tech sectiontech sectionWindows Defender provides real time protection to Windows users against all sorts of harmful activity. Its primary use is to help filter out adware, spyware and other malicious programs, but it also protects your computer from accidental user error by confirming actions that can harm your computer. It usually should be left on, but it will interrupt other malware detection programs unless it is deactivated during their scans.
Dual or multi-boot lets you have access to more than one operating system on your computer. A dual boot system lets you experiment with a new operating system or run software that's not supported by your regular operating system. You can configure your computer to dual boot Windows XP and Windows Vista by installing the two operating systems on different partitions or hard drives in your computer, then selecting which operating system you want to load from a boot menu when you start your computer.
Windows features the capability to create a virtual disk drive. A virtual disk drive is a special folder of an actual physical drive that actually serves as a drive in its own right. You can, for example, create a virtual CD-ROM or DVD-ROM drive in Windows. A key advantage of a virtual drive is that it usually saves time. A virtual CD drive, for example, can be read much faster than a physical CD drive because it exists on the hard drive.
Windows has a function called Services. These services are programs that are run when your computer starts or when needed by the various applications on your system. Some of these items are unnecessary and can even slow down your computer. However, you could edit your services to speed up your computer.
Sometimes, even though you have deleted a program from your computer, it still shows up in your "Add/Remove Programs". If you try to remove it, you receive an error message. The following steps will show you how to remove these leftover programs from your list of "Currently Installed Programs."
You probably have certain folders that you constantly find yourself navigating to. You may already have created a shortcut for these folders on your desktop, but if you have several windows open you still have to work around them to get to that folder. Add your favorite folders to your taskbar for easy access.
Certain programs require that you hide your taskbar for the program to be viewed better. Or perhaps you just like the streamlined look of your desktop without a taskbar showing. Auto-hide your taskbar to gain more screen space, and to get the taskbar to reappear, just move your cursor to the bottom of the screen.
If your computer is taking a while to load its Operating System, here are several basic ways to help speed up the booting process. NOTE: Windows OS only.
No hard drive is big enough in this day and age of media sharing, especially with the advent of personal video editing, which can take up immense amounts of space. Fear not, for there is an application that will make the freeing up of hard drive space an easy task.
Buying a new computer is usually an exciting experience as you anticipate hooking up the machine so you can begin enjoying new features and faster performance. Nevertheless, you probably have custom Windows settings on your old computer that you want to transfer to the new PC, such as your Windows Start menu and profile picture, taskbar settings and Internet Explorer bookmarks. Manually configuring your new machine with the settings from your old computer is time consuming, to say the least. With Windows Easy Transfer, though, you can copy the settings to your new PC in minutes.
Microsoft .NET technology connects people and information along with computer systems and other devices via software. Used with Microsoft Web services, .NET is utilized to rapidly integrate systems and quickly provide development and communication across the MS platform. With the growing use of .NET technology, more .NET developers are needed. Learn .NET and start on a new and lucrative path as a programmer.
If you're met with an upside-down computer screen when firing up your computer, you might be the victim of a practical joke. As humorous as this may or may not be, eventually you need to use your computer, which is more complicated when standing on your head. Luckily, the same tools the prankster used when orchestrating the prank are available to you. The hardest part in correcting the issue is navigating with your mouse. Fortunately, you can correct the setting using just your keyboard.
The latest version of XP and Windows Vista contains an integrated photo editor. Learn how to use this tool with ease.
Are you cleaning up your hard drive and want to put your files on a CD? Or maybe you just want to back up those much needed files. Learn how to transfer computer files onto a CD for easy storage.
Windows automatically loads programs on startup which can really slow your computer down. The startup programs are meant to make to make it quicker for Windows to retrieve applications. But in reality, too many startup programs will drastically slow down your computer. But you could restore your computer's speed by trimming down the number of startup programs.
USB drives are great for storing files, and are a compact solution when moving files to another computer. USB drives don't get scratched like CDs, and come in a range of sizes, shapes and colors.
A computer is a wonderful tool, but using its software and features can be a daunting task for a novice. Too often the desktop becomes cluttered by documents and files. There are easy ways to create a new folder on your desktop to keep your items organized and easy to access. Whether you have a notebook or desktop, the methods used to create new storage folders are largely the same.
Windows' Backup and Restore feature takes the effort out of performing regular backups. Its default selection automatically chooses your libraries files, which contain your documents, pictures, videos and music. It also creates a system image so you can back up your Windows system files, programs and program configurations. The integrated scheduler lets you decide when to perform backups, so after setting it up the first time you don't have to worry about it again.
