the Do not move files to the Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted check box. Click OK.
You can also configure Windows XP to skip the verification message whether or not you are using the Recycle Bin. In the Recycle Bin Properties dialog box, click to clear the Display delete confirmation dialog check box, and then click OK.
If you bypass the Recycle Bin, you receive the following confirmation-request message:
Are you sure you want to delete filename?
If you do not bypass the Recycle Bin, you receive the following confirmation-request message:
Are you sure you want to send
The confirmation message is a quick way to determine whether or not you are using the Recycle Bin.
You can bypass the Recycle Bin on a one-time basis, or you can permanently configure Windows XP to bypass the Recycle Bin.
There's good and bad in this. The good is that if you accidentally delete something you have a good chance of being able to get it back. The bad: So can anyone else.
How Do I Hide Files and Folders on my Computer?
When you use a computer sometimes you need to hide files and folders. Hiding folders is like a hidden guard that conceals all files and folders you want to hide. All hidden files and folders are impossible to view contact or search and it seems like they are not in the computer at all! Nobody would ever find them and will never guess that those files or folders exist.
First you have to go to the files or folder you want to hide. Then click right button of your mouse on it. A window will come click the last option properties and then another window will come. Then click the hidden option then apply then ok. Your files or folder will be hidden.
Hide folders and files is very easy to use folder security software that offers you the ability to prevent unauthorized access to your files. This is achieved by making your files and folders totally invisible for others.
No matter how particular computer is accessed, those folders stay invisible and safe. Once you hide files/folders, Hide folders will not reveal its presence in your system, and the files will be hidden until you unhide them. No one can find out if any of the files or folders is hidden.
Hide folders launch is password-protected mode and you will be the only person to see and access your private info.
As a security measure, Hide folders and files and document have as a feature with foolproof control which means that nobody can hide system critical files and folders and lock your system.
First you have to go to the files or folder you want to hide. Then click right button of your mouse on it. A window will come click the last option properties and then another window will come. Then click the hidden option then apply then ok. Your files or folder will be hidden.
Hide folders and files is very easy to use folder security software that offers you the ability to prevent unauthorized access to your files. This is achieved by making your files and folders totally invisible for others.
No matter how particular computer is accessed, those folders stay invisible and safe. Once you hide files/folders, Hide folders will not reveal its presence in your system, and the files will be hidden until you unhide them. No one can find out if any of the files or folders is hidden.
Hide folders launch is password-protected mode and you will be the only person to see and access your private info.
As a security measure, Hide folders and files and document have as a feature with foolproof control which means that nobody can hide system critical files and folders and lock your system.
How Do I Hide Icons on my Computer Desktop?
If you want to like your desktop absolutely clean to see your background, then here is a good squeeze. If you are using the regular start menu and you only have the recycle bin left on the desktop and would like to get rid of it and still have easy access to it, then listen here:
First drags the recycle bin into the start menu and place it at the top so it is pinned to the start menu along with both these items are pinned typically.
To hide the desktop icons right click on the desktop and scroll to 'arrange icons by' and then uncheck 'show desktop icons'
Now the recycle bin will be gone but you will still have access to it in the start menu.
Right-click a blank spot on the Desktop and select “Properties” from the menu that appears.
Click the “Effects” tab.
Make sure the “Hide icons when the desktop is view as a Web page” check box. This will cause the icons to be hidden. If you have the Active Desktop enabled this will cause the icons to be hidden.
There is much software to hide icons on the computer. Quick Hide Windows by CronoSoft is great for hiding program windows with a press of a hotkey combination. You easily bring them back with another combo. Hiding the taskbar and desktop icons is just awesome. Password protection allows you to lock QHW to prevent intruders from trying to show invisible applications while you're gone. You can even lock your computer with QHW instead of a weak, easily hack able screensaver password.
First drags the recycle bin into the start menu and place it at the top so it is pinned to the start menu along with both these items are pinned typically.
To hide the desktop icons right click on the desktop and scroll to 'arrange icons by' and then uncheck 'show desktop icons'
Now the recycle bin will be gone but you will still have access to it in the start menu.
Right-click a blank spot on the Desktop and select “Properties” from the menu that appears.
Click the “Effects” tab.
Make sure the “Hide icons when the desktop is view as a Web page” check box. This will cause the icons to be hidden. If you have the Active Desktop enabled this will cause the icons to be hidden.
There is much software to hide icons on the computer. Quick Hide Windows by CronoSoft is great for hiding program windows with a press of a hotkey combination. You easily bring them back with another combo. Hiding the taskbar and desktop icons is just awesome. Password protection allows you to lock QHW to prevent intruders from trying to show invisible applications while you're gone. You can even lock your computer with QHW instead of a weak, easily hack able screensaver password.
Understanding Computer Log off, Shut Down, Hibernate and Sleep
Log off is a special feature of modern computer operating system. It is a system to make the computer standby option. That means by log off a computer it will not working as soon as the user account is activated. We can use the log off option when we need the computer active but another account or the computer will be stop for a while. We can log of a computer to go the start menu and press the log off button then there will come a window having two option one is log off another is switch user. Click on the log off button then the computer will be logged off.
Shut down is another special feature in modern operating system. Through this we stop the computer permanently. After shut down we can not do a thing with the computer while we start again the computer. We can shut down a computer to go through the start menu. Click on the shut down button another window will come having three buttons the middle one is shut down or turn off, click on it the computer will be shut down.
Hibernate option is the most exclusive feature of windows operating system. Through this option we can shut down a computer without closing the entire running program. We can get all the running programs when we start the computer again through hibernate.
Sleep is another option like log off. When we give sleep command to the computer it seems to be stopped. But when we move the mouse or press a key of the key board the computer is awoken from the sleep. We use sleep option when we need the computer on but not this time then we use the sleep option to decrease the electricity cost.
Shut down is another special feature in modern operating system. Through this we stop the computer permanently. After shut down we can not do a thing with the computer while we start again the computer. We can shut down a computer to go through the start menu. Click on the shut down button another window will come having three buttons the middle one is shut down or turn off, click on it the computer will be shut down.
Hibernate option is the most exclusive feature of windows operating system. Through this option we can shut down a computer without closing the entire running program. We can get all the running programs when we start the computer again through hibernate.
Sleep is another option like log off. When we give sleep command to the computer it seems to be stopped. But when we move the mouse or press a key of the key board the computer is awoken from the sleep. We use sleep option when we need the computer on but not this time then we use the sleep option to decrease the electricity cost.
How Do I Organize Files and Folders on my Computer?
You put all of your information on your computer. So you have to keep your information organized in your computer, because if you do not organize your files in your computer it is very difficult to find them. To organize your files you have to create folder or subfolder on your computer. So you have to know how to create a folder. By organizing your files you will be better benefited.
To keep your information organized, first, create a folder structure that organizes your files according to category.
When you have done that, you will be able to find most files by simply clicking the folder. If a folder has a large number of files, you can use the Details view to locate the file you need.
If you aren't sure which folder contains the file you need, you can search your computer for the file.
You can create sub-folders within folders for several levels of organization.
When you create a folder select the files or folders that you want to move. To select multiple files, hold down the CTRL key and click each file you want to select.
First click the Edit menu, and then click Cut. That will open the folder you want to store your files in. after that, click the Edit menu, and then click Paste. Repeat these steps until you have moved all of your files to their new locations.
When you save new files, be sure to save them in one of your folders to keep things organized.
When you want to search a file you know where the file is stored but there are so many files in that folder. Then it will be difficult to find it. The best way to search through a large folder is to use the Details view.
To keep your information organized, first, create a folder structure that organizes your files according to category.
When you have done that, you will be able to find most files by simply clicking the folder. If a folder has a large number of files, you can use the Details view to locate the file you need.
If you aren't sure which folder contains the file you need, you can search your computer for the file.
You can create sub-folders within folders for several levels of organization.
When you create a folder select the files or folders that you want to move. To select multiple files, hold down the CTRL key and click each file you want to select.
First click the Edit menu, and then click Cut. That will open the folder you want to store your files in. after that, click the Edit menu, and then click Paste. Repeat these steps until you have moved all of your files to their new locations.
When you save new files, be sure to save them in one of your folders to keep things organized.
When you want to search a file you know where the file is stored but there are so many files in that folder. Then it will be difficult to find it. The best way to search through a large folder is to use the Details view.
How Can Clean the Dust on my Computer? How Do I Dust-off my Computer?
Computer is a sensitive machine. To clean the dust of a computer is not like cleaning other thing. There are mainly two ways to cleaning dust of your computer. The first one is using a soft brush and the second one is open the computer.
To clean the computer you have to use a soft brush extra on your vacuum cleaner, vacuum the dust from around your computer's fan(s). You have to vacuum both the front and back panels of your computer.
If you have any kind of external devices like external hard disks and any other parts, you can clean the dust of it now and do it really quick process using vacuum cleaner.
If you're easy opening up your computer, it'll be clear where the dust is accruing once you look inside. To clean the inside of your computer you can use the same soft brush attaching on your vacuum cleaner. You have to carefully suck out the dust and go far as you can clean. It is not the perfect way, but the dust will come out quite easily.
To clean your computer first you have to unplug all cords from your computer before beginning. Keep the face of your computer flat on the floor.
To clean among the air slots for the fan by twisting use a cotton swab, to remove the dust increase. Every time you have to use a new swab for each slot so that no dust is carried over from the last slot.
Interweave the small door for the roller ball counter clockwise to remove it, and flip the mouse over to release the ball. Spray the compressed air into the opening to remove any dirt. Use a cotton swab to remove any build up on the small rollers inside, and replace the ball and door.
To clean the computer you have to use a soft brush extra on your vacuum cleaner, vacuum the dust from around your computer's fan(s). You have to vacuum both the front and back panels of your computer.
If you have any kind of external devices like external hard disks and any other parts, you can clean the dust of it now and do it really quick process using vacuum cleaner.
If you're easy opening up your computer, it'll be clear where the dust is accruing once you look inside. To clean the inside of your computer you can use the same soft brush attaching on your vacuum cleaner. You have to carefully suck out the dust and go far as you can clean. It is not the perfect way, but the dust will come out quite easily.
To clean your computer first you have to unplug all cords from your computer before beginning. Keep the face of your computer flat on the floor.
To clean among the air slots for the fan by twisting use a cotton swab, to remove the dust increase. Every time you have to use a new swab for each slot so that no dust is carried over from the last slot.
Interweave the small door for the roller ball counter clockwise to remove it, and flip the mouse over to release the ball. Spray the compressed air into the opening to remove any dirt. Use a cotton swab to remove any build up on the small rollers inside, and replace the ball and door.
How Do I Keep my Computer Virus Free?
Now a days, every day many kind of viruses are built. Eugene Kaspersky, (of Kaspersky Lab Virus Research), in a November 23, 2005 article posted in Security News, said, "The number of new viruses and Trojans is now increasing every day by a few hundred. (Our) virus lab receives between 200 and 300 new samples a day." That means a huge number of viruses are created in a single day. Most of them can not be found at the first time when they involved at our computers. After a minimum damage, the viruses can be found. These characteristics are like human viruses. Like human viruses there are two ways to remove this problem. One is prevented and another is cure.
You can use such thing what will stop viruses. For this reason a good firewall can really help to stop viruses. Almost all virus infections will be in the program section of the C: drive, so scan it daily. You have to look for an anti virus what can automatically scan the computer or scan the computer when we want. You have to choose the best anti virus to catch the virus. You can check the anti virus capacity from various websites. Though, the viruses are updated daily so you have to update your anti virus regularly. When a virus is created within a few hours or a day anti virus software is updated. So you have to know about the update of virus and antivirus.
You can use such thing what will stop viruses. For this reason a good firewall can really help to stop viruses. Almost all virus infections will be in the program section of the C: drive, so scan it daily. You have to look for an anti virus what can automatically scan the computer or scan the computer when we want. You have to choose the best anti virus to catch the virus. You can check the anti virus capacity from various websites. Though, the viruses are updated daily so you have to update your anti virus regularly. When a virus is created within a few hours or a day anti virus software is updated. So you have to know about the update of virus and antivirus.
Do I Need a Wireless Keyboard and Mouse?
Nowadays wireless keyboard and mouse is very popular. Because they have no wire and they are easy to use. Many people use wireless keyboard and mouse. It is easy to carry and can be placed any where in the range of the keyboard or mouse. Here we discuss about some examples from where you can get knowledge to use about wireless keyboard and mouse.
Few days before, we have a computer hooked up to the 54 inch monitor full-time. On the other hand, it currently has a wired keyboard and mouse, both of which are less than finest when you'd wish to keep your ass on the sofa and pick a movie from the server upstairs.
So I have told them to take a wireless keyboard and mouse that has respectable range (20-30 feet, preferably) and doesn't take up too much space. The keyboard doesn't need a numeric keypad or even full-sized keys. It's only going to be used to type a small amount: irregular hits to IMDB and renaming a folder or two.
The mouse have to be a reliable two or three button visual that can stand for irregular attacks by our pets and perhaps even a felled drink.
Though we can have a wireless mouse and keyboard for use. It will help us to use the computer for a long distance and we can feel better. It is more satisfactory to use than simple mouse and keyboard.
Few days before, we have a computer hooked up to the 54 inch monitor full-time. On the other hand, it currently has a wired keyboard and mouse, both of which are less than finest when you'd wish to keep your ass on the sofa and pick a movie from the server upstairs.
So I have told them to take a wireless keyboard and mouse that has respectable range (20-30 feet, preferably) and doesn't take up too much space. The keyboard doesn't need a numeric keypad or even full-sized keys. It's only going to be used to type a small amount: irregular hits to IMDB and renaming a folder or two.
The mouse have to be a reliable two or three button visual that can stand for irregular attacks by our pets and perhaps even a felled drink.
Though we can have a wireless mouse and keyboard for use. It will help us to use the computer for a long distance and we can feel better. It is more satisfactory to use than simple mouse and keyboard.
Understanding Online Investment. Is it Safe to Do Online Investment?
In this modern time, internet is a very common thing. Online investment is a popular thing today. It is getting higher day by day. Many industries have profited from data exchange over the Internet but they face several impediments when it comes to the real transfer of physical products. Only with online investment industry, transactions occur where "information” is sold as a commodity without the transfer of physical goods. The Internet is accurately the means, which transforms the dynamics of investment industry. Within the financial services, Internet trading is the first industry to make the most of the Internet's prospective and quickly build a widespread customer base.
Online investment has gained incredible resources during cost-effective contact to investment markets across the world. Online investment offers ultra high speed and highly convenient information analysis to online traders. The number of household trading stocks online has grown astonishingly making the investor community shift towards online.
In view of the fact that in an online investment there is no need for any human contact, to organize and handle risks the continuing automated screening is essential. The screening includes checking accessibility of funds or scripts, trading history, trading volumes and payment defaults. This needs online real time contact to clients and also to historical data.
Online investment has gained incredible resources during cost-effective contact to investment markets across the world. Online investment offers ultra high speed and highly convenient information analysis to online traders. The number of household trading stocks online has grown astonishingly making the investor community shift towards online.
In view of the fact that in an online investment there is no need for any human contact, to organize and handle risks the continuing automated screening is essential. The screening includes checking accessibility of funds or scripts, trading history, trading volumes and payment defaults. This needs online real time contact to clients and also to historical data.
Understanding Online Banking? Is it Safe for me to Do Online Banking? Is it Safe for me to Pay Bills Online through my Bank?
Nowadays online banking system is very useful system for business. Most of the people hear a lot about online banking which is to be defined paying bills by mail and put checks at your bank branch to buy goods. You might shop online for a loan, life insurance or a home mortgage, but when it comes time to entrust, you feel more relaxed working with your banker or an agent you know and belief.
Online banking isn't only for money solving it can help you about your business. As an alternative, it uses today's computer technology to give you the option of bypassing the time-consuming, paper-based aspects of traditional banking in order to manage your finances more quickly and efficiently. The advent of the Internet and the popularity of personal computers presented both an opportunity and a challenge for the banking industry.
For a long time, financial institutions have used powerful computer networks to automate millions of daily transactions; today, often the only paper record is the customer's receipt at the point of sale. Now that its customers are connected to the Internet via personal computers, banks envision similar economic advantages by adapting those same internal electronic processes to home use.
I have been using online banking (like setting up my e-bills) to pay all my bills. That way, I never missed a payment. I set up a payment reminder for all my bills.
Online banking in my personal experience is very convenient and so far, it has been very secure! I never had a problem! I have been using it for 6 years now!
Online banking isn't only for money solving it can help you about your business. As an alternative, it uses today's computer technology to give you the option of bypassing the time-consuming, paper-based aspects of traditional banking in order to manage your finances more quickly and efficiently. The advent of the Internet and the popularity of personal computers presented both an opportunity and a challenge for the banking industry.
For a long time, financial institutions have used powerful computer networks to automate millions of daily transactions; today, often the only paper record is the customer's receipt at the point of sale. Now that its customers are connected to the Internet via personal computers, banks envision similar economic advantages by adapting those same internal electronic processes to home use.
I have been using online banking (like setting up my e-bills) to pay all my bills. That way, I never missed a payment. I set up a payment reminder for all my bills.
Online banking in my personal experience is very convenient and so far, it has been very secure! I never had a problem! I have been using it for 6 years now!
Understanding Online Shopping. Is it Safe for me to Shop Online?
Online shopping means buy any thing through online. It makes people life easier than before. It is helping people to buy the best thing with a cheap rate living at home. The increasing popularity of online shopping has lead to the coming out of new economic performance. If you want to be successful in the highly spirited e-commerce atmosphere, it is very important to understand consumer meanings.
Understanding what motivates consumer purpose is critical because such intention is key to survival in this fast-paced and hypercompetitive environment. Where previous investigation has attempted at most a limited version of the information system success model, we propose a comprehensive, empirical model that separates the 'use' build into 'intention to use' and 'actual use'. This makes it possible to test the importance of user intentions in determining their online shopping behavior.
Our results suggest that the consumer's plan to use is quite important, and accurately predicts the usage behavior of consumers. In contrast, consumer satisfaction has an important impact on intention to use but no direct causal relation with actual use.
As with any other information system (IS), the success of online shopping depends largely on customer satisfaction and other factors that will eventually increase customers' loyalty intentions.
This article integrates two major variables of technology acceptance model (TAM), trust, and fairness to construct a model for investigating the motivations behind customers' loyalty intentions towards online shopping.
Understanding what motivates consumer purpose is critical because such intention is key to survival in this fast-paced and hypercompetitive environment. Where previous investigation has attempted at most a limited version of the information system success model, we propose a comprehensive, empirical model that separates the 'use' build into 'intention to use' and 'actual use'. This makes it possible to test the importance of user intentions in determining their online shopping behavior.
Our results suggest that the consumer's plan to use is quite important, and accurately predicts the usage behavior of consumers. In contrast, consumer satisfaction has an important impact on intention to use but no direct causal relation with actual use.
As with any other information system (IS), the success of online shopping depends largely on customer satisfaction and other factors that will eventually increase customers' loyalty intentions.
This article integrates two major variables of technology acceptance model (TAM), trust, and fairness to construct a model for investigating the motivations behind customers' loyalty intentions towards online shopping.
How Do I Set Up Automatic Updates for my Computer?
If you are using Windows XP Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, and Windows XP 64-Bit Edition, installs Windows XP SP2 or Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to obtain the latest Automatic Updates feature. Turn on Automatic Updates. To do this, follow these steps:
Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then press ENTER.
If you want to automatic update of your windows just click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click to select one of the following options. You are recommended that you select the Automatic (recommended) automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them option.
When you are selecting the automatic update option, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to find updates on the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site that apply to your computer
When you select download the update, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to automatically download updates from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area of your taskbar when the updates are being downloaded
If you select new update available option, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An Automatic Updates icon and message appear in the notification area of your taskbar when new updates are available to download or to install.
At last click OK.
Click Start, click Run, type sysdm.cpl, and then press ENTER.
If you want to automatic update of your windows just click the Automatic Updates tab, and then click to select one of the following options. You are recommended that you select the Automatic (recommended) automatically download recommended updates for my computer and install them option.
When you are selecting the automatic update option, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to find updates on the Windows Update Web site or on the Microsoft Update Web site that apply to your computer
When you select download the update, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to automatically download updates from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An icon appears in the notification area of your taskbar when the updates are being downloaded
If you select new update available option, Windows recognizes when you are online and uses your Internet connection to search for downloads from the Windows Update Web site or from the Microsoft Update Web site. An Automatic Updates icon and message appear in the notification area of your taskbar when new updates are available to download or to install.
At last click OK.
Do I have to install Windows Updates on my Computer?
Updating windows makes computer effective more than before and gives new feature to operate. Out of many options firewall is one of the features of windows which defects the unexpected programs and sometimes informs you about the alarming events. All these features and programs are developing day by day and to get updated facilities windows should be updated. The procedures for updating windows are as the following.
If you decide automatic update on your computer, the updates will happen automatically. Or if you want to update your computer manually you have to do that on your own.
Microsoft is always working on to make update all of its products. When they release a new type or version of windows it was okay then. But after a few days some problems always occurred.
To solve these problems they always have a need to update of windows. Suppose, windows firewall is released then the virus and the spyware will updated to hack the windows.
To prevent these windows update is always needed. If you use windows on your computer you always have to update your windows for getting extra security. So when you have known about a new update you have to install it in your windows on your computer.
If you decide automatic update on your computer, the updates will happen automatically. Or if you want to update your computer manually you have to do that on your own.
Microsoft is always working on to make update all of its products. When they release a new type or version of windows it was okay then. But after a few days some problems always occurred.
To solve these problems they always have a need to update of windows. Suppose, windows firewall is released then the virus and the spyware will updated to hack the windows.
To prevent these windows update is always needed. If you use windows on your computer you always have to update your windows for getting extra security. So when you have known about a new update you have to install it in your windows on your computer.
What is this Website that Starts with HTTPS?
The Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is a combination of Hypertext Transfer Protocol and network security protocol. HTTP operates at the higher layer of the TCP/IP model. The security protocol operates at the lower sub layer. It encrypts the HTTP message to broadcast and decrypts a message when entrance.
Though HTTPS is not a different protocol, but refers to the arrangement of a standard HTTP communication over an encrypted Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) connection. This guarantees reasonable security from eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle attacks, provided that satisfactory cipher suites are used and that the server record is verified and trusted.
To arrange a Web server to admit HTTPS connections, the administrator must create a public-key certificate for the Web server. These certificates can be created for Unix-based servers with tools. This certificate must be signed by a certificate authority of one kind or another. The authority certifies that the certificate holder is indeed the entity it claims to be. Web browsers are generally distributed with the signing certificates of major certificate authorities so that they can verify certificates signed by them.
If an organization want to run their own certificate authority, mainly they are conscientious for setting up browsers to access their own sites (for example, sites on a company intranet). They can easily add copies of their own signing record to those shipped with the browser. Many e-businesses are now using this security technology. Many consumers are also very conscious when shopping and paying online -- I know I am on a secured site if I see it with an HTTPS on the address.
Though HTTPS is not a different protocol, but refers to the arrangement of a standard HTTP communication over an encrypted Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS) connection. This guarantees reasonable security from eavesdroppers and man-in-the-middle attacks, provided that satisfactory cipher suites are used and that the server record is verified and trusted.
To arrange a Web server to admit HTTPS connections, the administrator must create a public-key certificate for the Web server. These certificates can be created for Unix-based servers with tools. This certificate must be signed by a certificate authority of one kind or another. The authority certifies that the certificate holder is indeed the entity it claims to be. Web browsers are generally distributed with the signing certificates of major certificate authorities so that they can verify certificates signed by them.
If an organization want to run their own certificate authority, mainly they are conscientious for setting up browsers to access their own sites (for example, sites on a company intranet). They can easily add copies of their own signing record to those shipped with the browser. Many e-businesses are now using this security technology. Many consumers are also very conscious when shopping and paying online -- I know I am on a secured site if I see it with an HTTPS on the address.
