Free Computer, Internet, Windows Tips & Tricks

Australia intends to introduce filters which will ban access to websites containing criminal content.

2009-12-16T04:11:00.000-08:00

Australia intends to introduce filters which will ban access to websites containing criminal content.

The banned sites will be selected by an independent classification body guided by complaints from the public, said Communications Minister Stephen Conroy.

A seven month trial in conjunction with ISPs found the technology behind the filter to be 100% effective.

However, that claim has been questioned and there has been opposition from some internet users.

Twitter users have been voicing their disapproval by adding the search tag "nocleanfeed" to their comments about the plans.

"Successful technology isn't necessarily successful policy," said Colin Jacobs, a spokesperson for Electronic Frontiers Australia, a non-profit organisation that campaigns for online freedom.

"We're yet to hear a sensible explanation of what this policy is for, who it will help, and why it is worth spending so much taxpayers' money on."

Mr Conroy said the filters included optional extras such as a ban on gambling sites which ISPs could choose to implement in exchange for a grant.

"Through a combination of additional resources for education and awareness, mandatory internet filtering of RC (refused classification)-rated content, and optional ISP-level filtering, we have a package that balances safety for families and the benefits of the digital revolution," he said.

The filter laws will be introduced in parliament in August 2010 and will take a year to implement.

'noble aims'

"Historical attempts to put filters in place have been effective up to a point," Dr Windsor Holden, principal analyst at Juniper Research, told BBC News.

The "noble aims" of the filter could be lost in its implementation, he warned.

"Clearly there is a need to protect younger and more vulnerable users of the net, but one concern is that it won't just be illegal websites that will be blocked," he added.

"You have to take extreme caution in how these things are rolled out and the uses to which they're put."

Source

Increasing The Life Of Hard Disk

2008-12-22T23:20:00.000-08:00

Taking Care of your hard disk is important because this is the place where all the data is stored and once the hard disk crashes, data in most cases is not recoverable. There are data recovery softwares and programs which recover data from crashed hard disks but that is not for normal computer users.

But why do hard disks crash and what can be done to prevent them from crashing?. At the same time how can a hard disk be made more efficient? Here are the answers.

Hard disks crash due to many reasons. Voltage fluctuations, physical impact, improper alignment and of course mechanical failure due to wear and tear of internal parts. Let us start one by one and get the answers to the above problems.

1. Voltage fluctuations or spikes as they are called can be prevented by using voltage stabilizers or spike guards. This will limit the damage to the hard disk to a great extent.

2. Physical impact can be prevented by handling the hard disk carefully when installing/ re-installing. When installing the hard disk care should be taken to see that it sits perfectly horizontal and that it does not vibrate or shake once the computer is started.

3. The natural wear and tear of parts can be limited by defragmenting your hard disk from time to time.But what is defragmentation? All newly created files are stored in various places on the hard disk in a single cluster ( contiguous file ). But, as the number of files and programs increase, these files are not stored as one contiguous file but broken down and scattered in various places on the hard disk. In short files get fragmented. When these files are accessed by the user, the head on the hard disk moves to and fro to locate these fragments. These fragmented files puts lot of mechanical pressure on the internal parts of the hard disk. This leads to crashes. To start disk defragmenter from the start menu, click the start button and follow this path (All Programs / Accessories / System Tools / Disk Defragmenter). A minimum of 15 percent free space on your disk is needed for disk defragmenter to run. The disk can also be defragmented automatically by using schedule task. This program can can be accessed via system tools.

4. Power management tool can also be used to enhance the life of hard disk. To access this program go to start / control panel / power options and set the parameters for various hardware devices.

5. Disk cleanup increases the efficiency of the hard disk. So delete unwanted files and programs regularly.

Follow the above rules to increase the life of you hard disk.

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

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A great Firefox plugin which allows you to download videos of the web

2008-12-14T05:46:00.000-08:00

Ever wanted to download a video you found from pretty much every site with an embedded video object? Well now you can simply and quickly in just a few clicks.

First of all get over to: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/2390

Click on the Install button and install the add on into Firefox, restart Firefox and then find the video you want to download. When you are on the page with the video playing click the icon in the status bar at the bottom right of the Firefox window and a window will appear. On the window click the Download button and wait for the download to complete. You can then watch the video in your FLV player (if you don't have one, then the plug in recommends FLV Player

You may need to change the file extension of the downloaded file to .flv, to do this right click on the file icon and click Rename, then add ".flv" (without the quotation marks) to the end of the file name.

There are tips provided on the plug in website about how you can convert it to other file formats.