You can turn some Windows visual effects on and off. You can choose from effects such as shadows, 3-D and watermarks, and you can also change icon sizes. You change these effects in the Performance Information and Tools.
You might be aware that you can change the date on your computer by double-clicking the clock on your taskbar and making changes in the "Date and Time Properties" dialog. But you also can change the way your computer displays dates.
Perhaps you know that you can change the time on your computer by clicking the clock on your task bar and making changes in the Date and Time Properties dialog window. You can also change the way your computer displays time.
fix your computer from boot block
Microsoft Windows is the most widely used computer operating system in the world. It is preinstalled on most new computer systems and is compatible with a wide range of different computers. Microsoft Windows scales from small, embeddable computers to large servers containing multiple processors and enormous amounts of memory. Occasionally, the installation of Windows may become corrupt due to incompatible programs or viruses and other malware. You can reinstall Microsoft Windows to get rid of any unnecessary software on the computer system.
Most of the time, your mouse will just do what it should when you turn on your computer. But you can make changes to customize your mouse so that it works just how you want it to.
Life can be a whole lot easier when the things you use most are right at your fingertips. The following steps will show you how to customize your toolbar in any folder window by adding or removing buttons. Now the buttons you need will be close at hand, and those you don't will be out of your way.
If you have a digital camera, you probably store lots of pictures on your computer. Did you know that you could store these pictures in photo albums? These simple steps will show you how.
The optical media from most software distributors includes an AutoRun file. This initialization file tells Windows to launch a specified executable automatically when you insert a disc into your computer's optical drive, saving you the trouble of doing so manually. Turn off AutoRun using the Windows Registry Editor.
You are probably pretty used to the way your mouse pointer looks. But you might be interested to know that you have some options for your mouse pointer's appearance. With a few clicks you can change the appearance of your mouse pointer.
Your computer's name is its unique identifier on a network. If, for some reason, you decide that you want to rename your computer, you can do so in the computer's system properties.
If you are using the "Command Prompt" window, it can be helpful to copy and paste MS-DOS text. For example, you might need to email your IT professional with the information. These steps will show you how to copy and paste MS-DOS text using the mouse.
Sound schemes on your computer consist of sounds associated with certain events. While there are many sound schemes to choose from, you can also create a custom sound scheme. The following steps will show you how.
If you are an administrator or member of the administrators group for a computer, you can copy a user's profile and apply the properties to another user. These steps will show you how.
The command prompt lets you interact with Windows. You enter commands, options and arguments, and programs are employed. You can customize your command prompt window a bit by changing the size of the command prompt cursor.
A local group is an account that can be granted permissions and rights from your computer -- without giving that group access to remote computers. If you are on a network, you may need to know how to create a local group so that you can authorize a group to perform certain actions or regulate its access to a file, folder or printer. Your Microsoft Windows operating system has default local groups, but you may want to create a new one.
If you feel like you have too many icons on your desktop, you could right-click each shortcut icon one at a time and delete them, but that is a long and tedious process. Windows actually includes a wizard to help you remove unused desktop icons. You can access this wizard through your computer's Control Panel.
Do you have different users on one computer? Perhaps a user sometimes needs to run a certain program with their user name, but does not want to log off from the current user for whatever reason. These steps will show you how to assign a different user name to a program shortcut. This will allow the alternate user to execute the program under their user name.
If you don't like the sounds coming out of your Windows PC or want to turn some annoying ones off, you can do so in the Control Panel. Doing so can also optimize your computer somewhat. You can also them off program sounds and start-up sounds if you want.
Tranquil scenes of gently falling snow, blazing sunsets and the family pet can help make your workday go faster. Windows makes it easy to keep your favorite images a click away by allowing you to use a picture as your computer’s desktop wallpaper. Simply right-click image in a browser such as Internet Explorer, for example, select “Set as Background” and enjoy your new digital wallpaper. An even better way to enjoy your digital images is to create multi-picture desktop wallpaper that changes over time. Windows helps you do that too by turning your desktop into a captivating slideshow.
The Run command is a part of the Windows operating system that allows you to quickly run programs and access particular files. This feature of Windows is a great way to open a program with a short common sense command code. It's quicker to use than opening a program, and you don't have to create a desktop shortcut to quickly access each program. Read on to learn how to use the Run command.
A start menu link to a website you visit often can save time and steps. Instead of opening your Internet browser and navigating to the website link, you can just click on one icon to open it automatically. There is more than one way to add a website link to the start menu. Two methods are listed below.
Computer users know all the convenience of the mouse. What most do not know is that there are keyboard shortcuts, or hotkeys, that can make computer use much more efficient. There are hotkeys that can do the work of multiple mouse clicks by just pressing a couple of keys on the keyboard.
