System Troubleshooting Tips/Tricks

Network Administration

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:08:00 +0200

Network Administration

The Debian GNU/Linux install program lets you specify a network configuration that's used when your system is first booted. If your network configuration changes, you can re-install Linux. However, you can spare yourself much inconvenience by learning how Linux stores its network configuration. As you'll see, by using a text editor to revise some files, you can alter your system's network configuration without going through the pain of re-installing Linux.

10.2.1 Network Hardware Configuration

If you replace your network adapter card with a different model card, you must run the modconf program, which lets you specify the driver that operates your card. To do so, simply login as root and type the command:

modconf

You're already familiar with the modconf program. It's the same program you used to specify drivers when you originally installed Linux. If you have difficulty using modconf, refer to the section titled Section 3.1.2.13, "Configuring device driver modules" in Chapter 3, Installing Linux. You must reboot your system before changes made by modconf take effect.

10.2.2 Basic Host Information

When you installed Linux, you specified a hostname for your system. If you want to change the hostname associated with your system, you can edit the file /etc/hostname by using ae or another editor of your choosing. Because the file - like most configuration files - has restrictive permissions, you must login as root in order to modify it.

The format of the /etc/hostname file is simple. The file contains a single line, which contains the hostname of your system; for example, debian. If you change the hostname, be sure to specify only the hostname itself; do not specify a fully qualified hostname that includes the domain name (for example, debian.ora.com).

10.2.3 Name Server Specification

When you installed Linux, you may have specified one or more nameservers. Your system accesses a nameserver when it needs to determine the network address that corresponds to a hostname. If your network configuration changes, you may need to specify a new nameserver or servers. Your ISP should provide you with the proper IP address or addresses.

The network addresses of your system's name servers are specified in the file /etc/resolv.conf, which you can edit by using ae or another editor while logged in as root. The format of the file is simple, though not as simple as that of the /etc/hostname file. To specify a name server, include a line of the form:

nameserver 
xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx

where xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx denotes the network address (IP number) of the name server; for example, 192.168.1.1. You can include as many as three such lines; when your system needs to determine a network address, it will attempt to contact the name server specified by the first such line. If that server is unavailable, your system will attempt to contact the name server specified in the second such line, if any. If that werver is unavailable, your system will contact the name server specified in the third such line, if any.

10.2.4 Routing and Gateways

If your computer is part of a local area network attached to the Internet, your computer doesn't generally send data packets directly to Internet hosts. Instead, it sends data packets to a designated computer - called the gateway - on the local area network. The gateway forwards data packets to the Internet on behalf of your system. It also performs the complementary service, forwarding data packets from Internet hosts to your system.

NOTE: If your system connects to the Internet via PPP, the PPP system establishes a network configuation dynamically. You'll learn how this works in the next chapter.

The information that describes your local area network is contained in the file /etc/init.d/network, which you can easily edit. Here's a typical /etc/init.d/network file:

#! /bin/sh
inconfig lo 127.0.0.1
route add -net 127.0.0.0
IPADDR=192.168.1.10
NETMASK=255.255.255.0
BROADCAST=192.168.1.255
GATEWAY=192.168.1.1
ifconfig eth0 ${IPADDR} netmask ${NETMASK} broadcast ${BROADCAST}
route add default qw ${GATEWAY} metric 1

The lines you're concerned with are the lines four through eight, each of which has the following form:


variable=
ipnumber

The lines associate a name, given by variable, with a network address, given by ipnumber. The variables are referenced by the following three lines, which are commands that configure networking.

To change your network configuration, you need merely to associate the proper IP number with each variable. You can do so by logging in as root and modifying the /etc/init.d/network file by using a text editor. Table 10.1 describes each variable. Your network administrator should be able to provide you with the proper values.

Table 10.1: Network Configuration Variables
Variable	Meaning
`IPADDR`	Specifies the network address of your system.
`NETMASK`	Specifies the network address of your network, by indicating which bits of the 32-bit network address of your system pertain to the network and which pertain to the system. Many local area networks are so-called Class C networks, which require a netmask of 255.255.255.0.
`BROADCAST`	Specifies the address used to send a message to every system on the local area network. Often you can determine the broadcast address of a local area network from the address of a system on the local area network: simply replace the last of the four components of the network address of the host by 255.
`GATEWAY`	Specifies the network address of the gateway used by your system.

