Computer And Technology

The Benefits Of Upgrading Your Mobile Phone To A Smart Phone

2012-01-09T21:55:00.001+07:00

You may want to think about upgrading to a smart phone if it is time to get a new phone. I used to be someone that was very tentative about getting a phone to do anything other than make phone calls. I used to say I did not need a fancy phone with a number of apps and features. I acquired a Samsung Galaxy S3 some time ago, however, and now I cannot imagine my life without this phone.

You must certainly take into account obtaining a smart phone even if you have been reluctant about it before. Most of the things that you can do with a smart phone like the Galaxy S3 and some of the advantages of having a phone will be talked about in this article, and you need to definitely read on if you are interested in learning more.

To begin with, with a smart phone like the Galaxy S3, it will be possible to make those telephone calls and send text messages. You will see that the service is better and you will not have just as much trouble with bad reception or slow text message delivery time, and that's an advantage. In addition to these things, though, you'll be able to do much more with your phone.

You can take pictures as well as videos on your phone that are of great quality with a smart phone such as the Samsung Galaxy S3. This will be useful if you see something worthy of snapping a photo and you do not happen to have your camera on you. Furthermore, you'll be able to listen to and store music right on your phone. This is just the thing for bus rides, walking to work, as well as other such situations.

Furthermore, I love to keep my calendar and keep all of my contacts in my phone. I'm able to use my phone as a day planner so that I can keep myself organized and I know when all of my appointments are. It definitely comes in handy, and it has helped me to keep myself organized.

Also, it's a good thing when you are able to use the cell phone to get on the internet. With my Samsung Galaxy S3, I'm able to check my e-mail, update my Facebook or perhaps my Twitter, lookup directions or use the GPS feature so I never get lost, look up phone numbers, and a lot of other things that definitely are handy when I am out and needing information.

Relating to getting a smart phone such as the Galaxy S3, there are a variety of different advantages, and you should unquestionably think about these many benefits if you're looking for a brand new phone. Your new phone can assist you to stay organized, up to date, and well informed as you might discover.

Epson Toner And Printer Products Improve Budget Spending

2011-12-25T18:17:00.000+07:00

Epson has made a lasting impression in the business world. They have always been working hard at making products that will improve the budget spending in companies and do their part to help companies to have the option and ability to expand.

Epson offers an array of innovative features that will help to strengthen your company's reputation through precise work and constant product. These designs are continuously becoming more sophisticated and more useful with extensive functions and features that cut back on spending such as their energy saving mode which shuts down the printer when it is not in use. It uses less power as is, but when it is idle for two minutes it will dim and then will go into a sleep mode.

All of their designers take into account how much it can cost to print and how much extra it has cost in the past which is why they have made their toners last longer and use less. The cartridges are replaceable separately rather than the entire cartridge of all the colors having to go while some are still full and others are empty.

Your prints though using less ink can still come out photo lab quality which is a nice thing when you are printing photos on a budget. Conserving resources is important of course whether or not you are trying to stay within a budget. Helping out the environment is an automatic benefit of using an Epson printer between the toner saving, cartridge recycling and refilling options plus the energy saving mode of course.

Through your new energy and supply conservation allowance due to your high-tech printer it can help create a more relaxed atmosphere in your entire office. Your print speed will be advanced as well as your time consumption cuts.

The Epson Stylus NX430 for example is a space saving color all-in-one color printer, copier and scanner. They understand that businesses have moved on from faxing so they have some models that steer away from that to simplify the commands and increase the user-friendliness. You can print from your phone or tablet anywhere. You can also use the LCD navigation and USB port to print directly from the printer without involving any other device.

The quality of your prints will improve if you switch to Epson from any other brand because they have the brightest thickest colors that almost jump off the page. Your documents can look official and perfect.

Free Wii Games For Kids

2011-11-11T22:06:00.000+07:00

Created by the well-loved Nintendo Company, Wii is a seventh generation game console. The video games world was rocked by the release of Nintendo Wii back in November 2006. Since then, the consistent demand for this gaming platform plus its accompanying innovative games was virtually unstoppable like a juggernaut! In 2009, Nintendo Wii surpassed the record for the best selling game console in a just single month, evidently proving its superiority among gaming platforms in the video gaming industry. Wii is definitely legendary. Wii games Download websites are simply sprouting like mushrooms to support and become a part of this iconic machine.

As a result of Wii’s iconic status in the gaming industry, unfortunately, its video game discs are becoming more expensive with each new subsequent release. Due to this undeniable fact, Wii games download sites are slowly gaining a steady stream of followers. Casual Wii users, hardcore gamers and countless Wii console owners simply love the games too much and as a result they find ways and means to be more practical. Smart shoppers always weigh the pros and cons, and in many cases choose the best options not based on what the majority says but simply on what works best for themselves. Wii games are here to stay but to acquire them you don’t have to spend more than you have to.

Wii enthusiasts are finding out, not too lately, that the cost of buying the latest released Wii games is becoming an annoying burden on the pockets and the budget. With the cheaper costs of downloading video games and other media content through online means, the availability and the needed convenience of accessing the majority, if not all, of the latest games in existence, is simply not that hard to see clearly! This is too much to handle for most hardcore Wii users. Luckily, with the emergence of many legal online service providers, websites that offer online surfers with other options when it comes to acquiring gaming discs and technical support. It is just a more-than-cost-effective means to obtain Wii games and a lot more.

Instant access to games anytime, now that’s convenience that is hard to beat nowadays. The obvious advantage with these legitimate online service providers is that you will never run out of games. They will never go out of stock! You can simply get your game copies online, without going out of your house and falling in line in front of the mall or game shops. To seal the deal, you can get unlimited games downloads when you sign up for membership from legal online websites. It will merely cost you a single Wii gaming disc to do so.

It is important for people to know that there are two kinds of websites that provide Wii games Download services. The first type is a file sharing website that allows anyone to have free access to a collection of Wii games downloads. The second type is an online site that requires a small membership or registration in exchange for access to a wide-ranging collection of video game downloads. The first option sounds too good to be true. It comes with risks like malware, virus, Trojans, adware and fake downloads. The danger is always there.

Wii users will always try to look for free downloads. This is an inevitable truth. There is no doubt about that. There are risks on your Nintendo Wii unit with these online gaming service sites, and the issue of legality is also there. Fortunately, that is one of the main reasons why subscribing to a legitimate paid service site is recommended. Here is where Wii Spiele Download comes to save the day. It creates a safe-zone where it fills up what those free-of charge websites might have unintentionally missed.

Top Rated Ipad Download Movies Services

2011-10-25T22:00:00.000+07:00

A list of amazing selection of Apple iPad apps is up for grabs online. To be expected, there will also be those set at exorbitant prices due to lack of competition. Fortunately, there is also a collection of Free iPad Downloads waiting to be found online. Why would you make your life harder by buying expensive ones when you have a choice to avail of those free apps and media content online?

There is an almost inexhaustible collection source about various entertainment, business, productivity tools and a whole lot more iPad apps. Countless useful and recreational apps were available ever since the Apple iPad first came out from the manufacturing lines. Consumers will have the time of their lives choosing which apps would meet their demands and needs. With more choices come more fun, possibilities and challenges to imagine. But don’t just stop at imagining though, you should start on downloading now!

Take note that numerous high quality Apple iPad apps are available online for a reasonable price and many good ones are even available for free! The choices when it come to cool downloadable apps and ranging from iPad games, productivity tools, and many more are near inexhaustible. There is a huge chance you will get what you need and also what you never thought you needed before. Just name what you might be looking for and iPad most probably has it already listed. Apps about gaming, movies, television series, blog updates, newspaper sources and more tools to help you in more ways than one, you can have them all. Easy to get multimedia options are yours anytime, within reach, with just a few taps on your iPad screen.

Whatever you need there will be application software made for you. The software developers have always found newer ways for you to enjoy and discover better tools that you actually might need! Technology is such a huge part of our lives nowadays. It is something that we simply cannot live without. Numerous amazing free iPad apps are sprouting like mushrooms in this modern age. These apps were designed to make your lives easier and more fun.

With a significantly long list of remarkable free to download iPad apps found online. The selections available today are diverse. These applications or software downloads range from simple tools to highly advantageous and sophisticated multimedia smart machine upgrades. Why would you want to buy an electronic tool that can only read eBooks, for example? Why indeed when there are many smart and cool devices to choose from, which can definitely do more! Life is simple if you know how to use the right means and put together the right decisions.

The awesome Apple iPad is was created to make your life easy, and the Free Apps For iPad Download will make it easier tenfold or perhaps even a hundredfold! Where else can you multi task and expect more from a gadget that can deliver above normal standards? It is neither brag nor a mere claim, but a simple fact. When in your lifetime have you witnessed a technological breakthrough gadget that evolves every time you add more software or downloadable application? By adding more tools and better features through mega-bytes or even Giga-bytes of data transfer, this electronic gadget works wonders! It even becomes more and more responsive to your ever growing demands. You can either call it evolution or growth. Or you can just call it the Apple iPad!

The Differences Between A Laptop And A Tablet

2011-10-17T19:33:00.000+07:00

With smart phones taking over the world, the next thing to follow is the computer tablet. These ingenious pieces of technology are all the rage right now, with new models coming onto the market almost every day. But is it something that you need, or just something that you want. Like anything else, especially new technology, it is all a matter of what you want to do with it.

If you are looking at it from an entertainment standpoint, then there is a lot to offer. But if you are looking at it from a business standpoint, then there are definitely some benefits to be had. In a nutshell, these tablets are more than just work and more than just fun; they offer something for every situation and every need. And if you are looking at needing a portable device to work or play from, they might just be a viable option between it and a laptop.

Of course, they are just not as powerful as the standard laptop yet, but soon they probably will. What they do offer is real portability. The standard laptop is still a pretty bulky device with a little bit of weight to make things more interesting. These tablets can truly be held in a purse or carried in a briefcase or backpack very easily.

There are some features that make them a great choice for not only students and entertainment junkies, but also doctors and sales people. I have seen salesmen carrying them around instead of a notebook. They can take notes on them very quickly turning around and e-mailing a reply or a request to a manufacturer. They can also jump on the internet to check supply or do research all in a package that is smaller and lighter than a standard notebook from the office supply store, not to mention a full sized laptop.

The applications that these tablets can run are nearly identical to what you can run on a laptop and the speed rivals anything else on the market. They offer a lot of the same features that your smart phone offers, and that is where the fun comes in. You have a fully portable entertainment device in the palm of your hand without having to settle for squinting at a tiny screen that hurts you eyes. So, all in all, these tablets do offer more than just a gadget that is neat and entertaining, they have real world uses that are only now being discovered.

3 Reason A Company Should Have Pc Backup Software

2011-10-04T19:03:00.000+07:00

Securing trustworthy PC backup software is one of the most important investments a company can make. In the information era, data can be an invaluable commodity. In fact, data are considered more crucial than the hardware units of a computer since the latter is much easier to replace compared to data. Making certain that technological errors and data loss do not stop the operations of a business is essential for protecting profits and consumer confidence, making PC backup software essential as well. There are several key features that company owners should look for when selecting the PC backup software that will be used to protect their vital information.

In order for a PC backup software to qualify, it should support various forms of storage. The broader the range that is supported, the more comprehensive the protection will be. Should there be any issue with the hardware that renders the data stored therein inaccessible, it is still possible to retrieve the data from whatever media they were backed up. The best way to find out which media are supported by a PC backup software is to visit the online page that discusses the product specifications and descriptions.

Must-have features also include handiness and ease of use. These are important to allow office-wide accessibility. In order for the PC backup software to be usable, it should primarily come with an easy installation and setup. Such will allow smaller businesses to install and run the software with little to absolutely no supervision from an IT expert.

The support that the software offers is another thing to consider. A round-the-clock support team will surely have an edge over the others in responding to urgent matters. It is always advantageous to contact a support team prior to purchasing a specific product in order to gauge the accessibility and response that is typically offered. The same team should be able to answer any query regarding the product or service.

More recently, the ability to access the backup remotely has been trending in the industry. This provides company owners with a variety of ways to both access and store data. This way the normal workflow remains undistorted since the program can be set to perform routine backups appropriately. Regardless if the program is accessed remotely or in-house, this feature can provide convenience.

A technique in choosing a product is to research what most high-profile businesses use in protecting their own data. These information are most often featured on a product or service provider’s site. Such provides security and assurance that company data are protected and valued at the optimum using a PC backup software.

How To Save Audio From Youtube Videos

2011-08-24T00:07:00.002+07:00

Then what way does he choose to save audio on Youtube videos? He simply looks for a site which is named as vixy.net and only goes to this site to paste URL and then wait for a while to get MP3 files. The main reason is that he hates downloading any piece of software onto his computer.

Therefore if you have the same feeling of this person, you can simply acquire this way to save audio files from YouTube videos types.

Can we just record YouTube audio on the internet by the use of sound recorder installed onto our computers’ hard disk?

It is said that if there is a sound recorder embedded on Windows, it is not hard to save audio files as WAV files. But to change to whatever format you want, you need to convert it again on iTunes or other available systems.

The basic steps are, first go to control panel and choose to sound and audio devices. When you see a “sound recording” with its drop down menu which will show you which sound card to pick up. Please pick up the sound card that is conjoint to your present speakers rightly and click “volume” button.

Immediately, a new window of “recording control” will pop up and then you will be presented with a list of possible recording source, when you

click “properties” on the menu choices. Find out the “wave out” option and click it.

After that, a new column of wave out mix should appear in the recording control window. Select it in the check box down here.

Now the basic steps for saving audio off YouTube videos has been finished. You are able to start to record a part of audio on YouTube videos by pressing record, while you are playing YouTube videos online.

A dumb condition will annoy you that a sound recorder like that can only record audio for 60 seconds. If you stick with this way to download any audio on the internet and whatever reason about using sound recorder, you can set a dead space for 60 seconds before you start to hit record. When it finishes, you need to do the whole process again until you have got the big file as you predict.

It is obviously complicated when you need to repeat steps to record YouTube audio once or many times. So a definite answer to solve problems of saving audio from Youtube videos without time recording limits is to use a third-party program, which would get you to download random audio.

Fix Windows Computer Errors Fast

2011-08-05T23:57:00.001+07:00

Overheating: For a CPU that is overheating, you may check the PC health section of your BIOS. A healthy CPU fan generally runs at about 3000 to 5000 RPMS. You may also want to check your power supply and video card fan. A fan may be repaired by cleaning it (removing and unclogging dirt on its blades).

Computer memory: Widows usually detects a problem with your computer's memory and may start the memory diagnostics tool automatically. However, if you suspect that there is a problem with your memory and wish to start diagnostics manually, go to the memory diagnostic tool, which is under, Control Panel>System and Maintenance> Administrative tools. You will be prompted to choose whether to run the program on restart or restart and run later.

Errors on your Hard Drive: To check for errors on your Hard Drive, go to My computer, right click on the drive, and click Properties>Tools and then click Check Now...You may choose automatically Fix file system errors for a more thorough scan.

Outdated or poorly programmed device drivers: When your computer seems to predictably crash when you perform certain tasks such as play games, watch movies or plug-in certain hardware such as a joystick, the drivers associated to that task may have a problem. The first thing is to check for compatibility. Check if the drivers you installed meant for your version of windows.

Corrupt files and programs: Corrupt files may also present problems in your system. A corrupt file is sometimes created when there is interruption when you try to

The quickest way to find a problem is to always start with the most obvious cause. Generally speaking, hardware malfunctions are usually the most obvious and easiest to Fix. Secondly, check if there is a pattern for the "crashes", especially if you have encountered several "crashes" before. For example, you may find that your computer tends to crash when you are watching movies; this may indicate a problem with your graphics card drivers.

What causes a computer crash?

A computer crash is a condition where a computer's application and or operating system ceases to function properly and exists, due to a malfunction in the execution of the machine instruction. The most commonly known computer crash is arguably the "Blue Screen of Death". These crashes sometimes happen at the least convenient time, like when you are about to finish an assignment or report, not to mention the time wasted when you try to restore the system.

Home Theaters Computer Integration

2011-07-15T23:52:00.000+07:00

It used to be that computers were merely used for office purposes, accounting and payroll, documentation, and the like. Nowadays computers have reached a phenomenal audience and service than ever before. It is a fact that personal computers are being used as vital elements in home theaters currently. Design of operating systems has evolved alongside the development of personal computers as well. It circles around the idea that it can be utilized as an effective media center by way of integration into the home theater components such as a receiver like the Onkyo TXNR708.

There will be an increase in growth in the utilization of computers because of this usage. With a lot of people integrating the use of computers in diverse parts of their lives, it is but natural that the bridge to entertainment integration is crossed. The integration is not that new. The increasing number of individuals using the technology is what makes the difference.

These media center PCs are systems that in essence function as a receiver would normally would. They take in the needed data and network it to the connecting components in the system. You will be able to watch DVDs, listen to music, and so on. It is also possible to view movies through your computer monitor rather than your television screen. With this use, you can even record and store your favorite shows or movies in your hard drive. Another benefit is that you can create photo slideshows with the wonderful still memories you have in your storage.

If you were to have suggested that your computer would be an innovative system that can run your home theaters a few decades back, you would have been laughed at. In this generation, the idea is not only accepted and practiced but a lot of people and businesses are thriving because of that very technology. It is also a technology that people spend on developing as it is evolving to be one of the increasing demands in the market of home theaters.

Increasing your personal entertainment and enjoyment is not an impulse result. You should take your time to educate yourself on the usage of new technologies so that you can achieve its full potential. It will prove to be the foundation of superior things in the near future for your home theater. As all commodities evolve and advance, it is possible that we will see innovative development of functionality when it comes to home media center PCs. This will also involve bringing in additional features and expansion of current capacities. At the moment, the combination of both systems has proven to be a great enjoyment and the most entertaining. There is nothing more advance than having your home media center integrated with your computer at the home entertainment arena.

Today, it is best to check out what the combination of computer and home theater can do for you if you haven't taken it to consideration yet. The additional boost of functions and capabilities of the integration will sure to prove very useful and entertaining for you and your family. As you take your time to do so, kindly check out the new developments for each arena- computer and home theater- as there are innovations like that from an Onkyo TX-NR708 Receiver that may supplement each when you think about purchasing or upgrading systems in the future.

How to Make Your Slow Computer Go Faster

2011-06-23T23:16:00.001+07:00

Are you sick and tired of your computer running so slow, and wondering how can I make my computer faster?

This is a rampant problem, and you're by far not the only person looking for a faster computer. Most people absolutely love how quickly they can shoot from one program or website to another when they're computer is brand new.

However over time, your computer begins to get slower and slower. Starting up your computer becomes a whole process.so much so that you hardly even shut it down anymore because you know it will take forever to restart. You may even start to avoid using certain programs because you know that you'll be sitting there waiting for it to load up for so long.

Usually when you're sitting there in irritation wondering how in the heck I speed up my PC, your first thoughts probably turn toward viruses or spyware. This is normally what people think of first when they're computer starts to act up with things like their computer freezing up, crashing out, or like mentioned before having to enduring slow start ups. This is actually a genuine concern, because viruses, spyware, and malware can cause a ton of trouble for you.

But more often than not, the problem is a registry clog up rather than a virus. Good news of course, but this can still be disheartening and annoying!

What Causes This to Happen?

You see, your computer registry (actually Windows Registry) can be thought of as basically the hub for activity on your computer. I guess you could say it's sort of like the brain of your Windows System, which tells all of the hardware, programs, and settings (the nervous system if you will) what to do and when to do it.

It's an essential part of your operating system, and is what actually helps everything run smoothly, but every now and then something in that nerve center goes awry and just like your body, your computer begins to have little twitches, starts slowing down considerably, and sometimes just crashes altogether. Most often it's because of an error in the registry.

Things that cause errors are:

Installing or removing software or programs
Shutting your computer off incorrectly (or during power outages)
Changes in the control panel
Corrupt files left behind from viruses and Trojans, even after cleaned.

You need to clean these errors out of the system, and that will make internet faster, as well as make your computer faster overall.

You Have to Clean Out the Junk!

Just as well, your computer can end up with a ton of junk files, and temporary files. This is normal and simply occurs overtime because you surf the internet, delete programs, etc. Having these files clogging up your hard drive will definitely cause you to ask how can I make my computer faster.because the effect of these files is simply a slower machine.

Once these registry errors are fixed, junk files are deleted and history and cookies are eliminated, you'll see that your computer is running almost like new again. So now the question is. "How do I clean my registry and speed up my computer?"

How Do I Speed Up My PC and Clean My Registry?

So while Windows is extremely user friendly in some sense of the word, it's not all that easy to fix when something goes wrong. When things like your registry goes haywire, you have to nearly have to have a degree in computer science to even begin to find out where the problem is.

Thankfully there are software programs out there that find and fix the problem for you.

There are registry cleaners all across the internet that claim that they can make internet faster, make Windows XP faster, and help all those people in general who just want a faster computer.

But Will They Work and Give Me a faster computer?

The fact is just like everything else, some are better than others and some are outright scams. In other words it's very easy to waste your money, especially if you're nearly in tears and almost pleading how can I make my computer faster now? Of course these products feed on desperate buyers who need a fast solution.

After testing tons of different registry cleaners and realizing that more often than not they didn't work, or you needed to be a genius to figure out how to use them.I found the one that I've used over and over again ever since finding it and I haven't looked back.

It's called Registry Easy and it's made for people like me. People who just want an easy solution that works, and works fast.

Registry Easy does a myriad of things that will make your computer run faster, eliminating your problems from different angles. It will:

Scan and Clean Your computer - From a drop dead simple to use interface, with just a couple clicks of the mouse, Registry Easy will scan, locate, and list of all the problems that is affecting the way your computer is running. This will allow you to fix the problems either automatically or manually basically with a click of the button.

Create Backups for You - You always want to create backup points when doing a registry clean, just in case anything goes wrong. This is a daunting process if done on your own, but Registry Easy does it for you giving you piece of mind. It'll give you a Registry Backup, Restore Point, Favorites Backup and Folder.

Give you Timely Customer Support - Most software companies leave you on your own once you've bought their product, but not Registry Easy. They're there to help you because they want you to be successful with their product, and that clearly shows. They answer promptly and get you up and running with clear instructions.

Give You Safer and Easier to Use System Tools - Registry Easy gives you 6 different system tools that are essential to keeping your computer running smoothly such as Block ActiveX (blocks malicious controls), File Recovery (easily recover important files), Password Recovery, Start Up Manager (gives you much more control of start up applications allowing a faster start up consistently)

Listen, there's nothing more aggravating than a computer that's not running optimally, especially when you've got important things to be done. After trying most of the major registry cleaners on the market, I've yet to find one as consistently powerful and easy to use as Registry Easy. It stays fast!

7 Tips to Consider When Buying an Inexpensive Notebook Computer

2011-06-08T20:25:00.001+07:00

Buying a new inexpensive notebook computer can sometimes be a real challenge. There are so many things you have to consider. You have to make sure you get the best deal for the price that you pay. Also make sure you're not ripped off or overpay for any of the features. This is why I have seven tips and tricks for you to implement when you're buying a new inexpensive notebook computer.

1. Make sure that you don't opt in for the five-year guarantee- yet always seemed like a good option because they say that they will protect your computer if anything happens. This can be useful but most computers can usually go about for years without getting damaged. And as for the five-year guarantee, most people will get tired of their computers in about three years and they will want the latest and greatest technology. So all in all there really is no need for a five-year guarantee. It is just an extra cost and you may never even need it.

2. Ports- Only buy the ones you need. Usually for most people, the only important ones are HDMI, SD card ports and USB. If you go for more than that, they usually cost more money. You may end up paying money for ports you don't even need.

3. Don't fall for the latest and greatest items. They may seem great but they usually way overpriced. For example the older version might be up to $300 cheaper than the new version. Yes I agree the new versions are all cool, but why not stick to the older version and save money, when that's all you really need.

4. Check out the battery life. If the battery life is not all that great and the laptop is very expensive, you know that that is not a good buy. Picture the battery life is good and seems about right for the price.

