A zip file is essentially a folder containing many files which have been compressed. Zip files are easier to email as you only have to attach one file, they can also be password protected/encrypted and take up less disk space.

What do I use to open a zip file?

To open a zip file there are several options. If you use Windows XP or Vista you do not need to use a separate program as there is a compression utility built in. If you would like a more advanced way of creating zip files you can use one of the following free utilities: WinZip or WinRAR.

How do I open a zip file?

In order to decompress a zip file and view its contents you should right-click on it and select “extract to…” the application you are using should then run and the files should be decompressed and ready to be viewed.

How do I create a zip file?

To create a zip file simply put all of the files you want to compress into a folder, then right-click on the folder and select “add to archive”.

Windows Cloud will focus on the browser and as such Microsoft has stated it will be integrating its .NET programming capabilities further into the browser, this has already been developed through Silverlight, Microsoft’s alternative to Flash. Ballmer pointed out that Microsoft Cloud will not be a replacement for Windows 7 (which is due to be released later this year) but is a step in the right direction for future releases of Windows.

The problem with having so many different formats is that the operating system requires more software to be able to decode the video/audio. Thankfully Shark007.net with the help of the MSFN community has released a codec package which bundles the most common codec’s into one simple installation for Windows Vista.

You can download the Windows Vista Codec Package here

SQL Server 2008 was released last month (August 2008) and has been downloaded half a million times according to Microsoft Statistics. SQL Server is a key part of the Microsoft Application Platform (MAP) which allows customers create and use dynamic business applications. SQL Server primarily focuses on data warehousing, security and reporting and is very scalable.

For more information about SQL Server 2008 please consult the Microsoft website.

The best way to back up your system is to use software such as Cobain Backup, which allows you to backup all of your computers data including multimedia files, documents and user profiles. It is recommended you back up your data to an external storage medium such as an external hard drive or a web server. Cobain Backup is free and can also be used to automate the backup process meaning that you do not have to worry about your data being recoverable should the unfortunate happen.

What is a hard disk partition?

A hard disk partition is a portion of a hard drive. When you create a partition it acts as if it is a separate hard disk drive in the operating system.

For example when you install Windows a partition is created, usually named “c:”

Why use a partition?

Partitions are commonly used to organise data. For example you could create a partition on your hard disk drive to store multimedia (such as music, photos and videos), another to store documents and another to hold your operating system. The advantage of this is that you know exactly where each type of data is stored. Additionally you can easily backup one partition without having to sort through all files to find what you want.

Where can I get EASEUS Partition Manager Home Edition?

To download EASEUS Partition Manager Home Edition please visit their website. Please note that this software is only free for users of Windows Vista 32-Bit.

HPC Server 2008 has been designed with efficiency in mind. Microsoft claims that HPC will reduce the administration and management of existing systems infrastructure and “harness the power of di1stributed computing” without overcomplicating the usability.

Around 100 large organisations tested Windows HPC Server 2008 during its development including Morgan Stanley and many other companies in the financial services sector. Microsoft specifically chose these companies as they require reliable real-time analysis of markets which requires high specification machines.

The release of HPC Server 2008 follows last week’s announcement that Microsoft is to develop a $25,000 ‘personal’ supercomputer in partnership with Cray. For more information on Windows HPC Server 2008 please consult the official website.

To find out more about the MSN Toolbar or to download it please visit the official website.

Based upon feedback and a desire to strive to create a better service we have invested many thousands of pounds to implement a new monitoring system that will continually check servers for any possible problems or issues. We have always provided this service but as technology advances newer software and hardware packages become available with more features and smarter ways to work and we have chosen to make this step forward and investment today.

The new system will place a probe on network “sniffing” for problems, it will then report back securely to axon central server where it will raise alarms, notifications or just log activity for reference. We hope to utilise all the features this system offers over the forthcoming months as we discover its full potential.

Recuva also has the ability to recover files that have been incorrectly deleted from a users Digital Camera, MP3 Player or USB Pen.

The new version can also restore files that have been removed by bugs, crashes and viruses according to the website.

You can download Recuva v1.18.34 from the Recuva website.