I think that this is a great little plug in for Firefox, it saves me having to keep going to Vixy.net. The perfect plugin for people who want to save on their bandwidth or don't want to search around for ages trying to find that video and best of all it works on all of the following websites:

Youtube, Google Video, iFilm, Metacafe, Dailymotion, Myspace, Angry Alien, AnimeEpisodes.Net, Badjojo, Blastro, Blennus, Blip.TV, Bofunk, Bolt, Break.com, Castpost, CollegeHumor, Current TV, Dachix, Danerd, DailySixer.com, DevilDucky, Double Agent, eVideoShare, EVTV1, FindVideos, Free Video Blog, Grinvi, Grouper, Hiphopdeal, Kontraband, Lulu TV, Midis.biz, Music.com, MusicVideoCodes.info, MySpace Video Code, Newgrounds, NothingToxic, PcPlanets, Pixparty, PlsThx, Putfile, Revver, Sharkle, SmitHappens, StreetFire, That Video Site, TotallyCrap, VideoCodes4U, VideoCodesWorld, VideoCodeZone, vidiLife, Vimeo, vSocial, Yikers, ZippyVideos... And any other webpage with embedded objects.

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Computer maintenance tips

2008-12-14T05:40:00.000-08:00

With the amount of information available for download on the Internet, it's easy to quickly fill up your valuable hard drive space and turn your computer into a sluggish, unresponsive monster. Keeping your hard drive clean is essential to the high performance that the latest computers can achieve. Fortunately, it's a simple process; one that can easily be performed on a regular basis and, with some organization, keep your computer running like a well-oiled machine.

You can discover how much hard drive space is available on your computer by accessing the DriveSpace program in your System Tools. A pie graph will show you the amount of used and unused space for each of your drives. Check this often to keep an idea of how much space you are using.

There are six simple steps to clearing up your hard drive:

1. Uninstall unused programs.

Many times a new program will come along that looks fun to have or play with, but after a week or two you simply stop using it. These programs clutter up your drive and take up valuable space. You might be tempted to delete these programs from your drive, but doing so will cause problems. You must use the uninstall function of Windows for the program to be removed safely and completely.

2. Clean out temporary files.

When your computer is not shut down properly, it will pass information from memory into fragmented files. Also, while you are running programs, your computer will write information that it does not immediately need into temporary files. Installation files will also expand themselves into the temporary folder and will not always clean up after themselves. You can delete these temporary files safely by using the Disk Cleanup option in your System Tools.

3. Empty your Internet cache.

As you surf the Internet your computer stores web pages and images into a temporary Internet cache so that it can quickly recall and access information when you move back and forth between pages. This backup information can quickly add up and eat hard drive space.

Whether you use Internet Explorer, Netscape, or one of the many other browsers available, emptying out your cache is quick and easy. Simply follow the instructions in the Help files located within those programs. You may also wish to set a specific maximum file size for your cache folder, so that it is not allowed to run rampant.

4. Empty your mail programs of clutter.

It's easy to browse through your email and leave old messages there, promising yourself you'll sort them out later. One or two messages don't take up much space, but hundreds certainly do. Take the time to sort through these old emails now and delete what is not important. Create folders and organize what is left. Make it a habit that when new emails come in, they are either filed immediately or thrown away. Set your email program to empty your deleted items folder each time you close your mail program.

5. Empty your recycle bin.

Once you've emptied your drive of cluttering, unnecessary programs; empty your recycle bin to remove what has been placed there in the process.

6. Scandisk and Defrag.

When Windows installs programs, it will put the files it needs anywhere that it finds free space, and not directly after the last program installed. As a result, your hard drive has patches of empty space on it that are not big enough to fit a full program, and will result in a drive space error if you attempt to install something new. Scandisk your drive to check for lost file fragments and to fix any errors it finds, then Defrag to pack all of the program files together at the beginning of your drive. This will clear out those empty patches and move all of the free space you've just created to the end of your drive.

Now that you've got it clean, keep it that way. Perform this quick maintenance routine every week. For your work computer, Friday afternoon before you leave for the weekend is the perfect time. When you return to work on Monday, you'll have a computer that is clutter-free and as responsive as it should be.

Organize your surfing habits. Direct all of your downloads to the same folder, so that you can easily find them and delete them when necessary, or move them to zip disks for storage. Keep track of the programs that you install. For trial versions, note the date that they will expire on a calendar. This will remind you to uninstall the programs that you can no longer use rather than allowing them to clutter up your drive. Also, if you run into problems, keeping track of new downloaded and installed programs and the date they were installed can help you track down the cause of problems.