How Do I Use Video-Chat on MSN Messenger?
To use video chat on MSN Messenger you have to get a webcam and connect it to the computer. Chatting permits you to keep in touch and share your thoughts and feelings. The chat is much quicker and more interactive than email. Sometimes, though, it would be really nice to see who you are chatting with. Fortunately, it is possible to use Webcam on MSN Messenger to do just that. By setting up your Webcam for use on MSN Messenger, you will be able to have a video chat with friends, family, or colleagues. Follow these steps to find out how.
First you have to Log in to your account at the MSN Web site then follow the steps below:
Then locate the "Webcam" icon underneath your display picture.
Then you have to click the "Webcam" icon.
After that, select "Send My Webcam" to the person that you want to send your video to.
Then Wait for your chat partner to accept your Webcam invitation. Once he or she accepts it, your live video feed will begin.
Finish sending the video feed by clicking the "Webcam" icon once again.
Open the MSN Messenger program on your computer.
Open MSN Messenger on your computer
Then you have to click the "Tools" menu and then select "Options" from the drop-down list.
Locate the "Personal" link and click it with your mouse.
At last find the "My Webcam" area and either select or de-select next to where it says "Allow Others to See That I Have a Webcam." This is helpful for letting those in your chat list know whether you can have a video chat with them whether or not they have Webcam.
First you have to Log in to your account at the MSN Web site then follow the steps below:
Then locate the "Webcam" icon underneath your display picture.
Then you have to click the "Webcam" icon.
After that, select "Send My Webcam" to the person that you want to send your video to.
Then Wait for your chat partner to accept your Webcam invitation. Once he or she accepts it, your live video feed will begin.
Finish sending the video feed by clicking the "Webcam" icon once again.
Open the MSN Messenger program on your computer.
Open MSN Messenger on your computer
Then you have to click the "Tools" menu and then select "Options" from the drop-down list.
Locate the "Personal" link and click it with your mouse.
At last find the "My Webcam" area and either select or de-select next to where it says "Allow Others to See That I Have a Webcam." This is helpful for letting those in your chat list know whether you can have a video chat with them whether or not they have Webcam.
How Do I Use Voice Chat on Yahoo Messenger?
Any one can use voice chat through yahoo messenger. That means with voice chat you can talk to other who is online and with a contact. This is like talking with other like mobile phone but having no bills. If you want to enter in a chat room, search for "Yahoo! Chat" in your Messenger menu. Then select the area you want to converse to join an already active room full of chatters. Enabling voice chat, you can still talk to other Yahoo! Messenger users in the chat rooms. You must enable Yahoo! Messenger voice chat first.
In order to use Yahoo! Messenger voice chat you'll need to have a microphone and handset to your computer. Then connect the microphone with the computer. Any Yahoo! Messenger users you voice chat with needs these tools.
Then you have to select "Yahoo Chat" from the Messenger window. Then select "Join a Room" from the menu which comes up. A dialog menu with chat room options will open.
You have to look over the categories in the center of the dialog window. Click on a category to see the chat room presented for that category. Voice chat is presented in all chat rooms.
See if any voice chatters are in the room. The number in parentheses next to the chat room name is the whole number of users in the room. The number after the "V" is the number of people in the room using voice chat.
Then enter a room. To enter a room, double click on it. Initiate voice chat. Click on the Voice Icon at the top of the window to begin a Yahoo! Messenger voice chat.
After the entire step has done you can Begin to voice chat. When you're ready to say something, click the green "Talk" button. Hold down the button while you're speaking and release it when you are done. Any time a Yahoo!
Message user with voice chat says something you’ll hear him with your handset.
In order to use Yahoo! Messenger voice chat you'll need to have a microphone and handset to your computer. Then connect the microphone with the computer. Any Yahoo! Messenger users you voice chat with needs these tools.
Then you have to select "Yahoo Chat" from the Messenger window. Then select "Join a Room" from the menu which comes up. A dialog menu with chat room options will open.
You have to look over the categories in the center of the dialog window. Click on a category to see the chat room presented for that category. Voice chat is presented in all chat rooms.
See if any voice chatters are in the room. The number in parentheses next to the chat room name is the whole number of users in the room. The number after the "V" is the number of people in the room using voice chat.
Then enter a room. To enter a room, double click on it. Initiate voice chat. Click on the Voice Icon at the top of the window to begin a Yahoo! Messenger voice chat.
After the entire step has done you can Begin to voice chat. When you're ready to say something, click the green "Talk" button. Hold down the button while you're speaking and release it when you are done. Any time a Yahoo!
Message user with voice chat says something you’ll hear him with your handset.
How Do I Set-up the Webcam on Yahoo Messenger? Setting Up Web cam using the Yahoo! Messenger! Show me How!
Webcam is mainly used to video chat with another party. To use the webcam you will have a webcam and software to drive the webcam. At first you have to read all the instructions about the webcam and the software. Then you have to plug-in the webcam. Some system said install the software first some said plug-in the webcam first. If you do it wrong order the system does not work.
If you want to set-up webcam on yahoo messenger first you have to install the yahoo messenger. Then you have to set-up your webcam and activate it into the yahoo messenger. You have to make sure your webcam driver is installed First you have to click the ‘messenger’ menu and select the ‘my webcam’ menu. Then click on the ‘file’ menu in the ‘my webcam’ window and click ‘preferences’. Then click the ‘camera source’ button, after that select your webcam device from the drop down menu. Then click the ‘ok’ button to close the yahoo messenger preferences window.
After doing the entire step sequentially your webcam will be set-up on yahoo messenger. If it does not work then start again from the first step and do it again. This time it will work. Then you can easily use the video chat option and can chat with your friend through the webcam.
If you want to set-up webcam on yahoo messenger first you have to install the yahoo messenger. Then you have to set-up your webcam and activate it into the yahoo messenger. You have to make sure your webcam driver is installed First you have to click the ‘messenger’ menu and select the ‘my webcam’ menu. Then click on the ‘file’ menu in the ‘my webcam’ window and click ‘preferences’. Then click the ‘camera source’ button, after that select your webcam device from the drop down menu. Then click the ‘ok’ button to close the yahoo messenger preferences window.
After doing the entire step sequentially your webcam will be set-up on yahoo messenger. If it does not work then start again from the first step and do it again. This time it will work. Then you can easily use the video chat option and can chat with your friend through the webcam.
How Do I Choose the Right Computer? Help Me Choose the Right Laptop or Desktop!
In the modern life computer is a necessary thing of our daily life. To buy a computer you have to choose the right computer what is perfect to your daily life. You have to decide what your need is and how about your money. Then you have to think what kind of computer you want to buy. Though the technology is updated day by day so what is new today can be backdated tomorrow.
First you have to decide what type of computer you want and require. What kind of computer will fit for your business or home or for personal use? Which brand you want to buy, because there are many brands in computer market. You have to look for the highest guarantee time and best service providing company.
An essential computer package varies, but it is mainly the computer, a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. The computer will perhaps have a DVD-Rom drive.
The computer you choose will need to have an enough amount of memory on it. It will also need the power to run whatever programs you select. The Pentium chips available in computers are popular as they have the capability to run any type of program you could possibly want, as well as operate the system as fast as you want it to go.
Now Dual-Core, Core2Duo, Core2Quad are the recently powerful processors. They come in different sizes as well as different price ranges. Be prepared to spend the money if you choose a computer with a latest processor. But these processors have also some differences among them with their cash memory and bus speed.
The synchronizing bus speed between processor and the RAM (Random Access Memory) gives the better performance. A latest motherboard is also required that supports your processor and RAM.
First you have to decide what type of computer you want and require. What kind of computer will fit for your business or home or for personal use? Which brand you want to buy, because there are many brands in computer market. You have to look for the highest guarantee time and best service providing company.
An essential computer package varies, but it is mainly the computer, a monitor, a keyboard, and a mouse. The computer will perhaps have a DVD-Rom drive.
The computer you choose will need to have an enough amount of memory on it. It will also need the power to run whatever programs you select. The Pentium chips available in computers are popular as they have the capability to run any type of program you could possibly want, as well as operate the system as fast as you want it to go.
Now Dual-Core, Core2Duo, Core2Quad are the recently powerful processors. They come in different sizes as well as different price ranges. Be prepared to spend the money if you choose a computer with a latest processor. But these processors have also some differences among them with their cash memory and bus speed.
The synchronizing bus speed between processor and the RAM (Random Access Memory) gives the better performance. A latest motherboard is also required that supports your processor and RAM.
Do I Need to Keep my Computer On?
Computer is very important for our modern life. We can not do a thing without the help of a computer. We depend on the computer. Sometimes for necessary cause we have to keep our computer on. But keeping on is not a good thing for a computer when that is connected with internet. Because any time a virus or spyware can attack your computer. They can hack your data or destroy your important data.
When you need to keep your computer on you to follow some steps:
You have to get the update of the anti virus what you using currently. Then you have to install the update anti virus, because most of the viruses are modernized day by day.
Any kinds of software you use most of them have update. You have to download the update and install the latest databases automatically. Make sure that this is enabled.
Every anti virus has the function to scan automatically. But when a file is scanned automatically you can scan the file manually because sometimes double checking a file can detect some virus.
When you are going to install software you have scan it to make sure that it contains no virus.
When you first install the anti virus software you should run a full filled scan. Then, depending on how greatly used your machine is, you should run a scan periodically as well. Finally if you don’t need to keep on your computer, then never keep on your computer when you don’t need it.
When you need to keep your computer on you to follow some steps:
You have to get the update of the anti virus what you using currently. Then you have to install the update anti virus, because most of the viruses are modernized day by day.
Any kinds of software you use most of them have update. You have to download the update and install the latest databases automatically. Make sure that this is enabled.
Every anti virus has the function to scan automatically. But when a file is scanned automatically you can scan the file manually because sometimes double checking a file can detect some virus.
When you are going to install software you have scan it to make sure that it contains no virus.
When you first install the anti virus software you should run a full filled scan. Then, depending on how greatly used your machine is, you should run a scan periodically as well. Finally if you don’t need to keep on your computer, then never keep on your computer when you don’t need it.
How Can I Keep Myself Safe on the Internet? Keeping yourself Safe While Surfing the Internet!
Nowadays internet is a necessary thing for many people. But the viruses and the spywares are great threats to internet connected life. They are harmful to the computer software or data. They are even harmful to human life because using virus or spyware any one can steal personal data from a computer. We have to take usual step to keep our computer virus free.
We can use a firewall to protect our computer. It is some kind of a hardware or software between computer and the internet.
We can use some kind of anti-virus software to protect our computer. Anti virus software are very useful to detect and clean virus. They can automatically scan the memory of the computer and detect virus and kill them. If they did not kill them they deactivate them.
Spyware is another kink of threat. It is similar to virus. Using spyware any type of data can be stolen from a computer what is connected to the internet. The worst offenders are spy ware that hijacks normal functions for themselves.
If you're traveling and using internet hot spots, free Wifi or internet cafes, you must take extra precautions. Make sure that your web emails access is via secure (https) connections, or that your regular mail is over an encrypted connection as well. If you an anti virus you have to always update it. Because the virus and spyware are updated day by day.
Be careful too in choosing your username and passwords. Be careful when paying with your credit card and debit cards, make sure you are in a "trusted" website by knowing if the site where you submit payment is on HTTPS and if the company has a customer support that you can call in case you have questions and concerns.
We can use a firewall to protect our computer. It is some kind of a hardware or software between computer and the internet.
We can use some kind of anti-virus software to protect our computer. Anti virus software are very useful to detect and clean virus. They can automatically scan the memory of the computer and detect virus and kill them. If they did not kill them they deactivate them.
Spyware is another kink of threat. It is similar to virus. Using spyware any type of data can be stolen from a computer what is connected to the internet. The worst offenders are spy ware that hijacks normal functions for themselves.
If you're traveling and using internet hot spots, free Wifi or internet cafes, you must take extra precautions. Make sure that your web emails access is via secure (https) connections, or that your regular mail is over an encrypted connection as well. If you an anti virus you have to always update it. Because the virus and spyware are updated day by day.
Be careful too in choosing your username and passwords. Be careful when paying with your credit card and debit cards, make sure you are in a "trusted" website by knowing if the site where you submit payment is on HTTPS and if the company has a customer support that you can call in case you have questions and concerns.
Understanding the Internet, HTTP, HTTPS and WWW
Internet was first built by the American defense to communicate. But in the 1960 to 1970 internet is going to be open in public. Internet is the global interconnecting network to exchange information among the computers. A computer that connects to the internet can access information from a large collection of offered servers and other computers by moving information from them to the computer’s local memory. The globalization of the internet has succeeded faster than anyone could have imagined. The manner in which social, commercial, political and personal interactions occur is rapidly changing to keep up with the evolution of this global network. Internet plays an increasing role in the success in every step of our life.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a protocol for distributed, manual hypermedia information system. In the internet the use of HTTP is a retrieving system of inter-linked resources led to the establishment of the World Wide Web. The development of this protocol was initially coordinated by the WWW Consortium and the Internet Engineering Task Force. HTTP can simply be defined as a request and response standard of a client and a server. Here client is defined as the end user and the server is defined as the web site.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is a combination of Hypertext Transfer Protocol and network security protocol. HTTP operates at the higher layer of the TCP/IP model. The security protocol operates at the lower sub layer. It encrypts the HTTP message to transmit and decrypts a message when arrival.
The ‘World Wide Web’ or ‘WWW’ means simply as the ‘Web surfing’ or in short ‘the Web’. It is a very large set of interlinked hypertext documents which are accessed through internet. The web pages that contain text, images and videos are navigated using hyperlink.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) is a protocol for distributed, manual hypermedia information system. In the internet the use of HTTP is a retrieving system of inter-linked resources led to the establishment of the World Wide Web. The development of this protocol was initially coordinated by the WWW Consortium and the Internet Engineering Task Force. HTTP can simply be defined as a request and response standard of a client and a server. Here client is defined as the end user and the server is defined as the web site.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure is a combination of Hypertext Transfer Protocol and network security protocol. HTTP operates at the higher layer of the TCP/IP model. The security protocol operates at the lower sub layer. It encrypts the HTTP message to transmit and decrypts a message when arrival.
The ‘World Wide Web’ or ‘WWW’ means simply as the ‘Web surfing’ or in short ‘the Web’. It is a very large set of interlinked hypertext documents which are accessed through internet. The web pages that contain text, images and videos are navigated using hyperlink.
How Do I Attach a File from my Computer on an Email? Attaching a File from "My Documents" to an Email.
If you want to send an email you must have to fill the boxes named ‘To’, ‘Subject’ and ‘Message’ before sending the email. When you post a letter you have to get a letter, stamp and envelop. Like a letter an email has those three parts. When you want to send an email you can have a need of attaching a file from your computer. Attaching a file from computer to email is an easy work.
When you want to attach a file on an email first you have to create an email, to create an email first click on the ‘compose mail’ button. Then fill up the three necessary components of an email. The ‘To’ button will be filled up with an email address. Then the ‘Subject’ button will be filled up about the subject of the email. Then you write the message. If you need to be attach a file from your computer just click on the ‘Attach’ button. Then a window will come. You just have to go to the file what you want to attach then select it and then click on OK. The file is attached within a few moments. Then click on the ‘Send’ button and the message will send. This is the process to attach a file from your computer on an email. anyone can attach a file on an email after reading this.
When you want to attach a file on an email first you have to create an email, to create an email first click on the ‘compose mail’ button. Then fill up the three necessary components of an email. The ‘To’ button will be filled up with an email address. Then the ‘Subject’ button will be filled up about the subject of the email. Then you write the message. If you need to be attach a file from your computer just click on the ‘Attach’ button. Then a window will come. You just have to go to the file what you want to attach then select it and then click on OK. The file is attached within a few moments. Then click on the ‘Send’ button and the message will send. This is the process to attach a file from your computer on an email. anyone can attach a file on an email after reading this.
How Do I Set Up an Email Account on Microsoft Outlook? How Do I Use Microsoft Outlook Email?
Setup an email on Microsoft outlook is a very easy work. Anyone who can use a computer he can do the job. If you want to setup email on outlook express first you have to setup your account in outlook express. Using this account you can send and receive email. There is an easy way to start Outlook Express in different ways. You can follow this way to start Microsoft outlook Express.
At the beginnings click on the ‘Start’ menu.
Then you have to click ‘All Programs’ menu.
After that you will get a window where has the ’Outlook Express’ menu. Just click on it.
Every time the window will have two box. One box will ask you to open the particular account automatically and another window will ask you to do not open. If you want to open your account then click on yes if you do not want click on no.
Every time when you open the Microsoft outlook express it will go directly to your inbox of your account. If you want to check the list of folders or the contacts just click on Contact or Folder List then click on OK.
If you use outlook express regularly its icon will be shown on the start menu. You can just click on it to open the outlook express.
At the beginnings click on the ‘Start’ menu.
Then you have to click ‘All Programs’ menu.
After that you will get a window where has the ’Outlook Express’ menu. Just click on it.
Every time the window will have two box. One box will ask you to open the particular account automatically and another window will ask you to do not open. If you want to open your account then click on yes if you do not want click on no.
Every time when you open the Microsoft outlook express it will go directly to your inbox of your account. If you want to check the list of folders or the contacts just click on Contact or Folder List then click on OK.
If you use outlook express regularly its icon will be shown on the start menu. You can just click on it to open the outlook express.
How Do I Attach Pictures on an Email? How Can I Email Pictures?
Nowadays, email is not restricted. Today it does not use only the text message. People can modify an email they can also attach pictures on an email. When you need picture attaching on e-mail simply compose email clicking compose mail option. Click attachment option, click browse option sequentially. Then a small window will come from where you have to select the required picture. That window is the file position identifier for your computer and if you don’t find your required picture you can go up, down and thereby browsing drives or folders select your picture to be added. After clicking wait until it says ‘file is attached’ then go back to message then click ‘send’, making sure yourself that you actually putting an address in the ‘send to’. This is the simple and easy process to attach file or picture on an email. You may be able to view images in JPG, TIF, PCD, BMP and other formats.
If an email contains large attachment of picture and data it will take more time to attach. But with less attachment take less time compare to the large attachment.
If you use slow internet connection it will take more time for attaching data or picture. So it is so easy to attach a picture on an email.
If an email contains large attachment of picture and data it will take more time to attach. But with less attachment take less time compare to the large attachment.
If you use slow internet connection it will take more time for attaching data or picture. So it is so easy to attach a picture on an email.
What is an Email? How I Use an Email? Do I Need an E-mail Account?
E-mail is the most popular word all over the world. It means electronic post which is a method of communication between men or women all over the world. Email is a system of communicating through data or information. At the beginning of email is used for communication through only text but that is an incompatible way. Standardization of the name email was constructed in 1980, as the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol or simply the SMTP. Nowadays e-mail system is based on the accrue and promote of data on behalf of users where data is stored in a defined server. Mainly a lot e-mail clients save personal messages as split files.
Information or messages are exchanged between hosts using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol with programs named mail transfer agents. Users can read or download their messages from their designated servers with standard protocols (POP, IMAP).
Do I Need E-Mail or E-Mail Account?
Today is the day of technology. People use technology in every step. We can communicate with people through email. It is the free and most easy way to communicate with other. It is also so secure way to communicate. So every is needed email account. It saves people’s money and time. Using email we can communicate all over the world any time we want.
Information or messages are exchanged between hosts using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol with programs named mail transfer agents. Users can read or download their messages from their designated servers with standard protocols (POP, IMAP).
Do I Need E-Mail or E-Mail Account?
Today is the day of technology. People use technology in every step. We can communicate with people through email. It is the free and most easy way to communicate with other. It is also so secure way to communicate. So every is needed email account. It saves people’s money and time. Using email we can communicate all over the world any time we want.
Monday
7 Top Reasons Why You Need to Upgrade the Memory for your Computer. Do I Need to Upgrade my Computer's Memory? How Do I Upgrade it?
Are you dissatisfied with the way your computer works at a snail’s pace? Do you have trouble running several programs at a time in a multitasking Operating System like Windows? Does it take ages for your computer to run programs? Can you take a coffee break while your computer opens an icon that you double-clicked? Do games and other resource-intensive programs frequently crash on your computer? If your answer to all these questions is a YES, then you need to think about upgrading your computer.
Upgrading your computer is not a joke, as random upgrades can be quite expensive. A processor upgrade frequently involves upgrading several other components to keep in pace with changes in technology and could be one of the most expensive options. Upgrading other components like graphics card or sound card alone is also not the optimal solution as performance improvement is limited to these areas alone.
Here are some reasons why it makes sense to upgrade the memory in your computer:
>Cost-Performance Benefit - The upgrade cost versus performance boost ratio is greatest for a memory upgrade as compared to other component upgrades.
>Programs Run Faster – The availability of RAM can speed up programs and save significant time hitherto wasted while waiting for a response from the computer.
>Better Multitasking – Multitasking environments like Windows rely heavily on memory to function and increasing memory can provide better performance especially with concurrently running programs.
>Enhanced Entertainment – Gaming and streaming media applications can benefit tremendously in both performance and speed by a memory upgrade.
>Advanced Hardware and Software – With increase in memory capacity by upgrading, newer hardware and software components that went hitherto unused due to less memory can now be used.
>Delay Costlier Upgrades – Memory upgrades to improve performance can defer other upgrades like processor upgrade that necessitate greater expense through a major revamp of the computer.
>Improvement in Data Access Speed – Greater amount of RAM can improve the speed at which the processor does data access and significantly increase the speed of execution.
Upgrading your computer is not a joke, as random upgrades can be quite expensive. A processor upgrade frequently involves upgrading several other components to keep in pace with changes in technology and could be one of the most expensive options. Upgrading other components like graphics card or sound card alone is also not the optimal solution as performance improvement is limited to these areas alone.
Here are some reasons why it makes sense to upgrade the memory in your computer:
>Cost-Performance Benefit - The upgrade cost versus performance boost ratio is greatest for a memory upgrade as compared to other component upgrades.
>Programs Run Faster – The availability of RAM can speed up programs and save significant time hitherto wasted while waiting for a response from the computer.
>Better Multitasking – Multitasking environments like Windows rely heavily on memory to function and increasing memory can provide better performance especially with concurrently running programs.
>Enhanced Entertainment – Gaming and streaming media applications can benefit tremendously in both performance and speed by a memory upgrade.
>Advanced Hardware and Software – With increase in memory capacity by upgrading, newer hardware and software components that went hitherto unused due to less memory can now be used.
>Delay Costlier Upgrades – Memory upgrades to improve performance can defer other upgrades like processor upgrade that necessitate greater expense through a major revamp of the computer.
>Improvement in Data Access Speed – Greater amount of RAM can improve the speed at which the processor does data access and significantly increase the speed of execution.
What is the Difference between Local Area Network(LAN) and Wide Area Network (WAN)?
If you have a connection to the Internet at home or in the office, or read the newspapers regularly or keep track of the latest technology trends, you may have frequently come across references to networks. Networks of computers were associated with industries and government bodies just a couple of decades ago. In current times, having a network at home is very common. Both Local Area Networks (LANs) and Wide Area Networks (WANs) are used to provide networking for computer users.
A typical use of a LAN is to provide Internet connectivity simultaneously to all the users in a home with a single Internet connection. All the Internet-capable devices available in the home can be configured as nodes in a LAN and can be connected to the Internet via a computer designated for this purpose. LANs can also be used to connect workstations in an office environment in a similar fashion for providing access to shared resources like printers.
A LAN uses 10baseT twisted pair cables or wireless networking to connect computers to form a network. There are some vendor specific connectivity solutions available for proprietary LAN topologies.
WANs are also made up of networks of computers – the difference between a LAN and a WAN is merely one of degree. A WAN may be composed of thousands of LANs all networked together. A LAN may typically span a building whereas a WAN can cover a wide geographical area, transcending state or national borders. In a LAN, the distance covered is typically of the order of feet in contrast to a WAN where distances are of the order of thousands of miles.