A variety of programs are running on your computer at any time. Even if you don't have programs such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, Word or other applications running, programs run in the background. Windows includes a tool called Task Manager to let you see the programs running on your system. Task Manager shows programs running in the foreground, which are visible to you, and programs running in the background.
The volume control function normally located on the Windows taskbar must be loaded with the Windows CD. If this function is not loaded onto your PC or the function is blocked, go through the Windows Control Panel to adjust the volume. This process requires a few more clicks than just adjusting the Taskbar, but it gives you volume control without requiring the Windows CD or any further Windows installation. Read on to learn how to adjust volume when taskbar controls are blocked.
New disks, or drives, appear on your computer as uninitialized. Before you can use a new disk, you must initialize it. If you are logged onto your computer as an administrator, you can initialize new disks through the Control Panel.
The network connection shortcut on your task bar makes it easy to connect to your network. By default, a network connection icon appears in the task bar of Windows 7. If your network connection icon doesn't appear, you can make it reappear in a few steps.
You can set up your computer so that the monitor will automatically turn off after a period of idle time. Doing so will save energy and prolong the life of your monitor. The following steps will show you how to change the elapsed time before your monitor automatically turns off.
Putting your computer on standby when it has been idle will conserve energy and may even lower your electric bill! These steps will show you how to automatically put your computer on standby.
If you have recently added your computer to a network, or you have made changes to your DNS server configuration, these steps will show you how to configure a computer's preferred DNS server.
If you have an erasable CD, you can erase the files from that disc and use it again. The files need to be on CD-RW disc to be erased. Standard CDs do not allow you to erase or reuse the CD.
Before you can use a hard disk, it must be formatted and/or partitioned. The operating system needs to reside on a partition. You can use Microsoft's Fdisk tool to complete this procedure.
Install windows NT Primary Domain controller on a computer.
You probably know how to send a file as an email attachment. But have you ever needed to send a large number of files to one person? If so, learn how to email the entire contents of a folder.
If you find it hard to read what is on your monitor's screen, or if you are simply bored with the look of your computer, you can increase its legibility and give your computer display a fresh look when you activate high contrast. This is a feature in Windows that will change your monitor's color scheme to a high contrast scheme, and enhances legibility. Here's how to activate it.
If you often work with the command prompt within Windows, or with DOS applications that run in Windows, you don't need to settle for the same old boring white text on black background. It's easy to customize your Windows command prompt and save the changes so that you get the same look and feel each time you open it.
The auto-complete feature that is used in many Microsoft programs can be enabled in Microsoft Windows 2000 or XP. When enabled you can auto complete file and directory names at the command prompt. Keep reading to find out how you can implement this powerful feature of Windows.
People have so many passwords today for everything, from their favorite websites to their home and office computers. With so many passwords, it's often difficult to keep up with and remember them all. Fortunately, there is a way in Windows to change a password even if the user forgets the original password.
Personal PC's come with a default text program called "Notepad." This program comes with its own defaults and many users do not realize you can change them. Change the font's style and size on windows notepad to the text you prefer. Change the font on your windows PC whenever you wish. Your font will remain at the new settings until you change it.
Notepad is a simple text editor that comes free with Windows and lets you code simple documents to be used on a website. To code in Notepad, you need to know basic HTML tags. When uploaded to the Internet, the text will be ready for placement on a website page. Here's how to prepare HTML text in Notepad.
If you use the same software programs at the same time on a regular bases, you can exit all of them at the same time. For example, if you always have Outlook, Mediaplayer and Access open and would like to be able to close them at the same time, you can end them all by running a single batch file. Here's how to write a batch file in Notepad.
By default, Microsoft Windows Explorer displays the contents of the My Documents folder when you launch the application. If you store most of your files in a folder other than the My Documents folder, you may find it useful to have Windows Explorer open with the contents of that folder displayed. If you want to see the contents of another folder when you launch Windows Explorer, you must change the default to reflect that folder.
One of the great unknown features of Windows 98 is the ability to take any picture or graphic and use it as the background for a folder. Changing folder backgrounds is more than switching up color schemes and putting up wallpaper on the desktop. With the help of a wizard and a few clicks, it allows the personality of the user to come through.
Microsoft created many innovations for the Vista operating system. Unfortunately, Vista produced some problems that XP did not, particularly with peripherals. For an easy fix, set up your computer to dual boot Vista and XP. When you dual boot, you can choose which operating system you want to work with, depending on the specific task you have to perform.