Remember that the cleaner your hard drive is, the better your machine will respond! In order for your computer to be user friendly, it must have a friendly user. Be your computer's best friend and clean out the cobwebs regularly.

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Hardware Troubleshooting Tips

2008-12-14T04:49:00.000-08:00

Hardware Troubleshooting Guide

Troubleshooting Tips for New Monitors

Here is some basic trouble shooting tips for new monitors:

1. The picture does not appear

* Check to make sure the signal cable is firmly connected in the socket.
* Check to see if the computer system's power is ON.
* Check that the Brightness Control is at the appropriate position, not at the minimum.

2. The Screen is not synchronized

* Check to make sure the signal cable is firmly connected in the socket.
* Check that the output level matches the input level of your computer.
* Make sure the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.

3. The position of the screen is not in the center

* Adjust the H-Size, H-Phase or V-Size, V-Center controls.
* Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.

4. The screen is too bright or too dark

* Check if the Brightness or contrast control is at the appropriate position, not at the maximum or minimum.
* Check if the specified voltage is applied
* Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.
* Especially, check the horizontal frequency.

5. The screen is shaking

* Move all objects that emit a magnetic field, such as a motor or transformer, away from the monitor.
* Check if the specified voltage is applied.
* Check if the signal timing of the computer system is within the specification of the monitor.

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Install Windows XP Professional - New Installation

2008-09-13T04:25:00.000-07:00

There are three reasons why you may need to install a new copy of Windows XP:

Your current operating system doesn’t support an upgrade to Windows XP Professional.

Your current operating system supports an upgrade to Windows XP Professional, but you don’t want to keep your existing files and personalized settings.

Your computer does not have an operating system.
The setup process is similar for new installations and upgrades with a few notable exceptions. For example, during a new installation, you are able to configure Special Options, convert your file system, and create a new partition for the Windows XP installation.

IMPORTANT
A new installation deletes all programs or system files from a previous installation.

Special Options
Under Special Options, you have the choice to change Language, Advanced, and Accessibility settings during the setup process.

Note: If you are in a country that has recently adopted the euro as its currency, you may have to modify the currency settings to display monetary amounts correctly.

For more information, go to Help and Support Center and type “euro” in the Search box.

Select : If you want to...
Language : Choose the primary language and regions for Windows XP, which affects the default settings for date, time, currency, numbers, character sets, and keyboard layout.
Choose additional language groups and character sets to use with the programs you are running on Windows XP.

Advanced Options : Change the default location of the
Setup files.
Store system files in a folder other
than the default (Windows) folder
Copy the installation files from the
CD to the hard disk.

Accessibility : Use Narrator or Magnifier during Setup.

IMPORTANT
Unless you're an advanced user, it's recommended that you use the default settings.

Choosing a File System
During a new installation of Windows XP, you may have to choose which file system your computer should use. Windows XP Professional supports:

FAT32: An enhanced version of the file allocation table (FAT) system that is standard on all Windows operating systems starting with later (32-bit) versions of Windows 95. The FAT32 system can be used on large hard disks, from 512 megabytes (MB) to 32 gigabytes (GB).
NTFS: The NT file system (NTFS) is used with the Windows NT, Windows 2000, and Windows XP operating systems. NTFS provides enhanced reliability, stability, and security, and supports large hard disks of up to 2 terabytes (TB).
IMPORTANT
You can convert your file system any time, even after you install Windows XP, without losing any of your data.

The conversion to NTFS is one–way only; if you convert your FAT or FAT32 file system to NTFS you can’t convert your hard disk back to FAT later.

If you’re not sure which file system to use, keep the one your computer defaults to during Setup. If you want to change your file system, here are a few recommendations:

Use FAT32 if your hard disk is smaller than 32 GB.
Use FAT32 if you want to install more than one operating system on your computer.
Use NTFS if your hard drive is larger than 32 GB and you are running only one operating system on your computer.
Use NTFS if you want enhanced file security.
Use NTFS if you need better disk compression.
Disk Partitions
You can create partitions to organize information—for example, to back up data—or to install more than one operating system on your computer. A hard disk can contain up to four partitions.

If you’re performing a new installation, the appropriate disk partition is selected automatically during Windows XP Setup unless you click Advanced Options and specify your own requirements

For more information about configuring, sizing, reformatting, or converting disk partitions, see your current online Help before you install or upgrade to Windows XP Professional.

Windows XP Step-by-Step Installation Instructions

2008-09-13T04:24:00.002-07:00

These steps are for a clean install of XP. Read this article for steps on upgrading your current system to XP.