A WAN is implemented by using leased lines provided by a service provider or by using packet switching networks to transmit the data within the network. One of the most well known examples of a WAN is the Internet.
A typical use of a LAN is to provide Internet connectivity simultaneously to all the users in a home with a single Internet connection. All the Internet-capable devices available in the home can be configured as nodes in a LAN and can be connected to the Internet via a computer designated for this purpose. LANs can also be used to connect workstations in an office environment in a similar fashion for providing access to shared resources like printers.
A LAN uses 10baseT twisted pair cables or wireless networking to connect computers to form a network. There are some vendor specific connectivity solutions available for proprietary LAN topologies.
WANs are also made up of networks of computers – the difference between a LAN and a WAN is merely one of degree. A WAN may be composed of thousands of LANs all networked together. A LAN may typically span a building whereas a WAN can cover a wide geographical area, transcending state or national borders. In a LAN, the distance covered is typically of the order of feet in contrast to a WAN where distances are of the order of thousands of miles.
A WAN is implemented by using leased lines provided by a service provider or by using packet switching networks to transmit the data within the network. One of the most well known examples of a WAN is the Internet.
7 Top Reasons Why You Need to Upgrade your Laptop Memory. Do I Have to Upgrade My Laptop's Memory? Why?
As a serious computer user, you may always be in pursuit of extracting better performance from your computer and may not balk at spending money on upgrading your computer components in order to maximize performance. When you are a laptop owner trying to tweak the performance, you may find that your options are limited in comparison with the owner of a Desktop Personal Computer, due to the limited upgrade potential offered by laptops.
Why should one choose laptop memory over other hardware components that could be considered for upgrading? Here are the reasons why –
• Significant Performance Improvement – An increase in the memory available in your laptop through an upgrade can make programs run faster and increase the number of programs that can run simultaneously by utilizing the extra available memory. This visible improvement in performance is a desirable development.
• Processor Faster - A memory module of higher capacity or higher speed or possibly, both can help your processor make faster data access, and give an improved processor performance.
• New Hardware – Some new hardware may require larger memory and upgrading laptop memory can enable you to use the functionality of new hardware to improve performance.
• New Software – You could install and run software packages requiring more memory on your laptop, a step that could significantly improve your productivity professionally or academically.
• Gaming – If you run games on your laptop, upgrading memory is a good way of obtaining a better gaming experience as games can be very memory intensive and the more the memory, the better the game engine can run.
• Audio & Video – Audio and video applications can also benefit from the upgraded memory capabilities and deliver a better listening and viewing experience.
• Improved Surfing – Surfing the Internet would be a better experience as the upgraded memory capacity, coupled with network speed would cut down delays in viewing web pages and dropouts in case of streaming media.
Why should one choose laptop memory over other hardware components that could be considered for upgrading? Here are the reasons why –
• Significant Performance Improvement – An increase in the memory available in your laptop through an upgrade can make programs run faster and increase the number of programs that can run simultaneously by utilizing the extra available memory. This visible improvement in performance is a desirable development.
• Processor Faster - A memory module of higher capacity or higher speed or possibly, both can help your processor make faster data access, and give an improved processor performance.
• New Hardware – Some new hardware may require larger memory and upgrading laptop memory can enable you to use the functionality of new hardware to improve performance.
• New Software – You could install and run software packages requiring more memory on your laptop, a step that could significantly improve your productivity professionally or academically.
• Gaming – If you run games on your laptop, upgrading memory is a good way of obtaining a better gaming experience as games can be very memory intensive and the more the memory, the better the game engine can run.
• Audio & Video – Audio and video applications can also benefit from the upgraded memory capabilities and deliver a better listening and viewing experience.
• Improved Surfing – Surfing the Internet would be a better experience as the upgraded memory capacity, coupled with network speed would cut down delays in viewing web pages and dropouts in case of streaming media.
What is Run Time Error 216? How Can I Fix this Error?
What is Run Time Error 216? How Can I Fix this Error?
Runtime error 216 generally manifests itself with the display of a message Runtime Error 216 at (address). This message may be displayed whenever you invoke Internet Explorer or ICQ, or any other program that uses one of these programs. You may be puzzled on observing that the address associated with this error is not constant and may keep changing with every message displayed.
The reason for this odd behavior by your computer is the presence of the SubSeven Virus. SubSeven is a Trojan virus and like other Trojan viruses that come disguised as something desirable, it may have entered your computer when you unwittingly clicked on a link to the virus. Once it infects a computer the SubSeven modifies Windows system files that are run at startup and replaces references to Internet Explorer with links to the virus file. Once this happens, if you double click on Internet Explorer, you would actually be running the virus files! Once the virus starts running, your computer would display the runtime error message frequently, interrupting your work.
How can one get rid of this error? Here are a few simple solutions to this problem:
>Update Antivirus and Scan Computer – This is one of the simplest actions to take. If you are not in the habit of updating your anti-virus software, get the latest update and scan your computer to remove instances of the virus. It would be a good idea to disconnect from the Internet while doing this.
>Boot into Safe Mode and Scan – This achieves the same objective as the step above. Make sure you have updated antivirus software. Internet connectivity is automatically disabled in safe mode and a virus scan now can detect the SubSeven Virus.
>Tech Support/Support from Forums – Unfortunately, some antivirus software packages fail to detect the SubSeven virus or do not identify all instances of this virus resident on your computer. This can be a real problem, as you would have to know exactly which files would need to be deleted to remove the virus. In this case, one option would be to approach the vendor of the antivirus software for technical support and get a walkthrough on the method of removing the virus. Another good source of information is the Internet – several online forums can help you in identifying and removing the affected files.
Runtime error 216 generally manifests itself with the display of a message Runtime Error 216 at (address). This message may be displayed whenever you invoke Internet Explorer or ICQ, or any other program that uses one of these programs. You may be puzzled on observing that the address associated with this error is not constant and may keep changing with every message displayed.
The reason for this odd behavior by your computer is the presence of the SubSeven Virus. SubSeven is a Trojan virus and like other Trojan viruses that come disguised as something desirable, it may have entered your computer when you unwittingly clicked on a link to the virus. Once it infects a computer the SubSeven modifies Windows system files that are run at startup and replaces references to Internet Explorer with links to the virus file. Once this happens, if you double click on Internet Explorer, you would actually be running the virus files! Once the virus starts running, your computer would display the runtime error message frequently, interrupting your work.
How can one get rid of this error? Here are a few simple solutions to this problem:
>Update Antivirus and Scan Computer – This is one of the simplest actions to take. If you are not in the habit of updating your anti-virus software, get the latest update and scan your computer to remove instances of the virus. It would be a good idea to disconnect from the Internet while doing this.
>Boot into Safe Mode and Scan – This achieves the same objective as the step above. Make sure you have updated antivirus software. Internet connectivity is automatically disabled in safe mode and a virus scan now can detect the SubSeven Virus.
>Tech Support/Support from Forums – Unfortunately, some antivirus software packages fail to detect the SubSeven virus or do not identify all instances of this virus resident on your computer. This can be a real problem, as you would have to know exactly which files would need to be deleted to remove the virus. In this case, one option would be to approach the vendor of the antivirus software for technical support and get a walkthrough on the method of removing the virus. Another good source of information is the Internet – several online forums can help you in identifying and removing the affected files.
What is Run Time Error 380? How Can I Fix this Error?
Almost every person using the Microsoft Windows Operating System frequently gets to see annoying pop up messages on their computer screen – this is what Microsoft terms a runtime error. The computer alerts the user of the occurrence of a runtime error whenever a program that is run has an issue with resources or with parameters invoked. Runtime errors are thus dynamic in nature and would depend on the condition of a system at any given time.
Runtime error 380 is frequently accompanied by a message from the system that an Invalid Property Value has been detected when a program is run. This means that a program invocation has been unsuccessful, as Windows has detected an issue while trying to link up several instructions that are used to run the desired program. This is often a result of missing or damaged files, or a missed or incorrect command.
Users of Visual Basic on Windows platform – especially those using Microsoft Visual Basic (Professional and Enterprise Edition) versions 4.0 and 5.0, frequently report Runtime error 380. This is because a Mask Edit Control Value is set as False instead of being set as True at design time. It may be required to have an appropriate version of the files MSMASK32.OCX and VB40032.DLL in addition to making the modification mentioned above.
Runtime error 380 has been acknowledged by the software vendor as a bug in the versions of Visual Basic mentioned above. Microsoft offers a systematic work around for this problem on their support website for the advanced users of Visual Basic.
If you do not use Visual Basic or are unsure as to whether the program that fails to start due to runtime error 380 uses Visual Basic, you can try one of two things –
• Insufficient Memory – The availability of free memory or RAM in your machine may be at a very low level due to too many programs instances running. Close some of the unused programs or low priority programs in order to free up memory and try running the program. The error would not occur again if system memory were the issue.
• Registry Errors - Registry errors may sometimes cause erratic program behavior and prevent programs from starting successfully. A registry scan for errors would be a good action to perform now as any runtime errors arising from registry errors could be fixed.
Runtime error 380 is frequently accompanied by a message from the system that an Invalid Property Value has been detected when a program is run. This means that a program invocation has been unsuccessful, as Windows has detected an issue while trying to link up several instructions that are used to run the desired program. This is often a result of missing or damaged files, or a missed or incorrect command.
Users of Visual Basic on Windows platform – especially those using Microsoft Visual Basic (Professional and Enterprise Edition) versions 4.0 and 5.0, frequently report Runtime error 380. This is because a Mask Edit Control Value is set as False instead of being set as True at design time. It may be required to have an appropriate version of the files MSMASK32.OCX and VB40032.DLL in addition to making the modification mentioned above.
Runtime error 380 has been acknowledged by the software vendor as a bug in the versions of Visual Basic mentioned above. Microsoft offers a systematic work around for this problem on their support website for the advanced users of Visual Basic.
If you do not use Visual Basic or are unsure as to whether the program that fails to start due to runtime error 380 uses Visual Basic, you can try one of two things –
• Insufficient Memory – The availability of free memory or RAM in your machine may be at a very low level due to too many programs instances running. Close some of the unused programs or low priority programs in order to free up memory and try running the program. The error would not occur again if system memory were the issue.
• Registry Errors - Registry errors may sometimes cause erratic program behavior and prevent programs from starting successfully. A registry scan for errors would be a good action to perform now as any runtime errors arising from registry errors could be fixed.
What are the Best IT Certifications? Here are the 7 Top IT (Information Technology) Certifications
If you happen to be a professional working in the Information Technology (IT) industry, you would be aware of the intensely competitive nature of the industry and the constant need it imposes on an IT professional to upgrade skill sets as technology evolves. You may have felt the need to conquer a new technology or upgrade your existing skill set or just to see where you stand among your peers. If this is the case, it is time to explore the advantages that acquiring an IT certification can provide.
Many vendors and third party bodies offer IT certification. Choosing the right IT certification would depend on what your current line of work is. Whether you plan to build on your existing skills or strike out a radically different course professionally, you have to make a decision on the type of certifications. You may opt for a certification provided by vendors like Microsoft, Oracle or Cisco or go in for certification by professional bodies like CompTIA.
Here are seven most sought-after IT certifications in no particular order:
>CompTIA Security+ - This is a certification for IT professionals with at least two-years of industry experience. It is not vendor-specific and is a test of the professional’s knowledge of the fundamentals of security.
>Cisco CCIE/CCNA – This is a certification provided by Cisco Systems for networking professionals. The CCIE is a comprehensive certification for experts, and the CCNA is meant to improve the skills of those with some experience.
>CompTIA A+ - This is tailored for validating the expertise in hardware and can be a valuable certification for computer-related maintenance and support professionals.
>Microsoft MCITP – MCITP stands for Microsoft Certified IT Professional and is a prestigious one meant for professionals in database, enterprise and server administration. This new certification offered by Microsoft assesses an individual’s capability in meeting the demands of common job roles in the IT industry.
>Microsoft MCSE/MCSA – MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) are two of the earliest certifications offered by Microsoft that still command respect in the industry. Both certifications demand a certain level of experience and involve a number of grueling examinations.
>Microsoft MCA – MCA (Microsoft Certified Architect) is a certification open to professionals who have a minimum of three years of experience on advanced IT architecture. This is a peer-evaluated certification and is awarded to very few of the aspirants. Obtaining this is considered an achievement in itself and is rated highly in the industry.
>RHCE/RHCA – With the proliferation of Linux based systems, there is a great demand for certified Linux professionals and RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer) and RHCA (Red Hat Certified Administrator) are two certifications awarded by Red Hat Inc.; one of the prominent distributors of Linux Operating Systems.
Many vendors and third party bodies offer IT certification. Choosing the right IT certification would depend on what your current line of work is. Whether you plan to build on your existing skills or strike out a radically different course professionally, you have to make a decision on the type of certifications. You may opt for a certification provided by vendors like Microsoft, Oracle or Cisco or go in for certification by professional bodies like CompTIA.
Here are seven most sought-after IT certifications in no particular order:
>CompTIA Security+ - This is a certification for IT professionals with at least two-years of industry experience. It is not vendor-specific and is a test of the professional’s knowledge of the fundamentals of security.
>Cisco CCIE/CCNA – This is a certification provided by Cisco Systems for networking professionals. The CCIE is a comprehensive certification for experts, and the CCNA is meant to improve the skills of those with some experience.
>CompTIA A+ - This is tailored for validating the expertise in hardware and can be a valuable certification for computer-related maintenance and support professionals.
>Microsoft MCITP – MCITP stands for Microsoft Certified IT Professional and is a prestigious one meant for professionals in database, enterprise and server administration. This new certification offered by Microsoft assesses an individual’s capability in meeting the demands of common job roles in the IT industry.
>Microsoft MCSE/MCSA – MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and MCSA (Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator) are two of the earliest certifications offered by Microsoft that still command respect in the industry. Both certifications demand a certain level of experience and involve a number of grueling examinations.
>Microsoft MCA – MCA (Microsoft Certified Architect) is a certification open to professionals who have a minimum of three years of experience on advanced IT architecture. This is a peer-evaluated certification and is awarded to very few of the aspirants. Obtaining this is considered an achievement in itself and is rated highly in the industry.
>RHCE/RHCA – With the proliferation of Linux based systems, there is a great demand for certified Linux professionals and RHCE (Red Hat Certified Engineer) and RHCA (Red Hat Certified Administrator) are two certifications awarded by Red Hat Inc.; one of the prominent distributors of Linux Operating Systems.
Saturday
What is the difference between a Software Engineer and a Computer Programmer?
The terms software engineer or computer programmer may be confusing to the average computer user. Most of us associate computer programs with the generic term ‘Software’. To us it may seem that the terms are interchangeable. That is not so. The role played by a software engineer is significantly different from that of a computer programmer. Before learning what the difference between a software engineer and a computer programmer is, let us see what is meant by the term software engineering and how it relates to computer programming.
Software engineering is a rigorous approach to development, maintenance and testing of software. A software engineer must be knowledgeable about software requirements, software design, development, maintenance and testing of software and must be well versed with the tools and methods used for the software development process as a whole. It is thus a convergence of the fields of computer science and systems engineering with a great deal of project management added for good measure. A software engineer is expected to have technical skills in addition to managerial skills.
A computer programmer on the other hand, is required to develop, test and maintain code that is to be run on the computer. He is responsible for converting the specifications provided in the software requirements definition phase into working code for the computer. Computer programmers are involved with design and maintenance of websites too. They should be proficient in analysis of computer programs. They are required to collaborate with computer manufacturers in developing new methodologies for software with evolution of hardware. Training, documentation and generation of reports are also tasks that should be handled by a computer programmer.
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We can observe that the skill set required by a computer programmer is a subset of the skills expected from a software engineer. The computer programmer is a specialist in some areas covered by software engineering. A software engineer is in charge of the overall software development process and is expected to improve the reliability and maintainability of this complex process. A software engineer may have a team of computer programmers working under his supervision.
How to Make Auto Run a CD Drive
There are few things more frustrating than having a CD that would not play automatically. If this has happened to you often and you want to know how to make CDs run automatically one they are inserted into the CD drive, then read on.
When you have a CD drive that will not autorun or autoplay, there are some steps you need to take to make sure that your CDs start playing automatically after insertion. The steps to be taken depend on the Operating System that is loaded into your computer and on the type of CD. Your CD may contain data or audio tracks.
Let us see how to make a CD drive autorun on a PC running the Windows Operating System.
For a Windows XP installation, configuring a CD drive for autorun is very simple – open My Computer or Windows Explorer. Right click on the CD drive and select properties. In the window that pops up, select the Autoplay tab. You will see a drop down box listing several file types normally found on CDs like music CD, mixed content, video files etc. Choose the type of file closest to your requirement and select the option titled Select an action to perform. In the options given below, choose Play from the list. Press OK. This should enable autorun for any CD with the content specified.
If you are not comfortable with the idea of blanket permissions, you can choose the option Prompt me each time to choose an action instead of the one mentioned above. In this case, Windows automatically asks you for your choice whenever you insert a CD.
Maximizing your iPod’s Features and Capabilities
You need to keep these aspects involving common sense in your mind always while using your IPod to maximize its features:
1. Keep Your IPod Cool – As far as IPods go, being cool is best. That means ensuring that your IPod is as near room temperature (72° F or 22° C). Do not keep it in strong sunlight, near appliances radiating heat, on the dashboard or in the glove compartment. The more the IPod heats up, the lower its lifespan.
2. Use Your iPod Regularly – Regular use of your iPod ensures that the battery charges and discharges regularly. This prolongs both the battery life (how long your battery can power the iPod) and lifespan (how long before you need to replace the battery). An iPod that is used regularly will last longer than an iPod that is seldom used.
3. Turn Off – You can either use the hold button to prevent the iPod from waking up due to movement or switch it off when you don’t want it. This helps conserve battery power and delays the necessity for another charging cycle.
4. Disable Wi-Fi – If you keep the Wi-Fi capability enabled always, the circuits tend to consume a lot of power even if you are not connected to a network. It is wise to enable Wi-Fi only when you need it.
5. Backlight Off – Keep the backlighting of the LCD screen off will help conserve a significant amount of power.
6. Applications – There are several applications available for the iPod that keeps the screen from becoming dim or turning off. The applications should be used sparingly in order to maximize the iPod.
What is LED (Light Emitting Diode)?
An LED is a p-n junction diode that is capable of emitting light. An LED operates just like a regular p-n junction diode. Diodes must be forward biased for current conduction.
What differentiates an LED from a regular diode is the semiconductor material used to form the p-n junction – regular diodes are made of semiconductor materials like Silicon or Germanium; whereas LEDs are made of materials like GaAs compounds and InP compounds.
In a regular diode, when current flows, energy is thrown off in the form of heat. In a light emitting diode, an electric current passing through the diode causes light in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to be emitted. This phenomenon is called electroluminescence and is responsible for the emission of incoherent light from the semiconductor material.
LEDs can emit light of different colors. In fact, the radiation emitted may not be in the visible region at all! LEDs can emit light in the Infrared and Ultraviolet region too. The color of the light emitted depends on the semiconductor used to fabricate the p-n junction in the diode. For example, GaAsP is used to make LEDs that emit red light and InGaN for blue LEDs.
You must have seen several electrical devices that use LEDs. Using LEDs for providing visual indication in displays is very common. Some times several LEDs are packaged together to form numeric displays. Such displays are called seven segment displays. You may have seen these displays on your microwave or washing machine for setting timers.
LEDs emit a narrow beam of light and require additional focusing optical devices to generate a desired radiation pattern. As LEDs of higher power are developed and optics for LEDs evolves, LEDs are being used increasingly to replace incandescent lamps and area lighting. They are used for UV-based water purification also.
What differentiates an LED from a regular diode is the semiconductor material used to form the p-n junction – regular diodes are made of semiconductor materials like Silicon or Germanium; whereas LEDs are made of materials like GaAs compounds and InP compounds.
In a regular diode, when current flows, energy is thrown off in the form of heat. In a light emitting diode, an electric current passing through the diode causes light in the visible portion of the electromagnetic spectrum to be emitted. This phenomenon is called electroluminescence and is responsible for the emission of incoherent light from the semiconductor material.
LEDs can emit light of different colors. In fact, the radiation emitted may not be in the visible region at all! LEDs can emit light in the Infrared and Ultraviolet region too. The color of the light emitted depends on the semiconductor used to fabricate the p-n junction in the diode. For example, GaAsP is used to make LEDs that emit red light and InGaN for blue LEDs.
You must have seen several electrical devices that use LEDs. Using LEDs for providing visual indication in displays is very common. Some times several LEDs are packaged together to form numeric displays. Such displays are called seven segment displays. You may have seen these displays on your microwave or washing machine for setting timers.
LEDs emit a narrow beam of light and require additional focusing optical devices to generate a desired radiation pattern. As LEDs of higher power are developed and optics for LEDs evolves, LEDs are being used increasingly to replace incandescent lamps and area lighting. They are used for UV-based water purification also.
10 Best Tips on Computer Maintenance
Can you imagine a day in your life without your computer? Computers have become an integral part of our lives by enhancing our productivity at work and at home. It is essential for the computer to give us reliable service. This does not happen automatically. As computer owners, we need to ensure the serviceability of our computers.
The precautions mentioned below can keep your computer healthy and functioning in a stable and reliable manner.
1. Regular Maintenance – Computers need a dust-free, temperature-controlled atmosphere to function correctly. This can be ensured by periodically opening up the case and removing accumulated dust with a vacuum cleaner. Dust tends to clog vents responsible for air circulation and obstruct moving parts in devices like fans that are normally used to aid heat dissipation.
2. Never Turn-off When You can Shutdown – If you abruptly turn off a computer that is hanging, your hard disk could be damaged and your software corrupted. Use the shutdown tab of the Task Manager to do so.
3. Get a Good UPS – The UPS provides standby power for a short while in case of mains failure and can help protect your work from loss. It also saves the hard disk and software installed from damage by allowing you to shutdown the computer if AC power is no longer available.
4. Run Scandisk and Disk Defragmenter Regularly – This step performed on a regular basis can help you access the hard disk more efficiently and speed up you computer.
5. Anti-virus, Adware and Spyware Removal Tools – You need to have these software packages installed to scan your computer regularly to remove and prevent security threats. Updating protection software is also an integral part.
6. Uninstall Programs, Never Delete – It is better to uninstall software rather than delete manually, for proper functioning of your computer.
7. Registry Scan – Periodic registry scans are required to ensure that the registry is update. Using a registry cleaner is better than cleaning manually.
8. Software and OS Update – Always make sure you update all installed software and the Operating System regularly. Keep the CD-ROMs for the software packages installed on your computer safely.
9. Firewall – If you browse the Internet, the protection afforded by a good firewall against online threats is invaluable.
10. Detaching Peripherals – It is not advised to detach and attach peripherals like a serial/parallel device when the computer is running as the threat of a short circuit destroying parts of the peripheral or the Motherboard is very real. This does not apply to hot-swappab
What is the Difference Between DSL and Cable Internet Connection?
DSL is an acronym for Digital Subscriber Line and is a technology that facilitates the transmission of digital data over a telephone line in such a way that a telephone conversation and data transmission can occur simultaneously.
This is possible because the telephone conversation uses the lower portion of the bandwidth allocated (<4>25KHZ).
The speed at which data transfer occurs in a DSL line can vary from 24Kbps to 24Mbps depending on various conditions under which the service is offered. When a subscriber has a DSL line installed, a DSL modem would also be required, in addition to a DSL filter for each phone connected to the line. The function of the DSL filter is to isolate the telephone from the high frequency components used for ISP data.
Cable Internet is a technology that uses existing cable TV infrastructure to provide Internet connectivity in pretty much the same fashion that DSL uses the existing telephone line. DSL was primarily developed as a competitor for cable Internet. Cable Internet provides broadband Internet access to the subscriber. Cable Internet is usually used in the last mile between the Internet provider and the subscriber. The data transmission speeds range from 2-50Mbps downstream (Service provider to User) and 384Kbps to 20Mbps upstream (subscriber to service provider).