10.2.5 Hostname Search Path

Your Linux system can use as many as three methods to determine the IP address that corresponds to a hostname. Your system can:

Query a DNS server (you configured your system's DNS client earlier)
Read the contents of the file /etc/hosts, known as the hosts file, which you'll learn about in the next subsection
Query an NIS (Network Information System) server

However, unless your system is part of a sophisticated local area network, it's unlikely that an NIS server is available. Therefore, most systems can query a DNS server and, failing to obtain an answer, read the /etc/hosts file. Alternatively, most systems can read the etc/hosts file and, failing to obtain an answer, query a DNS server. The second alternative is generally better, because reading the /etc/hosts file takes less time than querying a DNS server.

The /etc/host.conf/ file specifies which of these three operations are performed, and the order in which they're attempted. You can edit this file by logging in as root. Here's a typical file:

order hosts,bind
multi on

The order line specifies that the system should first consult the /etc/hosts file and then query a DNS server, referred to as bind because of the Berkeley Internet Name Daemon, an early DNS server.

The multi line specifies that your system will attempt to locate all possible names for a host when it reads the /etc/hosts file. Unless that file is very large (hundreds or thousands of lines), you should include the multi line.

10.2.6 Miscellaneous Network Configuration Options

The hosts file, /etc/hosts, lets your system determine the network address number that corresponds to a hostname, without querying a DNS server. Besides being faster than querying a DNS server, the /etc/hosts file is always available.

Entries in the file have two parts:

an IP address
a hostname, or a list of hostnames separated by spaces

By default, the hosts file contains an entry that associates the hostname localhost with the IP address 127.0.0.1. It's not necessary that you include any other entries in the /etc/hosts file. However, most system administrators include at least a second line, which associates the local hostname with its network address. Here's a typical file:

127.0.0.1      localhost
192.168.1.10   debian.mccarty.org debian

Notice that the second line gives both the fully qualified hostname, consisting of the hostname and domain name, as well as the hostname alone.

The /etc/networks file, known as the networks file, performs a function similar to that of the hosts file; whereas the hosts file associates hostnames with network addresses, the networks file associates networks' names with network addresses. By default, the networks file contains a single line associating the network address of the local area network with the name localnet:

localnet 192.168.1.0

Generally, it's not necessary that you add other entries to the networks file. However, by doing so, you can access frequently used networks by name even if your DNS server is unavailable.

Setting Up a Linux-Based LAN

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 10:08:00 +0200

This chapter explains how to set up a local-area network (LAN) that includes a Linux Samba server, which lets Microsoft Windows and UNIX systems access shared files and printers hosted by your Linux system. The chapter explains how to administer a simple LAN and describes how to install, configure, and administer Samba servers and clients. Integrating your Linux system with an existing LAN is no more complicated than setting up your own LAN; the chapter also explains how to connect to an existing network. The chapter also explains how to use Linux backup and recovery utilities so that client systems can create and use backups stored on the server.

10.1 Introduction

One of the great strengths of Linux is its powerful and robust networking capabilities. The good news is that everything about Linux's networking setup is open to inspection and completely configurable. Nothing is hidden from the user, and no parameters are forced on you. The challenge is to get the most out of this setup for your needs.

Basic networking principles don't differ much between Windows and Linux, and indeed the principles aren't unfamiliar. This chapter starts with an overview of networking, and then looks in more detail at Linux networking on a Local Area Network (LAN). In the next two chapters, you'll learn about making a dialup Internet connection, and setting up Wide Area Network (WAN) services.

Most computers today handle network traffic much as the post office handles mail. Think, for example, of the steps involved in sending and receiving a letter. Your postal carrier must know where to drop off and where to pick up mail. So your home must have some kind of recognizable interface; we call this a mailbox. And whereas your postal carrier may know your neighborhood quite well, delivery in other areas will require other carriers. Mail is passed to these other carriers through a gateway; we call this the Post Office. Although you can think of the whole postal system as one big network, it's easier to understand if you think of it as a hierarchy of subnetworks (or subnets): the postal system is divided into states, states are divided by zip code, zip codes contain a number of streets, and each street contains unique addresses.