Networks have developed far beyond the original mainframe-and-workstations concept. Today, mainframes are called servers, and networks can share a wider range of information on various platforms. They also can stretch across thousands of miles or across your living room. Whether you network computers together at home or in a small office, it is possible to network Vista and XP computers together in less than an hour.
System Restore is a mechanism in the Windows XP operating system that automatically keeps track of any major changes to your computer, such as automatic security updates and installation of new software applications. System Restore creates a backup version of all the settings and files on your computer, which you can revert to in the event of a system failure. These backup versions are referred to as restore points. There are few steps that you must follow to use System Restore in Windows XP to avoid losing any unsaved data.
When a Windows XP computer fails to boot, often the only way to save important files or repair the installation is to use the Windows Recovery Console. This can be a rather complicated process that Microsoft recommends for advanced users only.
The Windows Logo shortcut keys are available on virtually all PC keyboards and can be used to perform a number of actions quickly. There are two of these keys, the Windows Logo key and the Menu key, but the most commonly used are the Windows Logo keyboard shortcuts. There are many shortcuts, but some of them are more useful in everyday applications than others.
The Windows XP Remote Desktop Utility allows you to view the screen of another Windows XP computer as if you were sitting in front of it. While not particularly useful to the home user, administrators of networks can fix problems without going to the actual computer, accessing work files and programs from home (or vice versa).
In Windows, the command prompt is used to run commands in a text-based interface. It's useful for troubleshooting network and system problems and running DOS applications. The command prompt can be customized to run in a window or full-screen mode. Getting stuck in full-screen mode can be frustrating. Here's how to get out of full-screen mode and change the properties of the command prompt shortcut and individual DOS shortcuts.
If you share a computer at work or at home, there may be folders you want to protect from accidents or hide from others. Once you hide these folders in Windows XP and Vista, no one can delete or open a hidden folder until you reveal it.
If you share your computer with others, you may find it useful to hide a hard disk partition. It's much easier to hide a whole drive, rather than individual folders and files. Hiding a hard disk partition doesn't alter your ability to use your computer or run programs.
Microsoft Windows has become much more stable with each new release. Gone are the days when Windows crashed nealy every time you booted up your computer system. Still, errors do occur from time to time. One of the most common types of errors is the NT FileSystem error, but you can usually fix NT FileSystem Errors with little difficulty.
Microsoft Paint has color enhancement capabilities that even novice computer users can master. As a standard Windows program, chances are you already have it installed on your computer. Whether you want to brighten up a photo or colorize your own creation, you can color an image in Microsoft Paint.
The Windows DNS cache on your computer holds the IP addresses of visited websites for a specified period called the time to live, or TTL. When you go to a website, DNS attempts to resolve the address by matching it to an entry in your cache before going to the Internet to find the address. If you have connection problems, its helpful to know how to view and flush the DNS cache.
The Kernel32 file manages Windows memory. When Windows starts, the kernel32.dll file is loaded into a protected memory space. Kernel32 errors display when another program tries to access that space. A corrupt program, bad hardware or memory, or a damaged kernel32.dll could be the source of the problem. Try the methods below to repair Kernel32 errors.
Windows has given us a wide selection of choices to make editing our documents easier than ever. Not the least of these is the ability to "undo" and "redo" varied commands. Follow these steps if you need help in figuring out how to "redo" an "undo."
Mac users have been able to run Windows on their computers for years, and now PC users can make their computers run like a Mac. PearPC, a free software, allows you to install Mac OS X on your PC and emulate the qualities of a Mac computer.
The Quick Launch Toolbar gives you easy access to your favorite Windows programs. Filled with tiny icons, it's nestled at the very bottom of the Windows desktop, right next to the Start Menu. You can easily add programs to the Quick Launch Toolbar by dragging and dropping their shortcuts onto it.
If you open programs and files on your computer with the Run command, you may want to occasionally delete your run history. This history documents for all to see what programs were recently accessed, and it can fill with programs that are long since deleted.
When you install a new video card on a computer, you should disable the onboard integrated video. Disabling the onboard integrated video on the computer helps the accelerator detect the computer's bios. Some onboard integrated video cards such as AGP, PCI and PCI-E cause conflict with the accelerator's ability to find and detect the motherboard's bios.
Just because you have a PC doesn't mean it has to look like one. If you're tired of looking at the standard Windows desktop, updating your computer to look like its biggest competitor can breathe some fresh air into your office.
There are several Windows applications such as Sound Recorder that rely on a microphone to capture sound. If you position the microphone near your speakers, you can record any sounds being played by your computer. This can be useful if you have a music application and wish to record your compositions or a game if you wish to capture certain sound effects. If you do not have a microphone, you can still use these recording applications to capture computer sounds as long as your sound card supports it.