Cable Internet requires a cable modem to be installed at the subscriber end and connected to the equipment at the service provider through coaxial cable. The distance between the equipment installed at the service provider’s premises and the cable modem can be as large as 100 miles. The problem with cable Internet is that it is an ‘Always On’ connection and tends to slow down when too many subscribers using a single coaxial cable try to connect to the Internet. The capacity is large as a single downstream channel can support hundreds of subscriber connections.
7 Tips to Remove Trojan Virus in your Computer
Like the Trojan Horse of yore, a Trojan virus always comes masquerading as something desirable – for example, several Trojan horses exist that appear to be tools that can speed up your computer or give you a better browsing experience. Once they are installed by an unwary user, they initiate some malicious activity on their own or install a Backdoor in your computer. As the term backdoor implies, it is a program using which a remote user can surreptitiously execute commands and programs on your computer. The attack is not confined to your computer alone – the remote user can use your computer to attack other computers. Trojan viruses usually create entries in the registry so that they are run at startup.
Here are some steps you could use to get rid of a resident Trojan virus from your computer:
1. Anti-Virus Scan – Most Trojans can be detected and removed by anti-virus software. But Trojan virus programs are capable of replicating the links if they detect a missing file. This happens because a Trojan creates a key in any entry in the registry that starts up automatically.
2. Msconfig Utility – If you find that the virus is still present, you could try Start->Run->Msconfig. You can look at entries in the startup tab and uncheck those that look unnecessary. Syestem.ini and boot.ini are places where virus files may be started up but it is advised not to edit these files manually.
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3. Scan for Auto-running Programs – If the Trojan still exists, you may have to use a program to detect software that starts up automatically. Many such freeware programs are available. Once a list of programs that can autorun is created, you need to restart the computer.
4. Boot into Safe Mode –Safe Mode ensures that Windows starts with only basic and essential services. Using the utility you used in the previous step for scanning, remove the suspected Trojan viruses from the list so that they cannot startup and delete the files from the hard disk.
5. Edit Registry – It may be possible for some links to Trojans to exist still in the registry. Use Start->Run->Regedit to edit the registry.
6. Remove Trojans from Registry - Check HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\CurrentVersion\Run for any keys containing Trojan viruses and delete them.
7. Reboot In Normal Mode
Understanding Mobile PC and its Features
You may have decided that you needed something more than a desktop computer to answer your need to be online even when you are traveling or away from home. You may have bought a laptop or notebook computer, and taken advantage of its portability in fulfilling your need to connect to the Internet on the go.
Like many other notebook users, you may have found that laptops have their own disadvantages – even the lightest of laptops seems to weigh a ton at the end of a long workday, especially if you have been lugging it around for most of the day. Added to it are the risks of dropping your laptop and damaging it, or having your lap growing uncomfortably hot due to prolonged use of the laptop. You also need to buy many accessories for the laptop like a docking station and an anti-theft device.
You also have to upgrade the laptop hardware periodically and unlike a desktop PC where you can add on hardware to a great extent, the modification options are very limited in the laptop due to the form factor. Is there another option available that can help you be online at will without the downsides of the laptop?
The answer to this question is the Mobile PC. They are also known as tablet PCs, a term coined by Microsoft. In keeping with the preference of the user for handheld devices, the mobile PC too, can be a handheld device.
Most Mobile PCs have a screen for display that can be as large as 17” diagonally across and with a resolution of 1980X1200. Smaller devices can have a screen 4” on the diagonal. The size of the device decides the weight, with mobile PCs weighing anywhere from 2 pounds to 6 pounds.
Mobile PCs use a stylus for input on a touch screen using an on-screen keyboard. The Mobile PC may have capabilities of handwriting recognition, allowing the user to input text using the stylus on the screen and usually offers selection, and drag and drop facility traditionally provided by the mouse using the stylus.
Mobile PCs can run the Windows Tablet PC, Linux or Mac OSX operating systems. They operate off the battery and typically come with 512MB of RAM. The applications to be used on Mobile PCs have to conform to the form factor of the device. They can be used to read books, listen to music, watch movies or browse on the go. Wireless Internet access is also available. Some Mobile PCs come with a Keyboard that can be rotated and used or may come with detachable keyboards.
How Do I Become a Certified Computer Technician?
You may be following the trends in the Information Technology industry and the explosion in Internet usage. Advances in technology and consequent reduction in component prices have brought down the cost of computers, resulting in a tremendous increase in the proliferation of personal computers. It is not uncommon to find a home with more than one computer connected in a Local Area Network (LAN).
The number of computer buyers is increasing, but very few computer owners are tech-savvy, and once they run into problems with the functioning of their computer, they need a trained professional who can troubleshoot their PC.
You may have decided to follow a career as a computer technician by recognizing this need in the market. You may have either trained yourself or studied to become a computer technician. However, this is not enough. What you need to recognize is that the industry wants certified professionals to meet their requirements.
Certification ensures a certain level of expertise and a company can be secure in the knowledge that their problems are being taken care of by trained professionals. For you, professionally, certification means that you can command a higher salary in the market compared to an uncertified professional and have many more options available.
How can one obtain certification? There are online certification exams you could opt for – Brainbench is one such certifying agency. Many of these certifications can be viewed by an employer online but a hard copy of the certification would probably have to be paid for. Alternatively, you could go to professional bodies like CompTIA that award certifications to professionals. These are much valued in the industry and could give you the winning edge over your competitors in winning a contract or a project.
Before you go in for a certification exams, make sure your basic knowledge is in place – it might be better to revise your knowledge of
• Computer hardware components
• BIOS, Power supplies, ports and expansion slots
• IDE, SCSI and Bus architectures
• Processor – Interrupts, memory
• Basics of PC Repair
• Display cards and other peripherals like printers
• Computer vendor-specific design features
Once you have these fundamentals in place, you are ready to take that certification exam!
How Do I Defrag my Computer? How Often Should I Defrag my Computer?
Fragmentation of file system could not be avoided, every time you use the computer, every time you create or delete a file, you are contributing to the slow fragmentation of your computer's file system. When your hard disk is so fragmented, your computer will become slow. Fragmentation comes about when your computer's operating system fail to apportion enough contiguous space to store a complete file as one unit and instead puts parts of it in the gaps between other files. If you defragment your computer regularly it will continue to run smoothly and will not show signs of slowing down. Defragmentation rearranges fragmented data so your hard disk can work more efficiently. It is advisable to do a defragmentation of your hard disk every two or three months, depending upon how you use your computer.
To defragment your computer, double click on My Computer folder to open it then right-click on the drive that you want to defragment. A menu will pop up allowing you to click on "Properties". After you click on "Properties" the Disk properties box will appear. In the Disk Properties box there are tab. Look for the "Tools" tab and click on it. When the Tools tab is clicked you will be presented with the three panes. One has the "Defragment Now..." button. Click on the Defragment now button and defragmentation will then start. It will take quite a time to finish defragmentation.
There is another method of going to Windows defrag. Just go to Start>Programs>Accessories>System Tools>Disk Defrag. The Disk defrag dialog box will appear. Choose the Volume you want to defrag from the top pane. There are two buttons, "Analyze" and "Defrag". In second pane below, Just click Defrag. Defragmentation will start.
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There are also some defragmentation software that can defragment your drive faster than Window's default defragmentation program. you can try Smart Defrag, it is a free software that you can download and use immediately. It is very easy to use. After downloading it just install it, the installation process is very straightforward. After installation is complete the software will launch. You will see a column of buttons on the left and two panes on the right. The top pane allows you to choose the drive to defrag. You just click on the radio button of the drive you want to defrag. The other pane below shows the defragmentation process when defragmentation is ongoing. After you choose the drive to defrag, just click on the top most button on the left which is the Degrag now button. You will then see the disk defragmentation progress in the defrag progress pane.
There are actually a number of good defragmentation tools that you can use. A simple Google search will reveal a lot of good utilities out there for defragmentation and maintenance of your hard disk.
Understanding Spam Emails. What are they? How to Prevent Receiving Spam Emails?
Every morning when I log in to my email account to check my mail, I see that it is not only my inbox that has new mails; my junk or spam box also receives a number of mails every day. Most of those mails that enter the spam or junk box are unsolicited mails coming from sources that are not recorded in my contact list. These mails are called spam or junk mails.
Spam mails come in many types and forms. There are unsolicited bulk mails that are sent by the millions using automated bulk email server from sites that sell different products. There are also mails sent by phishers, whose main purpose is to acquire sensitive information like usernames, passwords, and credit card details from unsuspecting victims. The majority of spam mails I receive these days come from phishers. Another type of spam mail is the kind that utilizes images in displaying the text message. This prevents text-based spam filters from detecting the spam message in it. Spam emails, when become numerous in the mail box, become annoying. It wastes time to delete them. It is also impractical to just automatically clean the junk or spam box without taking a look at its content because there are times that important mails are sometimes delivered to the spam box. You might be wondering how these spammers and phishers know your email address. They are actually using software that can collect email addresses that are stored in websites and social networks. These software, which are called spambots, are capable of sending millions of junk mails to millions of email addresses at once.
To minimize spam mail in your mail box, do not use your main email address anywhere like when making a comment to blogs or when signing up to forums and websites. If you are into forums and social networks, you can use an alternate email for this purpose only and keep your main email unknown to the outside world except to your important contacts. You can also help your email service provider minimize spam by reporting the spam mail that you receive. When a spam mail coming from the same sender starts to become regular in your inbox, do not click the link that say "stop receiving this kind of email" or something that goes like that because when you click on the link it will only send your email address to more spammers.
Troubleshooting and Fixing Error 1650 – HARDWARE, REGISTRY ERROR
Unknown to most computer users, everything that happens in your computer while it is running is in one way or another passed through the Registry. With every command that you give your computer, the registry is used or accessed. Every computer that runs on Windows operating system has a registry. The registry is a directory that holds different kinds of information about your computer like settings for software, hardware, and user preferences. Your Windows PC will not be able to function without the registry. Every time you install software, visit a webpage, or create a file, new information is added to the Registry. Most of the information stored in the registry are deleted when the file related to it is also deleted but most often there are keys that are left behind in the registry that pile up with time. When the registry is full of bad, broken, or useless keys your computer will begin to show signs of slowness. When you do not do something about it many programs will also slow down and you will begin to have 1650 errors. This kind of error is rooted to a problem in the Registry.
To solve 1650 error it is best to get a good Registry cleaner—a software that clears the Registry from bad and useless keys that has piled up through time. One program I recommend is RegVag, A very easy to use and effective software for cleaning and fixing the registry. It has two modes, the Novice Mode and the Expert mode. If you are not really familiar with the registry you can use the Novice mode, with just a few clicks RegVac will scan your registry and clean it and fix it. When your registry is already fixed, you will stop receiving 1650 errors. The Expert mode, as the name implies, is intended for expert who want to fine tune their computer's registry for optimum computer performance.
Understanding Computer Internet Firewall. Do I Need One?
Many novice computer users do not really understand the importance of firewall. It is easier for a not so savvy computer user to understand antivirus and antispyware software than the firewall because the name "firewall" is somewhat misleading.
A firewall is a program or software that prevents malicious attacks coming from the internet from penetrating your computer or network. There are millions of "zombie computers" in the net that are all the time scanning for other computers connected to the internet that have security holes. Without a firewall, a computer that is connected to the internet is highly vulnerable to attacks and can be infected within twenty minutes. A firewall's function is to filter incoming internet data, preventing those that are known to be malicious from gaining access. The firewall works by "plugging" the "security holes" where malicious attacks usually get through.
Windows XP has a built in firewall, the Windows Firewall. You can configure it through the Control Panel but its default settings are probably the best settings you can have. Setting the firewall security too high could prevent or filter out clean traffic from entering your computer.
The best antivirus software like Eset Smart Security, AVG Internet Security, Kaspersky Internet Security, and Avast Antivirus Pro has built in firewalls. When you install any one of these security software in your PC, you need to turn off Window Firewall because it is not advisable to run two firewalls at the same time. So you have to choose between using the firewall that comes with your antivirus software or using Windows Firewall. Windows Firewall actually works as good as firewalls from third-party software.
Once your firewall is configured and turned on (you will know when Windows Firewall is not on because a warning icon and message will appear on your taskbar) you can literally forget about it; no need to baby sit it because it works almost independently in the background. Some firewalls like the one that comes with AVG Internet Security every now and then prompt you to decide whether to allow or block a particular traffic from gaining access to your PC. This usually happens when you are updating a newly installed software that are not yet in the "trusted list" of the firewall.
Having a firewall is one of the most important computer security measures that you can take.
How Do I Change the Display Setting for Windows Vista Computer?
Windows Vista, by default, chooses the best display settings for your computer which includes screen resolution, refresh rate, and color, based on your monitor. The setting for every computer differs depending on the kind of monitor that is used-- CRT or LCD. Screen resolution is the setting that determines how much information is displayed on the screen that is measured horizontally and vertically in pixels. Refresh rate is the frequency at which the screen is redrawn. These can be adjusted according to your preference.
The process to follow in changing Windows Vista's display settings can be done in a few seconds. All you need to do is right-click on a vacant area on the Desktop and select "Personalize" from the menu that pops up. The Personalization box will appear. Click on "Display Settings" which is located at the bottom part (it is the seventh item from the top).The Display Settings dialog box will appear. There you can set the resolution and colors that would best fit your set up. You can drag the resolution slider to the right for higher resolutions and drag left to lower the resolution. You can also click on the “Advanced” button to get to more advanced settings for color management and properties of your adapter and monitor. But I advice not to tamper with what is in the Advanced button because it is for expert technicians. The default settings in the “Advanced” button are usually the best settings and the safest. The display settings of XP and Vista are almost the same so if you are familiar with that of XP you will not be lost in the display settings of Vista.
You can actually fine tune the display and the whole look of Vista by tweaking everything that is in the Personalization box. To adjust window color and appearance simply click on the radio button under the color. Check or uncheck on the "Enable transparency" checkbox if you want the window bar to be transparent. By clicking on the slider and dragging it to the left or to the right as how you want the settings to be, You can adjust the color intensity. By clicking on "Show Color Mixer" and adjusting the scales as desired, you can make adjustments on the hue, brightness, and saturation of the colors.
You can also change desktop background if you click "Desktop Background" and select the image you would like to use. If you want an image that is in one of the folders in your computer, just click on the Browse button and locate the folder that contains it and select the image and click "Open". The Desktop background will then be changed to that image.
You may also set the Screensaver properties by clicking on "Screensaver". By clicking on the drop down list you will be able to choose the screen saver to use. You can also see the adjustment box for the time it will take to activate the screensaver when the computer is idle. By clicking on the up or down arrow buttons, you can add or subtract to the number of minutes before screensaver launches.
10 Common Filename Extensions and File Types. What are they?
The top ten common filename extensions are extensions of files that are most commonly used by computer users. Here are the top ten (not necessarily in order) most common filename extensions:
1. .doc - this is the file extension for a file created by Microsoft Word, the most popular word processing software. The most recent version of Microsoft Word is OOXML-based and has the filename extension of .docx
2. .jpg - this is the filename extension for the compressed graphic format standardized by the JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group). Most digital images we see in the internet and in computers are in the JPEG format and has the filename extension of .jpg. This file can be viewed in most image viewing and editing software.
3. .exe - this is the extension for Windows or DOS executable programs. If a file has this extension, it is a program and runs when opened. Self-extracting archives also have this extension.
4. .htm or .html - the extension for HTML web page. HTML stands for "Hyper-Text Markup Language", the language used in writing web pages. This very page you are looking at now is a web page with a filename extension of .htm.
5. .mp3 - the filename extension for compressed audio format developed by the Moving Picture Experts Group. This audio format is very popular nowadays because its size is many times smaller than that of the Wave or AIF file. This makes it easy for people to download music from the internet. The downside of .mp3 is that the quality of sound is not as good as that of the Wave or AIF file.
6. .mpg - this is a video format standardized by the Moving Picture Experts Group (MPEG). This file can be played using Windows Media Player, Winamp, Roxio Easy Media Creator, Apple QuickTime Player, or VLC Media Player.
7. .zip - this is the extension for any file that is compressed using the ZIP compression, a kind of compression which allows every file in the archive to be compressed separately. Programs that can open .zip files include WinZip, PKZip, and the popular WinRar.
8. .pdf - this is the file extension for the document created by Adobe Acrobat or other PDF producing programs. PDF stands for "Portable Document Format" and may contain images, texts, forms, outlines, and links. PDF files are usually created from another file, like a web page or a Word document.
9. .xls - this is the filename extension for Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet created with Microsoft Excel, the most popular spreadsheet program.
10. .msi - this is the extension File extensions used for misc files, files that contain information about a particular installer. This is used for Windows updates and other software installers.
How Do I Set the Recycle Bin to Permanently Auto Delete Files?
The Recycle Bin is a folder that holds files that are deemed outdated and worthless. These files could be folders, documents, images, or icons that are no longer needed. Files that are sent to the Recycle Bin still occupy space in your drive C.
You can actually set the Recycle Bin so that all deleted files are permanently erased or deleted. To do, this right-click on the “Recycle Bin” icon in your Desktop and then select “Properties”. In the dialog box that pops up, select "Do not move files to Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted". That's it, every time you delete a file it will not be stored in the Recycle Bin, it will be erased automatically. This option is sometimes not practical because you will be exposed to the danger of accidentally erasing an important file. It is better to use the Shift+Delete technique which cause the file being deleted at that instance to be erased forever.
You can actually set the Recycle Bin so that all deleted files are permanently erased or deleted. To do, this right-click on the “Recycle Bin” icon in your Desktop and then select “Properties”. In the dialog box that pops up, select "Do not move files to Recycle Bin. Remove files immediately when deleted". That's it, every time you delete a file it will not be stored in the Recycle Bin, it will be erased automatically. This option is sometimes not practical because you will be exposed to the danger of accidentally erasing an important file. It is better to use the Shift+Delete technique which cause the file being deleted at that instance to be erased forever.
How Do I Reformat my Crashed Computer? – HARDWARE, REGISTRY
If your computer has crashed and you could not bring it back to life, the obvious next step is to do a reformat. Reformatting has many benefits; first, it frees up space, second, it removes files like virus and spyware that otherwise could not be removed without formatting, third, it wipes clean your hard drive. But before doing the reformat you have to retrieve the important data in the crashed computer's hard drive. The quickest way to do this is recovering the files in the hard drive using another computer.
Remove the hard disk of crashed computer and install it as a slave drive to a working computer. To install it as a slave drive to another computer, you must know type of cable system that is used to connect drives to the motherboard. There two systems that are commonly used, the IDE and the SATA. IDE drives have wide, flat cables around 4 inches wide whereas SATA drives have thin cables (usually red in color) about the diameter of a pen. If what you have is an IDE drive, set the jumpers to "slave". Refer to your drive's manual for this. Setting the jumper is very easy; the manual usually has an illustration showing how to set the jumpers. If your drive is SATA there's no need to worry about setting the jumper.
Most motherboards can accommodate two IDE cables. But it would be easier to have the two drives (master and slave) in one cable. It is easy to know where in the IDE cable's two connectors you will insert the slave drive. The master drive is connected to the connector at the end of the cable; the slave drive must be connected to the connector in the middle of the cable. There are only to connectors in the cable so you won't have a hard time locating them.
The next step is to plug in the drive's power connector to any one of the available sockets that connects to the power supply. Start the computer.
See if the drive can be opened in that computer or if its icon appears at all in the My Computer folder. If it can be opened then there is no problem recovering the data stored in there. If the drive cannot be opened, you can use a data recovery software like Recover My Files to retrieve the data in the disk. After retrieving the data from the crashed drive, you can then reformat it. The process to be followed is more or less there same for Windows XP and Windows Vista; after you successfully installed the slave drive its icon will automatically be visible in the My Computer folder. To reformat the slave drive, just right-click its icon in the “My Computer” folder and select “Format”. The Format box will pop up and there you can choose between NTFS or FAT32 format. The default is NTFS so leave it at that. NTFS is better than FAT32 anyway; it is the standard file system of Windows NT, including its later versions Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Vista. Do not check the "Quick Format" because it is good to have a normal format because it will give you a cleaner drive afterwards and all virus or malware that could have caused the crash would be totally erased. After you click the Format the drive will be formatted.
After reformatting the drive remove it and reinstall it in your computer. You can then do a clean install of your Windows operating system.
Setting Security on Recycle Bin Properties
The next step is to go deep within the Registry and locate the BitBucket key.
Lunch the Regedit.exe, to do it just click on Start and click on Run and on the text field type "regedit.exe" without the quotes and hit the enter key. The Regedit window will appear. There are two windows or partitions in the Regedit box, look at the left side partiton you will see six folders arranged in a column, one on top of the other. The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE folder is in the middle, third from the top. The next step is to follow the path HKEY_Local_Machine\Software\Microsoft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Explorer. Just follow that path HKEY_Local_Machine is third from the top. Nested under it is the long path down to the BitBucket key. To locate BitBucket key click on the + at the root of the HKEY_Local_Machine folder to unwrap it. After you click the + you will see that the HKEY_Local_Machine folder will expand and under it you will see the Software folder. Click on the Software folder to expand it and see the Microsoft folder. Do the same procress following the path given until you reach the last and buttom folder named Explorer. When you've located it click on it. On the and select Security on the Registry Editor menu. Click on "Permissions" and then change permissions for the group "Everyone" from "Special Access" to 'Read". Exit the Registry editor. After doing this step the Recycle Bin properties can no longer be modified by users.
How Can I Protect my Computer Against Virus and Spyware?
Virus and spyware can harm computer users in many ways. Computer viruses can damage important files and even your computer's hard disk. Spywares may not damage your files and hard disk but it sends your personal information to a third party even if you haven't permitted it.
To protect your computer against virus and spyware it is important to be very careful when using the internet and in using thumb drives and other mobile media. It is not only through the internet that your computer can be infected with a virus but also with infected mobile disks. If it could not be avoided that you must use your mobile disk with your computer and other computers that might be infected with virus and malware, be sure to do a complete scan of the thumb drive before you open it.
To scan a thumb drive, just plug it in the USB port. Open My Computer folder and right-click on the thumb drive's icon. In the menu that pops up, select "Scan with Eset smart Security"( or whatever is the antivirus you are using).
But because no matter how careful we are in using the internet and mobile media, virus and spyware are bound to slip through us. So it is a must that your computer must be installed with the latest and the best antivirus and antispyware software. Good examples of antivirus and antispyware programs are Eset Smart Security, Kaspersky Internet Security, AVG Antivirus and Security Software, and Avast Pro. Aside from being very good at securing your computer from threats, these software are also very light, they do not eat up too much memory like the more traditional Norton and Trend Micro.
Be sure to keep your antivirus software updated, or set it to update automatically. If you are using Eset smart security, just double-click on its icon on the task bar and a window for Eset Smart Security will pop up. Click on the Update button and click on the link "Update virus database signature". Eset Smart security will then download available latest updates. Other antivirus softwares have also more or less like this process in updating.
Also keep your operating system updated; it is one of the most important tasks that can help keep your computer safe from spyware and virus by plugging security holes where spywares usually enter. To turn on automatic update for Windows, Click on Start then right-click on My Computer and click Properties. The System Properties Property window will open. Click the "Automatic Updates" tab and make your selection of how ofter you want to connect to Microsoft website for updates. It is advisable to select the daily option. Click "Apply" and then "OK".
Make sure your Windows firewall is always turned on and set to make your computer really secure. Eset, Kaspersky, and other good antivirus software have their own firewall that you can use instead of the default Windows firewall. But Windows Firewall is really good enough so it's good to use it though. To turn on Windows XP Firewall, just click Start>Run. Type "Firewall.cpl", and then click OK. On the General tab, click “On” (recommended). Click OK.
Avoid visiting sites that are known to have malware. Avoid downloading "free" software that come from dubious sources, most of these "free" software come bound with trojans that most antivirus software could not detect.