First, you're going to need to change your BIOS boot order to boot from CD-ROM. Once you do this you'll then be able to boot your computer from the Installation CD.

After changing the boot order in BIOS, save the changes, and then reboot your computer. Make sure your Installation CD is in your CD-ROM. If it is you'll be prompted to press your space bar to directly boot from CD-ROM emulation. Press your space bar as soon as you see this message.

Wait a few minutes while the installation begins to copy the preliminary setup files to your computer. After this completes you'll be ready to start directing the install process.

You will be asked if you want to perform a new installation, repair an existing installation, or quit. In this case, you will be performing a new install. Press the correct key to perform a new installation.

Read the terms of the end user license agreement, and press F8 to agree.

The next phase of the installation is real similar to that of Windows 2000. So, if you're familiar with the Windows 2000 installation process this should be a cinch.
Basically, you need to decide which partition of your hard drive you will install Windows XP on. You will have the opportunity to create and/or delete partitions or just allocate the available disk space to one partition. However, try to keep your partitions within reasonable size.

We recommend using multiple partitions of 4-8GB, preferably on more than one hard drive. This will help you back up your data and optimize system performance later on down the road. Once you have figured out which partition XP will be installed on it's time to format it.

Choose to format the partition to either FAT32 or NTFS (recommended for single OS install). You'll also see two additional choices to perform a quick format of each option. Stick with doing a full format of either option instead. After you've determined which option is right for you, press the correct key to format the partition.

This would be a good time to take a break and come back in a few minutes. The setup program will automatically start copying files after the partition is formatted.
From this point on, you're going to see each and every file name that's being copied over to your hard drive appear in the lower left corner. As the file names go from A to Z, the installation completion percentage will increase.

Choose the region and language.

Type in your name and organization.

Enter your product license key.

Name the computer, and enter an Admin password. Don't forget to write down your Administrator password. After the installation is complete it would be extremely wise to create a password restore disk in the event you forget your Administrator password someday.

Enter the correct date and time.

Choose your network settings. Leave on automatic if you use a dhcp server to assign IP addresses. If you have static IP address for broadband access, enter the settings that your ISP has provided you.

Choose workgroup or domain name.

Register this copy of Windows XP if you've installed all the current hardware on your machine. Otherwise, wait until you've finished installing any additional hardware so you don't have to activate your copy of XP again.

Add users that will sign on to this computer.

Log in, and update drivers.

Driver install

XP found drivers for all of the hardware in our test machines, with the exception of a wireless network adapter that was added. Update all drivers that had updates available for download.

It takes about 30 minutes to perform this installation. After that, you will be a few personalized settings away from getting started on your XP-experience. With a little use, the GUI even starts to grow on you.

Windows XP Authentication

2008-09-13T04:24:00.001-07:00

It wouldn't be fair to start off without placing a link to Microsoft's article about Windows XP activation. In a nutshell, XP Activation is an anti-piracy technology that links your computer to the CD that installed XP. This way, if someone tries to install XP from the same CD, when XP installation goes out to the internet to activate XP, it will see that the CD that XP is being installed from already has a PC linked with it, and that the PC that it's currently being installed on isn't that same PC that's in the Microsoft database. If this happens, you can use XP for a certain period of time, but after that time (I think it was changed to 30 days), you cannot boot back into XP on that second PC without calling Microsoft and getting a 50-digit activation code.

At first I thought it was a little extreme, and I still think it is. Technically, according to the EULA, you can only install Windows on one PC.

You can find the End User License Agreement (EULA) in c:\windows\system32\eula.txt if you need to refer back to it after installation.

Getting MP3 ripping to work in Windows Media Player 8 in XP

2008-09-13T04:23:00.000-07:00

Enter the following in the registry :

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftMediaPlayerSettingsMP3Encoding]
"LowRate"=dword:0000dac0
"MediumRate"=dword:0000fa00
"MediumHighRate"=dword:0001f400
"HighRate"=dword:0002ee00

This corresponds to 56, 64, 128 and 192 Kbps.

You can change this to your liking using the following dword hex values :

320 Kbps = dword:0004e200
256 Kbps = dword:0003e800
224 Kbps = dword:00036b00
192 Kbps = dword:0002ee00
160 Kbps = dword:00027100
128 Kbps = dword:0001f400
112 Kbps = dword:0001b580
64 Kbps = dword:0000fa00
56 Kbps = dword:0000dac0

Internet Broadband

2008-09-13T04:22:00.000-07:00

this ones simple:
this is for broad band connections. I didn’t try it on dial up but might work for dial up.
1.make sure your logged on as actually "Administrator". do not log on with any account that just has administrator privileges.
2. start - run - type gpedit.msc
3. expand the "local computer policy" branch
4. expand the "administrative templates" branch
5. expand the "network branch"
6. Highlight the "QoS Packet Scheduler" in left window
7. in right window double click the "limit reservable bandwidth" setting
8. on setting tab check the "enabled" item
9. where it says "Bandwidth limit %" change it to read 0
reboot if you want to but not necessary on some systems your all done. Effect is immediate on some systems. some need re-boot. I have one machine that needs to reboot first, the others didn't. Don't know why this is.