5. Try to avoid additional accessories when buying an inexpensive notebook computer. Sometimes they will ask you to buy additional mouses or may be WebCam accessories. However most of the time they are not necessary. So if you want inexpensive notebook computers make sure they don't fall for these tricks and end up paying more than you should.

6. Screen Size- You don't need a enormous screen size. Usually up to 15 inches is good enough. Actually in some states, there Is an extra charge for inexpensive notebook computers that are over 15.6 inches. But if that is something you need, by all means, go ahead.

7. Stick to the basic versions. Don't fall for the icing on the cake. If there is an option between Windows home professional and Windows ultimate and the pricing is $200 apart, you should go for the Windows home professional. If you really feel like you'd need Windows ultimate, then buy it separately. Don't pay $200 extra for already installed software.

If you follow those seven tips and tricks, it is a given that you will end up paying much less for your inexpensive notebook computer. Actually, you will be putting money back into your pocket.

Guide to Bluetooth Keyboards and Mice

2011-05-29T00:53:00.002+07:00

As wireless and battery power technology improves, bluetooth products have grown to be a popular choice. It's ever more commonplace for brand new sold laptop computers to provide built-in wireless bluetooth technology, or at least as an added option. Lacking built-in technologies, for desktop PCs, external USB bluetooth dongles are usually available for around ten to twenty dollars. The subsequent bluetooth enabled choices below are among the preferred options at this time mice and keyboards, and have all been given sound ratings:

Bluetooth Keyboard Choices:
When compared to mice, you'll find comparatively fewer numbers of bluetooth keyboards offered, which results in a few brands and models that stand out over the rest. These select few are the Microsoft Mobile 6000 keyboard, IOGear Multimedia, and the Logitech diNovo Edge.

The Microsoft 6000 keyboard features a streamlined dark minimalist design and it is the nearest in likeness to a typical full sized keyboard layout, but with a separated tenkey pad. The IOGear featuring its array of multi-media controls, built-in laser-trackball and scroll wheel, is aimed towards multimedia system lovers and is ideally suited for use with a home theatre pc or media center. Thirdly, the Logitech diNovo Edge is a high end device, showcasing a large unique layout of outstanding construction. The features include things like a touchpad, large volume slider, as well as backlighting. It is a favorite amidst both multimedia and home theatre users.

Popular Bluetooth Mice Choices:
There's a broad selection of bluetooth mouse options to choose from, primarily aimed at at the laptop computer user. bluetooth enabled mice are usually smaller sized than desktop mice, at least compared to the larger ones. Bestselling choices may be the Microsoft 6000 Mobile mouse, Logitech V470, and For gamers the Razer Orochi.

The Microsoft Mobile 6000 mouse is a solid model and incorporates Microsoft's own Bluetrack Technology, allowing for it to work on nearly any surface. Logitech's V470 is slightly larger and more rounded, and currently is the most highly rated mouse between both Mac and PC owners. Lastly the Orochi from Razer is a dual-function mouse, enabling you to use it both in its bluetooth wireless mode or plug it in for greater response times(8ms bluetooth vs 1ms wired). This is more than likely the best pick for gamers, as small response times are critical in hectic games like first person shooters(FPS) and real time strategy(RTS) especially.

Bluetooth and Mouse Combinations:
Only a few keyboard and mouse combos,, but Logitech has a very strong offering with the MX 5500 combo bundle. It's distinct because featured in the combo is a desktop sized bluetooth mouse, the MX Revolution Laser, that is potentially the singular one offered currently. The mouse is able to work on virtually all surfaces, and includes two scroll wheels - a rapid scrolling one and an additional one for click-to-click navigation. Its keyboard counterpart features a large LCD screen that is perfect for use with playing songs, doing calculations, and notifying your of messages, and certainly keeping track of time. It's a very good choice from an excellent provider known for its strong construction and excellent customer service.

Meet Google TV

2011-05-13T00:06:00.001+07:00

The internet is just like peanut butter. It's amazing, addictive, and at its best when it's combined with other great things. The internet and mobile phone technology have come together like PB and J, and it's definitely a combination that's here to stay.

But today we're going to talk about a new winning duo featuring the internet. Peanut butter and Fluff, if you will. And the Fluff is TV.

Search Your TV...

Channel surfing is a big waste of time. Can you imagine if the internet was set up like TV is, and you had to flip from website to website or scroll down a "guide" screen until you came across something interesting? Finding what you're looking for would be frustrating and time consuming, and web surfing just wouldn't be as fun.

But now picture life the other way around. Imagine that TV was like the internet, and a search engine was built into your TV. Think about how convenient it would be to search the TV for programming that meets your criteria. Yeah, that's more like it. And that's what google has done with their google TV setup.

And Merge It With the Internet

But that's just the beginning. Google TV also takes the entire internet and makes it available on your TV. So while you're searching your TV for the best show, you can also search the internet for related articles. And while you're watching the game, you can look up stats and sports blogs. google TV takes two independent entertainment and information worlds and fuses them into one awesome phenomenon.

How It's Going So Far

Google TV is designed to work on special TVs or on existing TVs paired with a special box. Since google TV enabled devices launched in the fall, google TV has met some mixed reviews. Like any technology that sounds great in theory, it seems that there are kinks to be worked out now that people are actually using it. But between google TV itself and its competitors such as Apple TV, it's likely that web-enabled TV is going to grow.

Smile! Your Site is on TV!

What that means for you is a) make sure you set aside some TV time in your daily schedule and b) make sure your website is where you want it to be. Whether your targets prefer PB and J, peanut butter and Fluff, or peanut butter straight up, having the right web presence is one of the best ways to nourish your business.

Computer Repair Services: Onsite Or Offsite?

2011-05-01T21:19:00.003+07:00

With the rise in advancement in technology, the internet has also increased in its efficiency and has taken computer repairs to an unprecedented level. The repair and maintenance can now be performed and managed through a virtual medium. Computer repair services are being conducted by the manufacturing company from whom the machine was purchased.

These organizations have an ID using which they can invariably log into your computer and conduct the maintenance during the warranty period. However, if the user requests for extension of the services, then the provision to access computer repairs online will continue. Independent service centers also happen to provide such provisions to the user online. In fact, major computer repair services offer the user a choice to select from onsite or offsite servicing benefits.

While conducting PC repair online, the technician can see the user's computer screen on his PC monitor. This essentially implies that the person will be able to see the computer through remote access exactly how it appears to the user. This facility makes the repair work much easier since the technician can perform the entire task by himself without having being instructed by the user.

However, having a computer repair service technician visit you at the site can certainly be of great help to the user. There are different types of PCs which might require intricate handling of the machine. Hence, it is crucial for a technician to come over and check the device for internal glitches. However, you can even choose to carry the PC to the servicing store in your neighborhood. This implies that at least some of the technical issues require onsite addressing rather than accessing the problems online.

Sometimes the issue can be rectified by providing instructions to the user and offer guidance to go through the proceedings. Even though during such offsite repair works the computer is left open for the technician to get the issues resolved yet the user does not completely lose control over the machine. There is a provision for the owner to deny access to the person on remote if he feels there is a misuse. The connection offsite is however disconnected after the repair works and reactivated on requirement.

The offsite computer repair process saves a lot of time and the hassles for having to travel to the location of the customer. Since, time is a major constraint for most; this is the procedure that is highly preferred. Having a reliable internet connection is certainly crucial for accessing such provisions. The online service providing facility can be availed at hourly charges. It is certainly a reasonable method for both the customer and the service provider. This also excludes traveling and delivery charges (if required) which can aid in charging less for the services. The facility is also available 24X7 which enhances the provision greatly.

There are several companies that happen to provide technical help online when compared to onsite or local repair works. However, in certain cases it becomes necessary for the user to avail the services on location.

Computer repair works become ardent when technical or hardware glitches appear in your PC. A suitable computer repair technician offers substantial help in getting the matters resolved.

Tag : computer,computer repair,onsite,offsite

Quick Laptop Repair: Spilled Liquids

2011-04-20T23:38:00.002+07:00

Most of us have, at one time or another, have spilled a drink on our laptop. Rather than thinking the computer is completely ruined, a little bit of quick laptop repair might save the machine before permanent water damage is done. Following these three steps can help get your laptop back up and running without having to visit a computer repair shop.

1 - Turn off the computer.
Liquids may short-circuit many parts of a working computer. Shutting power off right away minimizes that danger. Removing external hardware is also a good idea for this reason. If you've spilled liquid on your laptop, remove the power cord and battery immediately!

2 - Blot the wet area with a dry cloth.
The first impulse may be to tilt the laptop, but that might cause liquid to spread. Take a dry cloth and blot as much liquid as possible. Next, if desired, open the laptop and blot the inside as well. Make sure to take proper precautions before attempting that kind of laptop repair. Don't go in over your head. If the task of opening up a laptop seems daunting, you're better off to seeking a professional then potentially causing even more damage yourself.

3 - Air Dry 24-48 hours
Some recommend a hair dryer on low heat, but it is possible to melt the laptop surface and/or overheat metal components. This would result in yet more laptop repair to be done. The best thing to do is to just leave the laptop alone for 24-48 hours before turning it on again. The longer the laptop is allowed to dry, the better the chance that it may function normally.

Depending on how much liquid has been spilled, you may be able to do your own laptop repair and save your machine from permanent water damage. These three steps can help you do just that.

If the above three steps don't fix the problem, seek a professional. Repairs might not be as expensive as you may think. If cost is a concern, look for a computer technician on Kijiji or Cragislist instead of calling the big name stores. Fixing a laptop that has suffered damage from spilled liquids often requires replacing of components. If the cost of repairs end up being too high, always remember that you can simply recover the data for much less. Removing the old hard drive and mounting it in an external hard drive enclosure means you'll have access to all of your important files and a brand new external hard drive. Best of all, this service is often very quick and inexpensive.

Tag : computer,laptop,repair,spilled liquids

On Buying Cheap Computers

2011-04-10T21:22:00.002+07:00

If my computing needs are modest and my budget is tight what do I do? Is it possible for me to find a choice from among cheap computers that will enable me to browse, email, do photo editing and spreadsheet tracking? Well, the answer is a big yes. The great news is, today you can get used and refurbished computers in good working condition at great bargain prices. There is no need for you to spend a fortune by buying a new one from among the highly hyped top of the line brands if a refurbished machine does the job good enough for you. But before you hop in to buy the first cheap computer that comes to your notice, take note of the following important pointers.

Evaluate the Processor

A processor is the heart of a computer. So when you are assessing cheap computers look for Dual-core processors, specifically the AMD Athlon X2 or Intel Pentium Dual Core Models. Though single core processors can throw up dirt cheap models, Dual-core types will stand you in good stead for multi-tasking jobs.

Get to know the operating system in the refurbished computer. The operating system also referred to as O/S, is the master brain of a computer that controls the hardware, controls the software and provides you with the means to control the computer.

Select a RAM of at least 2GB capacity. A lesser one will slow down your system considerably.

Assess Hard Disk Storage

Good news is you can get cheap computers at bargain prices having storage capacity of 250-400 GB. Anything less than that will be inadequate for tasks such as downloading photos, listening to music, and watching videos. Do not forget to look for a computer having the DVD burning feature.

Weigh In the Peripherals

You may need a monitor, a key board and a mouse unless you have all these from your previous set. You may get a budget set with all these items at bargain prices. Even if you do not, hardware accessories are always available at very reasonable prices, so keep a tag to budget for these items.

Choose the Right Software

When you are zeroing your choice from among the cheap computers, select the software applications you need carefully. Software applications are the basic guides of your computer. Ensure the software versions you buy are compliant with the operating system installed with the refurbished computer.

The computers market will usually display the following three ranges of computer systems.

* Standard computer

* Mid-range computer

* High-end computer

Cheap computers generally fall into the standard category. Yet, entrepreneurs for their business needs can spot refurbished mid-range and high end computers by bargain hunting. Create your own specification suited to your needs and then shop around a bit. Do not forget to look for the following.

* Money-Back Guarantee: Understand the return policy of your cheap computers seller because you may change your mind any time after you buy an item.

* Warranty: Do not buy one unless it has a warranty for the components and labor.

Discontinued Models

Manufacturers often have brand new laptop computers that did not sell. These are referred to as discontinued models. If you are not a stickler for latest brands, getting an inexpensive discontinued model is not a bad idea at all.

Whichever way, the cheap computers market is flooded with umpteen models and brands. You can be sure there is one for your needs.

Tag : computer,cheap computer,buying

Windows XP Black Screen Error - How To Fix The Black Screen Problem Quickly

2011-03-14T23:07:00.002+07:00

If your Windows XP computer is suffering from the Windows XP black screen error you can fix this without having to empty your wallet or buy a new computer. There are several causes for this problem and you can fix it yourself.

#1 Display drivers out of date or corrupt.

Since Windows XP is no longer a new operating system many of the drivers are out of date. Other drivers that are not updated start to conflict with updated Windows and system files and can lead to the black screen error.

How can you tell?

If you restart your computer in safe mode and it works OK with no black screen this is a clear indication the display drivers are at fault. This is because in safe mode Windows uses the default VGA drivers from windows.

How can you fix this?

a) Use Windows update to get the latest drivers. Windows update does not contain every driver though.

b) Go to the manufacturers site and download the drivers.

c) Use a system scanner and optimizer to get the right drivers.

To follow any of these steps you will need to remove the drivers first. To do this you must be in safe mode. If the drivers will not uninstall go to system properties, then device manger and uninstall the display adaptor and restart your PC. When your computer restarts and asks for the drivers install the updated display drivers.

#2 Minor file errors or corruption.

If this is the cause of the problem you can try to fix this by rolling back Windows using system restore. To do this you will need to go into safe mode and roll Windows back to a date before this error started. Sometimes you will find system restore will not work in safe mode. In this case follow the first step for removing the display drivers and then when Windows starts instead of installing the drivers run system restore.

#3 Malware or serious file and registry corruption.

If this is the cause of the Windows black screen error the first two steps will not fix the problem and it is likely either malware has altered files or you have serious corruption.

How can you tell?

If you try to do a system restore in safe or normal mode following the above steps it will not run and you may get error messages warning you about registry corruption. These errors may be real or generated by malware.

To fix this you need to start your computer in safe mode with networking and then follow these steps.

#1 Download and run a full system scan with a system optimizer and scanner. This will scan for any malware and file and registry corruption.

#2 Once the scan is complete and the problem is fixed restart your computer in safe mode and run a driver scan. This will only work with a system optimizer and scanner which includes this function. This will scan through all your drivers and update them to the latest versions so there are no further problems. If you find you have the Windows XP black screen error follow these steps and get rid of it now.

Tag : computer,black screen,Windows XP

Blue Screen Problems

2011-03-09T23:28:00.000+07:00

Have you seen it? A bright blue background with stark white lettering that positively jumps out at the viewer. Computer technicians have nicknamed it the Blue Screen of Death, because it looks like the screens in airports that tell you when a plane is late. Blue screen problems have created havoc and headaches for computer users worldwide.

Doom? Does This Spell The End?

With any luck, the answer is no. You will be able to restore your computer to its previous functioning self, and will not have lost any important files, documents, or photos.

Usually a computer will shut itself down if it encounters blue screen problems, and then try to reboot and run diagnostics. Sometimes, this is all it takes. Your PC will fix itself and you will be off and running once again. However, if it keeps happening, know that you have a serious problem that has to be addressed if you want to continue using your computer.

How Critical is This

Very critical. A blue screen problem translates to a system error, and is generated by your computer's operating system. Even Bill Gates received one while he was giving a demonstration of one of his Windows products. Talk about being red-faced!

The less you have altered your computer, the less likely you are to have blue screen. It is the constant adding, deleting, installing, and uninstalling of programs that often leads to this problem in the first place. If you are lucky, it might be the very last program you installed that is causing it. Getting rid of that program might eliminate blue screen problems for good.

What Can I Do To Prevent It From Happening?

First, document it. It does not matter if you are getting it on your home computer, you should still write everything down as clearly as you can. Why should you bother? Let's be honest. You are probably going to get frustrated or nervous if you do not get your system up and running right away. Having clear notes of everything that was on the screen means you don't have to rack your brain to remember exactly what it said.

The information you are copying down is actually extremely useful. Why? Because your computer is telling you what programs loaded and which ones did not, and where the error occurred. With this information, you will also be able to identify whether your blue screen problems have to do with hardware or software.

By rebooting your system into safe mode, you might be able to find the problem yourself. Safe mode is when your computer will run only a bare bones operating system, and only a limited amount of programs will be available. Sometimes you will be able to diagnose your problem right then and there.

With all the codes and information you copied down when it occurred, you can also search online for the meaning of each one. In addition, you might be able to eliminate your problem by reinstalling your OS, or operating system.

Tag : computer,blue screen

Will the USB Memory Stick Ultimately Be Superseded by the SD Card?

2011-02-28T00:09:00.002+07:00

The SD card, with its optimal storage capacity derivatives, such as the SDXC, with its 2TB capacity, are pushing the frontiers of portable data storage ever forward. The fact that this thumbnail sized device is capable of containing more data than the average desk top computer was able to store back in the 1990's, means that its potential uses are vast. Currently used in conjunction with all manner of portable devices, such as media players, camcorders and digital stills cameras, GPS devices, video games consoles, tablet and netbook computers, as well as cell phones and ebook readers such as Kindle, the market for these miniature memory cards is vast. They are now supported by over 400 brands across the world, making it the de facto 'industry standard' memory card for the portable device market.

The USB memory stick differs greatly from the SD card. As it connects to host devices via a USB port the body of this format needs to be protected. SD cards are inserted into the host via a slot, and therefore need no protective encasing whilst in use. The USB memory stick needs permanent protection, making them significantly larger than SD cards.

Like SD cards, the USB flash memory stick is universally supported which means that it is compatible with every modern computer on the market. All computers now have at least one USB port. They are also as technically robust as they are physically strong. Many memory sticks allow one million write or erase cycles and have a ten year data retention span. This is an incredibly high spec for something that is increasingly seen to be a disposable commodity, and are thus being given away for free along with mugs, pens and coasters by corporate entities, replete with company logo's.

In short, their appeal is great. They are not as small as the SD card, but even the largest stick is no bigger than a slender pack of chewing gum, and many are a third of this size. These days they are manufactured as key fobs which means that they are much less likely to be lost. Attaching externally means that they are a lot less fiddly than SD cards, which are only easily inserted into hand held devices owing to the fact that users can maneuver the device and the card at the same time, marrying the two easily. Heavier devices would not permit such easy insertion and retrieval.

There are very distinct benefits to both formats, but due to the fact that a lot of hand held devices are now used in conjunction with computers there may be a considerable push for conformity in media across the board. If this were to happen it is likely that the SD card would win out as USB formats are unfeasible within portable products.

Tag : computer,USB memory,computer repair,laptop computer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=David_Bryanston

Windows 7 Slow Startup - Improve Windows 7 Slow Startup for Free

2011-02-21T21:00:00.002+07:00

Windows 7 slow startup upsets you? Finally fed up with it and going to spend a huge amount of money to get Windows 7 slow startup fixed? Before you do so, why not have a glance at this article to boost up the slow start-up speed of Windows 7 for free?

<1>Improper DPI value renders Windows 7 slow startup

Start-up time may be slowly lengthened, if DPI is set to a value other than 96 on a Windows 7 computer that is connected to a high resolution CRT/LCD. Please perform the following steps to determine if improper DPI value is the reason why Windows 7 starts up slow:

Go to "Control Panel"
Enter "Hardware and Sound"
Run "Make text or other items larger or smaller"

If the DPI value is different from "Smaller - 100%(default)", you should start to apply the hotfix showed in the end of this article to speed up Windows 7 slow boot.

<2> Excessive software running simultaneously slow Windows 7 startup

It doesn't matter how high computer specifications are, excessive resource-eating programs loading themselves up inevitably extend the startup time that Windows 7 needs to slowly boot. To disable unnecessary startup programs, there are two ways:

Press" Win+R" to Run "Msconfig", select "Startup" tab, uncheck unwanted items.
Download "Autoruns for Windows" which is a much more powerful Microsoft product in comparison with "Msconfig".

<3>Antivirus products make Windows 7 slow startup

Poorly-coded or buggy antivirus products often make Windows 7 start up slow, to deal with this issue, antivirus products should always be kept up to date, or choose better ones. And what you should also know is turning off real-time monitoring helps increase the speed of Windows 7 & XP slow startup. Turn it back on whenever you want after computer boots up.

<4>Jamming registry causes Windows 7 to start up slow

The registry is as important to Windows 7 as smooth traffic to a city. When we install and uninstall applications, over time, registry gets jammed up with broken keys, entries, etc, which slows Windows 7 startup down, it is exactly like what heavy traffic would do to a city. To manually maintain registry, run "REGEDIT", but it is not recommended, why not? Think about this When someone fools around with traffic regulations, what would happen? The whole city would be paralyzed, as well as Windows 7, if we blindly make changes to the essential registry. Nonetheless, in order to take good care of the registry and fix Windows 7 slow startup, it is crucial to choose the right registry optimizer, choosing free registry tools is a way to go, but not a good one, since you don't get any after-sale service, when a free but poorly-designed registry tool doesn't speed up Windows 7 slow startup and brings more severe system problems. Why not choose one that comes with a satisfaction guarantee?

Tag : computer,computer repair,windows 7,computer softwere

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_R._Miller

6 Tips To Speed Up Your PC!

2011-02-06T22:15:00.002+07:00

Here are six simple steps which, if followed, will result in faster peformance and a more secure computing environment.

1. If you have never used keyboard shortcuts, now is the time to try. These can save you lots of time and extra mouse movement! Take Windows + M for example. This simple shortcut minimises all open windows in one quick sequence. Imagine how long it would take to click minimise on each of ten open windows. Windows + E open Windows Explorer directly. Windows + L locks your computer if you need to leave your desk.

2. Most PC users are in agreement about the most pointless features of Windows Operating Systems. The delete confirmation dialog ('Are you sure you want to send this file to the recycle bin?') is certainly in the top 10 of annoying and repetative time wasters. If you do happen to make a genuine mistake while deleting, you can always restore a file from the recycle bin, so this dialog serves no useful purpose. You should turn it off and start saving some time. Right click on the Recycle Bin and untick the option to display the delete confirmation dialog.

3. Run Windows defragmenter at regular intervals to keep hard disk performance in good shape.The defragmenter does this by physically organizing the contents of the disk to store the pieces of each file close together on the hard drive. This results in noticably faster performance. Do a defrag once a month, or better still schedule this task (you can do this if you're using Vista).

4.Update Windows regularly. Computer hackers are constantly finding new ways to attack your computer with viruses & other malware. Microsoft continually searches for security vulnerabilities in their software and provides security updates to fix them. The security fixes are available, but computer users don't get them installed quickly enough. Head into your Control Panel & turn on Automatic Updates right away. An added advantage of activating Automatic Updates is that Microsoft provides other software updates that make your computer run better and faster. For example, an update may fix an issue with a hardware device, improve the performance of your computer, or deliver improved functionality.

5. Make sure all of your user accounts are password protected, especially the default Administrator account. If this has already been done, think about whether your existing passwords are good enough. Simple passwords are dangerous. If you're using any of the following for passwords you probably aren't as secure as you think: names of children, pets, parents, phone numbers or birthdays. Something like Zs86jF03t is much more effective. Notice the mix of upper and lowercase letters interspersed with numbers.

6. Install strong Antivirus Software. Do some research to satisfy yourself as to an effective antivirus software as some programs are decidedly mediocre. A good antivirus will form the mainstay of your computer's security while on the Internet. You can increase your security further with strong antispyware protection. A few years ago you might have got away with neglecting this issue, but certainly not today. Weak security will be quickly exploited by the latest rogues, trojans and rootkits.

Take these simple steps onboard and both you and your computer will be much happier tech travellers!

Tag : computer,computer pc,computer repair,computer software,computer hardware

Smartly Speed Up Windows - Wisely Choose RAM to Speed Up Windows

2011-01-29T00:53:00.001+07:00

In order to speed up Windows, Adding more RAM helps, but which type of RAM to choose? Is the most recent type the best to speed up Windows? Nope!