Computer networking mirrors this model. Let's trace an email message from you to a coworker. You compose the message and press Send. Your computer passes the message to a network interface. This interface may be a modem by which you dial up an ISP, or it may be an Ethernet card that connects you to a LAN. Either way, on the other side of the interface is a gateway machine. The gateway knows how to look at the address of the recipient on the email message, and interpret that message in terms of networks and subnets. Using this information, your gateway passes the message to other gateways until the message reaches the gateway for the destination machine. That gateway in turn delivers the message via a recognizable interface (such as modem or Ethernet card) to the recipient's inbox.

If you review this story, you can easily see what parts of networking you'll need to configure on your Linux system. You'll need to know the address of your machine. Just as the town name Menlo Park and the zip code 94025 are two different names for the same location, you may have both a name, called a hostname, and a number, called an IP number, that serve as the address for your machine.

To translate between these two notations, you may need to know the address of a Domain Name Server. This is a machine that matches IP numbers with hostnames. You'll also need to know the address of a gateway machine through which network traffic will be routed. Finally, you'll need to be able to bring up an interface on your system for networking, and you'll need to assign a route from that interface to the gateway.

While all of this can seem complex, it really isn't any more complex than the postal system, and functions in much the same way. Fortunately, Linux comes with tools to help you automate network configuration. In this chapter you'll look at networking on a LAN, and we'll start by looking at how to set up LAN networking.

How to Recover Deleted Items Using Microsoft Outlook

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:33:00 +0200

Note: these procedures only apply if you have installed Outlook and you are connected to an Exchange Server.

When items are deleted from a folder in a mailbox, those items are first transferred to the deleted items folder of that mailbox. The items can then be deleted from the deleted items folder. This provides a measure of protection in case of accidental deletion. After the items are deleted from the deleted items folder, the items can still be recovered for up to 30 days by using the Recover Deleted Items funtion.

To Recover Deleted Items

To recover deleted items, follow these steps:

On the folder list, click to select the Deleted Items folder.
On the Tools menu, click Recover Deleted Items.
Click the item you wish to recover. If you want to recover multiple items, hold the Shift key down and click to select contiguous items or hold the CTRL key down and click to select noncontiguous items. If you want to recover the entire list, click select all.
Click the Recover Selected Items button. The items will be returned to your deleted items folder, and then you can move them to other folders. if the menu item is not visible, hover the mouse pointer over the chevrons at the bottom of the menu, and then click recover selected items.

To Purge Deleted Items

On the folder list, click to select the Deleted Items folder.
On the Tools menu, click Recover Deleted Items.
In the Recover Deleted Items window, click the item you wish to purge. If you want to purge multiple items, press and hold Shift and click to select contiguous items or press and hold CTRL and click to select noncontiguous items. If you want to purge the entire list, click Select All.
click the purge selected items button, and then close the recover deleted items window. if the menu item is not visible, move the mouse pointer over the chevrons at the end of the menu, and then click recover selected items.

The items are now permanently removed from the server and will not be recoverable.

How to create a really invisible folder

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 7 Jul 2011 14:36:00 +0200

This is a trick to make a folder invisible. We are not going to try to hide the file anywhere. In fact the folder would be right before your eyes but you can’t see it. Sounds intriguing? Actually it is very simple – just 2 steps.
Here’s how:
You can either create a new folder or choose an existing folder. While naming or renaming the folder hold [Alt] Key and enter “0160” (without the quotes). Release the [Alt] Key. You can notice that the name part of the folder is just a blank. What we have done is we have inserted a ‘Non-Breaking Space‘ as the name of the folder virtually making it appear as if the folder has no name. You can’t do this just by typing a space using the space-bar. That doesn’t work. Try it for yourself.
Now right-click on the folder and select “Properties” and choose the “Customize” tab. Click on the “Change Icon” button. Scroll along and you should find a few blank spaces. Click on any one of them and click Ok. That’s it. You can’t see the folder anymore.
Of course, if you select the folder (click on the folder), it will get highlighted

How to Check Windows Version using System Information

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:51:00 +0200

Windows users can use System Information tool to check Windows version numbers, service pack level and the build number they are running on as Windows operating system.

Windows version check using msinfo32 - System Information tool is the easiest way of checking all system related data, parameters, and values.
Here is the steps to determine Windows version using msinfo32 System Information tool.