This is more of a "counter what XP does" thing. In other words, XP seems to want to reserve 20% of the bandwidth for its self. Even with QoS disabled, even when this item is disabled. So why not use it to your advantage. To demonstrate the problem with this on stand alone machines start up a big download from a server with an FTP client. Try to find a server that doesn't max out your bandwidth. In this case you want a slow to medium speed server to demonstrate this. Let it run for a couple of minutes to get stable. The start up another download from the same server with another instance of your FTP client. You will notice that the available bandwidth is now being fought over and one of the clients download will be very slow or both will slow down when they should both be using the available bandwidth. Using this "tweak" both clients will have a fair share of the bandwidth and will not fight over the bandwidth.

Set up and Use Internet Connection Sharing

2008-09-13T04:21:00.002-07:00

With Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) in Windows XP, you can connect one computer to the Internet, then share the Internet service with several computers on your home or small office network. The Network Setup Wizard in Windows XP Professional will automatically provide all of the network settings you need to share one Internet connection with all the computers in your network. Each computer can use programs such as Internet Explorer and Outlook Express as if they were directly connected to the Internet.
You should not use this feature in an existing network with Windows 2000 Server domain controllers, DNS servers, gateways, DHCP servers, or systems configured for static IP addresses.

Enabling ICS

The ICS host computer needs two network connections. The local area network connection, automatically created by installing a network adapter, connects to the computers on your home or small office network. The other connection, using a 56k modem, ISDN, DSL, or cable modem, connects the home or small office network to the Internet. You need to ensure that ICS is enabled on the connection that has the Internet connection. By doing this, the shared connection can connect your home or small office network to the Internet, and users outside your network are not at risk of receiving inappropriate addresses from your network.
When you enable ICS, the local area network connection to the home or small office network is given a new static IP address and configuration. Consequently, TCP/IP connections established between any home or small office computer and the ICS host computer at the time of enabling ICS are lost and need to be reestablished. For example, if Internet Explorer is connecting to a Web site when Internet Connection Sharing is enabled, refresh the browser to reestablish the connection. You must configure client machines on your home or small office network so TCP/IP on the local area connection obtains an IP address automatically. Home or small office network users must also configure Internet options for Internet Connection Sharing. To enable Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) Discovery and Control on Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition computers, run the Network Setup Wizard from the CD or floppy disk on these computers. For ICS Discovery and Control to work on Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, and Windows Millennium Edition computers, Internet Explorer version 5.0 or later must be installed.

To enable Internet Connection Sharing on a network connection

You must be logged on to your computer with an owner account in order to complete this procedure.
Open Network Connections. (Click Start, click Control Panel, and then double–click Network Connections.)

Click the dial–up, local area network, PPPoE, or VPN connection you want to share, and then, under Network Tasks, click Change settings of this connection.

On the Advanced tab, select the Allow other network users to connect through this computer's Internet connection check box.
If you want this connection to dial automatically when another computer on your home or small office network attempts to access external resources, select the Establish a dial–up connection whenever a computer on my network attempts to access the Internet check box.

If you want other network users to enable or disable the shared Internet connection, select the Allow other network users to control or disable the shared Internet connection check box.

Under Internet Connection Sharing, in Home networking connection, select any adapter that connects the computer sharing its Internet connection to the other computers on your network. The Home networking connection is only present when two or more network adapters are installed on the computer.

To configure Internet options on your client computers for Internet Connection Sharing

Open Internet Explorer. Click Start, point to All Programs, and then click Internet Explorer.)

On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.

On the Connections tab, click Never dial a connection, and then click LAN Settings.

In Automatic configuration, clear the Automatically detect settings and Use automatic configuration script check boxes.

In Proxy Server, clear the Use a proxy server check box.