Normally the RAM that has the fastest transfer rate speeds up Windows the most, but it may not be an economical way to have a slow Windows speed up. As we know, the transfer rate of DDRII 800 is 6.4GB/s and that of DDRIII 1333 is 10.67GB/s. Transfer rate reflects the ability to transfer data, in another word it means the ability to speed Windows up. It is obvious some would say to have the speed of windows go up, DDRIII 1333 is a better option comparing to DDRII 800 which transfers 4.27GB less data per second and will slow the speed of Windows up, if the price is not in consideration.

However we actually can speed up Windows by using two or three pieces of DDRII 800 RAM to get a data transfer rate of 12.8GB or 19.2GB per second on a motherboard which supports dual-channel memory or triple-channel memory. As you understand right now, thanks to the multi-channel DDR technology, wisely choosing RAM and a motherboard helps to save money and speed up Windows!

In some cases, if you don't have any budget for a new piece of RAM, it is recommended to use a free memory cleaner applet to automatically optimize RAM usage in order to speed windows up! Looking for more professional ways to speed up Windows?

Tag : computer,windows,ram,computer rapair

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nicole_R._Miller

What Is Blu-Ray?

2011-01-15T22:49:00.002+07:00

Back in 1997, a new home video format was introduced that utilised digital sound and video to provide the sharpest images and clearest sounds to homes across the world. The format was called the Digital Video Disc, or DVD, and it has since unseated VHS as the leading home video format all over the world.

DVD seems to be on its way out, however. Just like the large analog VHS tapes before them, DVDs are on the verge of being made obsolete by a relatively new format: Blu-ray.

Blu-ray players and discs were released in June 2006, although they were beaten to the market by HD-DVDs by a few months. Both formats were created to keep up with recently-released high-definition TVs such as Samsung televisions, which provided pictures and sound that were sharper than what standard DVDs were capable of providing. Although B-ray initially faced competition from HD-DVD, B-ray won the "format war" in 2008 when HD-DVD players and discs were pulled from the market.

Blu-ray gets its name from the blue-violet laser that is used to read the discs. The standard DVD player uses a red laser which has a much longer wavelength than blue/violet light. The shorter wavelength of a B-ray laser allows B-r discs to store almost ten times as much information as a standard DVD. Most single-sided DVDs can hold 4.7 GB (gigabytes) of information, which is about the size of a standard-definition two-hour movie with special features. A single-sided B-r disc, on the other hand, can hold 27 GB of data. This is enough for more than two hours of high-definition video or thirteen hours of standard-definition video. A double-layer Blu-ray disc can hold 54 GB of data, which is good for over 20 hours of standard definition video and 4.5 hours of high-definition video. There are currently plans to develop discs with an even higher capacity than that.

While the first Blu-ray players on the market were relatively expensive, their growing popularity and the fact that they are quickly overtaking DVD players on the market has made them more readily available and affordable. High-definition TVs have also grown in popularity, making B-ray players the ideal choice for those who want to enjoy the best movies with the best possible picture and sound quality. B-ray has even started to replace DVD-ROMs in computers as well as DVD recorders. The most advanced computers on the market now come with B-ray drives. For those who want to record their favourite shows on their high-definition TVs there are even now B-ray recorders such as the Panasonic B-ray Recorder on the market now.

Tag : computer,blu-ray,computer repair,cheap computer,computer software

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robbie_Turnbull

Computers - Motherboard, RAM And CPU

2011-01-06T22:51:00.001+07:00

For those people looking to make their own computers, they might be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options and combinations available to them. However, you can save a lot of money making your own computer rather than purchasing a ready-made personal computers. Computers are made up over certain key components which should be considered first above all else, as they are like jigsaw pieces; only certain pieces fit with other pieces. Here are some tips to purchasing components for your computers.

Motherboard, RAM, Processor

A computer is made up of three core parts, excluding the case, power supply and a hard drive. These core parts allow everything else to function and once provided with power, the computer will turn on (though it won't get far without further information from the hard drive). They all play their own part in the functioning of the PC. The motherboard serves as a hub for the other components, but provides no performance boost of its own. Therefore, when choosing a motherboard, look for compatibility with newer components.

The central processing unit (CPU) is much easier to decide on. With your motherboard in mind, you'll be restricted to a single series of CPUs, such as the new i3, i5 and i7 processors from Intel. Choose one to fit your budget and performance needs, keeping in mind that it's not only processing speed which matters, but also how many cores are provided.

With multiple cores, the processor can easily deal with multiple streams of information, meaning it beats other, similarly-powered processors that have lesser cores. For those who wish to multitask, a multi-core processor is a must. For overall increased performance, also consider purchasing high-quality RAM.

RAM (Random Access Memory) performs as temporary memory for the rest of the computer. Unlike the hard drive, which is designed for large storage over a long period of time with slow access speeds, RAM is designed for small storage over a short period of time with very fast access speeds. This makes it ideal for storing important or regularly used information that the CPU needs to access quickly. Obviously, the higher the speed and storage space, the better the RAM.

Power Supply

The power supply provides power to the entire computer, including every components within. When utilizing smaller power supply units (PSUs), even an additional hard drive or optical drive can make all the difference and may even result in your personal computer not switching on. For a larger computer using multiple hard drives and multiple graphics cards, consider at least a 700w+ power supply with the necessary power cables to juice up such components.

Tag : computer,computer repair,cheap computer,CPU

Becoming a Computer Repair Service Technician - How To Choose the Right Technical School

2010-12-30T21:46:00.001+07:00

Deciding to go back to school for a career in computers-or as it is commonly referred to in the field: IT, Information Technology, or IT Services is a big decision and one that should not be taken lightly. If you are reading this article then chances are you have already decided that a career in computer repair might be right for you; equally important is choosing the right school. In any community there are going to be a variety of options from traditional four-year universities to various different technical colleges. While a four-year university is usually the best option for long-term career growth, continuing education at a four-year college isn't right for everyone and many choose a technical college due to either the lower cost or shorter time required to complete the program. Many also choose to attend a technical college for computer repair so that they can quickly get into the workforce in an entry-level IT job and then complete a four-year degree later while they are working for a company that offers tuition reimbursement. This article will primarily focus on choosing the right technical college; one that will enable you to find work as a computer repair service technician, network technician, IT help desk operator or similar job.

In most cities there will be at least several different choices of technical schools that offer computer repair services training. The correct order to begin your selection process is to first make the decision to go back to school and then set about deciding which school to attend. Do not simply go in to meet with one of the schools recruiting agents and count on them to provide you with all the information you need regarding the schools merits. Doing so could put you at risk of losing your investment of time and money in a technical school education that does not produce a good job for you in the end. Any business needs to continue to sell its services to survive and technical colleges are no different. For this reason it is important to realize that the school's career recruiter is a salesperson for that particular school and is not likely to tell you anything that might influence you to go someplace else. Ironically this author has seen many people put more independent research into buying a used car than in selecting where to get their education. When going back to school to become a computer repair service technician it is important to realize that not all schools are created equal- some provide skills and certifications that will more easily transition you into a good paying job than others.

The first thing you need to consider is what employers are looking for. You should start by selecting several different companies that you would consider the ideal place that you'd like to work when you finish school. If you could start a computer services career anyplace that you wanted to then where would you want to work? These are the places that you need to contact for advice on which school they favor or has provided them in the past with the most qualified candidates. When calling you can ask to speak with the HR manager, or the manager of the department in which you'd like to work. Simply tell them that you respect their company and hope to work there some day in a computer services job and that you are looking for their advice on which school that they think is best. Most managers will be flattered that you are asking for their opinion and you will find that most (if not all) of them will be more than willing to speak with you and give advice about which schools have provided them with the most qualified computer workers. Most managers will have some very strong opinions about the computer technical colleges in their area but may be reluctant to say anything negative about any of them, so take careful note of which school they seem to favor. This is the most valuable information you will get in your search since once you complete your degree and begin your job search you will want to have gone to a school that is favorable in the eyes of your prospective employers. If they have had great success with employees that attended one particular college then having that school on your resume will lend you credibility. Likewise if they have had hired employees from another school and found them to be lacking in certain necessary skills, then having that school on your resume may be a barrier that you will have to overcome prior to getting a job offer from that company.

The second most important thing to consider is certifications. Certifications from Microsoft are highly valuable when trying to land a job in the computer services field since they guarantee a level of proficiency that a diploma all by itself does not. If you are looking for a job as a computer repair service technician then you will want to make sure that by the time you graduate you are at the minimum a Microsoft Certified Professional (MCP). The highest level of Microsoft Certification is called MCSE or Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer-ideally you want to be an MCSE but for most purposes an MCP is enough to get you an entry-level job in computer repair. Certifications are also important because they are universally understood by employers. You can go anywhere in the country and while the employers there may not have heard of the technical school that you went to, they will know that you are guaranteed to be proficient with Microsoft products since Microsoft has certified it. Many schools offer certification as part of their curriculum but what's important to know is whether they require or guarantee it. Computer repair schools with lower standards will often have certifications listed as optional within their programs which is definitely a cause for concern. At the best technical schools certifications will be mandatory. At first it may sound good to hear that certification is optional however many lower level technical schools will make the certifications "optional" as a way to compensate when many of their graduates are lacking the necessary skills to obtain them. If you attend a school that requires mandatory certifications you will know in advance that by the time you graduate you will have all the necessary skills to obtain a good paying position in the computer repair field.

The last thing to consider is that you may need to contact a number of different technical schools in order to find one that meets your needs. It is important to remember that you are the one interviewing the school and that while you have decided to go to back to school, you haven't yet decided that you want to go to their school. While it is true that you will need to apply and be accepted prior to attending, the technical school is a business and they need a continual flow of students to stay in business. Based on this authors personal experience it is very rare for a prospective student to not be accepted at a technical college so don't be taken in by any particular recruiter who tries to turn the tables on you by telling you that they aren't sure if you're qualified to attend. That is a common tactic that career recruiters use to get you filling out applications and paperwork. If you are to make sure you have the best possible chance at obtaining the job you want in the computer repair field you will need to interview the college first and make sure that it meets all of your needs prior to filling out any forms.

Entry-level computer repair services jobs generally pay well and can be an excellent gateway position that will later lead you into more advanced computer jobs such as project management, network engineering and server technician, but to get there you will first need to play your cards right by choosing the right school that will ensure you the ability to get your foot in the door.

Tag : computer,computer repair,computer game,cheap computer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_C_Roskopf

How To Use Twitter Software

2010-12-23T23:40:00.002+07:00

The Twitter website is the latest of the social networking websites. There are an ever increasing number of people who are using it every day and it makes marketing on the Internet very profitable for many users. There are numerous software packages that are being used to market on Twitter. The two most popular software packages are Tweet Whistle and Twitter Adder. As a result of this software marketing on Twitter has flourished and become safe. However, if you want to make sure that you are safe, you should know how to properly use the software. While you are using the Twitter software, you will soon become very knowledgeable with all the features so here is how to use them.

If you have just created a page on Twitter and have started to use the marketing software on Twitter, it will take a while to build up the number of people who will follow you. When you first start using the Twitter software, you will probably have to follow at least 50 members each day.

Some users will block you and some will follow you back. When you are adding users with the Twitter software, you also have to be continually deleting those who have quit following you. In order to do this, you will have to set the features on Tweet Adder so that it will delete those users that have stopped following you automatically. By doing this it will prevent any inflated ratio that might mislead your customers. At some later time, you should be able to increase your following to about 100 persons a day.

After you have started a business, it isn't necessary for you to follow back those people who don't follow you. You will have to give people a minimum of 3 days to follow you back. After that amount of time, if they still don't follow you may as well unfollow them. You shouldn't follow posts that have too much or too little promotional matter that is posted on their profile. In order to increase your following, you should keep tweeting routinely so that you will hold the interest of your followers. You should also be what you really are. You need to understand the future and be honest in order to keep a level of curiosity up with your followers.

Now you can now make the best of your Twitter Software which will to help you to market your goods and services on the Internet. With the help of this software program, you should be able to dominate the marketplace.

Tag : computer,computer software,software,computer hardware

Buying Games For Your PC

2010-12-15T22:35:00.001+07:00

There are so many wonderful options when it comes to PC games. But most of us have limited time and money, so it is impossible for us to try everything. We have to make decisions about what to buy and where to buy it. The following tips should help you to decide which PC games you should buy.

- Many of the top PC games have free demo versions, and it is well worth trying these out before spending any more. Many people are so eager to pick up new games that they buy them without even thinking and checking out, and this can lead to them buying something that they are not very happy with. These free demos can be fairly short, but there is usually enough there to allow you to make your mind up about a game.

- Before buying any PC games it would be a good idea to check out the requirements. What often happens with many people is that they buy games for their PC without even checking to see if it is suitable for the PC they have. By checking out the requirements of a game before buying and determining whether or not it will play on your PC you can save yourself a lot of wasted time.

- One great way to get your PC games is to download them directly from the web. You won't have to leave your home to buy the game and as soon as it has finished downloading, you can start playing the game. It also avoids having to go searching the shops for the game. The main problem with getting your games like this is if you don't have a fast broadband connection; without this you could be waiting for an age before your game downloads.

The information above should go some way to helping you choose your PC games. Hopefully if you follow this advice, you won't end up buying games which are not suitable.

Tag : computer,computer pc,computer games,computer repair

Tips For Choosing Between A Laptop And A Notebook

2010-12-10T22:39:00.002+07:00

The fact that a notebook is actually a kind of laptop means that talking about choosing between a laptop and a notebook is a little bit misleading. However, when talking about choosing between these two devices, what is actually meant is choosing between a traditional laptop which comes with all the functions and a notebook which is a more simplified type of laptop. The notebook computer is aimed specifically at those people who just need something for going on the Internet with; a laptop offers a lot more than this. When it comes to choosing between the two, the following tips should help.

- Your actual requirements is something that you really need to take into account because there is no need to pay more money for things that you are not going to use. You will save money if you buy a notebook and if you only want to surf the net, then this is probably the better choice for you. However, it would not be a good idea to spend money on a notebook and then realize later that it doesn't do what you want. If you want something for work then you will probably need a more traditional laptop.

- A laptop is the better choice for those who would like to be able to play games or watch DVDs because most notebooks do not provide the user with these functions.

- A notebook battery will usually give you around five hours of web surfing, so this is worth noting.

- And if you are looking for something which is light and portable then a notebook is the obvious choice.

- If you want the cheapest possible deal then you will be better off choosing a notebook, but remember that cheapest is only a good deal if the device does what you want it to.

Tag : computer,computer repair,laptop computer,notebook

Why Cisco Routers Offer the Best Network Solution For Your Business?

2010-12-03T22:00:00.002+07:00

Those wondering which routers in the industry are the best will often hear a common single word response: Cisco. Yes, Cisco routers are frequently recommended as the best available systems and are often an automatic go-to for businesses - large or small. Of course, the answer itself raises a question. What is it about Cisco routers that make them such a reliable and popular choice?

Two words can be employed to sum up such a question: quality and reliability. Cisco routers deliver on all their intended functions and do so without fail. No, this is not to infer that they last forever or are not prone to any potential damage. However, they are produced with a high enough level of quality that they will handle a great deal of use without displaying any loss of function.

That alone can be considered a huge positive for a business. It certainly would not be helpful to a business' bottom line to repeatedly replace routers. Yet, this may be the case when the network employs less reliable or durable. Why deal with such problems when Cisco routers would prove to be the much better option?

In addition to the great reliability associated with Cisco routers, the affordable price makes them well worth looking acquiring. Businesses always need to have an eye on the proverbial bottom line. This is not always easy considering the high prices certain computer hardware comes with. For those businesses in need of a top router system, this is the brand to consider. This combination of cost-effectiveness and reliability would certainly prove incredibly difficult to beat.

Do you have to be a tech wizard in order to run Cisco routers? If you did then they would probably never have proven to be as popular as they have become. They understand that user-friendliness is greatly valued by those businesses seeking to purchase networking equipment. This is just one of the reason that they are seen as easy to install and operate. No one needs to feel confused or unsure when it comes time to "push buttons" on the company's router. Cisco has made sure the router system's that bear the company's name are highly easy to use.

Similarly, concerns about configuration may raise their head. Or do they? Depending upon the particular router model a business purchases, configuration may not even be necessary. This would be another great positive since it eliminates the need for any additional and potentially confusing steps to run them. The more steps that are eliminated, the easier the router is to use. The easier the router is to use, the less time your business needs to spend dealing with router problems and issues.

All in all, it would be very difficult to top the great value that Cisco routers bring to the table. Cisco routers are affordable, efficient, east to operate, and come with a low price. When you take all of this into account it's easy to see why they remain such a popular choice with businesses throughout the world.

Tag : computer,computer repair,computer software,computer hardware

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vincent_Rogers

Password Security And Picking A Secure Password

2010-11-28T02:15:00.000+07:00

Picking a password is one of those things that absolutely everyone has to do eventually, though many passwords aren't very secure due to decisions in selection and upkeep. Regardless of whether the password is for a social networking website, an online seller, or simply just your email, all of your passwords must be kept as securely as possible in order to protect your assets and your identity.

Listed below are some methods to help you ensure that your passwords are secure:

* The ideal password size is between ten and fifteen characters long. This is generally short enough for you to remember but long enough to discourage a brute force attack (a common type of a password cracking attempt).

* Avoid passwords that are very easily guessed due to their association with you. Your name and the names of anyone in your family, for example, can be very easy passwords to crack. Additional quickly guessed passwords include names of pets or important dates including anniversaries and birthdays.

* Also avoid using any passwords which are actual words which can be found in the dictionary. There are actually many programs that try to use every word in the dictionary as a password. These kinds of programs also frequently try to add random numbers to a given word (such as turning "kitty" into "kitty2") or to spell words backwards, so those possibilities shouldn't be used as passwords.

* The strongest passwords are usually alphanumeric combinations (sequences of numbers and letters) that are not composed of actual words but instead are made of syllables that you can easily remember mixed with numbers. Using a mixture of capital and lowercase letters will also help ensure a secure password. Ideally, this combination is also pronounceable, rather than a random string of letters and numbers, as the pronounceable password will likely be easier for you to remember. For example, a password such as "vgie38hA" is very secure but not very memorable, while "Soe6bam" can be repeated to yourself out loud and therefore remembered much more easily.

* Passwords which contain obvious sequences may take a bit longer to crack, however they're by no means secure. "123456" or "abcdefg" are easily recognizable patterns that will almost certainly be attempted by absolutely everyone trying to guess your password, as are patterns based on keyboard layout like "qwerty" or "zaq1xsw2" (analyze the left side of your keyboard for the latter example).

* Use a different password for every occasion. Choosing to use exactly the same password for everything is regrettably common and very unsafe. Once the password is known to work for one use, it will be tried for all other applications. Using a different password every time prevents the loss of all security in the case that one password is compromised.

* Change your passwords frequently. The longer you keep the exact same password, the greater the chance that it can be compromised. Altering your passwords every six months or so helps to ensure that your passwords are secure even if they have already been discovered and simply never used.

* You may need to write your password down in the event you can't remember it. If this would be the case, don't leave the written copy of your password anywhere that's immediately obvious such as your desk or your wallet. One option is to lock it up somewhere (such as a filing cabinet, lock-box, or other secure container) for that you have the one key. Another possible method is to write the password down on the edge of a page in a favorite book - avoid writing it down on a bookmark placed in a book, however, are these are easy for you to lose and for an intruder to find.

* Never give your password to anyone. The best password is one that you, and only you, know. No one else needs to know you password - not your spouse, your family members, your buddies, or your co-workers. Your system administrator doesn't need to know your password, since that person really should be able to reset your password in case of emergency anyway.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Quintin_Fatchett

Cleaning Your Computer's Registry For Improved Performance

2010-11-18T00:35:00.001+07:00

Cleaning your Computer's Registry for Improved Performance

Ron Cripps

This has been written to give the average computer user the information needed to optimize and maintain there computer registry. Your windows registry is an essential part of your computer so it needs to be looked after I hope this helps.

Invalid registry keys are the major cause of computer errors, crashes and slow downs. Invalid registry keys are usually want is left behind from a program that has been uninstalled from your computer. You need to repair these registry entries to ensure a smooth running computer as leaving them can lead to many problems.

Computer Systems such as Windows XP and Windows Vista possess a Registry Editor tool that you can use to view the registry files, and if you like you can conduct a few registry edits, but remember always backup the registry before making any changes. With that in mind, this mechanism is not equipped with options that you can use to perform a thorough system scan or repair of the registry. For that you will require a registry cleaning tool to do the work for you such as regcure, registry fix, registry smart, there are many options available to you and most of these programs have a free trial download.

Windows XP and Windows Vista have very notable characteristics when it comes to programs. If you are attempting to clean and maintain your own computer registry please be aware that this can be extremely dangerous to the unwary user. Your Registry files are extremely important for the trouble free operation of your windows system. In saying this if you happen to delete the wrong entry you could possibly slow or worse still crash your system.

Installing new software or hardware on your Windows Xp or Vista computer system is more complex than you are lead to believe. Every function of the install or un-install is logged in the computer registry. Overtime the registry can become full of obsolete files and this happens whether you have followed the correct un-install or install directions it is unfortunately unavoidable.

An unmaintained registry is likely to cause problems and crashes if left unchecked. It is vital that you clean your registry of any obsolete or cross linked files to ensure system stability and reliability.

Removing and installing programs can cause corrupt entries in your computers registry. This can in effect degrade the overall running of your computer which could lead to your computer failing to start altogether. If you have not done so already it would be a good idea to consider cleaning your computer registry to stop any further or future problems developing.

It is vital for you to maintain your computer registry, it is not a difficult procedure as long as you are extremely careful when removing any entries. Once you have removed a registry entry it is permanent and can not be undone. If you happen to delete a registry file that is needed it could stop your computer from running, so make a backup of all your files before attempting anything like this.

If you are confident enough to edit your registry then here is how you can access it by clicking on the Start then Run and typing in Regedit.Open the Registry Editor and click on the My Computer icon in the left-hand panel. Click Edit and Find. Type in the word that has some reference to the program you are searching for to be certain is removed from your registry.

There is another way to increase your system performance with having to use the Registry editor. You can access a program called MSCONFIG by going to start then to run and typing in "msconfig" this will open a new window on your desktop where you can click the startup tab to view all programs that have loaded during startup. Remember all of these programs are using up valuable resources on your PC. You can if you know what you are doing uncheck these programs to improve system performance.

The registry is critical for your Windows operating system. Regular registry maintenance helps you avoid PC errors and also enables you to ensure optimal PC performance. Always use the windows uninstall option all the program uninstall options to remove programs you no longer need Do Not Just the delete the Icon and the Program Folder as this will leave behind many files that will over time slow your computer through an overloaded computer registry

Useful Tips To Customize Your Mouse

2010-11-14T02:09:00.000+07:00

The usage of computers has made life simpler for most of us. The key components of the computer system include the CPU, the monitor, keyboard and the mouse. Mouse is essential for navigating through the screen with relative ease than using the arrow keys in the keyboard.

People who are new to computers or in the learning stages might encounter some difficulties handling the mouse and moving the cursor across the navigation pane in the monitor. In some cases, such people even try to change or adapt their style of working to the requirements and standard working of the mouse. Most computers are ideally suited for a person using his right hand for working and the mouse is ideally placed on his or her right hand side. What will the choice be for a person using left hand predominantly for working than the right hand?

If you happen to be one such person, you will be delighted to know that you can customize the functions of the mouse to suit your working. You can easily customize the workings of the mouse to suit left hand operations. You can even change the display icon for the mouse, alter the size of the cursor navigating through the screen, and also control or adjust the speed of the mouse cursor.

The majority of the computers come pre-loaded with the Windows operating system. All you need to do is go to the control panel from the start menu of your desktop PC, click on the mouse icon, select the properties and do the required changes, such as the setting the speed of the mouse, altering the left and right button controls and also the cursor size and display icon. In this way, you can make it pleasurable to work in the desktop computer.

Files, Folders and Defrag - Help Organise Your PCFiles, Folders and Defrag - Help Organise Your PC

2010-11-06T21:23:00.000+07:00

What is a file?