Click on Start buton.
Windows XP users can type msinfo32 in Run Command screen.
Windowss Vista and Windows 7 users can type msinfo32 in Start Search.
Press Enter

This will display the System Information screen as follows:

Create a password protected folder without any special software

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:46:00 +0200

In an earlier post I had written about how to create an invisible folder. That’s a method to create a merely invisible folder with no real protection.
Now, here we will see how to create a folder that will not just be invisible, but also require a password to reveal it and open it. The best part is that you don’t need any specialsoftware to do this. Just plain old Notepad is all that you need.
Note: This is NOT a very secure method of protecting your folders. So use it at your own risk.
Here is the code that you need:
cls
@ECHO OFF
title Folder Personal
if EXIST “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}” goto UNLOCK
if NOT EXIST Personal goto MDLOCKER
:CONFIRM
echo Are you sure u want to Lock the folder(Y/N)
set/p “cho=>”
if %cho%==Y goto LOCK
if %cho%==y goto LOCK
if %cho%==n goto END
if %cho%==N goto END
echo Invalid choice.
goto CONFIRM
:LOCK
ren Personal “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}”
attrib +h +s “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}”
echo Folder locked
goto End
:UNLOCK
echo Enter password to Unlock folder
set/p “pass=>”
if NOT %pass%==pwd123 HERE goto FAIL
attrib -h -s “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}”
ren “Control Panel.{21EC2020-3AEA-1069-A2DD-08002B30309D}” Personal
echo Folder Unlocked successfully
goto End
:FAIL
echo Invalid password
goto end
:MDLOCKER
md Personal
echo Personal created successfully
goto End
:End
Now here is what you need to do:
Just copy the above code and paste it into Notepad. Save it by giving it any name you choose. Assuming, the file is called secret.txt, change the extension to ‘.bat‘ so that the new name becomes secret.bat. What you get is a batch file. You could actually save one step by saving the file in Notepad directly as secret.bat by enclosing the file name like this: “secret.bat” . This batch file is the one that you need. You can edit this batch file to change the folder name and the password. To change the name of the folder that is created, change the ‘Personal’ (in bold in the above code) to any another name you choose. Likewise change the ‘pwd123′ (in red in the code) to anything else.
Now let’s see how to use it. Place the file in the location where you would like to create your protected folder. Run the batch file by double clicking on it. This will create a folder named Personal in the same location as the batch file. You can now open this folder and place any files in it. Once you are finished, run the batch file again. You will be asked whether you want to lock the folder. Entry ‘Y’ (for Yes) and hit Enter. The folder becomes invisible. To retrieve the folder, run the batch file again. You will be prompted to enter the password. Enter the password, hit enter and voila! the folder appears.
Important: The batch file acts like a key to open the locked folder. So once you have created and locked a folder, do not keep the batch file in the same location since anybody can open the batch file and view your password. So I would suggest that you keep the batch file in a separate and safe place or better still keep it on your pen drive or flash drive. That way when you want to open the folder just copy the batch file to the location where you have your protected folder and run it.
Do remember that the above method is not intended to act as a substitute for the numerous free and commercial softwares that are specifically designed to provide security and encryption to your data.

How to Activate Windows 7 Manually - Windows 7 Activation Steps

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:46:00 +0200

Activate Windows 7 on this computer

You must activate Windows within 30 days of installation. Activation helps verify that Windows on your computer is genuine and hasn't been used on more computers than the Microsoft Software License Terms allow. In this way, activation helps prevent software counterfeiting. For more information, see Activating Windows 7: frequently asked questions.

To activate online, you'll need your Windows 7 product key. You can find your product key on the computer or inside the Windows package—or in a confirmation e‑mail if you purchased and downloaded Windows 7 online. Go to the Microsoft website to see examples of product key stickers. For more information, see Where do I find my Windows 7 product key?

If you can't find your product key, you might need to buy a new one. To learn more, see Get a new Windows 7 product key. If you receive an error message saying that your product key is not valid when installing Windows 7, see Windows 7 activation error: invalid product key.

Activate using the Internet

When you begin the activation process, Windows tries to detect an Internet connection. If one is found, you can activate online. If you use a modem to connect to the Internet but aren't currently online, you'll have the option to activate using a modem.