Speed up your browsing of Windows 2000 & XP machines

2008-09-13T04:21:00.001-07:00

Here's a great tip to speed up your browsing of Windows XP machines. Its actually a fix to a bug installed as default in Windows 2000 that scans shared files for Scheduled Tasks. And it turns out that you can experience a delay as long as 30 seconds when you try to view shared files across a network because Windows 2000 is using the extra time to search the remote computer for any Scheduled Tasks. Note that though the fix is originally intended for only those affected, Windows 2000 users will experience that the actual browsing speed of both the Internet & Windows Explorers improve significantly after applying it since it doesn't search for Scheduled Tasks anymore. Here's how :

Open up the Registry and go to :

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/RemoteComputer/NameSpace

Under that branch, select the key :

{D6277990-4C6A-11CF-8D87-00AA0060F5BF}

and delete it.

This is key that instructs Windows to search for Scheduled Tasks. If you like you may want to export the exact branch so that you can restore the key if necessary.

This fix is so effective that it doesn't require a reboot and you can almost immediately determine yourself how much it speeds up your browsing processes.

How to make your Desktop Icons Transparent

2008-09-13T04:20:00.000-07:00

Go to Control Panel > System, > Advanced > Performance area > Settings button Visual Effects tab "Use drop shadows for icon labels on the Desktop"

How to Upgrade Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition Profiles to Windows XP Domain User Profiles

2008-09-13T04:19:00.004-07:00

This guide describes how to upgrade a Microsoft Microsoft Windows 98-based, or Microsoft Windows Millennium Edition-based client that has user profiles to a Microsoft Windows XP-based client.

The following steps enable the Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Edition (Me) profiles to be retained throughout the process.

Your best method to retain the profiles is to join the domain during the upgrade installation process.
Otherwise, you must use a workaround method to transfer the profile information over to the Windows XP profile.

During the upgrade installation process, at the networking section, the administrator is offered the choice to join a domain or a workgroup.
If you join the domain at this juncture, you ensure that all the existing profiles are migrated successfully to the Windows XP-based installation.

If you did not join the computer to the domain during the upgrade process, you must use the following workaround method:

Join the upgraded computer to the target domain.

All applicable users must log on and log off (which generates a profile).

Copy the appropriate Application Data folder from the Windows 95, Windows 98, and Windows Me profiles to the newly created user profiles.

Upgrading to Windows XP

2008-09-13T04:19:00.003-07:00

You can upgrade a computer that runs Windows 98, 98SE, or Me to Windows XP Home Edition. Those same versions, along with Windows NT Workstation 4.0 and Windows 2000 Professional, can be upgraded to Windows XP Professional.

(1).To ensure a smooth upgrade and avoid networking problems, follow these tips before starting the upgrade:

(2)Install all network cards. XP will detect them and automatically install the right drivers.

(3)Have your Internet connection available. The XP setup process will connect to a Microsoft server to download the latest setup files, including changes that have been made since XP was released.

Some programs are incompatible with XP and can cause networking problems. Un-install these programs. After the upgrade is complete and the network is working, re-install XP-compatible versions of these programs: Internet Connection Sharing, NAT, Proxy Server Anti-Virus Firewall.

New Sound Blaster Drivers

2008-09-13T04:19:00.001-07:00

With the loads of problems reported by users with Soundblaster cards on Windows XP Creative has stepped up and offered drivers for at least some models of their Sound Blaster cards, but check your particular model closely. I have downloaded the SB128 drivers and my sound problems have been resolved..! So they do work.

Set the Search Screen to the Classic Look

2008-09-13T04:18:00.001-07:00

When I first saw the default search pane in Windows XP, my instinct was to return it to its classic look; that puppy had to go. Of course, I later discovered that a doggie door is built into the applet. Click "Change preferences" then "Without an animated screen character." If you'd rather give it a bare-bones "Windows 2000" look and feel, fire up your Registry editor and navigate to:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Explorer \ CabinetState.

You may need to create a new string value labeled "Use Search Asst" and set it to "no".

How to Remove Windows XP's Messenger

2008-09-13T04:16:00.000-07:00

Theoretically, you can get rid of it (as well as a few other things). Windows 2000 power users should already be familiar with this tweak.

Fire up the Windows Explorer and navigate your way to the %SYSTEMROOT% \ INF folder. What the heck is that thingy with the percentage signs? It's a variable. For most people, %SYSTEMROOT% is C:\Windows. For others, it may be E:\WinXP. Get it? Okay, on with the hack! In the INF folder, open sysoc.inf (but not before making a BACKUP copy first). Before your eyes glaze over, look for the line containing "msmsgs" in it. Near the end of that particular line, you'll notice that the word "hide" is not so hidden. Go ahead and delete "hide" (so that the flanking commas are left sitting next to one another). Save the file and close it. Now, open the Add and Remove Programs applet in the Control Panel. Click the Add / Remove Windows Components icon. You should see "Windows Messenger" in that list. Remove the checkmark from its box, and you should be set. NOTE: there are other hidden system components in that sysoc.inf file, too. Remove "hide" and the subsequent programs at your own risk.