Avoid opening email attachments from sources that are unknown to you. And even if the sender is known to you, see to it that the attachment does not contain suspicious extension like .vbs or .exe.
Lastly, make a regular thorough computer scan with your antivirus software. Most antivirus software can be set to scan daily when you start your computer. You can double-click on the icon of your antivirus in the task bar and in the window that pops up it is easy to locate where the complete computer scan buton is located. But I am sure that it is always in the first window that pops up after you double-click the antivirus' icon in the task bar.
Help! My Computer Freeze with a Blue Screen! What is it? - Hardware? Registry Problem
Don't panic, it's not the end of the world, you can fix it.
The blue screen of death can be caused by various things, it happens when your Windows operating system detects a hardware, software, or driver error which could hamper its smooth operation.
There are times when all one needs to do to resolve a blue screen is a simple restart of the machine. But when a computer shows you a blue screen every once in a while, it is actually signaling to you that something is wrong deep within and that if it is not addressed immediately a bigger problem could occur that can only be solve with a reinstall of the OS.
The proper technical term for the Blue Screen of Death is "Windows Stop Message". This message appears when Windows could not recover from an error or a problem. Windows stops and diagnostic information appears on a blue screen. The layman would not easily understand the diagnostic message being displayed, but a good technician can easily figure out the root of the problem through this message.
The first step in dealing with a blue screen is to read the error message and write down on a piece of paper the error code then press Enter to go back to Windows but if your computer will not go back to Windows after you hit the Enter key you have no choice but to restart the computer by pressing Crtl+Alt+Del, in which case you'll lose all the unsaved information in any program that was open when the blue screen happened. Restarting may fix blue screen if the problem was caused by a program that encountered an error that could be fixed with a reboot.
If your computer will not restart correctly and gives you the blue screen again, do the Crtl+Alt+Del again. While the PC is rebooting and memory-checks, press the F8 button repeatedly to bring up the Windows advanced options menu. When the Windows advanced option menu comes up, select the "restore last known good configuration" option. The "last known good configuration" is the latest settings that worked properly. The system will roll back to it and try to use it to be able to load. Windows XP has a built-in utility that allows for the storing of recent save point. This can always work as your first aid to blue screen but if the problem persists after trying this out, you can begin to think that a bigger problem in the system is happening. It could be that one or more programs is causing the problem.
If you have just installed a new program or made an update or installed a new driver, try uninstalling the program in safe mode. To enter the safe more, just press F8 while Windows is starting up, before the Windows Splash Screen appears. You will be prompted to select a mode that Windows will use, one of those modes is "Safe Mode with networking". Select it using the arrow keys to navigate and hit Enter when you are at it. In Safe Mode with networking you can connect to the internet. Fire up Google and type in the search box the error code you've written down earlier and hit Enter. Google will then give results that would give you hints as to what device is causing the error and how to solve it.
It is possible to uninstall drivers and software in safe mode, just go to Start>Control Panel then click on Performance and Maintenance. Click on See basic information about your computer to bring up the System Properties dialog. Click on Hardware tab and click on the Device Manager button. The Device Manager will pop up. In the device Manager, select the device whose driver you need to uninstall and right-click on it and select "Uninstall...”. If it is a software that should be removed, just go to Start>Control Panel>Add Remove Programs and select the program to remove. After uninstalling the program, restart Windows in normal mode.
What is an extension filename .docx?
If you are using the most recent version of MS Word, which is part of the Microsoft Office 2007 suite, you must have noticed that the default file extension of the Word document you create with it in not .doc but .docx. This is because the newest MS Word, like the newest MS PowerPoint and MS Excel, is an OOXML-based primary file format. The previous versions of MS Office 2003 and 2000) will not be able to open a .docx file if not installed with an add-on "Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack".
OOXML-based file formats contains mainly files that are based on XML. Extensible Markup Language is a general-purpose specification that allows for the creation of custom markup languages. OOXML, which stands for Open Office XML, employs a file packaging that conforms with the Open Packaging Convention, a format of file packaging that was created by Microsoft for storing a combination of XML and non-XML files. Open Office XML utilizes ZIP file format-derived mechanisms to contain the different files that constitute the groundwork of the document. The Office markup is also able to include files that are embeddable like videos, images, and other documents.
How Do I Install or Add a Printer? – PRINTING TIPS
Although there are many brands and kinds of printers, the process of installing or adding a printer to your computer is basically the same. The first thing is connect the printer to the computer. Most modern printers can be connected to the computer through a cable that is plugged into the USB port. Be sure that you have the drivers installed first before you connect the printer otherwise it will not be detected by your computer. Printers come with an installation CD that contains the printer drivers and other software need by your computer to communicate with the printer. It is very easy to install the drivers and other software, just follow the installation prompts. If there is no installation CD that comes with the printer, try to plug the printer's USB cable to your computer's USB port and see if it triggers the Add New Hardware Wizard. When the New Hardware Wizard is running, click on "Next" and choose "Search for the best driver for this device". Your computer will search for drivers in your computer that is compatible with the printer. The computer will also search the internet (if you are connected) for the proper drivers if there are no available drivers in your computer. You can also go to the website of the company that manufactured your printer and see if they have a downloadable driver for the model of printer that you have.
After installing the printer and the driver you can then see the icon name of your printer in the dialog box that comes up if you go to Start>Printers and Faxes.
How Do I Set a Password for my Microsoft Office Documents?
Important or confidential documents need to be secured especially if it is in a computer in an office network where many people have physical access. Microsoft Office comes with a feature that allow for the optional setting of password to open and modify Word, PowerPoint, and Excel files. It is very easy to set the password for any of the three mentioned MS Office applications, all you need to do is to open the document you want to put a password on, then click "File" in the menu bar and then select "Save As" and then click on "Tools". Select "General Options" and then choose any of the two options presented--Password to Open, or "Password to Modify". From the name of the two options probably you already have a clue as to how they will affect the document. Choose "Password to Open" if you want the document to ask for a password before it can be opened. If you choose "Password to Modify", the document will ask for a password before it saves any changes made in its content. You can also check the “Read-only recommended" option.
After choosing the kind of password security to apply to your document, click on OK. You'll then be prompted to type the password you've created to confirm. After clicking "OK" again you'll be back to the "Save as" dialog box. Click on "Save". Click "Yes" if a dialog box pops up and asks if you want to overwrite the existing document.
Friday
How to Fix Corrupt Files - Fixing Corrupted Files and Data
If you could not open a file or send it to the Recycle Bin, there is the possibility that it is corrupted. There are many things that can cause a file to be corrupted; it could be the result of software failure, a virus infection, or a system crash. If you have just downloaded the file and it won't open or run, it could be that it was corrupted during the download. If the data transfer rate is too slow during download, there is a great possibility that the file will be flawed and would not open. Defects in the file system of the hard disk or in the disk itself can also cause files to be corrupted. Corrupt files can cause you headaches but the good thing is that the probability of saving or fixing a corrupted file is quite high.
Because there are many things that can cause files to become defective, there are also many ways that can lead to the solution of a corrupt file problem that you can. You can restore corrupt or lost files from recent backup. Numerous programs automatically produce back up files; one good example is Microsoft Word, a widely used word processing program. It automatically backs up .doc files with .wbk files. If you somehow find that your Word document file is corrupted, try looking for the file in the same folder that has the extension .wbk and change it to .doc. You will then be able to open it using MS Word.
You can also use the System Restore tool if the problem is caused by accidental disk format or bad installation. Windows XP allows for the rollback of system files to previous states when the system was working properly. If your system fails to work normally after installing or uninstalling a software or an update, you can simply rollback to previous working states of your system.
If you want to fix lost or corrupted top-level folders that contain different kinds of file types, it would be best to use HDD Regenerator or Partition Recovery. If you are not really sure about the kinds of files in the folder to be fixed, you can make use of FAT Recovery or NTFS Recovery. You can also use some file recovery tools like Recover My Files (for recovering lost data), DOC Regenerator for fixing or rescuing Microsoft Word documents, XLS Regenerator (for fixing Microsoft Excel files). For partially downloaded .AVI files you may use DivFix. If the file that needs to be fixed is .ASF file, you can use AsfBin and AsfBinGUI, a free but powerful command line utility that can cut, join, and repair fragments of .asf files. There are hundreds of software out there that can recover or fix different kinds of files. Just Google terms like "Fix broken files" or "fix corrupt files" or any term that you think can lead you to the right software.
If all else fails to fix or recover your file, you have no choice but to pay for the services of people who are expert in data recovery. But before you do it, be sure to try all the solutions mentioned above.
Sunday
What is COBOL? Understanding The Common Business Oriented Language.
COBOL stands for Common Business Oriented Language and is a very popular language still in use in the financial and administrative systems of various organizations. COBOL was first specified by a group of three government agencies and six computer manufacturers in the United States. COBOL has been in use since the late fifties and is still evolving, owing to its popularity among the user community.
Over the next 10 years following the definition of COBOL, several versions of COBOL were put out on the market by various makers of software and compatibility between these versions became an issue. The American National Standard Institute (ANSI) stepped in to introduce a standard version of COBOL in 1968 and has periodically released further versions of the standard ever since.
COBOL was adopted by the business community for its operations largely due to the natural language construct used in COBOL programming. Just before the year 2000 changeover, it was estimated that around 80% of business all over the globe ran on COBOL – a fact that caused a tremendous amount of effort to be expended on making these systems compatible for year 2000. This effort was initiated because most businesses indexed their operations using dates and hitherto, COBOL had been using a two-digit date field that needed to be modified into a four-digit one to accommodate the new millennium.
COBOL compilers exist for several platforms and it is common to see COBOL applications running on IBM's z/OS, Windows, Unix and Linux Operating Systems.
COBOL has evolved to include the object oriented paradigm and support Unicode and XML. The latest versions of COBOL can seamlessly interface with programs written in languages like C on .NET and Java frameworks. COBOL incorporates techniques such as recursion and can be used for scientific computing as well as for business applications.
The detailed syntax and statements in COBOL programs make it easy even for a layperson to understand what the program is doing. The very same characteristic that made COBOL popular among the business community has come under attack by some in the programming community. Critics of COBOL have cited the wordiness of programs written in COBOL as a negative aspect of programs written in this language.
What is the difference between an Analog and Digital system?
This classification is based upon the type of signals used in the systems. Before looking into the differences between an analog system and a digital system, let us first try to see what the terms analog and digital mean.
An Analog signal is one in which the values taken can be continuous. For example, if a signal varies in magnitude between 0 volts and 5 volts, it can take any value between 0 and 5.
With a digital signal, there can only be discrete values. For example, a signal ranging from 0 to 5 volts could take the discrete values of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 in a digital system. If a signal in the above digital system has the value of say, 2.2 at any instant of time, it is represented by the nearest discrete value (2, in this case). It may be noted that all signals ranging from 2 to 2.5 would be represented by 2 and all signals ranging from 2.5 to 3 would be represented by 3.
As a special case, if a signal in a digital system is represented by only two values – zero or one, it is called a binary system and this is the representation used by all modern-day computers and communications.
The use of analog systems has been dwindling as implementing digital systems has become more cost-effective. Both systems have their advantages and disadvantages – Analog systems make efficient use of bandwidth and are relatively immune to noise. They are also less flexible to changes in design. Analog systems are implemented with hardware components and are not usually flexible to changes in parameters of input signals. Any change in input parameters may require a fresh circuit design and implementation.
Digital systems on the other hand, are greatly affected by noise. The advantage with digital systems is that they are built using programmable components and a standardized circuit can handle digital signals and a system can be implemented through software. This means that the components can be reused just by modifying the program.
Most modern communication systems are digital systems – any analog inputs are converted to digital by a process called sampling and conversion from digital back to analog is by reconstruction.
What is a VoIP Phone Service? Understanding Voice Over IP Technology.
VoIP is a service where voice data is transferred over the Internet just like normal Internet data traffic. VoIP is also known as Internet Telephony or IP telephony. When the Internet connection is a broadband connection, VoIP is usually referred to as Broadband Telephony. Whatever be the terminology used, VoIP phone service is a method of providing voice communication using the Internet infrastructure.
VoIP Phone Service uses the existing infrastructure already installed for the Internet and speech signals converted to digital audio are sent in the form of packets. VoIP services can be interfaced with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and calls can be made to another computer, mobile phone VoIP phone or an ordinary telephone.
The services provided by VoIP are similar to those provided by PSTN with call forwarding, call waiting, caller identification, automatic redial and conference call facilities on offer. VoIP has an advantage over regular telephony in terms of security – the audio content is split into multiple pieces of very short duration and sent over the Internet as packets. The packets need not be received at intermediate points in sequence. It is very difficult for anyone to intercept a conversation being carried on VoIP.
VoIP has become very popular over the last few years as it has become a low-cost voice communication solution with wide user acceptance and a large consumer base. The service providers do not have to bear the expenses of installing infrastructure in the form of cables and switching equipment as the Internet infrastructure is already in place. In PSTN, the service provides is required to digitize voice and transmit the data after conversion to digital signals. The Internet infrastructure already carries signals of this nature and this reduces the cost for service providers significantly. This extends VoIP telephone services to the customer at much more economical rates than PSTN.
Another benefit of VoIP service is that it makes your physical location immaterial. All you need is access to a computer to be able to call any number of your choice, even international numbers for the cost of a local call.
There are downsides to VoIP services – Internet traffic is inherently unreliable in nature and in congested networks, the chances of dropped packets are very high. In such conditions, dropouts in conversation are inevitable. This is in contrast to the dedicated and reliable channel of communication provided by PSTN. For the same reasons, VoIP telephone services are unable to match the Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees provided by the PSTN.
VoIP Phone Service uses the existing infrastructure already installed for the Internet and speech signals converted to digital audio are sent in the form of packets. VoIP services can be interfaced with the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and calls can be made to another computer, mobile phone VoIP phone or an ordinary telephone.
The services provided by VoIP are similar to those provided by PSTN with call forwarding, call waiting, caller identification, automatic redial and conference call facilities on offer. VoIP has an advantage over regular telephony in terms of security – the audio content is split into multiple pieces of very short duration and sent over the Internet as packets. The packets need not be received at intermediate points in sequence. It is very difficult for anyone to intercept a conversation being carried on VoIP.
VoIP has become very popular over the last few years as it has become a low-cost voice communication solution with wide user acceptance and a large consumer base. The service providers do not have to bear the expenses of installing infrastructure in the form of cables and switching equipment as the Internet infrastructure is already in place. In PSTN, the service provides is required to digitize voice and transmit the data after conversion to digital signals. The Internet infrastructure already carries signals of this nature and this reduces the cost for service providers significantly. This extends VoIP telephone services to the customer at much more economical rates than PSTN.
Another benefit of VoIP service is that it makes your physical location immaterial. All you need is access to a computer to be able to call any number of your choice, even international numbers for the cost of a local call.
There are downsides to VoIP services – Internet traffic is inherently unreliable in nature and in congested networks, the chances of dropped packets are very high. In such conditions, dropouts in conversation are inevitable. This is in contrast to the dedicated and reliable channel of communication provided by PSTN. For the same reasons, VoIP telephone services are unable to match the Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees provided by the PSTN.
What is Wi-Fi? How Secured is Wi-Fi Networking Wirelessly?
Wi-Fi is a term used commonly for Wireless Local Area Networking. Wi-Fi is a quick and easy method of networking various devices wirelessly.
Wireless networking is usually done as follows – A wireless adapter in the computer converts digital data to radio frequency (RF) waves and transmits these waves using an antenna. This signal is picked up by a wireless router in the vicinity that converts the RF waves back to digital data and transfers the data over the Internet through an Ethernet connection.
Wireless networking uses the frequencies of 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Wireless networking offers a low-cost and cable-free solution for Local Area Networks. As long as each computer has a wireless adapter, the same wireless router can be used by several computers to connect to the Internet. This connection is very reliable provided the bandwidth limit is not exceeded, in which case users may experience intermittent connection to the Internet.
Wi-Fi is actually a certification issued by an alliance consisting of over 300 companies for wireless devices that use the IEEE 802.11 standard for networking. The Wi-Fi standard is a global one. The certification costs are steep but it ensures seamless interfacing of devices with Wi-Fi certification.
Wi-Fi also allows peer-to-peer connections between wireless devices, more commonly known as an ad-hoc network that is of great significance in gaming and pervasive computing applications.
Whenever a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a laptop, mp3 player or a mobile phone enters the coverage of a wireless network connected to the Internet, Internet access is available for that device. A set of interconnected access points is called a hotspot – many hotspots are available in public spaces like airports, parks and offices.
With a single Internet connection and a wireless hot spot in a home, cable-free Internet connectivity can be provided to multiple wireless-capable devices. As wireless-enabled hardware gets cheaper and cheaper, Wi-Fi networks are emerging as the preferred option for home networking.
The range of a Wi-Fi equipment is typically between 30-95m. Wireless repeaters are sometimes used to extend the range of Wi-Fi equipment. In addition, Wi-Fi devices usually suffer from interference caused by devices like Microwave ovens that work in the 2.4GHz range. Another issue plaguing Wi-Fi equipment is the high power consumption. This becomes an issue in portable equipment running on batteries.
Wireless networking is usually done as follows – A wireless adapter in the computer converts digital data to radio frequency (RF) waves and transmits these waves using an antenna. This signal is picked up by a wireless router in the vicinity that converts the RF waves back to digital data and transfers the data over the Internet through an Ethernet connection.
Wireless networking uses the frequencies of 2.4GHz or 5GHz. Wireless networking offers a low-cost and cable-free solution for Local Area Networks. As long as each computer has a wireless adapter, the same wireless router can be used by several computers to connect to the Internet. This connection is very reliable provided the bandwidth limit is not exceeded, in which case users may experience intermittent connection to the Internet.
Wi-Fi is actually a certification issued by an alliance consisting of over 300 companies for wireless devices that use the IEEE 802.11 standard for networking. The Wi-Fi standard is a global one. The certification costs are steep but it ensures seamless interfacing of devices with Wi-Fi certification.
Wi-Fi also allows peer-to-peer connections between wireless devices, more commonly known as an ad-hoc network that is of great significance in gaming and pervasive computing applications.
Whenever a Wi-Fi enabled device such as a laptop, mp3 player or a mobile phone enters the coverage of a wireless network connected to the Internet, Internet access is available for that device. A set of interconnected access points is called a hotspot – many hotspots are available in public spaces like airports, parks and offices.
With a single Internet connection and a wireless hot spot in a home, cable-free Internet connectivity can be provided to multiple wireless-capable devices. As wireless-enabled hardware gets cheaper and cheaper, Wi-Fi networks are emerging as the preferred option for home networking.
The range of a Wi-Fi equipment is typically between 30-95m. Wireless repeaters are sometimes used to extend the range of Wi-Fi equipment. In addition, Wi-Fi devices usually suffer from interference caused by devices like Microwave ovens that work in the 2.4GHz range. Another issue plaguing Wi-Fi equipment is the high power consumption. This becomes an issue in portable equipment running on batteries.
7 Tips in Choosing the Best VoIP Provider
Now that you have found out what VoIP is and how it can benefit you, you may have decided that access to VoIP services is essential for your operations. The next step now is to find the VoIP service provider from whom you can get the most.
Many VoIP providers claim to offer the best possible service for your money. Before making a decision on which service to subscribe to, it is necessary to separate the hype from reality. You need to analyze carefully several factors before making a decision. Here are a few things you should consider:
1. Rates – The monthly subscription rate for the service should be low. However, beware of rates that are too low. If your service provider is not able to sustain the business at very low subscription rates, the chances of the company folding up are very high.
2. Equipment – Find out if the VoIP provider is willing to give you equipment free of cost or sell it for a discount when you subscribe. This is an important factor to consider.
3. Technical Support – A company that provides technical support round the clock coupled with a policy for prompt maintenance is the one whose services you should seriously consider.
4. Quality of Service (QoS) – Take a good look at the quality of service provided by the company, and make sure that it matches your needs. Companies frequently bundle services that may not be of much use to you. Find a provider who is willing to customize the service for you.
5. Customer Feedback – Customer feedback is a good place for you to find out whether the provider can meet your expectations. Customer feedback often debunks the tall claims made by the service providers.
6. Refund – Some service providers back up their claims on QoS with a money back guarantee in case they fail to meet the levels claimed. A provider willing to refund the money in case of faulty service is a good choice.
7. Number Portability – This is another important aspect to be considered. You may not want the telephone number of your business to be changed, as the hassles involved with informing all your clients, changing contact information on your stationery and on advertisements can be quite daunting. In this situation, you should favor a service provider who allows you to use your existing phone number.
What is Podcasting? How Do I Podcast?
Do you have something interesting to share with people online? Are you an expert in some field interested in disseminating that knowledge regularly? Do you wish to have more information about something but find the prospect of wading through hundreds of web pages unappealing? Are you interested in information with a human touch? If your answer to even one of the questions is yes, then Podcasting may be the answer.
Podcasting stands for Personal On Demand Broadcasting and was first used for iPods. There are several devices available in the market that can track podcasts.
Podcasting is essentially dissemination and downloading of audio and video data through the Internet. Podcasts started off with people broadcasting their own audio and soon grew to accommodate other media and purposes including rebroadcast of regular television and radio shows, classroom lecture sessions, public safety announcements, and election campaigning.
What makes Podcasting different from directly downloading audio and video files or streaming media files? The difference lies in the method by which the user learns about the availability of the files.
In case of regular downloads of media files, you may come across these files by following the links provided by a search engine or a website hosting contents that interest you. A user can receive podcasts in three ways– by subscription, by syndication or by automatic download. Podcatching client software collects feeds distributed through RSS or Atom protocols whenever a new podcast is posted. For syndication of podcasts, use of the client and protocols is essential.
Podcasts need not be accessed through these methods alone – frequently, podcasters make the podcasts available on their website for direct download. The podcast can then be downloaded to a computer or an mp3 player. On a computer, a regular media player can be used to play the podcast. Alternatively, a VoIP service can be used for the podcasts.
An enhanced form of Podcasting is available in which images and time are synchronized. This can have educational uses to deliver slideshows coupled with audio from a lecture or for delivering presentations from a remote location.
Podcasting can help sick students or homeschoolers to get the benefit of a regular classroom atmosphere through podcasts. Podcasting has immense potential in reaching students enrolled in distance education programs too.
5 Top Differences Between Facebook and MySpace
First of all, to those not in the know, what are Facebook and MySpace? Both are social networking websites that allow free access to all who wish to become members of the service.
MySpace is owned by a major news corporation and offers free membership to persons above 14 years of age. Facebook on the other hand, started off as a website meant for students of a famous Ivy League University and soon extended its membership to anyone over the age of 13 at no cost.
Both websites have similar procedures for account creation and some of the services offered are similar. Once you create a login for yourself (you are free to provide your own name or use an alias), you are free to set up your own webpage, express your views, add other members as friends, invite members to be friends, locate people you have lost track of (If they have disclosed their real name at the social networking site or if you know their login id), publish your photos and view photos published by others and meet new people.
Both websites offer a varying level of customization to members along with a wide range of services that can be used to create a virtual world online. You can know what your friends are up to, and your friends can keep track of posts by you or any other information you want to make visible. Both sites use revenues generated from advertisements to sustain operations.
However, several differences exist between the two. They are –
1. Customization of Profiles – The extent of customization in MySpace is far greater than in Facebook. Facebook only allows text whereas MySpace allows you to use HTML and CSS.
2. The Facebook ‘Poke’ – Facebook offers a service known as ‘The Poke’ to every member who can use it to ‘poke’ another member. This is a method of greeting someone you may know or not know. The ‘poked’ person gets a notification regarding the originator of the ‘poke’ and may communicate if he/she wishes to do so. No equivalent feature is available on MySpace.
3. Privacy Options – More options for privacy appear to be available in Facebook compared to MySpace, with customization available for various items associated with a member’s account.
4. Music – MySpace allows musicians to upload their compositions and allow visitors to play music. It also makes music uploaded by other people accessible. This feature is not available in Facebook.