To activate by using a direct connection

Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button , right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now.‌
If Windows detects an Internet connection, click Activate Windows online now. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Type your Windows 7 product key when prompted, click Next, and then follow the instructions.

To activate by using a modem

Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button , right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now.‌
Click Show me other ways to activate.
Type your Windows 7 product key, and then click Next.
Click Use my modem to connect directly to the activation service. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Click the location nearest you from the drop-down list, click Next, and then follow the instructions.

Activate using the telephone

If Windows isn't able to activate online, you'll have the option to activate Windows 7 using an automated phone system.

Open Windows Activation by clicking the Start button , right-clicking Computer, clicking Properties, and then clicking Activate Windows now.‌
Click Show me other ways to activate.
Type your Windows 7 product key, and then click Next.
Click Use the automated phone system. If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
Click the location nearest you from the drop-down list, and then click Next.
Call one of the available phone numbers listed. An automated system will guide you through the activation process.
When prompted, enter the installation ID that's listed on your screen into your phone's keypad.
Write down the confirmation ID that the phone system gives you.
Type the confirmation ID into the space provided under Step 3 in the activation dialog, click Next, and then follow the instructions.
If activation isn't successful, stay on the line to be transferred to a customer service representative who can assist you.

How to bypass Windows Log in Password

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 13:43:00 +0200

Due to the security features built into Windows XP, it is virtually impossible to get back into the system without the password.
You have several options to try and get around this problem.
If you have access to another user account with administrator rights, you can use that account to change the password of the account that is locked out. You can also use the default Administrator account that is built into Windows XP.
First you need to boot the system into Safe Mode.

Restart your system.
When you see the blue screen, press the ( F8 ) key about 3 times a second.
You should get the Windows startup menu. Use the (Up or Down) arrow keys to highlight (SafeMode).
Press (Enter) on (Safe Mode), then press (Enter) on (Windows XP).
The system should boot to Safe Mode.

Once you are at the Account Log on Screen, click on the icon for the user account with administrator rights, or click on the icon for the administrators account.
Note: For Home the Administrator account isn’t normally shown & in Safe Mode you have to press Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys twice to show. For PRO you can do this in normal mode
When the system has booted to the desktop, use the following steps to change the accounts password.

Click Start, Control Panel, Administrative Tools.
Click Computer Management.
Double click Local Users and Groups, double click the folder Users.
Right click on the account name that is locked out, and click on Set Password.
You may get a warning message about changing the password, simply click proceed.
Leave the New Password box blank, also leave the Confirm Password box blank.
Click OK, and OK again.
Then close all Windows, reboot the system and try to log in.

There are also applications that can recover the password for you.
If the above information does not help in recovering the password, the only option left is to format the hard drive then reinstall Windows and the systemsoftware.

External Hard Drive Data Recovery

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 6 Jun 2011 16:09:00 +0200

External Hard Drive Data Recovery

External USB and Firewire hard disk drives comprise a case containing a standard IDE or SATA hard disk with a USB-to-IDE SATA or Firewire-to-IDE or SATA interface adaptor. These units are therefore prone to all the usual problems relating to hard disk drives plus some others that the external case and interface may bring.

Common problems:

Overheating due to inadequate cooling within the external case or blocked air vents. Modern external hard disk drives often contain a fan inside to disperse the heat generated by components. This fan however can become defective or the vents may become blocked resulting in operation above the recommended operating temperature.
External hard disk drives are also prone to impact, transit or vibration damage.

Symptoms:

The drive is not recognised by the BIOS, clicking or grinding noises, red or no lights on the enclosure.

Recovery possibilities:

Successful recovery is dependent upon the extent of the physical or electrical damage to the magnetic storage media or platters. Heat associated problems are often easier to remedy than those due to impact or mishandling.

Recommendations:

Do not run a repair utility on the drive (such as Scandisk / Chkdsk / Norton etc) - these utilities work the drive harder than usual and may cause further irreparable damage to the storage media and your data.