Dial-in User Maintenance

2008-05-12T01:00:00.000-07:00

Maintenance user to dial-up
1. Open [Active Directory Users and Computers] and select user which you want to give a privilege to dial-in to your server

The Routing and Remote Access Service(RRAS)

2008-05-12T00:39:00.000-07:00

The Routing and Remote Access Service(RRAS)

The remote access feature of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server enables remote or mobile workers who use dial-up communication links to access corporate networks as if they were directly connected.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.

Configure the DHCP Relay Agent

1. Right click at [DHCP Relay Agent] and select [New Interface...]
2. Select an Interface and click [OK] 3. Click [OK] 4. Finish

Remote Access Services (RAS)

2008-05-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

Remote Access Services (RAS)
The remote access feature of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server enables remote or mobile workers who use dial-up communication links to access corporate networks as if they were directly connected.

Server Configuration

Client Configuration
1. Configuring Outgoing Dial-Up Networking Connections

Internet Authentication Service (RADIUS)

2008-05-11T12:55:00.000-07:00

Internet Authentication Service (RADIUS)
Internet Authentication Service (IAS) is a RADIUS server. IAS enables you to centrally manage user authentication, authorization, and accounting, and you can use it to authenticate users in databases on your Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 domain controller.

1. Open [Internet Authentication Service] and select [Client] and select [New] -> [Client]
2.
3.
4.

Adobe Photoshop CS Tips and Tricks From The Experts

2008-05-01T00:01:00.000-07:00

Code:

Adobe.Photoshop.CS.Tips.and.Tricks.From.The.Experts.rar

Mozilla Firefox Tips & Tricks

2008-04-30T23:47:00.000-07:00

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Maybe U Already Know This But Here It Is

1) Drag and drop

There are many things that you can drag and drop in Firefox.

* Drag the favicon of any site to your home icon to set it as the home page.
* Drag a hyperlink (or image) to the new tab icon to open the link in a new tab.
* Drag a download link (or image file) to the download icon to instantly download the file.
* Drag a highlighted word to the search bar (beside the address bar) will bring you to the Google search result page for that word. If you drag the highlighted word to the address bar (and press enter), Firefox will perform a Google “I’m Feeling Lucky” search

2) Keyboard shortcut

Other than the usual shortcut keys such Ctrl + T:open new tab, Ctrl + N: open new window etc, here are some not-so-well-known, but useful, shortcut keys:

* Ctrl + Enter: Insert www and .com to the address bar. If you enter “about” in the address bar and press Ctrl + Enter, the browser will load the “www.about.com” page
* Ctrl + +/- : Increase/decrease the font size
* Spacebar: Page down, same function as pressing “Pg Dn” (This is one great shortcut key that I didn’t know till now…think I should just bang my head to the wall)
* Shift + Spacebar: Page up, same function as pressing “Pg Up”
* Alt + Enter: Duplicate the current tab

3) Mouse shortcut

* Ctrl + scroll up/down: Increase/decrease the font size (same as the Ctrl ++/-)
* Click a hyperlink with the middle button (or scrollwheel) opens the link in a new tab
* Shift + scroll up/down: Navigate between the next and previous page

4) Bookmark keyword search

If you set a keyword for your bookmark, you can easily open the bookmark simply by typing the keyword in the address bar.

To set keywords for your bookmark, right click the bookmark and select properties. You should see a ‘keyword‘ field where you can enter your keyword.

5) about:config

There are tons of configuration that you can edit to tweak the browser performance. Type about:config in the address bar to show the configuration. More information on how to modify the value.

6) Restoring Toolbar configuration after Firefox crashes

If your Firefox crashes and you find that all your toolbars setting are jumbled up or not displayed properly (especially the web developer toolbar), just go to View-> Toolbars -> Customize. Select “Restore Default Set”. Everything will be restored to the default state.

Change Your IP Address

2008-04-17T04:40:00.000-07:00

For Those Without RS/MU Premium Account, Or For Whom May Want to Change Their IP

This method should work for those whose ISP employ Static IP assignment. Similar guides have been posted throughout the forum, but I bring it forth with maybe a little more clarity. It can be utilized for repeated downloading of individual, large-sized files from RS/MU.