5. Facebook ‘Gifts’ – Facebook allows members to send virtual gifts to other members at a nominal charge. This facility is not available in MySpace.
MySpace is owned by a major news corporation and offers free membership to persons above 14 years of age. Facebook on the other hand, started off as a website meant for students of a famous Ivy League University and soon extended its membership to anyone over the age of 13 at no cost.
Both websites have similar procedures for account creation and some of the services offered are similar. Once you create a login for yourself (you are free to provide your own name or use an alias), you are free to set up your own webpage, express your views, add other members as friends, invite members to be friends, locate people you have lost track of (If they have disclosed their real name at the social networking site or if you know their login id), publish your photos and view photos published by others and meet new people.
Both websites offer a varying level of customization to members along with a wide range of services that can be used to create a virtual world online. You can know what your friends are up to, and your friends can keep track of posts by you or any other information you want to make visible. Both sites use revenues generated from advertisements to sustain operations.
However, several differences exist between the two. They are –
1. Customization of Profiles – The extent of customization in MySpace is far greater than in Facebook. Facebook only allows text whereas MySpace allows you to use HTML and CSS.
2. The Facebook ‘Poke’ – Facebook offers a service known as ‘The Poke’ to every member who can use it to ‘poke’ another member. This is a method of greeting someone you may know or not know. The ‘poked’ person gets a notification regarding the originator of the ‘poke’ and may communicate if he/she wishes to do so. No equivalent feature is available on MySpace.
3. Privacy Options – More options for privacy appear to be available in Facebook compared to MySpace, with customization available for various items associated with a member’s account.
4. Music – MySpace allows musicians to upload their compositions and allow visitors to play music. It also makes music uploaded by other people accessible. This feature is not available in Facebook.
5. Facebook ‘Gifts’ – Facebook allows members to send virtual gifts to other members at a nominal charge. This facility is not available in MySpace.
10 Top Ways to Build My Own Computer
You may have pondered about buying a computer for a long time. When you finally decide to take the plunge and get yourself a computer, it is time to weigh your options carefully.
The first question on your mind may be whether to go for a pre-built computer or to build your own. Both approaches have their pros and cons. When you go for a pre-built computer, what you really buy is convenience. Such computers are guaranteed to have no compatibility issues among the various components used, have technical support available and may come with warranties and service plans offered by the manufacturer.
With a computer built with your own hand, you get none of these facilities. What you get is customization and price advantage. On the side, you get to learn a lot about how a computer is put together when you build your own and you get a computer that fits your needs perfectly.
You can build your own computer in several ways:
1. You could buy the individual components of a computer and then put them all together yourself to build a computer.
2. A barebones computer kit comes with a pre-built skeleton to which you add a couple of components and have a computer ready to run.
3. You could go to an electronics retail store like Fry’s and use the in-house experts to guide you in deciding what components to buy and use them to build your own computer
4. Your neighborhood computer technician is another good option that could be explored especially when you know what components to buy but are not sure how to go about building the computer.
5. Several computer component warehouses sell large volumes at low cost. If you have a tight budget, sourcing your components from such stores is a good option. The price savings can be significant in this case.
6. If you do not have an idea of how to go about building your computer, the Internet is an excellent source of information. Many websites guide you on how to select components, and give guidance on building the computer. There are also videos available online that show you how to do so.
7. Another favored option could be your friendly neighborhood computer geek. Geeks can be very helpful when it comes to Do-It-yourself projects like building your own computers. They have the requisite level of knowledge coupled with the research skills required to get the job done.
8. Another valuable source of information on how to go about building your computer is the public library. You may find several resources here that can help you build your own computer.
9. The science teacher of your local school is also a resource-person who can help you can see your project through.
10. If you know someone who has a homebuilt computer, you could ask him for guidance when you build your own computer.
Where Can I Find Free Anti-Virus and Spyware Removal Tools?
Does your computer show symptoms that accompany the presence of viruses and spyware? Are contacts in your address book receiving virus-laden emails coming from your email id? Do you suspect an intrusion on your privacy and degradation in security of your data due to spyware lurking in your computer? In that case, it is time to look for a good anti-virus and spyware removal tool.
A virus-infected computer coupled with spyware is a very real security threat and the situation should be resolved immediately and decisively. It is good strategy to tackle the problem in a two-pronged manner. First, it is necessary to get a good anti-virus software tool that can scan your computer, detect and remove infected files. In addition to this, the anti-virus must prevent viruses from entering your computer in the future. Secondly, the spyware in the computer must be identified and deleted by using a spyware removal tool. This tool must also prevent spyware from installing, in the future.
If you wish to get anti-virus and spyware removal tools for your computer you can either buy commercial software or download one of the many free tools available online.
The software section of a computer store near you is a good place to find commercial software. The advantage with commercial software is that it comes with technical support from the manufacturer. If something goes wrong during the scan or cleaning, help is available from technical support staff employed by the makers. Before you buy a tool, it is better to contact the makers of the software to find out what sort of technical support is available.
If you want a wider choice, it is better to conduct a search on the Internet for these tools. There are many free anti-virus tools available online (AVG 8.0 Free Edition, AntiVir personal Edition and Clam Antivirus are some examples). Free spyware removal tools are also available online. Most of the freeware tools also have commercial versions with enhanced capabilities.
The problem with freeware is the lack of technical support. If you are not comfortable with this, it may be better to opt for the commercial versions of these software tools. Before you decide to go for a particular anti-virus or spyware removal tools, ensure that update services are available for these tools. Also, be sure to research end-user reviews of the same to be aware of any issues.
A virus-infected computer coupled with spyware is a very real security threat and the situation should be resolved immediately and decisively. It is good strategy to tackle the problem in a two-pronged manner. First, it is necessary to get a good anti-virus software tool that can scan your computer, detect and remove infected files. In addition to this, the anti-virus must prevent viruses from entering your computer in the future. Secondly, the spyware in the computer must be identified and deleted by using a spyware removal tool. This tool must also prevent spyware from installing, in the future.
If you wish to get anti-virus and spyware removal tools for your computer you can either buy commercial software or download one of the many free tools available online.
If you want a wider choice, it is better to conduct a search on the Internet for these tools. There are many free anti-virus tools available online (AVG 8.0 Free Edition, AntiVir personal Edition and Clam Antivirus are some examples). Free spyware removal tools are also available online. Most of the freeware tools also have commercial versions with enhanced capabilities.
The problem with freeware is the lack of technical support. If you are not comfortable with this, it may be better to opt for the commercial versions of these software tools. Before you decide to go for a particular anti-virus or spyware removal tools, ensure that update services are available for these tools. Also, be sure to research end-user reviews of the same to be aware of any issues.
7 Tips in Choosing the Best Spyware Removal Tool
Before we consider how to choose a spyware removal tool, let us see what the term Spyware means. Spyware is software created with a malign intent that is installed without your knowledge on your computer. Spyware is designed to hide itself from the average user. Spyware usually resides in your computer and may track keystrokes, URLs of the websites visited, the kind of products you usually buy. In addition to spying on your personal preferences, spyware can also download additional programs, redirect browsers to specific sites or links.
The only way to combat the very real threat presented by spyware to your privacy is by using spyware removal tools. Spyware removal tools can detect and remove spyware from an infected computer or they may monitor data coming into the computer for spyware or both.
There are many spyware removal tools available in the market, both freeware and commercial. Here are some things to look for when you want to get a spyware removal tool:
1. Detection, Removal and Prevention – Be sure to get a spyware cleaner that is capable of preventing installation of further spyware in addition to scanning your computer for spyware and removing them.
2. Modification of Browser Settings – Most spyware operate by modifying browser settings for redirecting to unwanted websites. The tool you get should prevent modification of these settings.
3. Registry Scan – Spyware usually modifies all the keys in the Windows registry that can cause programs to start automatically at boot up. Even if a few links to the spyware are deleted in the registry, it can still restore those links. The spyware removal tool should be capable of detecting and removing the links to spyware in the registry.
4. Availability of Updates – Like an anti-virus package, a spyware removal tool is effective only if it can be updated regularly to prevent infection due to new spyware.
5. Technical Support – Technical support is essential if the user finds it difficult to use a spyware removal tool or decide what to do when the tool asks him to make a choice regarding deletion of registry entries.
6. User Feedback – Feedback from the users of the tool will give you an idea about the efficacy of the tool in removal of spyware and the ease with which even a novice can use it.
7. Comparative Performance – There are many spyware removal tools available on the market and rather than relying on the claims made by one company, comparing the performance of several tools is important.
7 Reasons Why I Need to Run Defragmentation for my Computer
Your hard disk consists of disks coated with magnetic material that is used to store data on the drive. A hard disk is organized into sectors. There are read or write heads available in the hard disk that are used whenever you read or write data. The hard disk controller makes sure that the target sector for data read/write is available under the read/write heads by spinning the hard disk at high speeds.
What Defragmentation of the disks does is that it makes all your files contiguous by eliminating the free spaces in between and brings all free space together. Any subsequent file storage activity will find large contiguous blocks of free space available.
When you defragment your hard disk on a regular basis,
1. Programs Run Faster - This is because your files are available in contiguous blocks and retrieving or writing data is faster.
2. Data Access Faster – In a fragmented drive a file may need to be accessed from several tracks on different sectors, implying multiple data accesses. With Defragmentation, data access can be optimal involving fewer read/writes.
3. Longer Hard Disk Life – Fewer seeks, read and write accesses improve the life of the hard disk and the probability of failure will be minimized.
4. Lesser Power Consumption – The more fragmented the data is, the more spinning the hard disk has to do for data access and results in increased consumption of power. In battery-operated devices like laptops, defragmenting can reduce the power wasted in hard disk spinning considerably.
5. Partitioning – Defragmenting before partitioning the hard disk also improves the efficiency of storage space allocation
6. FAT Size – With fewer fragments for files, the size of File Allocation Table required per file also reduces thus reducing FAT size.
7. Mechanical Failure Reduced – A reduction in mechanical movements as a result of Defragmentation reduces the wear and tear in movable components and contributes to improved performance and increased hard disk lifetime.
It is better to defragment your hard disk periodically, and the frequency of defragmenting should be based on the activity level of the disk.
7 Reasons Why I Need to Run a Registry Cleaner
If you are afflicted by a slowdown in the functioning of your computer, you may have tried scanning for viruses or defragmenting the hard disks in the computer in an attempt to speed things up. If these measures do not improve the situation and you have ascertained that there are no obvious hardware or software errors causing the slowdown, it is time to look at the Windows Registry.
Windows registry keeps track of everything that you computer does starting from hardware and software installed and removed from your system, configuration changes, deciding which programs run, how many users accounts exist on your system and even tracking the websites that you have visited lately. If you have not bothered to clean the registry ever since you bought the computer, there may be hundreds or thousands of entries that need to be resolved.
You may be tempted to use the registry editing utility regedit provided by Windows and modify the registry manually. Even if you are an advanced Windows user with a good knowledge of registry entries, manual editing of registry is not advisable. That goes double for you if you are a novice/intermediate user with very little idea of registry entries. It is always safer to have a registry cleaner do the job for you and here are the reasons why -
1. Number of Errors – Registry errors can run into hundreds and even thousands of errors, especially if the registry has not been cleaned for a long time. There are hundreds of components in the registry and scanning each component for errors is an impossible task.
2. Identifying Errors – It is difficult to keep track of what software and hardware changes have occurred over the lifetime of your computer. It may be difficult to differentiate between a legitimate registry entry and an erroneous one.
3. Risk of Crash/Malfunction – One cannot blithely modify the registry, as the risks of malfunctioning of software or a computer crash occurring are very real.
4. Cryptic Registry Entries – Registry entries are not easy to understand and determining the role played by a registry entry can be a difficult task.
5. Removal of Errors – A registry cleaner can identify the level of risk associated with an error – a measure of how crucial it is for correct operation of the computer, far more accurately than in a manual cleaning.
6. Repair Errors – Some registry cleaners come with the capacity to repair errors rather than just delete the error.
7. Backup and Restore – Many registry cleaners back up the registry prior to modification and create system restore points just in case a rollback is necessary. These steps may be forgotten in a manual cleaning.
Windows registry keeps track of everything that you computer does starting from hardware and software installed and removed from your system, configuration changes, deciding which programs run, how many users accounts exist on your system and even tracking the websites that you have visited lately. If you have not bothered to clean the registry ever since you bought the computer, there may be hundreds or thousands of entries that need to be resolved.
You may be tempted to use the registry editing utility regedit provided by Windows and modify the registry manually. Even if you are an advanced Windows user with a good knowledge of registry entries, manual editing of registry is not advisable. That goes double for you if you are a novice/intermediate user with very little idea of registry entries. It is always safer to have a registry cleaner do the job for you and here are the reasons why -
1. Number of Errors – Registry errors can run into hundreds and even thousands of errors, especially if the registry has not been cleaned for a long time. There are hundreds of components in the registry and scanning each component for errors is an impossible task.
2. Identifying Errors – It is difficult to keep track of what software and hardware changes have occurred over the lifetime of your computer. It may be difficult to differentiate between a legitimate registry entry and an erroneous one.
3. Risk of Crash/Malfunction – One cannot blithely modify the registry, as the risks of malfunctioning of software or a computer crash occurring are very real.
4. Cryptic Registry Entries – Registry entries are not easy to understand and determining the role played by a registry entry can be a difficult task.
5. Removal of Errors – A registry cleaner can identify the level of risk associated with an error – a measure of how crucial it is for correct operation of the computer, far more accurately than in a manual cleaning.
6. Repair Errors – Some registry cleaners come with the capacity to repair errors rather than just delete the error.
7. Backup and Restore – Many registry cleaners back up the registry prior to modification and create system restore points just in case a rollback is necessary. These steps may be forgotten in a manual cleaning.
How Do I Recover Data for My Mac Computer?
Your homework is due tomorrow and your Mac just crashed! Or you had some important statistics collected for a business report on your Mac and crash just made you work inaccessible! In both these situations, what can be done to recover the data?
This is a dilemma that any computer user faces at one time or another in his life and if this is the first time you are confronted with this problem, you may be totally at a loss. With just a few simple steps, data recovery is possible.
The first thing to do is to assess what caused the Mac to crash. Computer crashes can occur due to several reasons – either due to faults in essential hardware components like a bad hard disk or burnt RAM card or due to malfunctioning software.
If your Mac has crashed due to faults in some hardware component other than the hard disk – the solution is simple. You can simply remove the hard disk from the crashed Mac and connect it to any other working Mac as an external disk and retrieve your data. This is one of the simplest scenarios in data recovery.
If the Mac has crashed due to hard disk failure, the situation gets more complex. In this case, you could detach the hard disk, put another good hard disk in its place and start up your Mac as usual. Connect the faulty drive as an external drive. You can try to copy the data from the good portions of the disk using a disk imaging software and effect data retrieval.
Sometimes, even if your Mac is functioning correctly, you might have inadvertently deleted important files from the computer. To recover data in this situation, you may need to use data recovery software in order to undelete lost files. Many commercial applications available on the market can do so.
You can also try to get technical support from Apple to help you recover your data or approach a data recovery expert to help you.
This is a dilemma that any computer user faces at one time or another in his life and if this is the first time you are confronted with this problem, you may be totally at a loss. With just a few simple steps, data recovery is possible.
The first thing to do is to assess what caused the Mac to crash. Computer crashes can occur due to several reasons – either due to faults in essential hardware components like a bad hard disk or burnt RAM card or due to malfunctioning software.
If your Mac has crashed due to faults in some hardware component other than the hard disk – the solution is simple. You can simply remove the hard disk from the crashed Mac and connect it to any other working Mac as an external disk and retrieve your data. This is one of the simplest scenarios in data recovery.
If the Mac has crashed due to hard disk failure, the situation gets more complex. In this case, you could detach the hard disk, put another good hard disk in its place and start up your Mac as usual. Connect the faulty drive as an external drive. You can try to copy the data from the good portions of the disk using a disk imaging software and effect data retrieval.
Sometimes, even if your Mac is functioning correctly, you might have inadvertently deleted important files from the computer. To recover data in this situation, you may need to use data recovery software in order to undelete lost files. Many commercial applications available on the market can do so.
You can also try to get technical support from Apple to help you recover your data or approach a data recovery expert to help you.
7 Tips in Choosing the Right Webhosting Company
As a business owner or individual, you may have decided to have your own web page. You may have decided on the contents of the web page and all the security features required for users navigating the web page or ordering products online.
The next step you need to take is to decide who is going to host your website.
To choose a web hosting company, compare the services provided by various companies. Before you make a decision on which company is to host your website, you need to keep the following factors in mind:
1. Resources – Make sure the web hosting service has sufficient equipment and capacity to provide stable and reliable service.
2. Allowed Content - It may also be necessary to find out what is the policy adopted by the web hosting service for illegal content on customer web pages. Servers hosting illegal content are frequently blocked. You may not want your business to suffer if the server hosting your web page was taken down due to objectionable content hosted.
3. Price – The bottom line should always be in view as far as price is concerned. There are free webhosting services available, but there are stringent restrictions on resources and customization on such servers. Therefore, unless you are on a shoestring budget, it is better to avoid free webhosting services. Consider a commercial service that quotes reasonable rates coupled with realistic Quality of Service (QoS) guarantees.
4. QoS Guarantees and Money-back – It is common to see webhosting services claiming to provide uptime close to 100%. While no server is infallible, a QoS claim backed up by an offer of refunding charges paid or free service in lieu of equipment downtime is an indication that the service provider is committed to providing good service to customers.
5. Maintenance and Backup Policy – Before you sign up with a provider, find out the frequency of equipment maintenance and backing up of data on the servers. This is a good indication of the reliability of the service and safety your data in case of server failure.
6. Technical Support & Customer Feedback – Most companies claim to offer technical support 24X7, and the veracity of these claims can always be verified by talking to other customers utilizing the service.
7. Domain Name Ownership – Find out if the webhosting company will register the domain name with you as the owner as resolving disputes over domain name ownership can become quite expensive.
How Do I Erase all my Data on my Hard Disk?
You may spend a lot of time deleting sensitive files and then decide to format your old hard disk and get rid of the data. This is just not enough. Even after deletion and formatting, data can be retrieved from your old hard disk by anyone who knows about data recovery.
When you delete a file, only the address of the file is deleted. The data on the file continues to exist on the hard disk. What formatting a drive does is that it removes the boot records and leaves your data on the drive. The Operating System may display that the disk is empty because it cannot find the links to the files, but they are there all the same.
One way of efficiently erasing all the files on your hard disk is to format it and then fill each bit on the hard disk with zeros. There are several freeware, shareware and commercial tools available to perform this task for you.
If the data on your old hard disk is so sensitive that you want absolutely no chance of data recovery – you could do one of the following:
1. Perform the format and zero-fill process several times. This should discourage even the most dedicated malicious person attempting data recovery.
2. Another option is to do the format and zero-fill method by opting for a different file system each time. This makes sure your data can never be recovered.
However, be aware that encrypting your data just before formatting the hard disk prior to giving it away will not protect your data. You have to follow the encryption policy right from the outset for this strategy to work.
Friday
What Should I do, my Computer is slow
When you start a task on a computer and you have the time to go for a coffee break or a have a nice chat at the water cooler before you get a response, you know that your computer is too slow. Having a computer with a large response time can be really irritating, not to mention the resulting loss in productivity.
There are a few simple steps that you can take yourself to try and solve the problem before looking for a computer technician.
>Fragmented Hard Drive – A disk that has not been defragmented for a long time can make data retrieval really slow and is one of the chief causes contributing to a slow computer. Running a disk defragmenting utility should fix this problem.
>Bloated Registry files – If you are not in the habit of scanning your registry files for inconsistencies caused due to installed/removed programs, the registry size can increase. As registry entries are checked periodically, it may contribute to slowness of your computer. Scanning the registry and removing inconsistencies should take care of this.
>Too Many Programs – Your computer may have many programs that are automatically invoked at startup even if you are not planning to use them. Click the Start button and choose Run. Type in msconfig in the window that appears. Uncheck any programs that you do not use in the Startup tab. This will prevent unnecessary programs from running the next time you startup.
>Too many Services – When your computer starts up, services required by the Operating System and installed programs are started. Frequently, services used programs that have been uninstalled are also available along with services that are nonessential to you. These services can contribute to the slowdown and can be removed using the Services tab after invoking the msconfig utility.
>Viruses – Viruses, Trojans, Spyware and Adware can be another major cause of slowdown. A good anti-virus and spyware checker can solve this problem.
>Increase the RAM – Sometimes insufficient RAM can be the cause of slow computers, so make sure you have at least 512MB – 1GB of RAM installed. This is especially applicable for gaming.
How Do I Convert a PDF File to HTML?
Before we look into how to convert a PDF file to HTML, let us take a quick look at what these terms mean.PDF is an acronym for Portable Document Format, a proprietary file format developed by Adobe Systems. Files in this format have a .pdf extension. This format makes two-dimensional documents portable - a PDF will look the same regardless of the hardware or Operating System. PDF is very popular in desktop publishing. Reading PDF files is facilitated by Adobe Acrobat Reader, which is available as a free download from Adobe Systems. Creating PDF documents may require you to buy the software from the makers.
HTML stands for Hyper Text Markup Language and the files have a .html or a .htm extension. HTML is a language for describing the structure, semantics and the appearance of a document. HTML is mainly used to render web pages in browsers like Internet Explorer and Mozilla. The popularity of HTML can be attributed to the World Wide Web which has millions of web pages residing in servers and transferred whenever a surfer requests a page.
If you do not have Adobe Reader, you can still view PDF files as HTML pages as every computer comes with a web browser capable of handling HTML files.
There are many software packages available today that allow you to convert PDF files to HTML. One easy way to convert PDF documents to HTML is though the Adobe Systems website – You need to have the PDF file uploaded to a website as the URL of the PDF file is required for conversion. Once the file is converted it is displayed in your web browser.
Another way to convert PDF documents to HTML is to locate a good freeware, shareware or commercial software package to do the conversion for you. The problem with freeware or shareware conversion tools may be the inclusion of advertisements in the resulting HTML file or a restriction on the number of pages that can be converted.
Most converters either do a straight PDF to HTML conversion or convert the PDF document to an intermediate format like MS-word format or Rich Text Format (RTF) and then convert to HTML.
Some converters extract the text alone from the PDF documents and return it to you as a text file. In this case, if you know how to use HTML, you can edit this text file using notepad and add the required html tags and save the file with a .html extension. This will allow you to view the contents as a web page but there may be considerable conversion loss.
10 Top Reasons I Love my Mac!
PC users spend most of their time troubleshooting and tweaking their PCs to improve performance and maintain them. But life is not like that with a Mac. As Mac users are fond of saying ‘The Mac just works’! Here are the reasons why I love my Mac:
1. Synergy of Hardware and Software – Unlike a PC where one company makes the hardware and other companies make the software and you are the one who struggles to integrate both, Apple makes both the software and hardware for the Mac which ensures you don’t have any compatibility issues.
2. Truly Plug and Play – When you buy a device for the Mac, you plug it in and that’s it - 99% of the time, you are ready to go. The Mac has drivers for practically all the devices compatible with the Mac and the Operating System (OS) does all the work
3. Great Look and Feel – The look and feel of the Graphic User Interface (GUI) used in the Mac is great – that figures, since Macs were the first computers to have GUI-based interaction using a mouse.
4. Aesthetics – The Macs look good! If this reason seems trivial to you, just look at the clunky computers littering the marketplace and you’ll immediately begin to appreciate the design effort that has gone into making the Mac look good.
5. Mac OSX – The Mac OSX is one of the most advanced Operating Systems available and is based on UNIX. The Mac OS is one of the major reasons why people who switchover to the Mac, Stick to it. The OS just about takes care of itself with updates and most of the housekeeping performed automatically in the background.
6. State of the Art CPU – Mac uses the same Pentium CPU that powers your PC and the speed and other parameters are as good as any PC
7. Intelligent Device Management – Macs are good at detecting the device you connect to them and automatically open the software to be used with the device without any user intervention, even if the device is being connected for the first time.