A file on your computer is much like a file that you would keep in your filing cabinet. Each file has a unique name and is kept in a specific location. Each computer file has a three character extension which is separated from the file name by a period. The extension is often hidden however there is an option in Windows to display this if you wish. The extension relates to a specific program. This tells the computer which program to open it with. For example, a file extension xls or xlsx relates to Microsoft Excel.

Some file extensions, such as.mp3 can be opened in a variety of programs.

What is a Folder?

A folder usually contains a collection of files similar to a folder in a filling cabinet. You can have folders within a folder. These are known as subfolders. You may sometimes hear folders referred to as directories.

What is a Path?

A path relates to the exact location of the folder leading to the files. For example, the location of the files for a program installation on a Windows PC is commonly c:program files.

File names can be whatever you like however there are some characters which cannot be used. e.g. *! % etc.. If you store files in the manner which you would in a manual filling system then you should be easily able to locate the one you are looking for.

Any file can have a shortcut, which is like a bridge to the original file and can be placed in any location on the computer. The Desktop is a where you are likely to find several shortcuts.

Keeping Your Desktop Tidy

It is good practice to keep you desktop tidy and uncluttered. Remove all unused shortcuts and create folders for scattered files. In Windows there is a desktop clean up wizard to help with this process.

To access this right click on the desktop, choose properties, then select the tab, desktop. Then click the button customise desktop button. There will be an option to clean the desktop. You could of course just delete any unwanted shortcuts or icons.

Performing a Defrag on a hard disk for a Windows based computer is a useful way to help speed up access to files and folders on your computer.

What is Defraging (Defrag)?

If you were to index a filing cabinet, you would probably organise it alphabetically with labels on the individual files to enable you to find them easily. If someone moved around the draws on the filing cabinet and switched the labels on your files to

a random order, beside being a tad annoying to say the least, it would take a great deal longer to find a particular file. Now a computer saves files wherever it finds space. This can be almost anywhere on the hard drive. So when the computer accesses a file it may have to look across the entire hard drive to find it, so over time this process will take longer. What a defrag does is to group together files of similar types thereby increasing the speed of access to them. So carrying out a defrag on a regular basis can help optimise the time your computer takes to access files and folders. Windows 7 and Windows Vista have an option to schedule a defrag at regular intervals.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Gold

How To Remove Svchost.exe

2010-06-05T22:39:00.001+07:00

What Is Svchost.exe?

The full name of "svchost.exe " is "Gerneric Host Process for Win32 Services". Svchost.exe is a vital process for Windows operating system. it is a process that is used to load DLL files and programs that run on your computer.

It is likely that you get multiple schost.exe files loaded because one program needs to be grouped from other Windows services. Therefore, it is normal to see more than one svchost.exe process in the Task Manager.

Thought svshost.exe is a Windows system file, there might be some viruses that will infect the svchost.exe file in your computer. You have to know that the original location for svchost.exe is C:\Windows\Ssytem. If svchost.exe is found in places other than its normal location, you have to pay close attention because it is probably a virus and learn how to remove svchost.exe to ensure the stability and security of your system.
If you want to make sure that your system is under a stable and secure condition, you could run a quick exe error scan for your PC.

How to Fix Svchost.exe Errors?

If you are getting the following error message during startup, the solutions telling you how to remove svchost.exe are presented below.

Error message:
0se03c3a68
Solutions:

If you are using Windows Me or Windows XP, you can turn off the System Restore.
For Windows Me:

1.Go to Start > Settings > Control Panel > double click System
2.Go to the Performance tab > select File System
3.Left click Troubleshooting tab
4.Select "Disable System Restore "
5.Click OK

For Windows XP:
1.Log on to the system as Administrator
2.Go to Start > right click on My Computer > select Properties
3.Select "Turn Off System Restore"
4.Left click Apply and click Yes
5.Click OK

Restart your computer under the Safe Mode.
1.Start up your computer
2.After the first beep, press F8
3.Select the first option

Access the command prompt.
1.Go to Start > Run > type CMD > Click OK
2.Type the directory path of the folder of the Windows system files
Type the following information in the command prompt.
"attrib -h -r -s scvhost.exe", press Enter
"attrib -h -r -s blastclnnn.exe", press Enter
"attrib -h -r -s autorun.inf", press Enter
Type the following in the command prompt to delete the files.
"del scvhost.exe", press Enter
"del blastclnnn.exe", press Enter
"del autorun.inf", press Enter
Type "cd\" to return to the main Windows directory.
Type "attrib -h -r -s autorun.inf" in the command prompt, press Enter
Type "del wutorun.inf' and press Enter
Type "regedit" and press Enter
Locate the following entry.
HKEY CURRENT USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Locate the following key.
HKEY LOCAL MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WInlogon
Locate the following key.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Services>
Delete the following subkeys: RpcPatch, RpcTftpd
Type Exit and press Enter
Reboot your computer

By: Nikki Ramelow

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

How to Setup Your Own Wi-Fi Network

2010-06-02T00:31:00.000+07:00

Wi-Fi is the acronym of Wireless Fidelity and is also the well-liked name for 802.11 based technology. Some years ago, the flexibility of networking was the luxury reserve and was threaded behind the walls, to set up the Ethernet network connection. But now over the past few years, there a number of packages for home networking are available and relatively easy to use. One can use the pre-existing wirings to set up wireless network.

You can include three things, based on three established standards of the networking.

1. HomePNA 2.0 - It is Home Phoneline Networking Alliance that can cater on the phone line system of home.
2. HomePlug - It uses the existing power lines
3. 802.11b (Wi-Fi) standard - it gives the facility to go wireless.

Wireless network is useful for sharing the Internet access, printers and files. Before setting up the wireless network, Vista users are recommended to install the Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP service Pack 2 for XP users. Service Pack makes things much easier and protects you against internet intruders, the hackers and worms.

Here Step by Step guide is given for set up

Important - Before going for setting up your own Wi-Fi network, you must read the documentation first for the router, Broadband modem and any other device that will be used.

Step 1 - Choose wireless equipment

First step for setting up a network is to make sure for the equipment you need. Always choose the equipments, according to the three different said wireless technologies. So before going to purchase the devices, just take a look at the list of required equipments.

List

- A Computer System
- A Broadband internet connection
- A wireless router
- A wireless network adaptor

Step 2 - Purchase your router

Three top wireless networking standards of the routers can be used for the maximum compatibility. These standards are: 802.11a, 802.11b and 802.11g. So before purchasing, you make sure that the router, what you are going to use is compatible with the three wireless network standards. Like a cordless phone base station, router converts the internet signals into a wireless broadcast.

Step 3 - Purchase a Wireless Network Adaptor

The adaptor connects your computer system to the wireless router. For the desktop computer, you should buy a USB wireless network adaptor but for laptops, you may buy a PC card based network adaptor. Every computer requires a separate network adaptor. Some times Windows may prompt you to inser the CD, which comes with the adaptor. Today the top adaptors are available from Netgear, Linksys, D-Link, Buffallo and Microsoft.

Step 4 - Physical Setup of Wi-Fi network

One can connect a router to the existing home network with the simple process. The chain "Internet - Broadband Modem - PC" then becomes "Internet - Broadband Modem - Router - PC". First you locate the cable or DSL modem then connect the router to the modem. This time modem should be the connected to the internet.

After this whole setup, your computer will connect wirelessly to the router and router will communicate through the modem to internet.

Step 5 - Get the Digital setup and security for the network

After getting hooked altogether, one must try to check the network by opening a web on the internet. The security process must include the encryption of the data. To ensure the security by encryption you should create an encryption key which is a series of the letters and numbers like the password.

Problems and their solution

The only problem with this setup is that we have to turn on the computer, which is connected to the internet to share the connection with the other computers. The use of the gateway with the built-in router, is a good solution of this problem. This is a hardware device which handles the internet traffic like a switchboard. Now this device is commonly referred as the router.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Shailesh_Vyas

Finding Ways to Repair Microsoft Outlook PST Files

2009-10-05T21:07:00.000+07:00

There are many people who are puzzled about how to repair Microsoft Outlook PST files. PST files, also known as Personal Storage Table, are an intrinsic part of the MS Outlook program. The PST Files contain all your important data in the form of emails, your address book contacts, events on your calendar, your personal folder, and other information.

The PST's files of your MS Outlook application are vulnerable to certain errors and problems, and may become damaged or corrupt over time. There are many methods with which you can fix these errors, and one of them is through repair tools or repair programs available to MS Outlook users.

Once your PST files are damaged, you will be unable to access this mail program. Sending and receiving mail becomes impossible, as is setting appointments and making notes. Your only recourse would be to repair Microsoft Outlook using the Inbox Repair Tool or a Repair Program. The success of the repair will depend on how corrupted or damaged the application is.

Microsoft provides a free utility in the presence of the application's Inbox Repair Tool to help you fix the program. A Scanpst.exe can repair Microsoft Outlook files by mending its header information and deleting all extraneous data it cannot read. This means that if the problem lies with the PST Files header, this build-in tool can fix the corrupt file. However, while the problem may successfully be fixed, not all of your lost data can be recovered. If the Inbox Repair Tool doesn't do the trick, you will have to invest in a third party repair program to fix your files.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_Whidby

How Viruses Get Into Your Computer

2009-09-09T20:11:00.001+07:00

There are three ways through which viruses can get into your computers.

A very common way of entrance for viruses is CD/DVD or U.S.B. Drives. Have you noticed that when you insert original software disks or Windows installation disks into your CD drive, installation of that software starts automatically? There is one file inside your Disk or U.S.B. Drive called "Auto run.inf", this file tells the system to start some application or to execute some commands automatically when the disk is inserted.

When you burn CD/DVD Disk or insert U.S.B. Drive in an infected computer, viruses (running in background process and observing your computer) put a copy of itself and auto-run.inf file into that disk or drive. If you insert such infected drives/disks into a fresh healthy system, that system will also become infected. In this way viruses travels from infected computers to healthy computers through CD/DVD or U.S.B. Drives.

Viruses can also spread through LAN (Local Area Network). If an infected system is attached to a healthy network or one of the computers of a healthy network gets infected, viruses will spread through out the network.

If you download software from not trusted websites, remember that "Nothing is Free" and "If you are getting it free, you might be sacrificing your privacy or your system behind the scene".

Such pirated software comes with cracks like crack.exec, patch.exec, key gen.exec etc. And with my personal experience I found that most of those crack contains virus infection in it, in some case software itself comes with virus infections from such a site.

So keep aware and be safe on-line. Enjoy a virus free computer world.

Tag : computer,computer repair,computer games

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chirag_Gadara

Spyware remover 2009

2009-08-25T20:51:00.002+07:00

If you are like a lot of computer owners these days, you are apparently a bit anxious about spyware and malware. Given the accident these kinds of applications can do, it’s harder not to be afraid about it. Staying safe is simple with antispyware applications, but it’s not as simple as just avaricious the first convincing application you see, though. Spyware Remover 2009 is one application that apparently would not advice in your fight against spyware, and if it’s allotment of your harder drive, removing it is the best move you can make.

Spyware Remover 2009 – The Basics
The programs itself is a rogue antispyware application. The aim of Spyware Removal 2009, and added similar programs, is to get you to purchase the complete version, but there are lots of altered techniques it uses acquisitive you will buy the software. Some humans get Spyware Remover 2009 if they download and install it, but abounding added humans acquisition it has been installed on their harder drive acknowledgment to a Trojan. Most of these masquerade as video codecs, and you are generally prompted to install them if you appointment an accurate website. Once you bang on the codec pop up, Spyware Remover 2009 installs itself.

Common Spyware Remover 2009 Indicators

If you are not sure whether or not this programs is installed on your computer, there are several things you can watch out for. First, you ability see a pop up window that contains a security scan. With antispyware removal 2009, the accomplishments blush is about a abysmal red or maroon, and at the top you not alone see the accepted small shield that is associated with this program, but you will as well see the program’s name and two buttons. One of the buttons says “register” and one should say “About”. If you accept to click on either of them while the application is up on your computer screen, you can expect to be redirected to the home page for Spyware Remover 2009. Much of the blow of the window is committed to the absolute browse process, but forth the left, you ability see added buttons. The typical text on these is System Scan, Privacy, Security, and Settings.

As your computer is scanned, you may notice a progress bar as able-bodied as the amount of communicable files that the scanner finds and the names of those files. Most computer users are a bit afraid by the book names, as they can attend rather convincing. As a result, it is essential that you are think Spyware Remover 2009 finds the same results after-effects on each computer it scans. It is advised to exactly those files with every individual browse so that you will feel the charge to purchase the program. After the browse is over, you may get an arbitrary window that ancestor up with the absolute amount of problems, the book names for those problems, and text to advice acquaint you about the dangers of not purchasing the program. Usually it says something like “Warning! Your System is infected. To Remove Threats, Click the Button Below” When you click, you are redirected to the sales page for the product.

These scans are not the alone programs you ability see if this programs is installed on your harder drive. Additionally, you ability see some advertisements for the program. These usually appear in the form of pop ups, like you ability see while you are surfing online. Many acquaint you there is a security warning. One says “SpywareRemover 2009 Alert!” as the heading. The argument says “Warning: Someone tries [sic] to change IE security from custom to medium! An amorphous action wants to admission IE security settings. Don’t acquiesce admission unless you apperceive changes were admit [sic] by you.” With this accurate message, you usually get the advantage of abstinent the change or acceptance it, but as with a lot of aspects of this program, beat either just leads you aback to the home page.

If these indicators complete a bit familiar, you may accept Spyware Remover 2009 on your computer. The best abstraction is to accept an acclaimed antispyware appliance and abolish it promptly.

Tag : computer,spyware,computer repair,

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/spyware-remover-2009-1159336.html

If Your Computer is Slow, Don't Call a Repairman! Do This Instead

2009-08-13T22:34:00.001+07:00

If your computer is slowing down for no reason at all, then either its a virus infection or your registry is filling up with errors. The chances of a virus affecting your computer are not a high because most users get a really good anti-virus program as one of the first measures after buying their computer.

This leaves us with the registry problem. Now, a professional can fix this for you, but it's going to cost you again and again. This is because their repairs will never be permanent. The reason is because your registry, which is the databank of all your sensitive operational files, is constantly changing. Even when you surf, files are being kept here temporarily. Sometimes, they never leave and this causes errors.

If you want to throw away precious dollars every 6 months or so, go ahead. But, another problem with bringing your computer to a professional is that they will require you to leave your computer with them for as long as 2 weeks. That's like having a part of your daily routine cut short because you won't be able to use your computer for the period that it is in the shop.

Furthermore, your files and everything in your computer is at the mercy of the professional, who can actually take a peek at what you've been up to with your PC.

The other alternative that makes sense is to get a registry cleaner which is software that will remove all the errors in your registry as often as you want.

Tag : computer,computer repair,desktop computer,computer software

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Farley

New Software to Personalize Greeting Cards

2009-08-07T22:44:00.002+07:00

Lecta Corporation is pleased to announce the launching of its new product, Fantasy CardMaker.

Fantasy CardMaker is a user-friendly, yet powerful, software specially designed to create amazing personalized greeting cards, invitations and wallpapers. With Fantasy CardMaker, users can produce unlimited personalized greeting cards and invitations; it can be used for Birthdays, Christmas, Mother's Day, Valentine's, or for any other occasion.

Use Fantasy CardMaker to insert anything into any picture. Any picture could be used as a template. Use your own photos. Incorporate your family and friends. Search images from the Internet. All standard image formats are supported.

Since users have their own preferences, tastes and needs, Fantasy CardMaker incorporates a Search function that allows looking for images on the Internet, the world's most accessible archive. Just type what you are looking for, and you will obtain thousands of images that you could use.

Fantasy CardMaker comes equipped with robust editing tools to resize, rotate or flip the images, and to adjust the color, tone and light.

No experience or computer skills are necessary. Users can easily produce and send cards and invitations with their own personal touch. Kids and adults can create professional-looking cards in seconds.

Fantasy CardMaker comes with a very clear manual (in English, Spanish, French and German) and technical support is available, just in case. Its interface it's also multilingual.

Users can print, save or email they cards right away. Upload them to any website or to any page in Facebook, MySpace or any site. The imagination is the only limit.

Fantasy CardMaker can be safely downloaded for a 3-day risk-free trial period. Then, an unlimited-use license can be purchased for $30. The program can also be ordered in a CD.

For more information, go to www.fantasycardmaker.com.

Fantasy CardMaker is produced by Lecta Corporation, a company dedicated to producing powerful, easy to use, image editing software.

Tag : computer,software,computer repair,cheap computer

computer

What’s New With Microsoft Office Word 2007?

2009-08-02T02:53:00.001+07:00

Microsoft Office Word 2007 is an effective software that allows users to tap into the main frame of completing assignments in style. The software in itself contains an array of features that helps students, small business owners, and IT professionals create high-quality documents with ease. Have you endured the troubles of downloading 2007 Word documents? Well, Microsoft embedded an interesting amount of features that can help anyone interested in producing high-quality documents without hiring a professional.

Compatibility Features

Microsoft decided to introduce the compatibility features that allow you to convert your documents into different formats from previous versions. This was an innovative approach to make things easier for business, school, and home users to convert their documents for others. By allowing such a conversion, many people are still able to review documents that are not in Microsoft Office 2007 formats.

If you’re interested in accessing this feature, open Microsoft Office Word and visit the Start section in the form of an Office symbol. Open the document in which you’d like to convert into a different format, then re-open Start > Save As and you will see six options available:

• Word Document
• Word Template
• Word 97-2003
• OpenDocument Text
• PDF or XPS file
• Rich Text Format and more.

Each format is made with a specific user in mind. If you are used to the new Microsoft Office 2007, this feature alone provides an outstanding change in your productivity.

Preparation for Distribution

Another well-sought feature is the preparation for distribution options available through Start > Prepare.

Every document will need some kind of preparation before you send it to an instructor, manager, or supervisor that demands details in an instant. A good way to prepare your document is to check its Properties by including your name, adding a title, and keywords associated with the document. You can also use the Inspect Document feature to check for hidden personal data and metadata. You never want to send sensitive data without protection; Encrypt Document allows you to place a password on the document that only a recipient should know. If this does not sound like it’s going to help you, consider the Digital Signature feature to increase the integrity of a document.

Office professionals can use Microsoft Office Word 2007 to enrich their documents beyond their imaginations. You can learn about the software by downloading a trial version from Microsoft.com. You will notice all of the features that we discussed in this article as a benefit to your business, office, or home needs. Another benefit available for Microsoft Office Word 2007 users is the availability of self-study training courses, such as those available through Netwind Learning Center. They are designed to help you navigate through the software with no problems.

Anyone interested in purchasing Microsoft Office Word 2007 software, should consider the trial version first then move into the paid version. A lot of individuals unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the new format of the Word layout may resort to their current version of Microsoft Office 97-2003 for document purpose. You have the option to convert anytime; consider all of the benefits, training, and ease of using this software has for managing documents in today’s work environment.

J. Pines is a technical writer of both IT and Business articles. For more information on MS Office 2007 training products visit Netwind Learning Center.

FPARC8

By: FJP

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tag : computer,computer games,computer software,computer repair,laptop computer

Vista Computer Freezing – Windows Vista Keeps Freezing, How Do I Fix It?

2009-07-27T16:21:00.001+07:00

Tired of your Vista computer freezing? Want to know how to fix Vista freezing problems? Well you have come to the right place. Computer freezing can be a real pest to deal with. Especially if you had been working on an important document, playing a game, or had saved information you needed. Sometimes whatever you were working on can be lost forever. And this can happen at random times, often completely out of the blue. When Windows Vista keeps freezing you may get the following symptoms:

Vista completely freezes, not allowing you to do anything. This forces you to have to manually restart your system, causing further damage due to improperly shutting down your computer.

Windows Vista locks up and shows a blue screen of death. This causes the system to reboot, performing a physical memory dump.

Whatever program you are using stops working while the mouse seems frozen on the hour glass symbol. This forces you to hit alt/control/delete to fix it.

The #1 cause of Vista computer freezing is running too many programs at once. If this problems occurs when having too many things open then there are really only 2 solutions. Do not run so many programs or purchase additional RAM to meet specific requirements.

If Windows Vista keeps freezing and the problem is not running too many programs, then the issue lies in the registry. The Windows Vista registry controls information to run all software programs and hardware devices.

Often times the registry becomes congested with corrupt files and errors which inhibits your computers ability to communicate effectively. When your system cannot communicate it freezes up.

The only way to fix Vista freezing in this case is to scan your computer for registry errors. I recommend download top flight software that can automate the process for you. This way you will not only stop Vista computer freezing, but also prevent it from happening in the future.

Tag : computer,windows vista,computer repair,computer games

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/software-articles/vista-computer-freezing-windows-vista-keeps-freezing-how-do-i-fix-it-1068384.html

Computer Problems - Tips for Online Computer Repair

2009-07-22T00:21:00.002+07:00

When your machine is creating disorder for you and you can't hear alter solutions, you set out in investigate of experts to move you out. And the freshman choice is ever the manufacturer. Then, you respond that your warranty with the shaper has terminated and your machine is no writer qualified for unoccupied computer living from them. In such someone the mortal target you can do is investigate for online machine strengthener.

Distinct below are both tips you can persevere to bare land on the most portion machine concord vendor who can worship you the optimal assess for your money.

1. Always workplace around before settling on any unusual conversationalist: Workplace for adverse machine substantiation companies and go sprouted with the one which has adjust arrange of concur computer support services along with assign charges. It is completely useless to pay a strong amount of money for something which you faculty use vindicatory once or twice.

2. Get credentials from seasoned people: Don't opposition up for any software repair services if you are grappling problems with your computer constituent. At times, machine users get confused among which services to opt from. If you are covering a software fund, it testament be solon recommended to tangency hardware pairing companies instead of software root providers.

3. Sensing out for tail connection packs: See if any follow hike is procurable with any satisfactory computer accord associate. Also never cooperation on the quality of hold services. Don't end up remunerative too untold for something which was smallest reclaimable. Ensure most damage and conditions with the computer copulate provider.

4. Always provide out arc minute info of your computer problems and never shy to ask your computer substantiation technician anything you experience suspicious virtually. Don't let them experiment with your machine; it can counsel to solon loss than the actualized job Also, don't await computer experts to guessing everything occurrence on your PC.

7. Examine for diverse packages on distinct websites if you are considering availing distant machine link online hold. If you change been facing daily problems with your PC, it present be change to construction up with yearlong point plans.

Tag : computer,computer problems,computer repair,pc repair,cheap computer

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/computer-problems-tips-for-online-computer-repair-1055930.html

Top Three Computer Gpu Companies

2009-07-18T01:09:00.001+07:00

The GPU, otherwise known as the graphics processing unit, acts as the processor of a PC video card. The GPU's relationship with the video card is comparable to that shared between the CPU and the computer.

The GPU is usually integrated into the computer motherboard, but more powerful ones are usually incorporated in dedicated video cards. The GPU contains a graphics chip that allows PC video cards to render and display graphics and images. The processing power of the graphics chip determines the overall efficiency and effectiveness of the GPU and the video card.

Nvidia, ATI and Intel are the three leading GPU manufacturers worldwide.

* Nvidia

Founded in 1993, Nvidia has firmly established itself as a world leader in GPU production. Its brand name products include the GeForce graphics cards for both desktop PCs and notebook computers. Nvidia also developed the SLI (Scalable Link Interface) technology which permits a computer to run two to four PC video cards simultaneously. Nvidia is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

* ATI

ATI began as ATI Technologies Inc. in 1985. The company was absorbed by Advanced Micro Devices in 2006 and renamed ATI Technologies ULC. ATI and Nvidia are tough competitors with product line-ups that are at par with each other. When Nvidia released its SLI technology in 2004, ATI was quick to counter Nvidia's SLI video cards with its own CrossFire video cards.

* Intel

Intel is a large PC company whose products span CPUs, motherboards, PC video cards and other electrical hardware. Intel's Graphics Media Accelerators are commonly integrated on many motherboards, permitting computers to display graphics without the aid of a separate dedicated video card. Based in Santa Clara, California, Intel is neighbors with Nvidia.

When it comes to integrated graphics, Intel rules. For powerful dedicated PC video cards, computer users will most probably make a choice between Nvidia and ATI.