Common Sense: Altering your IP Will Disconnect You from the Internet; This Procedure Does so Temporarily. . .So If you Plan On following through with this method, Make sure you record/save this somewhere before implementation

NOTE: I believe the process may differ according to operating system; My OS: WinXP... I haven't experienced any issue with this procedure. Also, I'm not absolutely sure if It'll work for those who have a Dynamic IP Address.

**IGNORE THIS PRELIMINARY STEP IF YOUR COMPUTER IS PHYSICALLY CONNECTED TO THE DSL/CABLE MODEM***

A DIRECT/PHYSICAL connection to your modem is required. If you are wirelessly connected to the internet through signal/wireless network, disconnect from the wireless network and DIRECTLY hook up your computer to your DSL/CABLE modem using a network cable.
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1. Open the command prompt [Click on The Start Menu->[Run], Type in "cmd" {Images 1-3 Below}

1

2

3
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[Note] In the Command Prompt, type “ipconfig/all" (Without the quotation marks){Image 4 Below}
4
Then Press [Enter] On your keyboard. The Command prompt should have immediately Displayed Some Info. Dont Get confused, Simply Look for "IP Address" and the set of numbers to the right. The whole set of numbers that correspond to "IP Address" IS your actual IP Address. {Image 5 Below}

5
WRITE your IP Address down somewhere
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2. After writing down your IP Address, return to the Command Prompt. This time, type in “ipconfig/release”(Without the quotation Marks){Picture 6 Below}.

6
Then, Press [Enter] On your Keyboard. Leave the command prompt open
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3A. Next, Open your “Network Connections” [To open: StartMenu-> Control Panel-> Network And Internet Connections-> Network Connections]{Images 7-10 Below}

7

10
3B. RIGHT CLICK “Local Area Connection” and click on “Properties” {Image 11
Below}

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4. In the General Tab, Select/Highlight “Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)" and click the “Properties” button {Image 12 Below}

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5. A new window will open. Select the small Circle for “Use The Following IP address.” After this, type “10.0.0.1" (Without the Quotation Marks) in the Box
Next to “IP Address” {Image 13 Below}

13
After you type In the Last Number, Press the [Tab] key on your keyboard [The Tab Key should be on the Left Side of your KeyBoard]. After you press the [Tab] key, the number set "225.0.0.0" Should have appeared In the Box right Below [The Box for "Subnet Mask"] {Image 14 Below}

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Click on the [OK] button in that window, Click [OK] in the "Local Area Connection Properties" Window Too. [Both small Windows]
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6. REPEAT STEPs 3B-4 AGAIN. After Repeating Steps 3B & 4, Under the "General" Tab, This time Youre Going to Select the Small Circle For "Obtain an IP Address Automatically," So select it then click [OK] on both windows Again {Image 15 Below}

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====================================
<Youre Done>
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***TO CHECK IF YOUR IP ADDRESS CHANGED, Go back to the command prompt, type in
“ipconfig/all”(Without Quotation Marks). Check the set of Numbers for "IP
Address." The set should be Different From the one you jotted earlier

Title Edited
CrOwN.

Free Computer, Internet, Windows Tips & Tricks

Australia intends to introduce filters which will ban access to websites containing criminal content.

Increasing The Life Of Hard Disk

A great Firefox plugin which allows you to download videos of the web

Computer maintenance tips

Hardware Troubleshooting Tips

Install Windows XP Professional - New Installation

Windows XP Step-by-Step Installation Instructions

Windows XP Authentication

Getting MP3 ripping to work in Windows Media Player 8 in XP

Internet Broadband

Set up and Use Internet Connection Sharing

Speed up your browsing of Windows 2000 & XP machines

How to make your Desktop Icons Transparent

How to Upgrade Windows 98 or Windows Millennium Edition Profiles to Windows XP Domain User Profiles

Upgrading to Windows XP

New Sound Blaster Drivers

Set the Search Screen to the Classic Look

How to Remove Windows XP's Messenger

Dial-in User Maintenance

The Routing and Remote Access Service(RRAS)

The Routing and Remote Access Service(RRAS)

The remote access feature of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server enables remote or mobile workers who use dial-up communication links to access corporate networks as if they were directly connected.

1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.

Remote Access Services (RAS)

Remote Access Services (RAS)The remote access feature of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server enables remote or mobile workers who use dial-up communication links to access corporate networks as if they were directly connected.

Internet Authentication Service (RADIUS)

Adobe Photoshop CS Tips and Tricks From The Experts

Mozilla Firefox Tips & Tricks

Change Your IP Address

Remote Access Services (RAS)
The remote access feature of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server enables remote or mobile workers who use dial-up communication links to access corporate networks as if they were directly connected.