Example Manufacturers: LaCie (eg. Big Disk, Bigger Disk, Bigger Disk Extreme, Quadra etc), Iomega, Freecom, Maxtor (eg. OneTouch), Western Digital (eg. Passport, MyBook), Toshiba, Seagate (eg. FreeAgent)

Problems: External USB and Firewire hard disks basically consist of a case containing a standard IDE or SATA hard disk with a USB or Firewire interface adaptor. Thus, these units are prone to all the usual problems relating to IDE & SATA hard drives plus some others that the external case and interface may bring. Two of the most common additional problems we have noticed with these drives are:

They get knocked over, dropped, banged etc. In almost all cases, the resulting impact they suffer will cause problems.
They have a tendancy to overheat. This is due to inadequate ventilation on the external case. Some external hard drives don't contain any ventilation at all, a small number of devices may contain a fan inside the actual case to combat temperature build up.

Symptoms:

If the hard drive has been dropped: The drive will probably make a ticking / musical noise when powered on. This is usually indicative of damage to the read / write heads &/or the motor. Recovery of data is often possible - click here to read more about recovering data from clicking / ticking hard disk drives
If Knocked: The drive will make a buzzing noise - usually indicative of a seized spindle. Data is nearly always recoverable - click here to read more about data recovery from hard drives with seized spindles
If Overheating: The drive will suddenly die and not be recognised by the BIOS, or the computer will appear to start running slowly and noises from the external hard disk may be heard.

Recovery possibilities: Entirely dependent on the nature of the problem. Heat associated problems are often easier to tackle than impact damage problems.

Do Not: Under no circumstances should you continue to use the device as you may cause further damage to the unit. Also, you should not allow the system to run a repair utility on the drive (such as Scandisk / Chkdsk / Norton etc) - this can often render recoverable data unrecoverable.

Please call us on 2348062611277

Recovering data from hard drives with seized spindle motors

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 6 Jun 2011 16:05:00 +0200

Recovering data from hard drives with seized spindle motors

Seized spindle hard drive faults are a relatively new type of hard disk failure. They occur when the spindle that rotates the hard disk platters becomes seized, often due to the drive receiving a knock.

Types of drive affected:

Any external hard drive that has received a knock / jolt whilst powered on
All Seagate 7200.8 models
All Seagate 7200.9 models
All Seagate 7200.10 models
All Seagate 7200.11 models
All Seagate 7200.12 models

What are the symptoms of a hard drive with a seized spindle?:

The drive will not be recognised by the computer
The drive may make a faint buzzing sound (NOT a ticking sound that indicates a head fault)

What causes a seized spindle?: The most common cause is the hard drive receiving a sudden knock or jolt when powered on.
Why does the spindle seize?: Only a small part of the spindle comes in contact with a (relatively) heavy part of the hard drive. Even a slight knock is sufficient to make the spindle seize.
Is it possible to recover the data from hard drives with seized spindles?: Data Clinic can recover the data from almost any drive that has a seized spindle as we have the specialist equipment required to do so. Please call us on 2348062611277

Head faults - Recovering data from noisy / clicking / ticking hard disk drives

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 6 Jun 2011 15:47:00 +0200

Head faults - Recovering data from noisy / clicking / ticking hard disk drives

Symptoms: When the computer is powered on, the hard disk -
(1) Will not be recognised by the computer and
(2) A ticking or knocking sound will be heard coming from the hard disk at regular intervals (often about 1 / second).
An error message similar to "Hard Disk not found" or "No system disk present" will be displayed, and the system will then halt.

Hard drives with these failure symptoms are often indicative of an internal failure of one or more of the read / write heads in the hard disk assembly. This type of failure is found with both desktop and laptop hard drives. Fortunately, if the correct recovery processes are applied, data from hard disks with these failure symptoms is often recoverable.

What is happening when the hard disk makes a ticking sound ?
Data is written to / read from the hard disk platter surface by a read / write head which is located at the end of an arm that moves across the hard disk platter surface when the disk spins. A faulty hard disk that produces a knocking sound is likely to have a fault on it's read / write head. The knocking sound you can hear is caused by the arm of the hard disk knocking against other components in the hard drive.

Example:
The movie below shows a laptop hard disk with a head failure. We have removed the cover of the hard disk so you can see what is happening internally.
(1) First of all, the disk powers up and the platter begins to spin until the correct rpm is reached
(2) The arm containing the read / write head then moves out onto the platter surface and attempts to read some basic information from the hard disk. However, because of the faulty head the disk is unable to read the data correctly.
(3) The disk then resets itself and attempts to re-read the data. This stage is repeated a number of times and is what produces the knocking noise.

