Computer Troubleshooting

Microsoft released Windows Vista to computer manufacturers in late 2006; the company released it to consumers in early 2007. Although Vista is not without glitches, errors and other problems, it...

Changing the start-up sound in Windows is quite simple---if you're using an older version of Windows, that is. For those using Windows XP or earlier, you will need to access your control panel and...

MP4 is short for "Moving Picture Expert Group-4." It is a video format most common in cell phones and portable media players. MP3 is short for "MPEG-1 Audio Layer 3." MP3 is the most common audio...

Hard drives seem to get bigger every couple months, and with built-in RAID options in many computers, the possibility exists to create massive linked hard drive systems. With these options, you...

Converting file formats is an important task because some users often prefer one format over another. Also, some computers are not equipped to handle certain file formats. Real Media is a file...

Computer terminology is full of acronyms: RAM, CPU, ISO, CD-ROM, DVD and dozens of others. ISO is one that has several applications, but all are related to the organization the acronym stands for.

Think of malicious ware as the top of the pyramid. Underneath is viruses, spy ware and ad-ware. Some top anti-virus programs will not remove all three. In the past 2-4 years, viruses, spy ware and...

In Microsoft Windows, you can protect files and folders using various methods, including robust encryption governed by the Encrypting File System (EFS). Although you undoubtedly respect other...

A webinar is an online seminar or video presentation where users log on and watch someone else's screen. It can be a PowerPoint file or just watching someone navigate on their computer. Audio...

A .WDS file extension often is associated with 3D modeling and game design in German-language software. But depending on how you use your computer, a .WDS file could have several origins.

Three-letter words are popular with software developers as file extensions because they provide an easy way to name files descriptively. Depending on how you use your computer, a BAG (.bag) file...

Purchasing a new computer can be exciting. There are usually plenty of new applications to explore. However, there can also be hassles involved in setting up your new computer. The time it takes...

An iTunes Library file contains the general information about all of the songs in your iTunes Library stored in a single computer file. If you accidentally move or delete this file, the next time...

Unidentified .DSG files on your computer might be part of a popular video game, or some component of a proprietary infrastructure or medical software suite.

The page file (also referred to as a paging file or virtual memory) on a PC is a chunk of hard drive space where data is written and retrieved as needed, similar to RAM. Windows sets up a default...

The file extension 11 is used for the IBM Voice Type Language Script Data File.

Autorun.inf is a file that is run as soon as you insert a CD or DVD into the drive. Autorun is used to set the location of installation files. For some installations, the files may be on a hard...

The page file, or virtual memory, is a small piece of hard drive space where data may be written and retrieved as needed. It acts in concert with a system's RAM to ensure that there is always...

Backups created in Windows 95, 98, or ME are saved with the “.qic” extension. These backups help avoid data loss; you can restore them to recover data when needed. To restore a backup, first...

DocumentViewer.msi is an installation file. It packages the files necessary to install Hewlett-Packard’s Document Viewer utility. The Document Viewer comes with the Photosmart/Officejet...

IBM Voice Type Dictation is a program that allows users to speak into a microphone and have their spoken words typed in a word processing program. A number of files are associated with IBM Voice...

Dynamic Link Library (DLL) files are a fixture of Microsoft's Windows operating system. Regular users of the Windows OS never know the files are running thanks to an automated process called...

Files with the extension 89K (.89k) are associated with the Texas Instruments TI-89 graphing calculator. These files pose no threat to your computer.

The RSM (.rsm) file extension is used for many different types of files. Malware has been disguised as RSM files in the past.

There are a number of potential meanings to the use of the word "handles" on a computer, depending upon the context in which the word is used. Here are some of them.

File extensions are used by different programs and some operating systems as one method to keep different file types organized and associated with their correct applications. The ODB file...

A file extension consists of the characters following the final period (or "dot") in a file name. Computers can use the file name extension to determine which program to use to open a file. For...

The file extension ".SRF" has two unrelated uses. One use involves editing of digital images, and the other involves maintaining website security.

The file extension (usually the last three letters of a file name) is used by many operating systems as a helper to keeping the file associated with the correct application. The Max file extension...

The characters following the final period (or "dot") in a file name are the file name extension, which tells the computer which program to use to open that file. For example, PSPSCRIPT is the file...

Though an extension can designate a file that can be opened by the appropriate program or an executable that runs when you double-click, it can also indicate code for a program that needs to be...

A PDF (portable document format) is a file created by Adobe Systems. It is a popular and useful format because it allows you to exchange documents quickly and easily. To view the PDF file, you...

The Windows System32 file is an important system directory necessary for the stability of Windows operating system. System32 can be found in the hard drive under the Windows folder or WinNT...

A file extension refers to the series of characters that follow the period in a file name and are chosen based upon the specifications of the program that creates the files. It is possible for two...

A CDA (Compact Disc Audio Track) file is one of the many audio formats that can be played using digital software installed on a computer. Though typically, by default, the CDA format is not among...

QRT files are most often associated with graphics, but QRT has other meanings that should be considered as well, especially if you are not sure where the file came from.

If you see files on your computer with the extension .EXE1, .EXE(1) or .EXE[1], they are generally copies or backups of an executable program file.

The first thing to do, if your Windows 95-based computer fails to start up properly is to update your anti-virus software and then scan your computer for viruses. Computer viruses are the most...

A file extension tells a computer what program is needed to open the file. File extensions are at the end of the file name. These extensions range from one to five characters in length.

File extensions are the suffixes that appear at the end of a computer file name, indicating the type of file it is. Extensions are normally three characters long but can range anywhere from one to...

File extensions are the ends of file names that indicate the type of file. Extensions range from one to five characters in length; most are three characters. File extensions tell computer...

File extensions are not as complicated as they first appear. They are simply used by your computer to determine what program is needed to open that particular file. They range from one to five...

A file extension tells a computer what program is needed to open the file. File extensions are at the end of the file name and range from one to five characters in length; the most typical length...

File extensions are the end of file names that indicate the type of file. Extensions range from one to five characters in length, with most being three characters long. Computer operating systems...

File extension are the suffixes that appear at the end of a computer file name, indicating the type of file it is. Extensions are normally three characters long but can range anywhere from one to...

A dynamic link library, or DLL, is a Windows file that contains code and instructions that are used by more than one program at a time. These files can contain rudimentary information that...

File extensions are the end of file names that indicate the type of file. Extensions range from one to five characters, with most being three. Computer operating systems are told what program...

File extensions are the end of computer file names that indicate the type of file. Extensions range from one to five characters in length, with most being three. Computer operating systems are...

File extensions are the end-of-file names that indicate the type of file. Extensions range from one to five characters in length, with most being three characters long. Computer operating systems...

File extensions are the end of file names that indicate the type of file. Computer operating systems are told what program should open a file from file extensions.