By: Computer Knowledge For You

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tag : computer,computer repair,computer hardware,laptop

How to fix a slow computer and speed up computer performance

2009-07-15T20:22:00.001+07:00

Computer is among one of those technological breakthroughs of all the time which has redefined the world, the way they were seen earlier. The Computer has taken the front seat whether it is at home, at work and at school. Given the significance of computers in our lives it will be appropriate to give high priority to computer performance. Without proper maintenance your computer might run slow; who would want to use a sluggish computer, right?

Like any of the other devices a standard computer will experience wear and tear. The prolonged existence of a computer's life will always depend on how the possessor takes care of his or her computer system. Computer clean-up is the simplest way of taking concern of the computer system. It is predictable that dust and dirt will build up inside that CPU tower so customary cleaning should be obligatory.

In today's world, everyone wants to get things done in a quicker and more efficient manner than before. Time is always of the essence and unreasonable deadlines are common occurrence for a lot of people. With that, everyone would always want their tools and equipment to be reliable and work at the highest level possible, especially when it comes to computers. It can be said that these complicated machines are the most important and most powerful tool at your disposal. A computer can do thousands of calculations for you, you can create wonderful presentations as well as document anything with a computer. Today almost any profession relies on this machine. So when it comes to a slow pc, people often get frustrated right off the bat.

A computer can slow down for a variety of reasons. One is that your computer can be overheating which means you need to purchase better ventilation for your hard drive. It could also mean that there is something wrong with your hardware such as crossed wires which can produce extreme amounts of heat. It is better of avail a computer support services before facing any major problem.

Another common reason for a computer to become slower is due to lack or Random Access Memory or RAM. To fix this problem, you can simply upgrade your RAM to higher specifications. Other common computer problems that can slow down your computer involve automatically running programs and too much programs in your computer tray, which is the bar at the lower right hand corner of the screen. To remove some of these programs you can use windows customize or if you're using another operating system, try to check the settings and stop automatic running programs that your computer doesn't need.

Lastly, a very common occurrence of computers slowing down is because of the computer's registry being full or unorganized. A registry is where your operating system saves information about certain details of your computer, hardware settings and other important files that keep your machine running. Overtime this can become a complete mess. At the same time, contracting spywares and malicious programs can also mess up your registry. In order to Speed up your computer, you can use software programs known as registry cleaners. These things are programmed to clean up your registry and remove any and all malicious software that is in your database or registry.

These issues are but some of the most common ones to affect your computer's speed. There are also other events that can reduce its performance which is why you should always be ready and take care of your computer.

Tag : computer,computer performance,computer hardware

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/how-to-fix-a-slow-computer-and-speed-up-computer-performance-1036701.html

The Best Way to Shop For Your Computer

2009-07-13T00:52:00.001+07:00

Well the Christmas season is upon us yet again. Wow! It seems like yesterday that we were taking the tree down from last year. Anyway, that means it is time to start shopping around for those gifts that make your loved ones smile brightly.

Surprisingly, computers have become a very popular gift for the holidays. At one time, it was quite cost inhibitive (unless you owned a money tree!), but now the costs have come down into the gift giving price range.

Now we can shop for computers in two ways: in store or online.

Here are the pros/cons of both:

Pros - in store shopping

By going into the store, you can get your hands on the merchandise and test it out for yourself. You can also get help from a fully trained advisor who is trained in the particulars of the section they are working in.

You may even find a closeout sale and get a really smashing deal on that computer you are looking for. Sometimes, there are in-store specials that may include printers, software or other goodies designed to entice you into spending your money in their store.

Cons - in store shopping

If you don't like being pressured while you shop, going into the store may not be the brightest idea. Sales assistants can be quite forceful at times, can't they? Hanging around bothering you and trying to get their bit of commission.

Then there are the crowds, nobody likes struggling through hundreds of people to get their shopping done. The Christmas season brings out the best in some folks, but it also brings out the worst in others. It's the latter that makes it a bit of a chore to tolerate.

Pros - Online shopping

Alright, now we get to the good stuff. You can look at whatever you want to look at without the sales personnel hanging over your shoulder. Compare different models of computers side by side and read reviews written by users that already have one. What better way to know if a product is good than to hear from someone who owns one?

Some online retailers run Internet only specials that you can only get online. This rivals the in store sales and really makes the shopping experience a pleasant one.

There aren't any crowds to deal with and, here's a really great benefit, you may be able to reserve that hot new item before it arrives in stores. You can get a jump on the rest of the shopping world!

The best thing about shopping online? You can do it in the comfort of your own home.

Cons - online shopping

What are the bad points about online shopping? Well, there's the fear of identity theft and security, but now a day's all the accredited shopping sites have secure transaction pages.

You may not be able to find the item you want online, so the store is necessary.

As you can see there are many positives and negatives for shopping in store and online, but the deciding factor definitely comes down to personal preference.

Tag : computer,computer repair,computer shop,computer games,computer virus,computer software

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=324440&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Windows XP Registry Tips & Tricks

2009-07-10T01:47:00.000+07:00

Introduction:

Most settings can be done easily within Windows. However, for some setting you need to dive into the registry or use one of the many registry utilities and some interesting registry tweaks which you can do yourself, using the registry editor.

NOTE: We must be careful editing the registry because worst case scenario will happen such as Windows won't boot anymore. If you are not sure, leave things unchanged! My advise: create a system image before making major changes!

Windows XP Registry Hacks

Structure of Windows XP Registry:

When you will open the Windows XP Registry , you will see it's divided into two panes. On the left side there are Five main
Keys as shown below. These can be expanded to several Sub-Keys, which further have many Sub-Keys.
+HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
+HKEY_CURRENT_USER
+HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
+HKEY_USERS
+HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG
Before you try out the Tweaks, learn how to Backup and Restore Windows XP Registry.

Types of Registry Backups :
It is very important that before you do editing you make a backup of the current registry. If you ignore this warning, it might prove deadly for you.

Open your registry. Go to Start>Run , type regedit . When you invoke the Export function from File>Export, you are given a choice of different file types that can be saved :
Registration Files (*.reg)
Registry Hive Files (*.*)
Text Files (*.txt)
All Files

Each one of the different file types above plays an important role in how the data you export is saved. Choosing the wrong type can give you unexpected results. So let me explain you quickly these file types.

Registrations Files : The Registration Files option creates a .reg file. This is the most well known file format used for backing up the registry. The Registration File can be used in two ways. As a text file it can be read and edited using Notepad outside of Registry Editor. Once the changes have been made and saved, right clicking the file and using the [Merge] command adds the changed file back into the registry. If you make additions to the registry using regedit and then merge the previously saved Registration File, anything that you've added via regedit will not be removed, but changes you make to data using regedit that previously existed in the saved Registration File will be overwritten when it is merged

Registry Hive Files : Unlike the Registration Files option above, the Registry Hive Files option creates a binary image of the selected registry key. The image file is not editable via Notepad nor can you view its contents using a text editor. However, what the Registry Hive Files format does is create an image perfect view of the selected key and allow you to import it back into the registry to insure any problematic changes you made are eliminated.

Text Files : This option does just as the name suggests. It creates a text file containing the information in the selected key. It's most useful purpose is creating a record or snapshot of a key at a particular point in time that you can refer back to if necessary. It cannot be merged back into the registry like a Registration File.

Out of the give above choices , the safest method of backing up registry is to use Registry Hive Files option. No matter what ever you do or goes wrong in editing, importing the image of the key will eliminate all changes.

Windows XP Registry Tips & Tricks

1. Customize Windows Media Player Title Bar
Change the title bar to read Windows Media Player provided by , so if I had entered text ?Abhishek Bhuyan? , it would read: Windows Media Player provided by Abhishek Bhuyan
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft
Create the Key [WindowsMediaPlayer]
Create String value named [TitleBar]
Data Type: REG_SZ // Value Name: TitleBar
Double click TitleBar and Enter the text to be displayed in the title bar.
Exit Registry / Reboot

2. Minimize Outlook 2002 to the System Tray

If you frequently access Outlook during the day it?s more convenient to have it minimized to the system tray rather than invoking it each time you need to send/receive e-mail. This tweak minimizes Outlook 2002 to the system tray:
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\10.0\O utlook\Preferences
Modify/Create Data Type DWORD named [MinToTray]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

3. Specify Default IE Download Directory
This tweak changes the default directory where downloads initiated in Internet Explorer are stored on the system.

[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [Download Directory]
Value Data: [Enter Path to Directory to be Assigned as Defualt for Downloads]
Exit Registry / Reboot

4. Force Use of Classic Start Menu
This tweak loads the Classic Start Menu and makes it impossible to change back to the Windows XP version
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Explorer
Modify/Create the DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [NoSimpleStartMenu]
Value Data: [0 = Default / 1 = Force Classic Start Menu]
Exit Registry / Reboot

5. Hide/Show Internet Explorer Desktop Icon
By default, Windows XP does not show the Internet Explorer icon on the Windows desktop. Using the registry tweak below allows you to control whether or not the Internet Explorer icon is displayed.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Policies\Explorer
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [NoInternetIcon]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

6. Increase Menu Display Speed
When you click on the Start Menu there is some delay to display the contents , just for no reason. Effects are pretty though. The default speed can be adjusted with a quick registry entry.
The default value is 400. Set it to 0 and the delay is gone. If you are not able to adjust pick a number that suits your style and make the change.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop
Modify/Create String value of Data type REG_SZ Named [MenuShowDelay]
Value Data: [Default = 400 / Adjust to Preference]
Exit Registry / Reboot

7. Change the Location of Special Folders
This tweak allows changing the location of special folders on the system. Any of the folders listed in the registry key may be moved.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to : HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\UserShell Folders
Modify/Create String value of Data type REG_SZ Named [Various Folder Names]
Data Type: REG_SZ [String Value] // Value Name: Consult RegEdit for Folder Names
Value Data: [Move the folder to the new desired location using explorer, and then edit the matching folder in RegEdit to reflect the new folder location]
Exit Registry and Reboot

8. Faster Browsing in Windows Explorer on Network Computers
By default, a Windows XP machine connecting to a Windows 95/98/Me computer will search for scheduled tasks or enabled printers on the remote computer. Two sub-keys control this behavior. Deleting them will speed up browsing on the remote computer.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to : HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Explorer\RemoteComputer\NameSpace

To Disable Scheduled Task Checking
Value Name: {D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}
Delete the sub-key in the left pane of Registry Editor

To Disable Printer Checking
Value Name: {2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
Delete the sub-key in the left pane of Registry Editor

Exit Registry / Reboot

9. Add Administrator Account to Log In Screen
When Windows XP is first installed it requires you to enter at least one name of a user who will access the computer. Once you create this name the default Administrator account vanishes. To access it, press Ctrl-Alt-Delete twice at the Welcome screen to retrieve the standard Windows 2000 logon dialog. Log on as Administrator from this point. To log the Administrator off, click [Start] [Log Off] and [Log Off] when the [Log Off Windows] selection box appears. The Log On screen with the available users will be displayed.

To Make the Administrator Account Always Visible on the Login Screen use this Registry Tweak.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCALMACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserLis t
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [Administrator]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

10. Increase Internet Download Connections
Increase Simultaneous Internet Download Connections. Increases the number of allowed simultaneous connections to ten (10).
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Internet Settings
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [MaxConnectionsPer1_0Server]
Setting for Value Data: [0000000a]
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [MaxConnectionsPerServer]
Setting for Value Data: [0000000a]
Exit Registry / Reboot

11. Connected Web Files and Folders
Connecting web files and folders allows a primary .htm or .html file to be moved in conjunction with files associated with the primary document. Once the primary document has been defined, create a sub-folder using the same name as the primary document but assign it a .files extension. Whenever the primary file is moved, the sub-folder will also move and remain as a sub-folder of the primary.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [NoFileFolderConnection]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Enabled (Default) / 1 = Disabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

12. Hide/Show My Documents Folder on Desktop
By default, Windows XP does not show the My Documents folder on the Windows desktop. Using the registry tweak below allows you to control whether or not My Documents is displayed.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer\CLSID\{450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}\ShellFolder
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [Attributes]
Setting for Value Data: [Default = 0xf0400174 / Hidden = 0xf0500174]
Exit Registry / Reboot

13. Create a Hidden User Account
This tweak allows an account that is normally displayed on the Welcome screen to be hidden from view. To log on using the account it's necessary to use the Log On To Windows dialog box similar to the one in Windows 2000 i.e. press CTRL+ALT+DEL twice.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Cu rrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [Type Name of Account to be Hidden]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Account is Hidden / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot
While the account is hidden on the Welcome screen, note that the account profile will be visible in C:\Documents and Settings or wherever user profiles are stored as well as in Local Users and Groups.

14. Create Legal Notice Logon Dialog Box
In situations where you need users to read a legal notice before logging on, this tweak will create the caption for the notice.
Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [LegalNoticeCaption]
Value Data for LegalNoticeCaption: [Type the Caption for the Dialog Box]
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [LegalNoticeText]
Value Data for LegalNoticeText: [Type the Data for the Legal Notice]
Exit Registry / Reboot
15. Manage Internet Explorer Error Reporting
This tweak removes the IE Error Reporting tool from appearing with the option to send browser debugging reports to Microsoft.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main
Note:- Create both values listed below and set according to the bold type for the tweak to function properly.
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [IEWatsonEnabled]
Value Data: [0 - Disabled / 1 - Enabled]
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [IEWatsonDisabled]
Value Data: [0 - Disabled / 1 - Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

16. Customize Logon and Security Dialog Title
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [Welcome]
Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

17. Customize Logon Box Message
This is the message displayed on the Classic Logon box, not the XP ?Welcome? logon screen
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\ CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [LogonPrompt]
Value Data: [Enter the text of the message]
Exit Registry / Reboot

18. Welcome Screen Logon Vs Classic Logon
This tweak specifies whether the Welcome screen or the Classic logon will be used to access Windows XP.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [LogonType]
Value Data: [0 - Classic Mode / 1 - Welcome Screen]
Exit Registry / Reboot

19. QoS (Quality Of Service) Bandwidth Reserve Setting
By default, Windows XP reserves 20% of the connection bandwidth for QoS traffic. This tweak allows the setting to be altered to a different percentage of connection bandwidth. If the system uses more than a single adapter for network connections, each adapter may be set individually by navigating to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\Psched\Parameters\Adapters\{Adpater-ID} rather than HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Win dows\Psched
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Win dows\Psched
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [NonBestEffortLimit]
Setting for Value Data: [Enter as a Percentage / Default Value = 20]
Exit Registry / Reboot

20. Enable/Disable Save Password in DUN
This tweak saves user passwords for Dial Up Networking so they do not have to be re-entered each session.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\RasMan\Parameters
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [DisableSavePassword]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled (Passwords Saved) / 1 = Enabled (Passwords Not Saved)]
Exit Registry / Reboot

21. Change the Registered Organization/Owner of Windows XP
This tweak allows modification of the registered owner and organization of the Windows XP software.
Note:- This tweak has nothing to do with Windows Product Activation (WPA) and will not allow you to register illegal XP software.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [RegisteredOrganization] or [RegisteredOwner]
Setting for Value Data: [Modify the Values to Reflect Current Information]
Exit Registry / Reboot

22. Remove Links Folder in Favorites
The Links folder is part of Favorites whether it's being accessed through Internet Explorer or the Favorites menu in the Start Menu. This tweak will remove it from those locations.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Toolbar
Modify/Create String Value of Data type REG_SZ Named [LinksFolderName]
Value Data: [Set the String Value to a blank string]
Open Internet Explorer and manually delete the Links folder from Favorites Menu.
The Links folder will not be recreated.
Exit Registry / Reboot

23. Enable/Disable Active Window Tracking to Mouse Movements
When the mouse is moved over an open window it automatically sets the focus to that particular window. It does not bring the window to the foreground of the open windows.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [ActiveWindowTracking]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = ActiveWindowTracking Disabled / 1 = ActiveWindowTracking Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

24. Auto Disconnect for Internet Explorer
Use this edit to automatically disconnect from Internet Explorer after a specified length of time has elapsed. Use this trick on anyone whom you don’t like using your computer with net J
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Servic es\LanmanServer\Parameters
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [Autodisconnect]
Value Data: [Enter a new disconnect time. Use Hexadecimal if you are unfamiliar with Binary]
Exit Registry / Reboot

25. Auto Reboot on System Crash
By default, when the Windows XP operating system crashes an automatic reboot of the system occurs. While this behavior can be convenient, the downside is the error message accompanying the crash is not visible. Often times this information can be a great help in troubleshooting the source of the crash. This behavior can be modified in two ways; via the registry or using the System Properties property sheet.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\CrashControl
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [AutoReboot]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = AutoReboot Disabled / 1 = AutoReboot Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot
Open System Properties via Start > Control Panel > Performance and Maintenance > System
[System Properties may also be opened using the WinKey+Pause key combination]
Select the Advanced tab and then click Settings in the Startup and Recovery section
In System Failure section, clear the checkbox next to Automatically Restart
Click OK and OK to exit

26. Modify Control Panel Categories
Even if you like the new style for Control Panel, you might at times wish you could shift some items around into a different category. It's possible.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Curr entVersion\Control Panel\Extended Properties\{305CA226-D286-468e-B848-2B2E8E697B74} 2
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [Choose one of the applets with .cpl extension]
Setting for Value Data: [Select the value from table below]
Other Control Panel Options 0
Appearance and Themes 1
Printers and Other Hardware 2
Network and Internet Connections 3
Sounds, Speed, and Audio Devices 4
Performance and Maintenance 5
Date, Time, Language, and Regional Options 6
Accessibility Options 7
Add or Remove Programs 8
User Accounts 9
Exit Registry / Reboot

To further customize the items that appear in the new Control Panel, do a search of your system for all files that end in .cpl extension. If they aren't already listed, you can add them with a new DWORD value and then assign them to a category of your choosing.

27. Enable/Disable Run Commands Specific to the Registry
This tweak controls the use of the Run command on the local machine
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ Policies\Explorer
Create a DWORD value of Data Type REG_DWORD for each Run function that will be disabled.
Modify/Create the Value Name [DisableLocalMachineRun]
Modify/Create the Value Name [DisableLocalMachineRunOnce]
Modify/Create the Value Name [DisableCurrentUserRun]
Modify/Create the Value Name [DisableCurrentUserRunOnce]
Setting for Value Data: [0 = Disabled / 1 = Enabled]
Exit Registry / Reboot

28. Enable/Disable System Properties Access from My Computer
This tweak removes access to System Properties via My Computer as well as via Control Panel.
[Start] [Run] [Regedit]
Go to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer
Modify/Create DWORD Value of Data type REG_DWORD Named [NoPropertiesMyComputer]
Value Data: [0 - Display Properties / 1 - Hide Properties]
Exit Registry / Reboot

29. Uninstall Programs Manually
Just because Windows XP has the Add/Remove Programs feature it doesn't mean your application will appear in the list. Furthermore, even if it does appear, it's no guarantee that the uninstall feature will work. When you run across one of these situations the items listed below will help in getting rid of the application. Be aware that these steps may not remove everything associated with the application and can impact other applications on the computer. Have a backup or restore point and use caution.
Find the directory for the application and delete all the files in the directory. Delete the directory.
Open regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and find the folder for the application. Delete the folder.
Open regedit and navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE and find the folder for the application. Delete the folder.
To remove the application entry from Add/Remove Programs (if present) open regedit and navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall and find the folder for the application. Delete the folder.
Some applications have Services attached to them. If this is the case, navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services, locate and delete the service.
In Windows Explorer, navigate to the individual user settings and delete program references. Common places to check would be:
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs and delete relevant entries.
C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and delete relevant entries.
C:\Documents and Settings\%YourUserID%\Start Menu\Programs and delete relevant entries.
[Do this for each User ID listed]

C:\Documents and Settings\%YourUserID%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup and delete relevant entries.
[Do this for each User ID listed]
If no entries were found in the previous step and the application launches automatically, navigate to
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows
and delete the entry.

30. Create a right-click command prompt option
You can right-click a folder to get a list of actions you can apply to it. Hare’s a way to create an action on that right-click menu that opens a command prompt window with that folder as the current directory. In a text editor such as Notepad, type the following exactly:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Folder\shell\Cmd Here]
@=?Command &Prompt Here?
[HKEY_CLASSES-ROOT\Folder\shell\Cmd Here\command]
@=?cmd.exe /k pushd %L?
Save the file with any name you want, with a .reg extension. Then double-click the saved file and choose Yes to merge the file’s information into the Registry. You can delete the file. Right-click any folder and you’ll see the Command Prompt Here option.

31. Adjusting System Restore values
The new System Restore feature in Windows XP automatically backs up a snapshot of your system, including your Registry, every 24 hours. It also saves restore points for 90 days. Neither of these values is directly editable in the System Restore program, but you can change them in the Registry. Go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\Cu rrentVersion\SystemRestore
You’ll find an assortment of settings here. To change the interval between automatically created restore points, change the RPGlobalInterval setting. To change the number of days that a restore point is retained, change the RPLifeInterval setting.
System Restore time intervals are measured in seconds, not days, so you must convert the number of days you want into seconds. There are 86,400 seconds in a day, so multiply 86,400 by the number of days you want to determine the value. (There are 3,600 seconds in an hour, I hope you know)

32. Erase the swap file at shutdown
You might be concerned about someone browsing your users? swap files and gathering up little bits of their sensitive data. A remote possibility, to be sure, but it could happen. For that extra measure of security, go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Contro l\Session Manager\Memory Management
Set the ClearPageFileAtShutdown DWORD to 1. This will make shutdowns take longer, because it overwrites everything in the swap file with zeroes. Don’t turn this feature on unless you have a serious security threat.

33. Delete the Files Stored on This Computer category in the My Computer window
In Windows XP, the My Computer window’s listing is broken down by categories: Hard Disk Drives, Devices with Removable Storage, and so on. One of these categories is Files Stored on This Computer, which appears at the top of the My Computer window. If a user doesn’t need it, you can get rid of it. To do so, go to:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MyComputer\NameSpace\Delegate Folders
Delete the {59031a47-3f72-44a7-89c55595fe6b30ee} sub key to remove the category.

34. Change the desktop cleanup frequency
Through Display Properties (Desktop tab, Customize Desktop button, General tab), you can turn on and off a feature that runs the Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days. You don?t have an option to set a different interval there, but you can change the interval in the Registry. To do so, go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\CleanupWiz
Change the Days Between Clean Up Value to some other number of days (in decimal format).

35. Sort menus alphabetically
When you install a new program for a user, it doesn?t find its place in the alphabetical Start menu hierarchy right away; it hangs out at the bottom for a little while. If your users employ the Classic Start menu, they can re-alphabetize it manually by right-clicking the taskbar and choosing Properties, clicking the Customize button next to the Classic Start Menu, and clicking the Sort button. With the Windows XP style of Start menu, however, you don?t have an equivalent button. To make Windows always alphabetize the list, remove the permissions from the Registry key that controls the sort order for the Start menu. To do so, go to:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\MenuOrder
Choose Edit | Permissions and click the Advanced button. Deselect the Inherit From Parent The Permission Entries That Apply To Child Objects check box and then click Copy when the Security dialog box pops up. Click OK and clear the Full Control entry for your account and all security groups you are a member of. Leave only Read permission.

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Windows Vista Support and Help Services

2009-07-03T02:05:00.000+07:00

Windows vista is an Operating system which was developed by Microsoft in year of 2006. The previous name of Windows vista was "longhorn". Windows vista has lots of inbuilt feature, it is more secure, more usable, more user friendly and more attractive for user point of view. These above feature was not present in windows earlier version in windows XP. If you want to get windows vista support, then you should remember some basis things about the Windows Vista like it's hardware requirement as:

Vista support CPU P VI and higher
Memory minimum 512 Mega Byte recommended 1 Giga Byte.

Some times people said that their Windows Vista run very slow, however they have minimum hardware requirement like 512 Mega Byte RAM. And they do not look after about recommended memory feature. Technically you should have 1 Giga Byte of RAM in your computer for smooth running Windows Vista. Because the graphics of Windows Vista is very high, which is consume more memory. It is good enough if you have an external graphics card.