The application known as Windows Explorer represents a stock piece of the Windows operating system that Microsoft has shipped with PCs for years. As such, it is intimately familiar to many PC users, but if you have never used Windows Explorer before, never fear. Here's how to open up the program and use it to browse your hard drive.
For personal use in the home, many people have access to your computer. If the computer time is shared between people, each one has their own preferences on how they work and change things to make it feel more comfortable. This can create a headache for you when you come back to use the computer and everything is changed. Make restrictions to the settings on the computer.
The Windows Server 2003 x64 edition operating system won't immediately try to enhance the sound or graphics cards installed on your system. The 2003 x64 is optimized as a server operating system and it doesn't have to make use of the peak performance levels for "extras," such as sound and graphics in a server environment.
Authenticating your copy of Windows is an important start in maintaining your operating system. Illegal and counterfeit copies of popular computer programs are prevalent. Often these copies are included with discount hardware or as part of a "package deal" that seems too good to pass up. Only after the program is used will the user find out it's a fake.
When your computer behaves in unexpected ways, there are two possible reasons. You may have a virus on your system, or your Windows installation has become corrupted and needs to be reinstalled. Avoid losing data and programs by using the install disk.
As the life of a computer progresses, many choose to upgrade their current computer by changing components. Disk drives, memory, motherboards and video cards are just a few of these. When you want to install a video card in a system that has built-in video on the motherboard, it is necessary to disable the onboard video controller to use a new video card.
As time goes on and new versions of Windows are released, they're generally more stable. The infamous hard crashes and "blue screens of death" are slowly becoming a thing of the past. Even with these things becoming less common, it's still important to know how to do basic computer restarts and fixes yourself, just in case.
If your Windows PC crashes, you may need a system recovery. If you've created restore points or backed up your system with Windows' automated system recovery software, this will be a fairly simple task. Recovery will take less time, and you won't have as much data loss. If you haven't backed up your system, you may need to use the recovery CD provided by your computer manufacturer.
Perhaps you often find the login screen saver running on your computer. When you do not login into your computer within 15 minutes of turning it on, the default setting is set to start the Windows login screen saver. This option can be bothersome but there is a solution.
You need to get rid of the clutter on your computer's start menu. A simple solution is to rely on your start menu's options to run your favorite programs more easily. You can organize your Windows start menu for optimal use.
You don't have to leave your computer screen looking like everyone else's. Think about moving some of the normal elements around. The Windows Start Menu is a great place to start. Try putting it on the top of the screen instead of the bottom.
Svchost errors can bring your computer to a grinding halt. They are usually caused by a virus that tries to pass itself off as svchost.exe, corrupt system files or a memory leak related to Windows Update.
When your computer is acting glitchy and you want to run some diagnostics, it's a good idea to boot up using Safe Mode. Safe Mode only loads the bare minimum of software used to make your operating system work. In Microsoft Windows XP, there are two ways to boot your computer using Safe Mode--the F8 Mode and the System Configuration Tool.
Widgets are small programs that perform specific tasks on your PC. There are widgets to fit every task and every description. Install some widgets on your PC and use them to help you organize your life. These directions are for Yahoo widgets, but most widgets install on a PC in a similar fashion.
Computers store information that is not found anywhere else, but users can forget to back up files on a regular basis. Computers may contain tax forms, confidential emails, order forms and more. Unfortunately, computers can fail and seem to erase information or users accidentally hit the delete button. Follow these steps to recover the information history on the computer.
If you have Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista, you have Windows Genuine Advantage Tool. This is a tool designed to reduce the appearance of fraudulent copies of Windows. While it will not eliminate the problem of illegal copies of Windows or those using duplicate copies, it can make life more difficult for those who attempt to use the bootlegged copies of Windows. Windows Genuine Advantage Tool is a function that will appear in your Taskbar automatically. The following can help you use it more effectively.
There are many different operating systems, and sometimes we wish that we could try them all. However, doing this would normally require multiple computer systems to install them on. Luckily, technology is rapidly changing, and we now have ways to test out operating systems without causing lasting effects. Microsoft Virtual PC is a smart program that allows you to use several operating systems on one computer system. Your main computer's operating system can safely stay in working order. With a few tips, you'll learn how to use Microsoft Virtual PC.
If you are out and about or travel frequently, you may be wondering how you can use your laptop or notebook computer without being connected. This is also called Wi-Fi. In the case of a newer computer, including a desktop in your home or office, this article will provide helpful ideas on how the computer(s) can share Internet connectivity through your wireless network.
Follow these steps to change your digital camera photo download settings.