8. Hassle-free Networking – The Mac can automatically detect wireless networks, freeing you from configuring Wi-fi networks yourself. You can connect the Mac easily to a Local area Network just like any PC.
9. Microsoft Office – If you are comfortable with Microsoft Office and don’t want to change over to another office suite, the Mac can run all components of the MS-Office.
10. Missing Windows? If you like the Mac hardware but still hanker after Windows, you could install windows on the Mac – In fact, like a PC you could run any or multiple OS on the Mac.
10 Top Reasons Why I have to Upgrade my Computer?
The rate at which technology is improving is very fast and in the time you get comfortable with the computer hardware you have bought, several new and improved models appear in the market. While some people prefer to keep their computers state of the art, most of us have a ‘If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it’ attitude when it comes to upgrading or replacing our computers.
This is a strategy that could prove expensive in the long run. It is always better to upgrade your computer on a regular basis, especially if you have had it for over 2-3 years. Even if your computer has had a largely trouble-free existence, you really need to consider periodic upgrades and here are the reasons why you must dos so:
1. Increase in Processing Speed – This is one place where you really get to notice an improvement in performance. If you are upgrading from a Celeron 433MHz processor to a Pentium 4 1.6GHz, you would really notice the difference in performance!
2. Faster Memory Access – Improvements in CPU speed are usually accompanied by improvements in the speed at which data transfer occurs between the CPU and RAM. This is another area that provides an improvement in performance.
3. Size and Capacity improvements – Technology drives a reduction in component size coupled with an increase in storage capacity. This means that a RAM card or Hard disk of the similar size as the older ones in your computer could have double the capacity!
4. Software Compatibility – Many of the new software packages you may wish to use in order to improve your productivity or entertainment experience may not function well on you old computer. It is better to upgrade your computer to enjoy the benefits of new software fully.
5. Obsolescence of Hardware – As your hardware gets older; getting a replacement will get more difficult once manufacturers begin phasing out the production. With improvement in technology, the older hardware becomes cheaper initially and becomes expensive as supply dries up.
6. Technical Support Issues – Many manufacturers stop providing technical support for older components as they cease production. The older your computer gets, the harder it is to find help in fixing it when it malfunctions.
7. Development of New Hardware – New hardware products appear in the market frequently that revolutionize your computer experience and are based on newly developed technology. The chances of your old computer supporting new devices are very low.
8. Faster Devices – Your old computer may not be in a position to accommodate the speed at which the new devices communicate.
9. New, Fast Communication Protocols – You may not be able to implement newer or faster communication protocols in your old computer because the hardware is unable to support them.
10. Operating System and File Format – Your old hardware may not be able to run newer operating systems and some of the file formats may not be supported.
What is Computer Desktop Remote Computer Access?
You are due to give a presentation at work on Monday - you have worked all weekend on perfecting it and when you reach office you find to your horror that you forgot to update the file on your USB drive. If you have ever found yourself in a similar situation, you might have wished very hard for access to your computer at home for just a short while to transfer the file.
This is exactly the function performed by Remote Computer Access – it helps you to use a computer to connect to another computer over the Internet for file access and for getting information even when the computers are separated by several miles.
There are two ways of achieving this – one is to use the Shared file system provided by Windows and the other is to use commercial software with a proprietary system. Remote access need not be confined to file access alone; you can also control the desktop of a computer that has been configured for remote access.
Once your computer has been configured for remote access, you can sit in front of a computer anywhere in the world and use the Internet to work on your computer – of course, the main drawback will be the delay in the response from your computer which would be a function of the distance separating you and your computer and the network speed. Drawbacks aside, the flexibility provided by remote access is enormous and eliminates the need to synchronize files on two different computers.
The level of access provided by remote access depends on the operating systems used on the client machine and the remote computer. If you are using Windows XP on both, the task is simplified as Windows XP comes with inbuilt support for remote access. You can log in to the remote machine using the same credentials you would use while sitting in front of it. Remote access is also secure.
With the remote desktop enabled, you can run programs on the remote computer, edit, save and transfer files between the two systems. Be aware that file transfer may be slow. You can print out documents from the remote computer on the printer connected to the computer where you are working and also hear audio played on the remote computer.
Setting up the remote desktop under Windows XP is simple and access can be initiated by selecting Start->programs->accessories->communications->remote desktop connection. Just type in the IP address of the remote computer in the window that pops up and click on Connect. You can now access the remote desktop. Once you are done, you can log-off from the remote computer to terminate the session.
This is exactly the function performed by Remote Computer Access – it helps you to use a computer to connect to another computer over the Internet for file access and for getting information even when the computers are separated by several miles.
There are two ways of achieving this – one is to use the Shared file system provided by Windows and the other is to use commercial software with a proprietary system. Remote access need not be confined to file access alone; you can also control the desktop of a computer that has been configured for remote access.
Once your computer has been configured for remote access, you can sit in front of a computer anywhere in the world and use the Internet to work on your computer – of course, the main drawback will be the delay in the response from your computer which would be a function of the distance separating you and your computer and the network speed. Drawbacks aside, the flexibility provided by remote access is enormous and eliminates the need to synchronize files on two different computers.
The level of access provided by remote access depends on the operating systems used on the client machine and the remote computer. If you are using Windows XP on both, the task is simplified as Windows XP comes with inbuilt support for remote access. You can log in to the remote machine using the same credentials you would use while sitting in front of it. Remote access is also secure.
With the remote desktop enabled, you can run programs on the remote computer, edit, save and transfer files between the two systems. Be aware that file transfer may be slow. You can print out documents from the remote computer on the printer connected to the computer where you are working and also hear audio played on the remote computer.
Setting up the remote desktop under Windows XP is simple and access can be initiated by selecting Start->programs->accessories->communications->remote desktop connection. Just type in the IP address of the remote computer in the window that pops up and click on Connect. You can now access the remote desktop. Once you are done, you can log-off from the remote computer to terminate the session.
What is a USB Flash Drive?
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a high-speed serial communication protocol used for communication between the computer and the USB flash drive. Connecting and disconnecting a USB flash drive is very simple. A USB flash drive can be connected to the computer by plugging it into the USB port. There are no other connectors or power cables required. The drive derives its power from the USB connector itself.
Whenever a USB flash drive is connected to the computer an icon indicating the presence of the drive is displayed in the system tray in a Computer running Windows Operating System. However, it is not advised to simply pull out the drive when you are done with it, you must stop the drive before you disconnect it and this can be done by right clicking the mouse over the USB drive icon in the system tray and stopping the device. Once the message asking you to disconnect the drive is displayed, the drive can be disconnected safely.
The computer treats a USB flash drive just like a hard disk, enabling you to perform all the actions that would normally be done in a hard disk. This includes file movement, modification, saving and deleting data and formatting.
Normally USB flash drives are available with FAT32 file system but they can be formatted to work with any Operating System that supports them.
However, defragmenting a USB flash drive is not advisable as it produces no significant improvement in performance and may actually reduce the life of the drive. This is because a USB flash drive uses EEPROM storage that can be written only a fixed number of times and the erasing and rewrite of data performed during defragmenting would shorten the life of the drive.
USB flash drives have several security related features built in to protect your data. It is common to see USB drives with write protection or with biometric security features like fingerprint recognition for a valid user. Since they are very small in size they may also come with provision for attaching a tag that makes it easier to carry.
The data stored in a USB flash drive can be stored reliably for as long as 2 years. They are very sturdy and dropping them does not cause you to lose data. The price to storage ratio is also very good. The downside of USB flash drives are that their small size makes it easy for them to be misplaced or lost or just forgotten. They are very sturdy and dropping them does not cause you to lose data.
7 Top Reasons Why You Have to Regularly Install Updates on your Computer
Have you ever come across a message on your computer saying that a particular feature or software that you are attempting to use is not supported?
You have a resident anti-virus program scanning and protecting your computer and yet, people you know complain about receiving viruses in emails sent by you? If this is frequently the case, have you been updating all the software and the Operating System installed on your computer regularly?Many computer users do not pay attention to regular update notices issued by makers of software, and prefer to give the updates a go-by and continue with what they are doing. This is not a very wise move as regular software updates can make your computer more efficient and improve your productivity by giving you more efficient use of installed software.
Here’s why you should make it a practice to periodically update your software
1. Eliminate Bugs – Most makers of software regularly release patches and updates correcting the bugs that have been brought to their attention. By updating the software, you eliminate potential errors.
2. Improve Security – Software inevitably has many weak points that can be exploited by unscrupulous hackers to attack your computer if you happen to use that software. Updates usually improve the security aspect of the software by removing these vulnerabilities.
3. Added Features – Throughout the lifecycle of a software product, market demand drives the inclusion of added features such as multilingual support and expansion of file formats supported. Updating software ensures that you benefit from these improvements.
4. Using Third-Party Software – After software is released into the market, several third-party programs may be released for working with the software installed on your computer. The software manufacturer may also release updates with plug-ins for seamless data interchange between the software packages. You may not be in a position to get the most out of the third-party software without installing updates on your computer.
5. Fading Technical Support – The older a software release gets, fewer resources are expended on technical support by the makers. In order to ensure availability of technical support, updating software is essential.
6. Incompatibility with Newer Software – With the fast-pace in technology advancement, older versions of software may not function correctly or efficiently with later software whereas updated versions keep pace with technology changes.
7. Enhanced Device Connectivity – The makers of the software attempt to increase the range of hardware devices that their software can interact with in their updates and installing updates can help you extend the range of the hardware that can be used with your computer.
5 Basic Steps to Fix that Blue Screen of Death
Did your computer just come to a grinding halt and freeze at a blue screen showing a lot of messages in white? You’ve just encountered the famous Blue Screen resulting from a Windows Stop error – more colorfully known among the Windows Operating System user community as the Blue Screen of Death or BSOD. If this has just happened to you don’t despair, help is at hand!
Most Blue Screen situations come up after some kind of Software or Hardware install or uninstall resulting in a hardware or software error from which Windows cannot gracefully recover.
A careful perusal of the screen shows you the error number associated with the crash, a recommendation from Windows on the action you should take, and in the end, the name of the file that caused the crash.
In case you just saw the Blue Screen, here are a few steps you could follow to fix it:
1. Restart the Computer – Most of the errors related to the Blue Screen can be solved with a simple reboot. If the error persists, you may need to follow the steps given below.
2. Restart in Safe Mode – Windows loads only a minimal set of drivers in safe mode and it is easy to isolate any software-related problem. When you restart the computer and the Power-On Self-test (POST) screen is displayed, hit F8 and choose Safe Mode in the Advanced Options Menu that appears and hit Enter. Once Windows is loaded, you can uninstall and reinstall the software that caused the error.
3. Use Last Known Good Configuration – If starting Windows in safe mode doesn’t work, you can reboot and choose the Advanced Options menu as before, to boot into the last known good configuration. This causes a System Restore to the point just before the installation or uninstall.
4. Disconnect New/Faulty Hardware – If you are unable to use the last known good configuration, the probability of a hardware error is very high and you may need to disconnect any hardware installed just prior to the crash or check if any of your hardware is faulty. Once the offending hardware device is removed or replaced, the problem should be fixed.
5. Repair/Reinstall Windows – If none of the steps above are able to get rid of the Blue Screen, it is possible that the Windows system files are irreparably corrupt and you should consider repairing the Windows installation. Insert the Windows CD-ROM into the drive and boot from CD-ROM drive. You will be led to the Windows Recovery console using which you can repair windows and attempt to reboot. If this fails too, then you may have to reinstall the entire Windows Operating System using the CD-ROM.
Most Blue Screen situations come up after some kind of Software or Hardware install or uninstall resulting in a hardware or software error from which Windows cannot gracefully recover.
A careful perusal of the screen shows you the error number associated with the crash, a recommendation from Windows on the action you should take, and in the end, the name of the file that caused the crash.
In case you just saw the Blue Screen, here are a few steps you could follow to fix it:
1. Restart the Computer – Most of the errors related to the Blue Screen can be solved with a simple reboot. If the error persists, you may need to follow the steps given below.
2. Restart in Safe Mode – Windows loads only a minimal set of drivers in safe mode and it is easy to isolate any software-related problem. When you restart the computer and the Power-On Self-test (POST) screen is displayed, hit F8 and choose Safe Mode in the Advanced Options Menu that appears and hit Enter. Once Windows is loaded, you can uninstall and reinstall the software that caused the error.
3. Use Last Known Good Configuration – If starting Windows in safe mode doesn’t work, you can reboot and choose the Advanced Options menu as before, to boot into the last known good configuration. This causes a System Restore to the point just before the installation or uninstall.
4. Disconnect New/Faulty Hardware – If you are unable to use the last known good configuration, the probability of a hardware error is very high and you may need to disconnect any hardware installed just prior to the crash or check if any of your hardware is faulty. Once the offending hardware device is removed or replaced, the problem should be fixed.
5. Repair/Reinstall Windows – If none of the steps above are able to get rid of the Blue Screen, it is possible that the Windows system files are irreparably corrupt and you should consider repairing the Windows installation. Insert the Windows CD-ROM into the drive and boot from CD-ROM drive. You will be led to the Windows Recovery console using which you can repair windows and attempt to reboot. If this fails too, then you may have to reinstall the entire Windows Operating System using the CD-ROM.
What is the Difference between Firmware and Hardware?
Let us take a look at what ‘Hardware’ means when you talk about computers – almost all of the devices that you can find assembled into your computer come under the category of hardware. This includes the processor, the memory, the motherboard, the hard disks, the removable media drives (CD-ROM/DVD Reader/Writer, floppy drives, USB drives, the power supply, sound card, networking devices and Input/Output devices.
What makes all these hardware devices work together is the software that controls them. Software is the term given to programs that are usually run on computers. You may be familiar with and may have used many software packages – word processing software such as MS-Word and games are common examples. Software normally resides on the hard disk of the computer and is usually invoked by the operating system to perform specific tasks. It is usually coded in high-level languages like C or Java.
Firmware is a term used for a specific type of software. Many processors (other than the CPU of your computer) require software to implement a functionality and this usually is programmed into some kind of Read-only Memory (ROM) on the device itself. This bundled or embedded software that controls a hardware device is called Firmware. Firmware is code that is meant for a particular hardware device and is usually in machine code (patterns of zeros and ones).
A good example would be that of surfing the Internet – you would use hardware in the form of a network card or a modem to connect to the Internet. The Operating System on your computer communicates with the network card or modem using software called device drivers. The processor around which the modem or the network card is built around would have its own firmware that controls the communication with the Internet and the host (computer).
Another good example of firmware in action is a cell phone, a washing machine or a microwave oven. Firmware is not usually meant to be reprogrammable, though in special cases like a cell phone, it may be so.
If you receive updates from the makers of devices like the CD-ROM drive in your computer that provide additional functionality or remove bugs, it is probably a firmware update and your OS would use the device drivers for that hardware to update the firmware.
What makes all these hardware devices work together is the software that controls them. Software is the term given to programs that are usually run on computers. You may be familiar with and may have used many software packages – word processing software such as MS-Word and games are common examples. Software normally resides on the hard disk of the computer and is usually invoked by the operating system to perform specific tasks. It is usually coded in high-level languages like C or Java.
Firmware is a term used for a specific type of software. Many processors (other than the CPU of your computer) require software to implement a functionality and this usually is programmed into some kind of Read-only Memory (ROM) on the device itself. This bundled or embedded software that controls a hardware device is called Firmware. Firmware is code that is meant for a particular hardware device and is usually in machine code (patterns of zeros and ones).
A good example would be that of surfing the Internet – you would use hardware in the form of a network card or a modem to connect to the Internet. The Operating System on your computer communicates with the network card or modem using software called device drivers. The processor around which the modem or the network card is built around would have its own firmware that controls the communication with the Internet and the host (computer).
Another good example of firmware in action is a cell phone, a washing machine or a microwave oven. Firmware is not usually meant to be reprogrammable, though in special cases like a cell phone, it may be so.
If you receive updates from the makers of devices like the CD-ROM drive in your computer that provide additional functionality or remove bugs, it is probably a firmware update and your OS would use the device drivers for that hardware to update the firmware.
10 Tips to Make your Computer Virus Free
The explosion in Internet use has brought with it the very real threat of viruses that can attack the unwary user. Viruses come in many forms – installers, Trojans and worms all of which can affect the performance of your computer and your privacy seriously. Viruses affect the computer either by corrupting programs or by replicating themselves and denying resources to legitimate programs. Trojans usually come disguised as something desirable and are activated when you try to open or run them. Worms and some Trojans may send themselves to people in your address book in emails, without your knowledge.
Even though the threat posed by viruses is serious, a few precautions taken in time can help you protect and sanitize your computer against viruses.
1. Browse with Caution – Most viruses enter your computer as a result of clicking on pop ups or other links in websites that are not trustworthy. Do not follow links or click on pop ups that could install viruses on your computer.
2. Open Emails Cautiously – At times, even if the subject is innocuous, emails can contain links that lead to a virus entering your computer. If the email is not from a trusted source, treat it with caution.
3. Open Email Attachments with Care – The attachment that the email urges you to open may contain a virus! Make sure your mail manager allows you to preview the type of file (.exe, .com, .vbt in attachments are probably viruses. The same goes for screensaver programs that come to you unsolicited).
4. Installing downloaded programs – Programs downloaded from the Internet can pose a serious threat to your computer. Make sure that the program you have downloaded is from a trusted site or has a certificate issued by a trusted certifying authority.
5. Firewall – There are several firewall software packages available that allow you to prevent unauthorized access to your computer that could be initiated by an infected system.
6. Antivirus – A good antivirus package residing in your computer can be the best protection you can have against viruses. Choose an antivirus package that can comprehensively defend itself against viruses.
7. Regular Virus Scan – The mere presence of anti-virus software in your computer is not enough. Scanning of your computer for viruses must be done on a regular basis to locate and isolate viruses.
8. Update the Anti-Virus - It is very important to update the anti-virus program itself periodically. New viruses are introduced every day and the manufacturers of the anti-virus software update the virus database and capabilities of the anti-virus program regularly.
9. Update windows and all other software – Do not forget to update the Operating System and other software regularly as they are frequently patched to overcome security loopholes and vulnerabilities.
10. Removable Media – Removable media like floppies and USB drives are a major factor facilitating spreading of viruses. Use only trusted devices on your computer.
Even though the threat posed by viruses is serious, a few precautions taken in time can help you protect and sanitize your computer against viruses.
1. Browse with Caution – Most viruses enter your computer as a result of clicking on pop ups or other links in websites that are not trustworthy. Do not follow links or click on pop ups that could install viruses on your computer.
2. Open Emails Cautiously – At times, even if the subject is innocuous, emails can contain links that lead to a virus entering your computer. If the email is not from a trusted source, treat it with caution.
3. Open Email Attachments with Care – The attachment that the email urges you to open may contain a virus! Make sure your mail manager allows you to preview the type of file (.exe, .com, .vbt in attachments are probably viruses. The same goes for screensaver programs that come to you unsolicited).
4. Installing downloaded programs – Programs downloaded from the Internet can pose a serious threat to your computer. Make sure that the program you have downloaded is from a trusted site or has a certificate issued by a trusted certifying authority.
5. Firewall – There are several firewall software packages available that allow you to prevent unauthorized access to your computer that could be initiated by an infected system.
6. Antivirus – A good antivirus package residing in your computer can be the best protection you can have against viruses. Choose an antivirus package that can comprehensively defend itself against viruses.
7. Regular Virus Scan – The mere presence of anti-virus software in your computer is not enough. Scanning of your computer for viruses must be done on a regular basis to locate and isolate viruses.
8. Update the Anti-Virus - It is very important to update the anti-virus program itself periodically. New viruses are introduced every day and the manufacturers of the anti-virus software update the virus database and capabilities of the anti-virus program regularly.
9. Update windows and all other software – Do not forget to update the Operating System and other software regularly as they are frequently patched to overcome security loopholes and vulnerabilities.
10. Removable Media – Removable media like floppies and USB drives are a major factor facilitating spreading of viruses. Use only trusted devices on your computer.
10 Things you Need to Know before you Fix the Error Registry
Windows registry needs to be periodically checked for errors and these inconsistencies need to be resolved for improving the performance of your computer. Additionally, registry entries also take up space on your hard disk and an unchecked registry can lead to large files occupying hard disk space.
Before seeing how to fix registry errors let us first see what affects registry entries and causes inconsistencies. Every time you install or uninstall a program, or update a program or your operating system, your computer keeps track of it by logging the information in the registry. This information is available in the form of registry keys. The factors that can cause inconsistencies in the registry are numerous.
For viewing the information in the registry, click the Windows Start button, choose Run and type in regedit in the window that appears and hit Enter. A Registry Editor window should pop up. You may not understand the registry entries immediately – modifying the registry using regedit is an option best left to advanced users.
1. A computer that takes too long to start up or shut down may be displaying the symptoms of errors in the registry. Try defragmenting the hard disk - if it does not solve the problem, you need to check the registry for errors.
2. If you understand the registry entries, check the registry for applications that are no longer in your computer, these need to be removed.
3. If you feel that there are too many entries in the registry or are not sure about the various options, there are several freeware, shareware and commercial software packages available that can scan a registry and report errors.
4. Once you have ascertained that errors do exist in the registry, it is really important to backup the current contents of the registry. If you modify the registry there is a chance that you may not able to boot up windows so use the File->Export option in the registry editor to store the current registry file in a suitable location as backup in case the Error Fixing goes wrong.
5. You can also use Start->Run->Ntbackup and follow instructions to create a backup before fixing error registry.
6. Once you have taken the backup, keep the backed up registry file on removable media like a floppy drive or CD-ROM. If you run into registry related problems, you can fix it by importing the backed up file and bringing your system back to a known state.
7. Create a System Restore point so that you can restore the system to a known state in case of errors.
8. If you are a novice or even an intermediate user, editing the registry entries yourself is NOT recommended. Make sure you have someone from Technical Support to walk you through it.
9. Get a freeware, shareware or commercial registry cleaning software to fix the errors and inconsistencies in the registry.
10. Before you commence fixing errors make sure you are logged in as Administrator otherwise, you may not have privilege to modify the registry.
Before seeing how to fix registry errors let us first see what affects registry entries and causes inconsistencies. Every time you install or uninstall a program, or update a program or your operating system, your computer keeps track of it by logging the information in the registry. This information is available in the form of registry keys. The factors that can cause inconsistencies in the registry are numerous.
For viewing the information in the registry, click the Windows Start button, choose Run and type in regedit in the window that appears and hit Enter. A Registry Editor window should pop up. You may not understand the registry entries immediately – modifying the registry using regedit is an option best left to advanced users.
1. A computer that takes too long to start up or shut down may be displaying the symptoms of errors in the registry. Try defragmenting the hard disk - if it does not solve the problem, you need to check the registry for errors.
2. If you understand the registry entries, check the registry for applications that are no longer in your computer, these need to be removed.
3. If you feel that there are too many entries in the registry or are not sure about the various options, there are several freeware, shareware and commercial software packages available that can scan a registry and report errors.
4. Once you have ascertained that errors do exist in the registry, it is really important to backup the current contents of the registry. If you modify the registry there is a chance that you may not able to boot up windows so use the File->Export option in the registry editor to store the current registry file in a suitable location as backup in case the Error Fixing goes wrong.
5. You can also use Start->Run->Ntbackup and follow instructions to create a backup before fixing error registry.
6. Once you have taken the backup, keep the backed up registry file on removable media like a floppy drive or CD-ROM. If you run into registry related problems, you can fix it by importing the backed up file and bringing your system back to a known state.
7. Create a System Restore point so that you can restore the system to a known state in case of errors.
8. If you are a novice or even an intermediate user, editing the registry entries yourself is NOT recommended. Make sure you have someone from Technical Support to walk you through it.
9. Get a freeware, shareware or commercial registry cleaning software to fix the errors and inconsistencies in the registry.