Is normal user can troubleshoot and repair to Windows vista? Although generally normal user specially home users do not too enough technically sound, however they can troubleshoot Windows vista. Windows vista gives easy troubleshooting platform to user. It can diagnostics automatically and detect errors like hard disks error, faulty memory, any performance issue, loos network connection and shutting down problems. For more entertainment in Windows Vista there is inbuilt Windows Media Center, which is available in Vista Home Premium and Ultimate editions, earlier it had to purchased separately.

Some important feature of Windows Vista are:

New User Experience, including Windows Aero: It makes Windows vista similar to like Mac OSX. The appearance of windows, its desktop, start button, menus, taskbar everything got a new look. You can applied here Aero themes, which support 3D modes.

Windows Sidebar: It is a long, vertical bar that is displayed on the side of desktop. It can contain mini programs, which is easy access just one click when you want to open.

Windows Defender: It is the inbuilt spyware protection . For security reason it is very important.

User Account Control: If you want to that no one user can access some particulate application or program which is important to you, then with the help of it you can set security policy.

There are lots of more feature like:

Performance Center.
The Instant Desktop Search
Network Map
Windows ReadyBoost
Windows ReadyDrive
Windows Media Center
Wireless Networking

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/windows-vista-support-and-help-services-1007851.html

Stop Internet Connection Problems With Updated Cable Modem Drivers

2009-07-01T23:14:00.001+07:00

The way people connect to the Internet has changed dramatically over the last few years. From dial-up connection to broadband Internet, the technology used to receive and transmit data from other computers has significantly improved. Nowadays, one of the best and fastest ways to upload and download data to and from the Internet is by using a cable modem.

As the name implies, such a hardware device is a type of modem that make use of radio frequency channels on a cable television to send and receive data. Using a cable modem is much better than a dial-up connection, which uses telephone lines, because you can download large files from the web in a short time. And like any other modem and computer hardware devices, this needs a program, called driver, to interact with the PC's operating system.

If you are one of those people who cannot survive a day without checking your e-mail or visiting your favorite web site, then you have to take good care of your cable modem. Aside from ensuring that your hardware device is free from physical damage, you have to make sure that your cable modem driver is always up to date to avoid Internet connection problems. It would be best take precautionary measures because it would be difficult for you to get an updated driver from the Internet if you are having problems with your modem.

Updating these device drivers can also speed up your connection, as well as help ensure that your hardware device would continue to function once you change or upgrade your computer's operating system. To get an updated driver for your cable modem, you can go directly to its manufacturer's web site and download the latest software in its technical support page. You can also surf the Internet and get one from third party sources.

However, downloading updated drivers from the Internet is not as easy as it seems, especially to those who are not yet accustomed to various computer and technical jargons. You have to sit in front of you computer for a long period of time and visit a number of web sites. You also have to be careful when clicking web links because for all you know, it might bring you to a site that was infected with a virus. Fortunately, there is a program that can help you download and install the latest cable modem drivers to your computer without having to worry about viruses and surfing the Internet for hours.

At some reliable sites, you can download such software, which allows you to replace old cable modem drivers with ease, for free. Once you launch this useful software, it would immediately scan your computer to find hardware devices that are in need of updated drivers. After the system scan, this technology would give you a list of new software that you can download and install to your computer.

Boasting of a growing database of more than five million drivers, this can truly provide you all the latest software that you need and help you improve the performance of your cable modem. So, say goodbye to Internet connection issues and driver-related problems by checking this out now.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rainier_Marsden

The Future of Computer Training

2009-06-30T00:54:00.000+07:00

Computer training has become a staple in our society today. Most of us don't realize how much we really do rely on computers for just about everything in our work and even our home life. If computers went away tomorrow most of us would be lost, as would a lot of opportunities. More and more people are taking part in the advances in computer training because it is just so convenient. It seems that opportunities to train and learn and connect through computers are all around us, bringing us into a future full of exciting opportunities.

The future of computer training is wide open. It's a very real option for everyone as computers now are very affordable and the cost of training online is very little when you compare what you would spend to be trained on site as you would have traditionally.

Currently there are people training for jobs through the computers right now and there is no indication that this will not continue. In fact, this practice will probably only get more high tech and more common place than it already is. Real time training and more graphics based training will likely take the place of text heavy computer training programs currently used by a lot of corporations.

In addition to the people training for their jobs through computer programs, there are millions of people also getting their education through computers! This is an exciting addition to most colleges throughout the world because it enables students who could not get to a campus to get the same education as those that were in the classroom for years.

These computer classes and training programs are ideal not only because they reach a lot of people without anyone having to travel, but also because they are more cost effective. It's easier to train a classroom full of people in one area than fly them all to another area that they could receive through a computer program. These programs are fully customizable and can be created for each job or area of expertise and money will still be saved.

The future of computer training is wide open and looks to be quite bright. Computers are not going anywhere as most of us have come to depend on them in a big way. Because technology has come such a long way, having highly technical information and training provided via the computer is not a difficult task and it will only get easier and technology continues to advance. In the future, traveling for education or even for a job may be nothing more than a distant memory since computers connect us all in one way or another.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caitlina_Fuller

Learn Office 2007 And Windows Vista The Easy Way - Videos!

2009-06-27T01:21:00.000+07:00

Are you tired of searching through Microsoft help to only become even more confused than you were when you started?

Do you want access to how to videos for the current Office 2007 application you are working with right from inside the Office 2007 ribbon?

Do you believe that video help is the future of software help?

If so then you need Mhelp.

Mhelp is a revolutionary new type of software that gives you just in time help for all the popular Microsoft Office applications and even Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Imagine you have a deadline and your boss has asked you to insert a table of contents into a meeting brief. What do you do? You have no idea how to use this new feature of Office 2007.

You could search Microsoft text help and become even more overwhelmed with information.

You could search Google and get even more frustrated.

Or you could simply click the Mhelp Office 2007 ribbon tab (available after you install Mhelp), type in 'Table of contents' into the search bar and watch the Mhelp clip titled 'How to add a built in table of contents in Word' or 'How to add a built-in table of contents in Word'.

As you watch and listen to the Mhelp clip you simply copy what you see and apply it to your own work to achieve the desired results.

That is really all there is to Mhelp at its most basic level. But Mhelp also allows you to create your own playlists of Mhelp clips so that you can easily have access to help when you needed. You can also use Structured Learning to complete a course of Mhelp clips that teach you how to achieve a certain task.

Mhelp also has the ability through Version Translation to tell you how to achieve something from Office 2003 in Office 2007 which is great for those who find the ribbon confusing.

We have an Mhelp YouTube page which showcases some examples of the Mhelp clips that we offer and gives you an idea of what sort of help we provide. Basically we are like the best bits of a Greatest Hits CD or movie. We only tell you what you need to know, nothing more and we do not provide filler to make it look better.

The average size in length of an Mhelp clip is roughly 30 seconds. This means that you can simply learn what you need to know and then get back to doing more important stuff like having fun or spending time with your family. No more hours spent slaving over a hot search engine trying to figure out how to insert tables into a presentation!

For more information on Mhelp please visit the following links.

Our YouTube page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/MHELP2U

Our blog:

http://mhelp2u.blogspot.com/

A sample of our content:

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=MHELP2U&view=playlists

We are also on Twitter: Mhelp2U

You can download a free trial of Mhelp here:

http://www.mhelpict.com/download.htm

You may read all this and think that Mhelp sounds crazy! That is okay.

Remember that ten years ago we had no YouTube and now see how popular it is now.

Mhelp is the next big thing in IT and it can help everyone no matter their age or job which is the real beauty of it.

Mhelp can also be modified to support other applications so if you want an application that you feel would benefit from being added to the Mhelp catalog (so that you could then use Mhelp to teach your staff for example) then please do not hesitate to get in touch.

And one final thing. The next time you are stumped over Microsoft Office and Microsoft Windows you will be wishing that you had not just asked for help but that you had asked for Mhelp!

And now you can! Thank you for reading this.

Here at Mhelp we look forward to helping you in the future.

By: Ian Walker

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Buying Guide For Computer Microphones

2009-06-23T22:14:00.000+07:00

So you are trying to find some guidelines that will help you in buying the microphones of your choice. But how will you choose the microphone that is useful? What are the features that will make the microphones special? Microphones are really very helpful because they allow talking with those whom you wish to.

Sometimes when you wish you can record different sound or own voice and replay through the computers and thus find the fun from it. Video and tele conference, calling the distant relatives through internet all these can be easily possible through MICR.

The characteristics of the microphone
As you understand how the microphone works you can decide on buying them. Ofcourse you must select the right company where from you will buy the microphone and for this you will have to carry on the required research work. You must see through the different company sites and it is good to do some comparisons between various companies. Many prefer to buy according to the designs and model styles. Different companies have different models and some are really quite attractive. Ordering online is very common. When the microphones are being placed it must be done in a proper way so that the best results are obtained. The software that is associated with the phone must be calibrated perfectly. This is required both when you are setting the sound levels and also if you change the position of the microphone. Normally there is the sound card in the computer to which the microphone is connected through the jack.

Thus sound card of the computer is also playing a very vital part for the good performance of the microphone. There are both provisions for the wired microphones as well as wireless microphones. Wired microphones are less costly than wireless ones but at the same time the outputs can be found at par and that too quite good. If you desire a better sound quality than you are getting at present then you must choose to change the present configuration and move to some higher grade. Now coming to the facts that you must remember when you are buying the computer's microphone. As an alternative of buying omnidirectional phone you shall go for the unidirectional one. There is this requirement for matching the frequency of the phone. So when you are buying the microphones you must understand the response competence of the microphone and here the headphone is not significant.

You will have to search that the reaction is of minimum capacity which is between 100 Hz to that of 8KHZz.

You must get hold of a stereo set when the headset is your choice. The head set patterns of microphones are more affordable than any other choice and when you are looking for the microphone that will not become heavy on your pocket then these models are the best. So now with the microphone near you can beat all the distances by talking through it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jan_Kdo

Computer Repair - What You Need to Know

2009-06-20T01:21:00.000+07:00

Many people tend to worry when they discover that the need to have their computer repaired. This is because the tendency is to think that the repairs are going to cost a great deal of money. The truth of the matter is, however, that there are some things you need to know that can save you quite a deal.

Fix It Yourself
Some people consider themselves very technically savvy. If you are such a person, you should know that you can do many basic computer repair yourself instead of taking your computer to a shop or calling a repair specialist. Thanks to the Internet, there are many great tutorials that can walk you through the process of installing a new hard drive or creating a home entertainment system accessible through your computer is possible with these tutorials. And the best part is they're free.

Cut the Power
Always make sure that your computer is turned off and unplugged from the power source. This may seem like a small deal but it is very important when it comes to working on components of the hardware system. There should be no potential for electric shock once you power everything down. This also ensures that no unsaved work is lost as the computer will most likely prompt you to save everything before you shut down.

Know Your Limitations
You don't want just enough rope to hang yourself and you should attempt a computer repair that requires a sophisticated degree of work and technological knowhow that should be left to the professionals. Remember that your computer is an advanced piece of equipment that must be put together properly or it will not work and it can pose an electrical hazard to anyone who uses it.

Get a Good Estimate
When you need the roof repaired on your home, you don't just pick a roofing company and call them out to fix it. Chances are, you make many phone calls and you ask for the companies to come out and give you an estimate on what it will cost. The same is true when it comes to getting quality computer repair estimates. Don't trust your repairs to just one estimate. Get several estimates, compare them and go through a process of elimination until you come up with a really good one.

Read the Warranty
If you have a newer computer, you should read the warranty to see if certain repairs are covered. You should also be familiar with what isn't covered as well as what coverage you may lose if you attempt to fix the computer yourself or don't have it fixed through an authorized representative of the manufacturer. Some computer repair can be done by you, other repairs cannot.

What Happened
You need to be able to describe what you were doing when your computer broke. You may also be asked what the computer did, such as if it sparked or smoked or shut down without warning. All of these things are important to getting the proper computer repair.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Keith_Reig

HP 1840 LTO-4 Tape Drive

2009-06-19T00:53:00.000+07:00

Hewlett-Packard offers the most reliable Storageworks backup tape drives. These HP tape drives are based on the efficient format of LTO ultrium. LTO is an “open” standard with roadmap of six well defined generations. HP LTO tape drives are the best and ideal choice for the businesses that protect their investment and increase their overall efficiency. HP LTO 4 tape drives are user friendly and offer unmatchable reliability and performance even in harsh working conditions. This tape drive transfers data at a fast rate of 240MB/s. This tape drive can record 1.6 terabytes of information per cartridge. Hardware data encryption feature has also been employed to the HP LTO tape drive that enhances the level of data security and protection.

Powerful features and advanced technologies are incorporated in the HP LTO-4 tape drive. Hardware data encryption feature has also been employed to the tape drive that enhances the level of data security and protection. The HP tape drive has a new innovative system of “dynamic data rate”. This mechanism adjusts the tape speed in accordance with that of the host system’s transfer speed. Therefore, the wear & tear on the media and tape drive also reduces. The performance of HP LTO 1840 tape drive is outstanding even with host systems having slower transfer speeds. Highly durable HP LTO-4 tape drives, SDLT drive and DAT-72 tape drives are available at lowest prices. Contact Tape4backup dot com for online order and details.

HP LTO4 1840 tape drive can record 1.6 terabytes of information per cartridge. The LTO4 drive provides hardware based encryption technology that enhances the security level and performance that is the required by the enterprise customers. HP 1840 LTO-4 drive represents the 4th generation of HP LTO drive technology that can record 1.6TB data on a single cartridge featuring powerful encryption technology. The HP LTO4 1840 Storageworks tape drive delivers unprecedented performance and output. The tape drive uses AES 256-bit encryption technique that prohibits un-authorized access therefore protecting the sensitive and precious information. The data is fully compressed by the LTO-4 1840 tape drive. Therefore the capacity is maximized and ensures completion of encrypted backups without any degradation in the efficiency and performance. Tape4backup dot com is offering cheapest prices on all tape drives and LTO ultrium data tapes.

The HP 1840 tape drive transfers data at a fast rate of 240MB/s. The data rate matching feature of HP LTO drive optimizes the performance and efficiency, as it keeps the tape drives streaming by matching with the speed of host. The ultrium LTO-4 1840 tape drive protects the investment as it is fully capable of reading and writing the LTO-3 tape media while it can also read data from the LTO-2 tape cartridge. HP LTO tape format increases the ROI and reduces the Information Technology costs, as it offers more storage capacity. Therefore, lesser number of ultrium tape cartridges will be required to meet users’ storage requirements. The HP LTO drive supports WORM media which makes it even more cost effective and helps the IT managers to manage the backup data more efficiently. HP LTO-4 tape drive satisfies the strict compliance regulations. The HP 1840 drive offers interfaces of 3GBps SAS and U-320 SCSI.

For online order of HP LTO-4 1840 tape drive, DDS-5 tape drive and LTO ultrium tapes, please visit Tape4backup dot com. We are offering lifetime on all media tapes.

by Tape4backup

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Dell Inspiron 1525 Product Review

2009-06-16T00:53:00.001+07:00

'One of the thinnest and lightest laptops available in the market, DELL Inspiron 1525 comes with a 15.4” inch screen and is considered to be the best bet for 'basic computing'. Yet it might not perform so well under heavy uni workload. The laptop comes with a much better battery life, better than even more powerful configurations available in the market. The range of processor configurations, are one of its unique features. Besides, it has the cool touch-sensitive media controls. Priced at 35,000 INR, the DELL Inspiron 1525 laptop model has its own set of unique features and pitfalls and as such is competing for its market share, amidst other laptop manufacturers in the same league. A quick overview of this DELL model is as enclosed:

The Feature Highlights:

Ease & Degree of Customization: The DELL Inspiron 1525 is a must have for those who believe in customizing almost everything, to better suit their need & tastes. The users have the flexibility of customizing the laptop, as per their likes if they are discontent with the default settings.

Good Performance: Inspiron 1525 comes bundled with solid performance and great features.

Design: The Inspiron 1525 scores high on its sleek keyboard design, the touchpad and the media buttons.

Pricing: In spite of added features, improved performance, elegant style and the ease of customization its offers, its very noiminally priced if we compare with the market Laptop Prices, for similar make, configuration and performance.

Product Pitfalls:

The Inspiron 1525 model scores less on dedicated graphics option. This very model can't handle 3D graphics. Instead it only supports 2D applications and simple games.

The laptop's glossy LCD lid works as a magnet for your finger prints, thus giving it an untidy look very frequently. We definitely don't seek that!

Limited display options as offered by this model, also add to the suite of product pitfalls.

Also, the wireless performnace has been reported as inconsistent.

Overall the product seems to score above average as compared to the other models, in the similar price band and competing for a pie of the laptop market. Dell Inspiron 1525 Laptop is undoubtedly a performance driven, compact, economical and stylish laptop and gives a fair competition to other laptop brands in the same price range. Now, this is what we call a 'Smart Deal' to grab, if you just need the laptop for basic computing, web surfing and the likes. It surely serves your purpose efficiently, without even costing you a fortune. The detailed product specifications are as enclosed:

Weight: 2.6 kg

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo processor @ 2.2 GHz

Memory: 160 GB Hard Drive with 2 GB DDR2 RAM and DVDnRW Optical Drive

Display: 15.4 inches with Intel Graphic Media Acceleratoir 3000 Graphics solution

Video: Shared Onboard Video Memory

Audio: Intel High Definition Audio with speakers

Peripherals: Integrated Webcam and Microphone

Connectivity: Wi-Fi/Firewire Port/ 3 USB 2.0 ports

Bundled Features: Windows Vista Home Basic with 1 year warranty

By: John Wells

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Keeping Your Printer Clean

2009-06-13T01:19:00.000+07:00

Printers require a little more maintenance than other peripheral devices. They have several different parts working together at once, which means it’s easy for one or more of the parts to jam and cause performance problems. Cleaning your printer regularly will help prevent these complications.

Every printer is different of course, so the cleaning and maintenance process may vary just a bit. But for the most part, there are a few steps you can take that will help prolong the life of your machine—regardless of the type of printer you have.

Preventative Care of Your Printer

It’s a good idea to perform preventative maintenance on your printer as often as you can. One of the most important parts of your device that you must always keep clean is the print head. If a printer has not been used for quite some time, there’s a greater chance of the print head becoming clogged with dried-up ink. Needless to say, this will have a significant impact on the quality of output, and it can even do permanent damage to the printer. You can easily avoid any blocking or obstruction by simply cleaning the print head on a regular basis. The best way to do this is with a dry cloth. Gently wipe down every possible surface you can reach—especially all the nooks and crannies on the inside of the printer. Tiny particles of dust and dirt have a tendency to find their way into every little crevice, so be as thorough as you can.

Nowadays, most printers come with an automatic utility program that can instruct the printer to do a self-cleaning process. If you run these cleaning cycles fairly often and wipe down the inside of your printer on a regular basis, you shouldn’t encounter too many problems. On the other hand, printers that do not come with an automatic cleaning cycle require a bit more attention. In this case, you may want to consider purchasing a cleaning kit, which usually includes a tube of ammonia that you can lightly spray on the print head to get rid of crusted ink.

Manually Cleaning Your Printer

If you are experiencing printer jams or any sort of ink build up, you can clean the print head manually by performing the following steps:

1.) Remove the cartridge from the printer. Dip a cotton swab in rubbing alcohol or hot water, and gently wipe down the cartridge. This should soften up the dry, crusted ink.
2.) Then, soak the print head in hot water and leave it there over night.
3.) If the print head is still clogged after soaking it all night in water, let it soak in rubbing alcohol over night.
4.) After removing it from the water (or alcohol), wipe off the print head with a damp paper towel, and let it dry off carefully.
5.) When you put it back in the printer, try running the self-cleaning cycle again.

If your print head is still clogged, you can either buy a new cartridge or you can contact a service technician who can try to repair the damage.

By: Stacy Page

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Antivirus 2009 Removal

2009-06-09T21:54:00.000+07:00

Antivirus 2009 :--
In current scenario, many computer users experiencing external threats like spywares, adwares, malwares and many more. Antivirus 2009 is new rouge antipsyware software and it is a clone of Antivirus 2008. Generally it comes up with many fake alerts, messages and pop-ups. Most of time, Antivirus 2009 comes with pop-up message to install this program.

Antivirus 2009 Symptoms:--
Antivirus 2009 pop-ups generates following warning messages:--
1. Your computer is infected with virus and so scan your computer using Antivirus 2009.
2. WARNING! Antivirus Pro 2009 has found some useless and unwanted files on your computer
3. You need to register Antivirus 2009 to clean the unwanted files found. Click "Register now" button below to obtain the license key and remove useless or compromising material from your PC.
4. Malware threat.
5. Smart Antivirus 2009.
6. Flashing icons appear on your system tray (Near your system clock).
7. Critical System Error.
8. Hijacked homepage to obscure web page.
9. Your computer is infected.

Antivirus 2009 Manual Removal Steps :--
We need to delete some dll files, processes and registry entries to get rid of Antivirus 2009. We have to also delete the directories "C:\Program Files\Antivirus 2009". These are the following files that associated with Antivirus 2009 infection:--

1. %UserProfile%\Desktop\Antivirus 2009.lnk
2. %UserProfile%\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Antivirus 2009.lnk
3. %UserProfile%\Local Settings\Temporary Internet Files\Content.IE5\S96PZM7V\winsrc[1].dll
4. %UserProfile%\Start Menu\Antivirus 2009
5. %UserProfile%\Start Menu\Antivirus 2009\Antivirus 2009.lnk
6. %UserProfile%\Start Menu\Antivirus 2009\Uninstall Antivirus 2009.lnk
7. c:\Program Files\Antivirus 2009
8. c:\Program Files\Antivirus 2009\av2009.exe
9. c:\WINDOWS\system32\ieupdates.exe
10. c:\WINDOWS\system32\scui.cpl
11. c:\WINDOWS\system32\winsrc.dll

We need to unregister the following "dll files" that associated with Antivirus 2009 infection:--
1. shlwapi.dll
2. wininet.dll

These are the following processes that we need to kill to get rid of Antivirus 2009:--
1. av2009.exe
2. av2009[1].exe
3. AV2009Install.exe
4. Antivirus2009.exe

These are the following registry entries that we have to kill to get rid of Spyware Protect 2009:--
1. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\75319611769193918898704537500611
2. HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{037C7B8A-151A-49E6-BAED-CC05FCB50328}
3. HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Browser Helper Objects\{037C7B8A-151A-49E6-BAED-CC05FCB50328}
4. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "75319611769193918898704537500611"
5. HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run "ieupdate"

Antivirus 2009 Automated Removal Steps:--
We should follow these troubleshooting steps to get rid of Antivirus 2009 :--
1. We should delete all the Internet temporary files like temp, %temp% and prefetch files.
2. Scan computer using any updated antivirus program.
3. We should install and download the "Antimalwarebytes" (freely available).
4. We should update "Antimalwarebytes".
5. Scan computer using the "Antimalwarebytes".
6. We should follow the same procedure for "Super antispyware" as we have done for "Antimalwarebytes" (Safe Mode).

By all the above discussion, we can conclude that Antivirus 2009 is a fake antispyware program. Antivirus 2009 is mainly responsible for the malfunction and slow down the computer performance. It is highly recommended to never click on fake pop-ups or messages. So, it is very necessary to scan computer using updated anti-spyware software on regular basis.

About the Author

Alina Wilson is a technical and security specialist, associated with numerous tech firms including iYogi. iYogi is synergistic ally aligned to offer tech support, Microsoft support, computer repair, PC help services, computer support, online technical support, data back-up services to its clients in Australia, US, UK and Canad

Article Directory: http://www.articlerich.com

Data Correction and Cleansing Mechanisms

2009-06-06T21:15:00.000+07:00

Introduction

One of the most overlooked issues during system implementations is data cleanup. Before going live with a new system, it's almost always wise to cleanse, fix, and consolidate data from the legacy system.

It's both really hard and pretty naive to look at fixing enterprise data in a vacuum. So, let's consider people, process, and technology together.

It is often the role of the consultant to identify potential or probable duplicates during a project. Whether using any number of specialized data cleanup tools or stalwarts such as Microsoft Access or Excel, I have found that it's typically not terribly difficult to identify potential duplicates--i.e., questionable records. The key word here is "potential", as many records need to be manually examined in order to consolidate, purge, or retire.

However, identification is simply the first step in the process--and often the easiest. After isolating suspect records, they must be investigated and ultimately fixed. Here's where it's usually a good idea to stop using phrases such as "not terribly difficult."

Some people become defensive when presented with data errors. Generally speaking, I try to say very innocently that "someone may have done something wrong." I find that it's much less confrontational than pointing a finger. Often, end-users are quick to plead ignorance or blame predecessors for mistakes. In the event that they themselves have made the mistakes (audit trails are pretty hard to dispute), the tone of the conversation is quite different. There's usually a reason that an end-user did what s/he did.

It's the client's role to ultimately make the final call on what to do with suspect records. Far too often, however, end-users do not have the time, desire, or skill set to make these calls. (See my post last month on the different focuses on consultants and end-users.) Failure to address data issues in a timely manner typically causes many problems, from cascaded delays on other project tasks to incomplete testing.

Conclusion

Sometimes on IT projects vendors during the sales cycle (and project managers during the engagement) underestimate the amount of time required to clean up key enterprise information. Technology helps in conducting this imperative exercise but is no panacea for sloppy data that needs to be cleansed.

With more than a decade of experience, Phil Simon assists organizations in all phases of systems consulting including vendor selection, project management, business needs analysis, gap analysis, system testing and design, end-user training, interface and custom report development, and documentation. The result: providing his clients with superior systems, increased ROI, and a healthier bottom line.

Phil is the author of the book Why New Systems Fail and a seasoned independent systems consultant. He started his company in 2002 after six years of related corporate experience. With his extensive knowledge of both well-known and homegrown applications, he has cultivated over twenty clients from a wide variety of industries, including healthcare, manufacturing, retail, and the public sector.

Phil is a graduate of the School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell University (MILR) and Carnegie Mellon (B.S., Policy and Management). He lives in Northern, NJ, USA.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Phil_Simon

Ecology And The Sharp Sf 6600 Printer And Compatible Toner - A Dependable Choice To Go Green In...

2009-06-05T02:02:00.000+07:00

The Sharp SF 6600 Printer with Sharp printer toner cartridges is but one of the many printers available from Sharp. Sharp offers printers that have more then one function, printers using laser technology, and printers that use the older ink jet technology. The laser printers produce high-resolution printouts whether you are using the copier or printing function. Many of the multifunction machines are perfect for small businesses and offices.

Sharp printers use ink jet and digital laser technology depending on the printer. There are many features included with the Sharp printers including an automatic document feeding tray, a single increment zoom function, a bypass tray, and a photo exposure mode option. The machines can connect directly to a computer or to several computers through a network. The majority of the printers need a USB connection.

Besides having a combination of copying and printing Sharp also has machines that perform faxing and copying. The fax machines have options that let you forward faxes to e-mails without being charged any extra fee. You can also send a fax to multiply individuals and store your most used numbers. This is a great option if you need some faxing capabilities but don't have the room for multiple machines.

Sharp also offers machines that include printing, scanning and copying, all using the latest in digital laser technology. The memory of this type of machine is high to ensure that your documents are printed quickly. All of the multifunction machines from Sharp can use many different types of media, not just standard A4 plain paper.

All of the consumables needed for Sharp printers are environmentally friendly and use the newest and best technology to produce high quality printouts and copies. Many of the toner cartridges are compatible for several machines and carried by office supply companies around the world, including the Sharp SF 6600 Printer Cartridge. There are also several online stores that offer hard to find sharp consumables for older models.

Sharp continues to produce high quality ink jet printers as ink jet machine are still used for home and personal use. Ink jet printers are not as expensive as laser jet and while you will use more toner and ink cartridges these items are still much less expensive than what is needed for laser printers. The print quality of ink jet printers is not as good as laser. While the printouts are still good, the clarity and crispness lags behind laser products.

Sharp products focus specifically on equipment that fills the gap between business printers and home printers. They were made to make you more productive while keeping expenditures low. Sharp offers products for businesses, individuals, homes and families. You can feel safe when shipping your Sharp products as they have the highest security rating, ensuring that your products are safe.

By: Ben Pate

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Print Wirelessly With Bluetooth Printers and Printer Adapters

2009-06-03T20:35:00.001+07:00

Printing wirelessly to your printer using Bluetooth can be very liberating. You will be able to connect multiple devices simultaneously to the printer, get rid of unsightly cables and print from much greater distances. Bluetooth is a wireless protocol that operates over the 2.45GHz frequency range and allows devices to communicate with each other wirelessly without the need for a line of sight.

Imagine sitting in the living room with your lap top comfortably and printing to a printer in another room while your significant other prints from his/her laptop simultaneously, sitting in yet another room! This is possible with Bluetooth technology. All you need is a Bluetooth adapter for your printer (shown below) and Bluetooth capability for your laptop/pc/handheld device, which could be inbuilt or an attached USB dongle. Your printer may already be Bluetooth enabled so you may not have to buy a separate adapter. Bluetooth USB dongles are usually plug and play, meaning you just plug them into any USB port and it can begin connecting to other Bluetooth devices immediately, no other setup required!

Setting up Bluetooth Printing

Follow these general steps to start printing to your printer via Bluetooth. Your printer or adapter may have more specialized instructions in their manuals which you should refer to first.

These steps may require you to already have the printer drivers setup. This means you may have to first connect your PC to your printer via the USB cable and install the drivers using your printer CD etc.

1. Attach your adapter to your printer and turn on your printer. If your printer is already Bluetooth enabled just turn it on.

2. Attach your Bluetooth dongle to your laptop/pc via USB port if your laptop does not have inbuilt capability.

3. Go to "Control Panel", then "Bluetooth Devices" and select the "Devices" Tab. Select "Add device" and run the wizard.

You can also connect to the printer automatically (less secure) by going to "Control Panel", then "Bluetooth Devices". Go to the "Options" tab in "Bluetooth Devices" and make sure the "Turn discovery on" and "Allow Bluetooth devices to connect to this computer" check boxes are both ticked. You may also check "Alert me when a Bluetooth device wants to connect".

With certain versions of Windows you can also go to "Printers and Faxes" in "Control Panel" then "Add Printer" and select "Bluetooth Printer" and follow the steps.

Buying a Bluetooth Printer Adapter

Several companies such as HP, Canon and Belkin make Bluetooth printer adapters but each adapter may only work with certain printers (such as a limited range from the same company)! For example the HP BT500 adapter only works with select HP printers so make sure you double check (read the back of the box, visit the company website etc, call customer support etc.). Bluetooth adapters also have limited ranges according to the Bluetooth class. There are three Bluetooth classes; class 1, 2 & 3 which have varying ranges but Bluetooth printer adapters will almost always be class 1 or 2 which have a 100m and 10m range respectively. So before buying your adapter make sure the range suits your needs. Class 1 type adapters with 100m range may be considerably more expensive.

Another thing to consider is that printing wirelessly via Bluetooth can be slower than printing via a USB cable though the difference won't be bothersome. Bluetooth 2.1 and 2.0 are faster than 1.0 and 1.1 (3MBps compared to 1MBps) and they are all compatible with each other. If you have an all in one printer (fax, scanning included) you will most probably only be able to use the print function wirelessly and not scanning or faxing!

Bluetooth printer adapters can cost from just $20 to several hundred dollars depending on range, speed etc and can be purchased online; such as from HP's site, Canon's site, Amazon etc or from reputable electronic, department stores.

Go to http://www.thetechpapers.com to read more great technology news, guides and articles. Become more productive with your technology, learn great tips and find answers to your IT questions.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Shad

Online Chat Room

2009-05-30T02:27:00.000+07:00

There are times when you can't help but sit in front of the computer. You're alone in the house, there's nothing interesting on TV so you killed the picture, and you aren't in the mood to listen to anything on the radio. But you're in the mood for some socializing on the Internet. This is where online chat rooms come in.

The term chat room is used by mass media to refer to any type of synchronous conferencing or even asynchronous conferencing. Also known as chatroom, the term therefore means any technology ranging from online forums and real-time online chats to full-blown graphical social environments.

There are different kinds of chat rooms. There are IRC chat rooms, instant messaging chat rooms, game chat rooms, dating chat rooms, etc.

In the Philippines, the popularity of chat rooms started around the same time they became popular in the rest of the world.

The origin of chat rooms could be traced back to 1974. PLATO System claims their Talkomatic computer program was the first functional chat room in the world. It was purely text-based, and because the world wasn't yet familiar with the idea of an online chat room, the system failed to hit it big.

People began to be more receptive to chat rooms in the 1990s. But by this time a new chat room technology called IRC was the talk of the town. One thing led to another. Before you knew it, it's the 21st century and the IRC has given way to more popular chat systems like Yahoo! and ICQ. That's the history of the chat room.

For more information and tips on Online Chat Room visit, http://chatroom.ph

Inkjet or Laser Printer: Which is Best For Me?

2009-05-28T00:20:00.000+07:00

Information is accessible from a variety of sources these days. The Internet easily makes it possible to share such information with others and it can be duplicated as well and scattered around to minimise possibilities of it being lost. Despite all of this, printers are not obsolete and whether you are in the office or at home, there will be a time where you need to print hard copies of information to share and use.

Getting a printer is the first step and often the most difficult because you are normally stuck between two choices - either getting an inkjet printer or a laser printer. These four simple factors should help make your decision process a lot simpler.

Output Quality

Is the output quality an important factor or is all that matters is the document prints are legible and of a reasonable standard? This should be the first factor that should be evaluated because if quality is an absolute must, you should go for a good standard laser printer.

Budget

How much money do you have and how much are you willing to spend? Inkjet printers are obviously more affordable than the laser printers so if you are really stuck on a tight budget, don't make that final decision in getting an inkjet until you analyse the next two factors.

Frequency of Use

How often will you use the printer, or what is the average amount of pages to be printed weekly? Knowing the answer to this is very important because it will help foresee any future costs for ink toners and cartridges. Standard ink cartridges for inkjet printers may not be as expensive as the toners used for laser printers, but they aren't able to produce as many individual prints as their counterparts.

If you are planning to print around 500 pages a week, all you need is an average laser printer with toner to last you a couple of months. Going the budget route and letting an inkjet print 500 pages a week may appear that the savings potential is greater, but if you run the numbers, you will realise that you need more ink cartridges to do the job and that means more money spent. Laser printers are a must have if you plan on using it frequently. If the budget is still the major concern, you can always get a low cost laser printer.

Speed Demands

Laser printers have that extra specification highlighting the average number of pages the printer can print per minute. Logically, if you frequently use the printer often, speed can make a very convenient difference and when printing is needed during heavy office hours, laser printers are an absolute must have. This is the last factor that should be evaluated because there could be instances where companies or home users rarely use the printer; but when tons of pages are needed unexpectedly, speed makes it possible. Printing over 100 pages using an inkjet will take hours and is uneconomical.

The bottom line is that inkjets are largely inferior to laserjets in almost every aspect other than cost. This makes inkjet printers perfect for small business and home use where you don't have frequent usage, whilst a laserjet is ideal for anywhere that has a great deal of usage and has a budget to match.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/inkjet-or-laser-printer-which-is-best-for-me-938949.html

Registry Cleaner Review - Crucial Components That Every Registry Cleaner Review Must Have

2009-05-25T22:10:00.000+07:00

PCs became one of the most vital inventions the world has ever seen. They allow you to finish writing projects, create spreadsheets, surf the Net, and much more. But computers are not without problems...

A vital part of a Windows PC operating system is called the registry. A computer Simply can't run without a registry as it provides some very crucial functions to the system. Over time, the PC registry starts to build up errors from ordinary each day activities.

These registry errors start to cause problems for your computers performance. Symptoms of registry mistakes include such things as slow running programs, slow start-up or load time, windows crashing, and your system freezing up. All of these issues can become real headaches for any Computer owner.

A registry cleaner is a computer program that cleans up all the registry blunder issues. This includes invalid application paths, missing DLL files, missing startup programs, missing file associations, and much more. Fixing these registry problems can drastically enhance your computers performance.

There are a number of registry software programs available these days. Many claim to be better than others, whilst performing the vital function of cleaning up your Computer and improving performance. How did you know which registry cleaner software is the best choice? The answer's by reading registry cleaner reviews.

So, what should you look for in a registry cleaner review?

A registry cleaner review should always include some key parts. First, the review should provide details about what the registry cleaner does (i.e. features). At about that point, you know why you need a registry cleaner, but you need to be sure that the registry cleaner you choose will perform an inclusive system scan, perform the right functions, and fix any registry errors it finds.

A registry cleaner review must also include information on ease of use. How easy is it to use the software? One of the great things about registry cleaners is that they automate the registry cleanup process since manually modifying your registry can be very technical, troublesome, and dangerous. A registry cleaning software should be simple for anyone to use.

The next thing to look out for in a review about registry cleaners is scanning ability and repair capabilities. Ideally, the reviewer should have tried out the software and determined whether it essentially scans all the required PC sectors. It should determine whether the mistakes it uncovers really get repaired and whether the PC performance improves following the cleaning process.

Finally, a registry cleaner review should cover information on consumer support and software pricing. What kind of support can you are expecting from the software creator? The reviewer should be ready to tell you exactly how the merchant provides you to get in contact with them for any questions you can have and the various ways you can fetch help. The review should also include the price of the registry cleaner and how it measures up to other competing software.

An ideal registry cleaner review needs to include information on the features, scanning capability, fix efficacy, support, and pricing. Look for an unbiased review on a visually appealing website as well. In the end, these reviews can offer you with a good means of picking the software you need to get your PC running at optimal performance again.

By: Jim Gordon

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 Review

2009-05-23T02:33:00.000+07:00

Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is the best choice for those who spend a lot of time on the computer and tend to develop hands and wrist pains. I am in front of the computer and using a mouse the whole day and sometimes it extends into the wee hours of the night. I thought that only people who have poor posture and who have poor hands positions when using the computer are the ones that get wrist pains. Now I know that even mice can cause them.

When I started using this mouse, I was pleasantly surprised by how much ease of movement it gives to my hands. The center scroll wheel doesn't make scrolling hard for my fingers and my carpal tunnel. It is very smooth and it doesn't make any sound. I use this feature frequently and the principal reason why I bought this is because it felt good under my finger index and middle fingers.

The size of the mouse makes it lightweight and very easy on my hands and fingers. I have small hands so the small size fits me perfectly. I don't need a mouse pad for it to perform well.

It is very responsive. I don't have to move it with big strokes for the cursor to go the place I want it to go. The left and right button also responds even with very small movement of the finger.

Since using this mouse, I never had any wrist pains again. Working with this mouse and my laptop is such a pleasure since I bought Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000.

For more information, check other Microsoft Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 reviews.

Erika Ayala works part time for a consumer review company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Erika_Ayala

Strong Password Authentication Essential to Your Computer Security

2009-05-20T01:54:00.000+07:00

1. Why Password?

Your computer and the websites you frequently visit contain a great deal of personal information about you. It is important, therefore to ensure that you do not allow your personal details to get into the wrong hands.
We do so much online these days: banking, shopping and social networking have become everyday activities. There are nasty people out there who want to steal from you. Not just your money, but your very identity. It is therefore very necessary to protect yourself by restricting access to your personal data. This is where passwords come in. They make sure that your personal details are only available to you.

2. Why a Strong Password?

We all like to keep things simple. Passwords can be a pain. So let us make it easy to remember and not complicate matters. Why not use the same password for all our safe sites. It is too much hassle remembering all those different passwords, after all.

Passwords can be seen as the weakest link between your data and those who could most benefit from access to your personal details. Once the password is cracked they are in. If you use the same password for different applications, your system is vulnerable, along with your online banking and credit card accounts.

Examples of weak passwords include your name, username, date of birth, names of your children, even your car registration number. Paul123 would not be a safeguard against my online bank account, for example. Hackers can use programs that try to guess your password by browsing through your files to search for personal information.
Criminals use a number of methods to identify passwords. Dictionary search trawls through online dictionaries to come up with a match to your password. Brute force attacks try every possible combination of keystrokes that can be used in connection with a user name. Phishing, official looking emails purportedly from banks, for example, seek to obtain passwords or PIN numbers from unsuspecting victims.

3. What is a Strong Password?

Many websites demand passwords that exceed seven or eight digits, including letters and numbers. Security experts advise even longer passwords, 14 characters are considered sensible. Experts also suggest that you mix upper and lower case letters and utilise characters in lieu of some letters. The key is to use a password that is simple enough for you to remember but no one else, even your close family and friends would be able to identify.

4. Further assistance

Microsoft has a very good application that rates the strength or weakness of your chosen password.

Password checker can be found here: http://www.microsoft.com/protect/yourself/password/checker.mspx

Paul Forrest has run marketing orientated businesses for more than ten years. He specialises in writing articles for websites, utilising proven successful methods that attract new customers. Paul has an extensive knowledge of Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and enjoys a clear understanding of the profitable use of keywords.

Paul uses clear explanation regarding the subject. Paul's style of writing engages the attention of the reader in addition to maximising keyword profitability with the major search engines, particularly Google.

Based in Brighton in the United Kingdom, Paul keeps up to date with developments in all aspects of business and has a passion for helping companies to succeed in their marketplace. Following a multi-faceted career in commerce, Paul devotes his energies to writing articles that drive potential customers to his clients' websites. Paul can write about any subject which he will thoroughly research before pen touches paper or finger hits keyboard.

To find out how Paul Forrest can drive more customers to your website, check out http://www.articlewriter.biz today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Paul_T_Forrest

The Technology Trends For 2009

2009-05-17T01:46:00.001+07:00

Improved Televisions
Let us start with the television. It has been a steady feature in the homes of many people and yet it is one thing that has probably changed the most throughout the years. Last year, the flat panel televisions that were only four inches deep were the big thing. As the thinnest televisions on market, people flocked to the electronics store so that they could have the very best.

But this year, there are televisions that are making their panels only one inch, and in some cases even less, which means there is a new version of the flat televisions on the market. Many of the big name companies such as JVC, LG, Sharp, Sony, Mitsubishi, Samsung, and Hitachi are all jumping on the bandwagon and creating a television that will truly make history with how deep it is, or rather how deep it isn't.

But why do the televisions have to be so thin? The biggest reason is because the thin television gives the consumers much more flexibility with where they put it. The flat televisions help to improve a home, as it is truly a space saver. With how small the televisions are becoming, how does a person hide their DVD players, the cable box receivers, and the connections to their satellite receivers? The lowboy was something that was rather popular in the 1960s and 1970s but is finally making its comeback in 2009. Even though there are other products on the market, the lowboy is certainly the item that is the trendiest for this year. It is deep enough for the flat panel televisions and it is able to hide all of those connections so that the aesthetics of the wall display are not lost.

Blu-Ray Enters More Homes
When it comes to Blu-ray, many people feel as though it is something of the past. The thing is though, there have never been as many choices and options as there are in 2009. People are trying to get their movies and their normal everyday television viewing into the best picture possible. Even though this could not be done before, there are products out there that can now deliver high definition content to several televisions throughout the house. Instead of just having one television with the best viewing or having to purchase separate HD systems for all of the televisions, you can now get great viewing from all TV's with the help of a video distribution system that is HD-compliant.

The least expensive models on the market come from Sony with a price tag of anywhere between two thousand to two thousand five hundred dollars. These systems are the basics. But what about the homes that about more then two televisions? For that, Sony has developed a system as well. The HomeShare HD system can send HD video to up to four televisions. The cost is about one to two thousand per room.

Netbooks
When it comes to wanting the best of the best, 2009 has something great to offer those who love laptops. The Eee PC 1000HE is certainly the largest of the Eee series to date but there are more benefits to it which over shadows the size with no problem. The high-speed wireless capabilities are incredible and the battery life will last a person all day. This truly means that someone can work all day out in the sun or in the local coffee shop without having to worry about plugging in.

The ten-inch display makes seeing what is on the screen incredibly easy and the keys on the keyboard are ninety two percent of the size that would commonly be found on a laptop. This means that the spacing between each key is similar to what would be found on the common desktop keyboard. All in all, this is the netbook that is the best buy. While it may not be as pretty as another laptop or as compact, the features on it far exceed anything else out there for 2009.

And when you are shopping for the latest technology in netbooks, the thing that will be on your mind is what it can do for your personal and business life, not how pretty it looks.

Can It Get Better Then This?
With all of the various things that have already hit the shelves throughout the world in 2009, one would wonder if it could still possibly get any better then it already is. As far as designers and engineers are concerned, there is always room for improvement. There can always be something a little better, a little faster, and a little smaller. 2009 is truly a year that has brought many surprises and will probably bring even more before it is all said and done.

And what will next year bring? A half-inch thick television? Televisions that think more like computers? No one in the general public really knows for sure. What is known though is that we will most likely be continue to be amazed with what technology brings our way.

Thomas Haugen
http://www.tekblogger.net

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Thomas_Haugen

4 Easy Ways On How to Backup Files On Your Computer

2009-05-16T04:38:00.001+07:00

Data loss is a big problem for anyone who uses a computer to work. Fires happen, computers crash (with alarming frequency), and virus programmers have become more advanced than ever before. Each of these situations presents its own uniques threat, but there is one way to deal with the most devastating outcome- file backup.

Some operating systems come with a backup utility that allows you to create backup copies of your entire hard drive (or folders that you select) automatically. The two most popular operating systems, Windows Vista and Mac OS X both come with backup utilities. After a certain point, though, backing up files on the same computer that has the potential for crash can end up devastating your system.

Backing up files on CD or DVD is a viable option for anyone who has that capability and backs up once in a while. The one major advantage to this method is that the CD or DVD is an external storage media, and it can be kept safe outside of the computer, or even the room the computer is in. Many large companies do routine backups of important data and keep those disks in a fire-proof safe off site.

This can still be a time consuming method, and each disk can only hold a fraction of the entire contents of a hard drive.

External hard drives offer the easiest and most reliable method of local backup storage, as they are available in very large capacities, connect easily, and can be physically isolated from the computer at any time. Unless you keep your external hard drive locked up in a safe as well, it too can be destroyed by fire, flood, or storm should a disaster strike. They are also prone to the same failure problems that plague internal drives.

A solution for how to backup files is growing in popularity among home users as well as office IT managers and that solution is online backup. This relatively new method of file backup is done online with a company that is physically miles away, yet the data is always available at the touch of a few keystrokes. For a nominal fee, there are several companies that will store your data in heavily protected servers, often automatically as well.

Choosing a backup method is simply a matter of determining how much capacity and security you need. Most people find that external hard drives and online services offer the best protection for the cost.

If you are looking for the best online storage solution, we recommend Carbonite or Mozy. Visit us to see a head-to-head comparison of Carbonite vs Mozy and decide for yourself which option is best for you.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/4-easy-ways-on-how-to-backup-files-on-your-computer-915382.html

Computer Systems Upgrades Are Easier Than You Think

2009-05-14T01:47:00.000+07:00

We have all been bombarded with news about the poor economy. Jobless numbers are increasing, corporate profits are tanking and, in the technology sector, computer systems sales have dropped significantly.

One upside to all this negativity is an increase in ingenuity and the resurgence of an old-fashioned "do-it-yourself" attitude. In the spirit of saving money, many business owners and IT people have embraced the idea of upgrading computer systems instead of opting for replacement at the first sign of trouble.

Is A Computer Upgrades Right for You

Do a Google search on computer system upgrades and you'll find tons of advice. One of the best came from an article on about.com: do an upgrade if the cost of the upgrade is half (or less) than that of replacing.

IT professionals know all about upgrading. Business owners who do their own IT or who contract out the job should also learn all they can about upgrading. Why? So they know what can be done and can arm themselves with the knowledge they need to avoid costly upgrades that net them little in performance gains.

First, it helps to know the basics about your computer. Learn what types of memory are out there and what kind your computer currently has. (You must replace your current memory with the same type or your machine won't work.) Educate yourself about hard drives too. To increase hard drive space, you can opt for any number of external hard drives, or update the one you have.