10. Before you commence fixing errors make sure you are logged in as Administrator otherwise, you may not have privilege to modify the registry.
10 Factors to Consider in Choosing the Best Laptop
Now that you have decided to treat yourself to a good laptop computer, the next step is to identify the features you would desire in a laptop. Some of the factors affecting your choice could be:
1. Processor and Operating System – Make sure the CPU in the laptop can handle the applications that you are most likely to run. You can buy a commercial OS or get free distribution of an open source OS like Linux. Remember that a commercial distribution comes with technical support but open source distributions may not.
2. Weight – If you are going to be mobile with the laptop, it is in your interest to choose one that is not too heavy. Try hefting several laptops and choose one that is sturdy yet light.
3. Input Devices – The keyboard and trackpad with pointer are most common input devices available. Try to use these devices before buying the laptop to make sure you can operate them comfortably. Remember that the keyboards on a laptop cannot be replaced easily.
4. LCD Screen size and Clarity – Laptop LCD screens come in a variety of sizes with the diagonal measurement usually indicating the size. Ensure that the images are clear and bright when viewed at various resolutions, lighting conditions and viewing angles.
5. Hard Disk – Make sure the hard disk is a high-capacity device (120 GB or higher). With higher capacity hard disks, the laptop may become uncomfortably hot. Factor this in if you are likely to actually keep it on your lap for a long time.
6. Battery – Battery capacity can help you make a decision on whether to buy a standby battery, especially if you intend to be mobile for long hours.
7. Wireless Connectivity – For hassle-free connectivity, make sure the laptop has Bluetooth capability and an 802.11 card for connecting to wireless devices.
8. DVD Read/Write Drive – Even if you have a high-capacity hard disk, data backup is inevitable, and a DVD R/W drive can help you backup close to 4.5GB with every DVD.
9. Anti-theft Device – It is easy to lose your laptop, so invest in anti-theft devices like a securing cable or features to disable your OS in case of theft or the capability to pinpoint the location when connected to the Internet after a theft has been reported.
10. USB and IEEE1394 – Be sure to buy a laptop with at least two USB ports and an IEEE1394 connection. Many peripherals like thumb drives, imaging devices and iPods connect using these interfaces.
1. Processor and Operating System – Make sure the CPU in the laptop can handle the applications that you are most likely to run. You can buy a commercial OS or get free distribution of an open source OS like Linux. Remember that a commercial distribution comes with technical support but open source distributions may not.
2. Weight – If you are going to be mobile with the laptop, it is in your interest to choose one that is not too heavy. Try hefting several laptops and choose one that is sturdy yet light.
3. Input Devices – The keyboard and trackpad with pointer are most common input devices available. Try to use these devices before buying the laptop to make sure you can operate them comfortably. Remember that the keyboards on a laptop cannot be replaced easily.
4. LCD Screen size and Clarity – Laptop LCD screens come in a variety of sizes with the diagonal measurement usually indicating the size. Ensure that the images are clear and bright when viewed at various resolutions, lighting conditions and viewing angles.
5. Hard Disk – Make sure the hard disk is a high-capacity device (120 GB or higher). With higher capacity hard disks, the laptop may become uncomfortably hot. Factor this in if you are likely to actually keep it on your lap for a long time.
6. Battery – Battery capacity can help you make a decision on whether to buy a standby battery, especially if you intend to be mobile for long hours.
7. Wireless Connectivity – For hassle-free connectivity, make sure the laptop has Bluetooth capability and an 802.11 card for connecting to wireless devices.
8. DVD Read/Write Drive – Even if you have a high-capacity hard disk, data backup is inevitable, and a DVD R/W drive can help you backup close to 4.5GB with every DVD.
9. Anti-theft Device – It is easy to lose your laptop, so invest in anti-theft devices like a securing cable or features to disable your OS in case of theft or the capability to pinpoint the location when connected to the Internet after a theft has been reported.
10. USB and IEEE1394 – Be sure to buy a laptop with at least two USB ports and an IEEE1394 connection. Many peripherals like thumb drives, imaging devices and iPods connect using these interfaces.
How Do I Replace a Battery for my Laptop?
If the charge in your laptop battery is dying out noticeably faster, you may need to replace it. Battery performance is affected by many factors like the environment, age and frequency of utilization.
Every battery has a certain number of charge cycles specified by the manufacturer and indicates the number of times you can charge the battery – this figure is around 400 - 1200 for a standard Lithium-ion laptop battery. Once this limit is crossed, the battery performance begins to deteriorate.
Depending on the devices available in the laptop and their usage, the battery might be able to power the laptop for 2-3 hours before it needs to be recharged. Normal battery lifetime is in the range of 1.5 – 2 years. If you use the laptop continuously and recharge the battery several times a day; it may need to be replaced well before the timeframe specified by the manufacturer.
These steps must be followed for battery replacement:
1. Buy a New Battery – Make sure you purchase a replacement battery that is compatible with your laptop.
2. Unpack the New Battery - Remove all packaging material and keep have the new battery ready to be popped into the laptop immediately.
3. Undock Laptop – If your laptop is connected to a docking device, you need to undock it before attempting to replace the battery.
4. Turn Off Laptop – You may not want to lose any files you are working on or risk corruption of software, so it may be better to turn off the laptop.
5. Unplug AC Power/Internet Connection – It is a good practice to disconnect your laptop from the AC outlet, Internet and Telephone before replacing the battery.
6. Flip the Laptop Over – Most laptops have the battery release mechanism on the underside of the laptop. If you are not sure where you should look you can refer to the documentation of the laptop or have Technical support guide you.
7. Unlock and Remove Old Battery – Laptop batteries usually use a two-step locking mechanism, first there are latches holding the battery that need to be released and then a sliding motion has to be performed to release the battery completely. Your laptop documentation can be invaluable in this
8. Position New Battery – Follow the reverse process for fixing the new battery. First slide and then latch the new battery. If the latches get stuck, you may need to adjust the positioning of the battery.
9. Charge Battery – Bring laptop to usual position; replace all the cables that you disconnected earlier, including the AC power. Charge your battery for the duration specified by the manufacturer before using it.
Every battery has a certain number of charge cycles specified by the manufacturer and indicates the number of times you can charge the battery – this figure is around 400 - 1200 for a standard Lithium-ion laptop battery. Once this limit is crossed, the battery performance begins to deteriorate.
Depending on the devices available in the laptop and their usage, the battery might be able to power the laptop for 2-3 hours before it needs to be recharged. Normal battery lifetime is in the range of 1.5 – 2 years. If you use the laptop continuously and recharge the battery several times a day; it may need to be replaced well before the timeframe specified by the manufacturer.
These steps must be followed for battery replacement:
1. Buy a New Battery – Make sure you purchase a replacement battery that is compatible with your laptop.
2. Unpack the New Battery - Remove all packaging material and keep have the new battery ready to be popped into the laptop immediately.
3. Undock Laptop – If your laptop is connected to a docking device, you need to undock it before attempting to replace the battery.
4. Turn Off Laptop – You may not want to lose any files you are working on or risk corruption of software, so it may be better to turn off the laptop.
5. Unplug AC Power/Internet Connection – It is a good practice to disconnect your laptop from the AC outlet, Internet and Telephone before replacing the battery.
6. Flip the Laptop Over – Most laptops have the battery release mechanism on the underside of the laptop. If you are not sure where you should look you can refer to the documentation of the laptop or have Technical support guide you.
7. Unlock and Remove Old Battery – Laptop batteries usually use a two-step locking mechanism, first there are latches holding the battery that need to be released and then a sliding motion has to be performed to release the battery completely. Your laptop documentation can be invaluable in this
8. Position New Battery – Follow the reverse process for fixing the new battery. First slide and then latch the new battery. If the latches get stuck, you may need to adjust the positioning of the battery.
9. Charge Battery – Bring laptop to usual position; replace all the cables that you disconnected earlier, including the AC power. Charge your battery for the duration specified by the manufacturer before using it.
Tuesday
How Do I Make A Windows XP Bootup Disk? What happens if you are unable to start your computer because the Operating System (OS) could not be loaded?
What happens if you are unable to start your computer because the Operating System (OS) could not be loaded? This could happen when any file used for the booting process becomes corrupt or lost, or if your system has been affected by a virus.
You need a set of clean files that will allow you to load the OS and access the file system and services in case your PC is unable to boot. Keeping a backup of the files critical to this functionality on a Bootup disk is good practice.
Let us see what exactly happens when you turn on your computer - the BIOS is loaded first. Normally, the BIOS runs some tests on the system hardware at startup, after which it locates a bootable device on your computer (Floppy, CD-ROM, Hard disk) and the Master Boot Record (MBR) is loaded into the memory. The MBR locates the active partition and loads the boot sector into the memory. The boot sector has the code to start the bootstrap loader which then loads the OS (Windows, Linux, Unix, MacOS) into the memory.
In case of Windows XP, the bootstrap loader is called Ntldr. The bootstrap loader must be located in the active partition, in the root folder. In addition to this file, Windows XP also requires Ntdetect.com, boot.ini, bootsect.dos (for dual boot) and Ntbootdd.sys (needed if you plan to use SCSI devices) to be available in the same folder, on the active partition.
Ntldr uses Ntdetect.com, boot.ini, and bootsect.dos to let you choose the operating system that is to be loaded. Once Windows XP is chosen from the boot menu, Ntldr runs Ntoskrnl.exe which in turn launches Winlogon and Lsass, which then displays the welcome screen and allows you to log on.
Any Bootup floppy you create must be done on a system that has Windows XP already working on it and is free of viruses. Insert a blank floppy in the floppy drive; format it by right clicking on the floppy icon.
Once you have a formatted virus-free floppy in a virus-free system, copy Ntldr, Ntdetect.com, and the boot.ini files onto the floppy. You can either copy these files from the Windows CD-ROM or from your computer. As an added measure, the edit program available in windows could be copied on to the Bootup disk so that you can use it to edit boot.ini if necessary.
You need a set of clean files that will allow you to load the OS and access the file system and services in case your PC is unable to boot. Keeping a backup of the files critical to this functionality on a Bootup disk is good practice.
Let us see what exactly happens when you turn on your computer - the BIOS is loaded first. Normally, the BIOS runs some tests on the system hardware at startup, after which it locates a bootable device on your computer (Floppy, CD-ROM, Hard disk) and the Master Boot Record (MBR) is loaded into the memory. The MBR locates the active partition and loads the boot sector into the memory. The boot sector has the code to start the bootstrap loader which then loads the OS (Windows, Linux, Unix, MacOS) into the memory.
In case of Windows XP, the bootstrap loader is called Ntldr. The bootstrap loader must be located in the active partition, in the root folder. In addition to this file, Windows XP also requires Ntdetect.com, boot.ini, bootsect.dos (for dual boot) and Ntbootdd.sys (needed if you plan to use SCSI devices) to be available in the same folder, on the active partition.
Ntldr uses Ntdetect.com, boot.ini, and bootsect.dos to let you choose the operating system that is to be loaded. Once Windows XP is chosen from the boot menu, Ntldr runs Ntoskrnl.exe which in turn launches Winlogon and Lsass, which then displays the welcome screen and allows you to log on.
Any Bootup floppy you create must be done on a system that has Windows XP already working on it and is free of viruses. Insert a blank floppy in the floppy drive; format it by right clicking on the floppy icon.
Once you have a formatted virus-free floppy in a virus-free system, copy Ntldr, Ntdetect.com, and the boot.ini files onto the floppy. You can either copy these files from the Windows CD-ROM or from your computer. As an added measure, the edit program available in windows could be copied on to the Bootup disk so that you can use it to edit boot.ini if necessary.
Sunday
What is an FTP Transfer? How Do I Use it?
FTP stands for File Transfer Protocol, it is a secure way of exchanging files over the internet. We use FTP almost every time we use the internet. When you download an image, music, or video from the internet or play online games, you use FTP. When you download a file from the internet, you are actually transferring or moving the file from another computer to your computer. Because FTP makes it possible to transfer files back and forth and from one computer to another, FTP is very important for anyone who creates Web pages, whether amateur or professional.
A computer that is dedicated to receive FTP connection is an FTP server or FTP site. You can access an FTP site using a browser like Firefox, Chrome, or Internet Explorer. When you connect to an FTP site that allows anonymous log in you will not be ask for a login and a password that is why most of the time you download something from the internet you are not even aware that you are actually connecting to an FTP server.
To make good FTP connections for uploading and downloading files you can use a dedicated FTP software program, referred to as an FTP 'Client'. With an FTP client, uploading and downloading files is very easy. With an FTP client it is also possible to resume downloads that were stopped or unsuccessful. You can install an FTP client in your computer. A popular FTP client is FileZilla, a free software. It is fast and reliable with many features and an intuitive user interface. It also supports FTP over SSL/TLS (FTPS) and SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
A computer that is dedicated to receive FTP connection is an FTP server or FTP site. You can access an FTP site using a browser like Firefox, Chrome, or Internet Explorer. When you connect to an FTP site that allows anonymous log in you will not be ask for a login and a password that is why most of the time you download something from the internet you are not even aware that you are actually connecting to an FTP server.
To make good FTP connections for uploading and downloading files you can use a dedicated FTP software program, referred to as an FTP 'Client'. With an FTP client, uploading and downloading files is very easy. With an FTP client it is also possible to resume downloads that were stopped or unsuccessful. You can install an FTP client in your computer. A popular FTP client is FileZilla, a free software. It is fast and reliable with many features and an intuitive user interface. It also supports FTP over SSL/TLS (FTPS) and SSH File Transfer Protocol (SFTP).
How Do I decrease the file size of a PDF File?
There are many factors that can affect the size of a PDF file. If you know these factors it would be possible for you to get the smallest possible file size of the PDF document that you create. The factors that affect the size of PDF files are the way the fonts are embedded, the images resolution and image type, and the version of the PDF and level of compression.
To make your PDF file smaller, Adobe suggests that you use "Save as" instead of "Save" every time you make a change in the PDF document you are creating. When you use the "Save" changes you make are appended to your file and this of course adds to the size. When you use the "Save as" you will overwrite the entire PDF and you are saving just the latest form of your document after the change.
Another thing that could add to the size of the PDF file is the named destination, every ten or so named destinatons could add at least a kilobyte to the PDF size. So if you think that named destinations is not that necessary in your PDF document do not include them.
You can also use Adobe Acrobat's PDF optimizer to see which elemnts in your PDF document could take up the most space. To use the PDF Optimizer, click "Advanced" in the menu bar and select PDF Optimizer and then click on Audit Space Usage.
The elements in your PDF document that obviously add a lot to the total size of the final PDF are the images. as much as possible use vector-based graphics. Vector-based graphics are better than GIF in many aspects : they scale perfectly, look better, and take up lesser space. Avoid inserting bitmap graphics but if it could not be avoided, prepare it for maximum compression and minimum dimensions.
If you are creating PDF for the web and not for printing use RGB which has one less data channel than CMYK. As much as possible do not embed your fonts, fonts take up a lot of space.
Lastly, it is good to use newer versions of Acrobat because they have a more advanced compression system that can result in smaller PDF file size.
To make your PDF file smaller, Adobe suggests that you use "Save as" instead of "Save" every time you make a change in the PDF document you are creating. When you use the "Save" changes you make are appended to your file and this of course adds to the size. When you use the "Save as" you will overwrite the entire PDF and you are saving just the latest form of your document after the change.
Another thing that could add to the size of the PDF file is the named destination, every ten or so named destinatons could add at least a kilobyte to the PDF size. So if you think that named destinations is not that necessary in your PDF document do not include them.
You can also use Adobe Acrobat's PDF optimizer to see which elemnts in your PDF document could take up the most space. To use the PDF Optimizer, click "Advanced" in the menu bar and select PDF Optimizer and then click on Audit Space Usage.
The elements in your PDF document that obviously add a lot to the total size of the final PDF are the images. as much as possible use vector-based graphics. Vector-based graphics are better than GIF in many aspects : they scale perfectly, look better, and take up lesser space. Avoid inserting bitmap graphics but if it could not be avoided, prepare it for maximum compression and minimum dimensions.
If you are creating PDF for the web and not for printing use RGB which has one less data channel than CMYK. As much as possible do not embed your fonts, fonts take up a lot of space.
Lastly, it is good to use newer versions of Acrobat because they have a more advanced compression system that can result in smaller PDF file size.
How Do I Recover Files from a Crashed Computer?
The worst disaster that any computer user can experience is having his or her computer crash. A crash could mean loss of important files. The common cause of computer crashes are viruses and malware. It is a sad truth that no matter how careful we are, the possibility of a malware or deadly virus to slip through our guard is always high. When your computer crashes and you do not have back up of your important files, don't panic, it is still possible to recover data from the hard disk. There are good data recovery software that can recover files from crashed computers. It does not require special skills to use these data recovery programs, all one needs to know is the ability to follow instructions. If your crashed hard drive still makes scratching sounds when you attempt to recover data using a data recovery software, it is still possible to recover the files in it. What is bad is when the hard disk is totally dead, the hope of recovering files from it is very slim and only experts in data recovery can recover the files in it.
One good software for recovering files from crashed hard drive is Recover My Files. This software is fast and easy to use. Another worth checking out is Data Recovery Wizard. Actually if you just make a Google search you will find a lot of good data recovery software. I have personally tried the two data recovery software I mentioned above so I can guarantee that they are really good. Of course you need another computer when you attempt to recover data from a crashed one. All you need to do is install the crashed hard drive as a slave in the other computer. Then install the data recovery software of your choice. Run it once it is installed and follow the on screen instruction in recovering the data from the crashed drive. In case you could no longer recover your data using those data recovery software programs, it would we best to send your hard drive to a computer technician of company that provide this kind of service for data recovery.
One good software for recovering files from crashed hard drive is Recover My Files. This software is fast and easy to use. Another worth checking out is Data Recovery Wizard. Actually if you just make a Google search you will find a lot of good data recovery software. I have personally tried the two data recovery software I mentioned above so I can guarantee that they are really good. Of course you need another computer when you attempt to recover data from a crashed one. All you need to do is install the crashed hard drive as a slave in the other computer. Then install the data recovery software of your choice. Run it once it is installed and follow the on screen instruction in recovering the data from the crashed drive. In case you could no longer recover your data using those data recovery software programs, it would we best to send your hard drive to a computer technician of company that provide this kind of service for data recovery.
My Computer is too slow, what should I do?
If you feel that your computer is too slow, probably it only needs additional memory, probably you are running programs with greater system requirements than what your PC can give. But if your PC used to run fast then suddenly it has become very slow, you can start thinking that something is wrong with it. There can be many things that can cause the slowing of a computer. Viruses and malware are prime suspects to this. Disk defragmentation and some software updates can also cause a computer to slow down.
The first natural thing to do when your computer suddenly slows down is to do a complete virus scan. Be sure to update first your antivirus before performing the scan. Some good virus scanners are made by AVG, Kaspersky, and Eset, so it is good to check them out.
Another good move to do is to run the Task Manager and see if your computer is running too many applications. If it is running too many programs, select the ones that you do not need at the moment and end their task one by one. This could free up some memory that would help in making your PC run faster.
You can also delete unnecesary files in your hard drive. The more free space your disk have, the faster your computer runs. You can also uninstall programs that you do not use to free more space. There are good utilities like WinTools.net that are easy to use and very effective in cleaning up your hard disk.
If the slowing down of your computer is gradual, probably what causes it is disk defragmentation so it is advisable to do a regular defragmenting of your disk, once in every two or three months is advisable.
It is not always the software side of your computer that could cause slowing down. A damage in the hardware is also possible. Your hard disk must be checked every once in a while. In Window XP it is good to take a look at the evnt log every now and then. To do this just click "Start" then select "Run"and click enter then type in the text field "eventvwr" without the quotes, and then review recent entries in the System event log and the Application event log.
A well maintained computer will rarely show signs of slowing down. If your PC is slowing down it means that probably you are not taking very good care of it.
Another good move to do is to run the Task Manager and see if your computer is running too many applications. If it is running too many programs, select the ones that you do not need at the moment and end their task one by one. This could free up some memory that would help in making your PC run faster.
You can also delete unnecesary files in your hard drive. The more free space your disk have, the faster your computer runs. You can also uninstall programs that you do not use to free more space. There are good utilities like WinTools.net that are easy to use and very effective in cleaning up your hard disk.
If the slowing down of your computer is gradual, probably what causes it is disk defragmentation so it is advisable to do a regular defragmenting of your disk, once in every two or three months is advisable.
It is not always the software side of your computer that could cause slowing down. A damage in the hardware is also possible. Your hard disk must be checked every once in a while. In Window XP it is good to take a look at the evnt log every now and then. To do this just click "Start" then select "Run"and click enter then type in the text field "eventvwr" without the quotes, and then review recent entries in the System event log and the Application event log.
A well maintained computer will rarely show signs of slowing down. If your PC is slowing down it means that probably you are not taking very good care of it.
10 Tips on How to Properly Maintain Your Computer
In order for a computer to stay fast and reliable it must be well maintained. a computer can stay in good condition for many years if it is properly maintained. Here are ten tips on how to properly maintain your computer.
1. Be sure to have a good antivirus software installed in your computer and make sure that it is always updated. Viruses are among the main causes of computer failure. A complete virus scan should be performed regularly. avoid visiting websites that are suspected to be infested with malware. Do not open e-mails whose sender seemed shady, they could contain deadly malware that can put your system at risk.
2. Defragment your disk regularly. Defragmenting your disk once in every two or three months is a good way to ensure that your computer stays in top condition. Fragmentation happens when your computer's operating system fail to allocate enough contiguous space to store a complete file as a unit and instead places parts of it in gaps between other files. To illustrate this, let us compare it to a library where some users do not return the books to the proper place after they read them. The books in the library are arranged in a manner that would make it easy to locate any prticularly book easily. If many books are no longer in their proper places it would take longer to find them. A fragmented file system is like a library where the books are not in thir proper places.Think of defragmentation as a process of returning the books in their proper places so that it will be easier to find them using the card catalog. Windows XP and Vista have their own built in defragmenting software but they are very slow. There are good defragmentation software that can do the job in a fraction of the time it would take for the Windows default defragmenter to finish. I recommend Power Defragmenter and Contig.
3. Clean your Windows Registry regularly. When your Windows registry is clogged with bad keys and entries the performance of your computer will slow down. There manual cleaning of the registry is not advisable to non-experts. There are some good registry cleaners like RegVac and Registry Mechanic that are very easy and safe to use.
4. Regularly get updates for your operating system and other important software. Some softwares do not offer automatic updates so it
1. Be sure to have a good antivirus software installed in your computer and make sure that it is always updated. Viruses are among the main causes of computer failure. A complete virus scan should be performed regularly. avoid visiting websites that are suspected to be infested with malware. Do not open e-mails whose sender seemed shady, they could contain deadly malware that can put your system at risk.
2. Defragment your disk regularly. Defragmenting your disk once in every two or three months is a good way to ensure that your computer stays in top condition. Fragmentation happens when your computer's operating system fail to allocate enough contiguous space to store a complete file as a unit and instead places parts of it in gaps between other files. To illustrate this, let us compare it to a library where some users do not return the books to the proper place after they read them. The books in the library are arranged in a manner that would make it easy to locate any prticularly book easily. If many books are no longer in their proper places it would take longer to find them. A fragmented file system is like a library where the books are not in thir proper places.Think of defragmentation as a process of returning the books in their proper places so that it will be easier to find them using the card catalog. Windows XP and Vista have their own built in defragmenting software but they are very slow. There are good defragmentation software that can do the job in a fraction of the time it would take for the Windows default defragmenter to finish. I recommend Power Defragmenter and Contig.
3. Clean your Windows Registry regularly. When your Windows registry is clogged with bad keys and entries the performance of your computer will slow down. There manual cleaning of the registry is not advisable to non-experts. There are some good registry cleaners like RegVac and Registry Mechanic that are very easy and safe to use.
4. Regularly get updates for your operating system and other important software. Some softwares do not offer automatic updates so it