As the about.com article notes, the cost of upgrades can quickly escalate, and eventually total more than a replacement. Plan your upgrade carefully. Do some comparison shopping to see what a new machine would cost, and lay out a budget for your upgrades. Shop around for parts too. If your machine is more than a few years old, you may need to find a vendor of used or discontinued computer parts. Good news - there are lots of them and their parts tend to be very affordable.

One more caveat - desktops are typically easier to upgrade than laptops. You should proceed with caution in either case, and call in a professional to help if you feel you are in over your head.

Two Basic Upgrades You Can Try Before Replacing Your Computer

The main complaint of most computer users is speed. Signs of speed issues include files take that take too long to open or too long to save. To remedy this problem, you need a memory upgrade. Be sure that you know how much room you have (number of expansion slots) and the correct type of memory for your machine before you buy more memory. (To find out all you need to know about your memory, you can download a free System Information program.)

Another common complaint is hard drive space. Of course, if you work on a network, this shouldn't be a problem for you. (The IT people in your organization have to deal with storage space on enterprise computer systems.) But if you work in a small business with no network, hard drive space can be a problem. You can replace your internal hard drive with a bigger one, or simply add on an external hard drive to back up files (which you should be doing anyway).

If these two upgrades can't solve the problem with your computer systems, then you should probably consider replacing the units. Be sure to shop around. Whether you buy new or used, there are great deals to be had, especially in today's economy.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/computer-systems-upgrades-are-easier-than-you-think-912862.html

Outdoor LCD - A New Name of Entertainment

2009-05-10T19:00:00.000+07:00

Outdoor spaces are now gradually being used as additional living space. People these days are buying outdoor sofas that have high grade cushions and a deep and comfortable sitting. They actually want to create an equally comfortable ambiance outside their home. Once this is done, they then would like to make arrangements for some entertainment. However, here too people look out for the same level of entertainment. With the latest progress in technology, many companies are bringing out televisions that are designed in such a way that they can withstand the outdoor elements. Initially, it was only seen in cruise liners and hotels, but now, even an average homeowner can afford it.

In order to withstand harsh weather conditions, outdoor TVs are built to be weatherproof. Typically, such TVs are LCDs as well as High Definition. Weatherproof outdoor TVs have some specially designed protective features, meant for withstanding exposure to high-velocity wind, rain and direct sunlight. There are certain accessories as well, such as protective cover, remotes and many others as well, to make the entire experience of outdoor TV viewing a pleasant one. Apart from all this, such TVs have a minimum warranty of one year.

An interesting thing about Weatherproof LCD televisions is that apart from providing outdoor entertainment, they can also be used in an indoor environment as well. Indoor spaces like kitchens and bathrooms are the places where a lot of moisture is accumulated. It can therefore be also said that the LCDs which are used for outdoor entertainment can as well be used in such places. These weatherproof LCD televisions would then function with equal efficiency which is a great thing in itself.

It therefore may be confidently asserted that Outdoor LCD televisions, which are weatherproof as well, are appropriate for both indoor and outdoor spaces. It provides a great opportunity to all to spend quality time with their families in an outdoor ambiance. Even if anybody has any important work to do outside, with an outdoor LCD television he/she can easily catch his/her favorite soaps or even matches. With so many advantages, it can easily be understood why most of the American families have made it a compulsory part of their outside decor. However, it is expected that such a great innovation will definitely find a place in most of the households across the world. Owing to all its fantastic and user-friendly features, this will surely be highly successful.

Outdoor LCD
I-techcompany is an online superstore for sunlight readable high brightness LCD for outdoor display, daylight viewable LCD and high brightness rack mount monitors. Call us at 888-483-2418 for more details.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kilian_Allen

Useful Tips to Maintain the Temperature of Your Notebook

2009-05-10T03:37:00.000+07:00

Many notebook users neglect one of the most important aspects of using the gadget, i.e, protecting it from overheating. Maintaining the temperature of the laptop computers is another way of enhancing its performance. The user should know and understand the safest operating temperature for a notebook.

How to find the temperature:

The temperature of the laptop can affect the performance of the device. But, the prime aspect of consideration is to find the notebook temperature. Here are some of the useful ways how you find the notebook temperature so that you can avoid the causes responsible for overheat of the machine.

Usually the notebooks come with software to keep track of the temperature. While purchasing notebook, look for the utility software meant to find the notebook temperature. Generally, the software is not a part of the Operating System of the computer, but a part of software provided by the manufacturer.

Apart from the preinstalled software you can download free software from the Internet. They are available with instructions of using them and help you find the temperature of your laptop. Few laptop users with technical mind use thermal sensor to keep track of the temperature of their machines.

How to keep your notebook from overheat:

Now that you are able to find the temperature of your notebook, you have to take necessary steps to maintain the temperature and protect the machine from overheating to keep the machine cool. In fact, it is an effective and cost-effective way of increasing the notebook performance.

If you feel that your notebook is getting too hot, it is high time it needs a break. Shut down the machine and allow it to cool. Also, try to place your notebook on a flat surface. You can find rubber feet that allow airflow to the lower side of the notebook. When you are using the machine placing it on a bed or any other such surfaces chances are there your laptop may not get enough air.

Alternatively, you can work with your laptop placing it on your lap if want to work away from the desk to allow proper airflow. You can also place a towel underneath to avoid the heat. Also, try to raise your notebook from the surface allowing increase of airflow to the lower surface. You can even use a laptop stand to rest your laptop on it.

Many people keep their laptop on even after placing them inside the laptop case as it is convenient to take the machine out of the bag, open the screen and work immediately. But, the environment inside the notebook case is generally warm and it can get warmer with the already switched-on computer. It can cause harm to the hardware of your laptop. It is better to shutdown the notebook before placing it in the notebook case.

It is common among the laptop users to keep the computer plugged in throughout the working hours. The constant flow of electricity will not only reduce the performance of the battery but also increase the heat of the battery. It will eventually overheat the laptop. It is very essential to charge your computer as long as necessary, otherwise unplug the charger once the battery is full.

Another way you can keep your laptop from overheat is by buying a laptop cooler. Of course it is a pricy choice, but it can provide cool air to the underside of the notebook. Now, enhancing the performance of your notebook is in your hand. While using your notebook, make sure that it does not get overheat.

Published At: Isnare Free Articles Directory http://www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=375617&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Using InstallAware 7 To Patch Software Products

2009-05-08T03:42:00.000+07:00

Overview

This whitepaper describes how to use InstallAware for patching software products. While many third party patching tools are available, most are loosely integrated with installation tools. This makes the patch delivery and installation awkward, resulting in a less than satisfactory user experience. Certain setup authoring tools do provide an integrated mechanism for building patches, improving the user experience. However, in these cases the patch authoring process is very complex and requires special training. Patches are treated as a special kind of setup project, with many authoring pitfalls that the developer has to be conscious of both before and during actual patch development. Since patches are distributed after the actual product has shipped, this results in difficult situations where the original setups can no longer be modified, but were required to be authored differently for the patches to be successful.

InstallAware addresses these challenges in patch authoring using a unique technology: One-Click Patching. InstallAware literally builds patches for older versions of your products in a single click. You simply refer the IDE to the old, built versions of your setup to upgrade, and click the "Build Patch" button. No additional coding or development effort is required at any time. InstallAware takes care of the rest for you.

Despite this remarkable ease of use, in the InstallAware tradition, extensive customization of the patch process and patch user experience remains possible. This makes it possible for you to integrate your business logic into your installer at runtime, dramatically reducing development overhead that would otherwise be required to support that logic. For instance, before applying a patch, dynamic validation of the user's existing product license may be performed, barring the software upgrade if the license has expired or is invalid. Similarly, a single patch may be applied onto multiple targets - making it possible to reduce integration workload when patching products in different target languages, editions, and other configurations.

InstallAware further aids patch deployment by reducing the payload size, improving compression ratios, and caching old version setup sources. Patches are built using binary incremental differencing technology, which includes only the delta between the old and new versions of your files in your patch packages. This data is then compressed using LZMA/BCJ2 compression technology, which pre-processes files to increase their compressibility for even more space savings. At runtime, InstallAware simply refers to cached setup sources, eliminating unnecessary CD/DVD and other kinds of original setup media prompts, which would otherwise derail patch deployment (other setup authoring mechanisms do not cache setup sources on the end-user system).

While offering these unique benefits, InstallAware is completely standards based - every InstallAware patch is a native Windows Installer patch package (MSP) that can execute directly, without requiring a third-party scripting runtime to be previously installed. Windows Installer is the only Microsoft approved installation technology and is a requirement of Microsoft logo certification programs. It offers several other advantages such as elevated-privilege installations in high-security contexts and automated corporate deployment using Active Directory Group Policy. These benefits make MSP format patches the only accepted software distribution format for large enterprises.

Building the First Version Installer

While it is possible to upgrade products built using any setup authoring technology using InstallAware, those upgrades cannot take advantage of InstallAware's One-Click Patching technology. Any product which you wish to patch using InstallAware must have originally been installed with InstallAware.

To build the installer for the first version of your product, perform the following steps.

1. Our hypothetical product is comprised of two files, an application file and a data file. Windows's standard text editor Notepad, located in your Windows folder, will serve as our application file.

We'll go ahead and create the data file. Right click your Desktop, and choose New - Text Document. Name the file Notepad Data, double click it, and edit it so its contents look like the screenshot below:

2. Now that our first version product files are ready, we can get started building the first version installer. Launch the InstallAware 7 IDE using the Windows Start Menu. Then, on the Project tab, in the New group, click the Basic Setup button. The New Project window is displayed.

3. The Basic Setup project type is pre-selected. Additionally, the New Project window lists other types of templates, wizards, sample projects, and project converters.

The Basic Setup project type contains all the plumbing we need to build a fully working installation - with out of the box support for multiple features, application repair and maintenance, uninstall, and also patching, our area of focus in this whitepaper.

4. Under the Project Name field, accept the default value of My Setup, or provide your own project name. Projects are normally created under your My Documents folder, and reside inside their own subfolders. If you would like to use a different folder, enter that folder name here, or use the suggested value. Click OK when you're ready to create the project.

5. Now that our setup project is ready, we'll begin to flesh it out with our products's logical organization. On the Design tab, click the Files and Settings button. Select the Features designer under the Setup Architecture heading and define two features, so your setup project looks like the screenshot above. Use the Rename button to rename existing features, and the New button to insert new features. The Up-Down buttons on the top right corner of the design view let you sort your features. You may also customize feature descriptions by highlighting a feature, and then editing its description in the Feature Description field.

When you're finished, select the Files designer under the Setup Architecture heading to add your actual product files to the setup project.

6. The top section of the Files designer lists the files available on your development system. The bottom section of the Files designer lists the files that are installed by your setup. Notice the list of variables that are displayed under the Target Folders list. $TARGETDIR$ is a special variable which indicates the destination directory chosen by the user at install time. Select $TARGETDIR$ before adding any files to make sure they will be installed into the end-user's chosen destination.

The Filter Files by Feature check-box lets you associate individual files with your product's logical organization (the features defined in the previous step). After checking this box, be sure to choose the product feature that you wish to associate files with.

From your Windows folder, add the file notepad.exe under the Program Files feature. Then browse to your Desktop folder, and add the file Notepad Data.txt under the Data Files feature.

7. Shortcuts will let us easily open installed files and test that the patch is working. Select the Shortcuts designer under the Setup Architecture heading, and then click New to display the New Shortcut dialog.

It's easy to create shortcuts in a variety of locations using this dialog. Click the Browse button to visually locate your shortcut targets from among the files you're installing, or alternately type any file or folder location directly in the Shortcut Target field. Be sure to name your shortcut using the Text field, and pick at least one location to create the shortcut under from the Shortcut Placement group. Click OK to save your changes.

Create two shortcuts - one called My Data which points to our dummy text file, and another called My Program which points to the copy of Notepad that we're installing. We're now ready to build our first version setup!

8. On the Project tab, in the Build group, click Web Deploy. We choose the Web Deploy build mode, because when a setup is built this way, it locally caches its setup sources on the target system - eliminating the need for source media prompts that would be occurring with other build modes, such as the CD or DVD build mode. It's also possible to build a setup in Web Deploy mode without actually deploying anything on the web - we'll revisit this subject in the second half of this guide.

When the build is complete, click the downward arrow on the Output Folder button in the Build group, and choose the Web Deploy location. Explorer opens up with our built setup, with the following files located inside the folder:

* My Setup.exe: This is the main setup executable, which contains the installer engine.

* Data Files.7zip: This setup data file contains all the files which were included in the Data Files feature.

* Program Files.7zip: This setup data file contains all the files which were included in the Program Files feature.

9. Create a new folder on your Desktop, calling it Version One. Copy all built setup files inside this folder. This folder serves as your backup location for your old version installer, which is all that is needed for building a patch targeting this first version. Old product files or setup sources are not required.

Building the Second (and further) Version Installers

Now that we've successfully built and saved a copy of our first version setup, we're ready to make the changes to the product and setup project for building the second version.

1. Edit the text file on your Desktop created in step 1 of the previous section, and edit its contents so it looks like the screenshot below:

2. Save your changes to the text file, and rebuild your setup following the procedure in step 8 of the previous section. Remember to create another folder on your Desktop called Version Two, and again copy all built setup files into this folder, backing up the second version installer for use with future patches.

3. If necessary, make further changes to your product files and setup project (such as adding more files), and build further version installers as necessary. Just be sure to backup each built setup, so you can patch them later on.

Building the Patch

There are absolutely no additional steps required to build a patch, above and over the changes made to your product files and the new version installer. Follow the steps below to create your patch:

1. On the Design tab, in the Views group, click the Deploy button.

2. Under the Deployment heading, choose the Patches designer. Click the Add button in the Patches designer and add the file My Setup.exe from the Version One folder created earlier on your Desktop.

3. If there are other product versions to patch, add their installers from their backup folders as well. These saved old version installers are all InstallAware needs for creating a patch!

4. Click the Build Patch button. Once your patch has been built, click the Browse button to open Explorer inside the folder containing your patch file, My Setup.exe. This patch will successfully upgrade all referenced old versions to your latest version!

Congratulations! You have now built a patch for your software product using InstallAware. Install your first version install, open the text file to verify its contents; then install the patch and verify that your text file has been updated. Experiment with making more changes to your setup project, and let InstallAware take care of building more patches for you with a single click!

Deployment Scenarios

Patch Source Resolution

All Windows Installer patches require access to the old version product's setup files. The setup files for the old version must be successfully identified (resolved) before any patches may be applied. This section describes how InstallAware patches handle this source resolution requirement.

Patch Source Resolution for Web Deployed Setups

Since web deployed setups always locally cache their setup files, patch source resolution for web deployed setups is automatic. No manual steps are required during patch source resolution. It is also possible to author web deployed setups such that they do not require an Internet connection at any time during installation; these advantages make web deployed setups ideal for patching in InstallAware.

Patch Source Resolution for CD or DVD Setups

If it is undesirable to cache setup sources locally, CD or DVD setups may also be used. When patching a CD or DVD setup, a dialog box will ask for the original setup files. At this stage, the end-user simply needs to insert the original installation media, and select the drive containing the setup sources. If a CD or DVD setup was not stored on a removable medium but resides on a hard drive folder, simply selecting that folder will again suffice during patch source resolution.

Patch Source Resolution for Single File Setups

A single file setup packs all setup files into a single self extracting file. This self extracting archive, when run, first expands all setup files into a temporary folder, and then initiates setup. When patching against these setups, therefore, it is not sufficient to point to the folder containing the single self extracting file. Instead, the self extracting file should be run, allowing it to complete to the stage of extracting its setup files to a temporary folder, and then that temporary folder should be chosen. Identifying this folder can be a little daunting for novice end-users, therefore single file setups are not recommended as patch targets; however if necessary it is still possible to patch single file setups.

A practical step by step method to locate the temporary folder where setup files are extracted into is as follows:

1. Click the Windows Start button, choose Run, and type in %temp% into the Open field. Then click OK.

2. Windows Explorer opens, displaying the contents of the user's temporary folder.

3. Look for a folder that starts with the characters mia and ends with the characters .tmp, with some random numbers and letters in between. In the rare event that there are multiple folders fitting this pattern, simply try each folder until the patch installer accepts one of your choices (the patch installer will check to make sure valid sources are specified).

The main advantage of using a single file setup is to create a monolithic package that contains everything needed to install an application without requiring an Internet connection or a CD/DVD (and other types of removable media). It is possible to build web deployed setups which are still monolithic and do not require access to the Internet at any time during installation, so in cases where a monolithic single file setup is desired, the Web Deploy build mode can be preferred over the Single File build mode. Patch source resolution is automatic with all web deployed setups, and the output of a setup built using the Web Deploy build mode can still be a single physical file, as described in the following section.

Building Monolithic Web Deployed Setups

Since web deployed setups are the easiest base setups to patch against, it is desirable to use them when deploying your full version installers. In certain situations you may want to build setups which do not require an Internet connection at any time. InstallAware makes it easy to build monolithic web deployed setups - that are fully self-contained - so they always cache setup files, contain all setup data in a single setup file, and are easy for your end-users to patch against. To convert any existing setup to a monolithic web deployed setup, follow these steps:

1. Open your setup project in the InstallAware IDE, and choose the MSIcode tab to access the full sources of your installation.

2. Inside the MSIcode editor, choose the tab immediately to the right of the Welcome Page tab. For our hypothetical setup, this tab is called My Setup.

3. Notice the two drop-down combo boxes immediately above the MSIcode script. Select Web Media Blocks in the left combo box. Then expand the right combo box to display a list of all your Web Media Blocks (parts of your setup that are downloaded from the Internet at runtime).

4. Select a Web Media Block from the open combo box. The MSIcode editor positions the cursor at the exact location in the script where the Web Media Block is defined.

5. Right-click the highlighted Web Media Block line, and choose Comment Out/In. This comments out the Web Media Block definition, directing the InstallAware setup compiler to ignore this directive.

6. Repeat steps 4-5 until all Web Media Blocks in the MSIcode script have been commented out.

7. Press the Page Up key repeatedly until you are on top of the installation script.

8. Using the mouse, drag-drop the Web Media Block command from the MSIcode command palette (on the right of the MSIcode editor) to the top of your script. This inserts a new Web Media Block command into the MSIcode script.

9. The Define Web Media Block dialog box appears. Without making any changes in this dialog, simply click the OK button. This inserts a new line into your MSIcode script called [OFFLINE CONTENT]. This instructs the InstallAware setup compiler to include each file of your setup package directly inside the main setup.exe file, instead of an Internet location where they will be downloaded from at runtime.

Building your setup in the Web Deploy build mode will now create a monolithic web deployed setup, which does not require access to the Internet at any time during installation, providing the easiest targets to patch against thanks to automated patch source resolution.

Customizing Patches

Compiler Variables

InstallAware features Compiler Variables, which offer an easy way to build multiple setup files from a single setup project. Using Compiler Variables, which are similar to conditional directives found in most programming languages, you may conditionally include/exclude parts of the MSIcode script, and build different flavors of an existing setup, all based on a single setup project.

Built-In Compiler Variables

InstallAware provides various built-in Compiler Variables. For instance, the internal BUILDMODE Compiler Variable evaluates to PATCH when building patches in InstallAware. This makes it very easy to add additional logic to your MSIcode script, that is only compiled during a patch build (for instance, when clicking the Patch button in the Build group on the Project tab). Additional, custom Compiler Variables may be defined using the Project Options window (accessible by clicking the Project Settings button in the Manage group on the Project tab). Compiler Variable values can also be set from the command line when using the miabuild.exe command line build tool, for added convenience.

Conditional Compilation using Compiler Variables

Three MSIcode commands offer the possibility to test the values of Compiler Variables, and selectively include/exclude parts of the MSIcode script at build time. These commands are found on the Compiler Directives group of the MSIcode command palette (accessible on the MSIcode tab, to the right of the MSIcode editor):

* Compiler Variable If: Opens a new conditional compilation block. Simply drag-drop this command into your MSIcode script to create a new conditionally compiled block.

In the Variable field of this command, enter the Compiler Variable to test for. You may test for both built-in and custom Compiler Variables using this command. To start a new conditionally compiled block included only when building patches, enter BUILDMODE in this field. In the Comparison field, choose a type of comparison to perform. Accept the default comparison of Equals for testing patch builds. If you need to reverse the type of comparison, check the Reverse Comparison (If Not) check-box. In the Compare With field, enter the literal value to test the value of the Compiler Variable against. For patches, enter PATCH in this field.

* Compiler Variable Else: Branches a previously started conditional compilation block, such that if the immediately preceding Compiler Variable If test failed, the MSIcode commands following the Compiler Variable Else command are conditionally compiled.

* Compiler Variable End: Closes a conditional compilation block previously opened with a Compiler Variable If command. Each Compiler Variable If command must have a corresponding Compiler Variable End command.

You may freely nest multiple conditional compilation blocks as you see fit. You may also use any kind of MSIcode commands within your conditionally compiled blocks.

InstallAware internally uses Compiler Variables to make One-Click Patching possible. Most InstallAware templates (including the Basic Setup template used in this whitepaper) provide a properly constructed MSIcode script with all necessary Compiler Variable If/Else/End commands that provide effortless patch construction from the same setup project used for the main setup.

Using Compiler Variables in this way provides out-of-the-box One-Click Patching convenience for developers, while retaining developer flexibility and permitting additional customizations to patches being built based on a single setup project. You may freely customize any of the InstallAware templates to suit your requirements and embed any kind of business logic to your installations for patching, while avoiding the problems and overhead associated with having to create and maintain new, separate patch projects from scratch.

Additional Resources

Please visit the InstallAware website publications section at the following URL for more information on InstallAware technologies:

http://www.installaware.com/home/publications.asp

Whitepapers providing an in-depth analysis of InstallAware's scripting and web deployment technologies, as well as a Reviewer's Guide, are available at the above URL.

About The Author:
Candice Jones is employed at InstallAware Software Corporation.

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Types of Computer Viruses

2009-05-05T00:08:00.000+07:00

In computing terminology, a ‘malicious code’ is a term used for computer viruses and programs designed to cause damage to computers. Other types of destructive PC worms are known as Internet virus including the examples like Worms and Trojans.

Outlined below is the description of different kinds of computer viruses:

Program/File Infector

Falling under the category of parasitic viruses, a program or file infector attempts to infect the files with extension code like .exe, .com, .drv, .dil, .bin, .ovl, and .sys. It gets activate along with the execution of executable file containing virus. The virus then loads itself into memory and replicates itself to other executable files when these files are opened or run.

The File Infector virus can destroy the content contained in files and cause irreversible damage to them. Some file viruses have also operated as email worm and Trojan horse.

The best way to disinfect files infected by the file virus is to delete them and restore from back up.

Macro Computer Virus

A macro computer virus is a virus written in a language built into a software application such as a word processor. For example: Microsoft Office has the macro language built into its application. This is why most of its application programs are affected by macro computer virus.

Macro viruses are generally created using the macro recorder or Visual Basic for Applications. The applications that are the most prone to this antivirus are Word Documents, Excel Spreadsheets, Power Point Presentation, and Access Database. The virus infects templates of these documents and therefore every file that the user opens gets affected. Some common macro computer viruses are Auto Exec, Auto New, Auto Open, Auto Close, and Auto Exit.

The auto macros can be disabled by using the command ‘DisableAutoMacros’ in any macro that is written. Another way to remove it is by holding down the shift key while opening a document.

Multi-Partite Virus

It behaves in the same way as other computer viruses do. As the name signifies, they are sometimes more than one type. These are hybrids and are known as multi-partite virus.

Polymorphic Viruses

It is a kind of virus which produces different but operational copies for itself. Its attack is considered to be extremely dangerous as virus detectors will not be able to detect all instances of virus attacks simultaneously. And this is one of the reasons why it is known to be strategically designed.

Stealth Viruses

A stealth virus uses different mechanisms to prevent recognition by antivirus software. It tries to escape detection either by redirecting the disk head to head to read another sector or modifying the file size shown in the Directory listing.

Classification of some viruses is not possible as they are the file type viruses which start behaving as computer worms with an activation code.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/types-of-computer-viruses-898938.html