Reasons for Hard Disk Failure

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 6 Jun 2011 15:06:00 +0200

Hard Disk Failure

Broadly speaking a hard disk can fail in four ways that will lead to a potential loss of data:

Firmware Corruption / Damage to the firmware zone
Electronic Failure
Mechanical Failure
Logical Corruption

Combinations of these four types of failure are also possible. Whether the data on the hard disk is recoverable or not depends on exactly what has happened to the disk and how bad the damage is. Please note that over time, all hard disks will develop bad sectors which can lead to data loss and drive inaccessibility.

1. Firmware Corruption / Damage to the firmware zone

Explantion: Hard disk firmware is the software code that controls, and is embedded in, the physical hard drive hardware. If the firmware of a hard disk becomes corrupted or unreadable the computer is often unable to correctly interact with the hard disk. Frequently the data on the disk is fully recoverable once the drive has been repaired and reprogrammed.
Firmware failures - How to diagnose: Common Symptoms

The hard disk will spin up when powered on, but be incorrectly recognised / not recognised at all by the computer
The hard disk will spin up & be recognised correctly by the computer but the system will then hang during the boot process

Actions to take

Recovering data from hard drives with firmware failure requires low level reprogramming / manipulation of the hard drive. It is not possible for a PC repair shop to do this. Data Clinic have our own specialist equipment that allows us to successfully recover data from hard drives with firmware faults.

2. Electronic Failure

Explanation: Electronic failure usually relates to problems on the controller board of the actual hard disk. The computer may suffer a power spike or electrical surge that knocks out the controller board on the hard disk making it undetectable to the BIOS.
Electrical failures - How to diagnose: Common Symptom

The hard disk will not spin up when the drive is powered on - it will appear dead & not be recognised by the computer

Actions to take

Data Clinic can recover data from all types of electrical hard drive failure.

Although electronic failures can happen to any type of hard disk, we find that Quantum Fireball drives are particularly susceptible to power spikes and quite often it's possible to see visible electrical burn damage around one of the chips on the controller board. Usually, the data on the hard disk has not suffered any damage and a 100% data recovery is possible.

3. Mechanical Failure

Mechanical hard disk failures are those which develop on components internal to the hard disk itself. Often as soon as an internal component goes faulty the data on the hard disk will become inaccessible.
Mechanical failures - How to diagnose: Common Symptoms

When powered on, the hard drive will immediately begin to make a regular ticking or clicking sound

Actions to take

Recovering data from hard drives with mechanical failure requires the drive to be worked on in a clean room as the drive has to be taken apart and investigated in lab conditions. Data Clinic have a fully equiped Class 100 clean room which we use to recover drives with mechanical problems.

Note: We see many laptop hard drives with mechanical failure. Fortunately the data is often recoverable. For specific symptoms, please read our laptop hard disk failures page
Do not be tempted to open a hard disk if you suspect a mechanical fault: there is nothing you will be able to do and you will contaminate the internal clean air environment. There is also a good chance that during this process you will destroy any chance that we have of successfully recovering the data

4. Logical Errors

Often the easiest and the most difficult problems to deal with, logical errors can range from simple things such as an invalid entry in a file allocation table to truly horrific problems such as the corruption and loss of the file system on a severely fragmented drive.
Logical errors are different to the electrical and mechanical problems above as there is usually nothing 'physically' wrong with the disk, just the information on it.
Microsoft Windows Based Problems: Four common types of logical failure are shown below - please click which one applies to you or call us on 2348062611277
Logical errors can also be tackled with various software tools you can buy off the net, but be warned - if you are intending to run a fix utility on your disk you can very easily make recoverable data unrecoverable. This is especially true when running ScanDisk and Chkdsk on a damaged hard drive.

How to Fix Windows 7 When It Fails to Boot

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 19:09:00 +0200

Whether caused by a virus, a new operating system or by simple mistake, being faced with an "Operating System not found" or similar error during your computer system's boot up can be a nerve rattling experience. Assuming you have Microsoft's Window 7 installed however, do not fear, such a boot error can often be resolved in just a few simple steps.

First, check your BIOS and hardware

In many cases, having Windows 7 fail to boot may be as simple as having your BIOS set with an incorrect boot order sequence. It can be quite common if you have more than one hard drive installed in your computer and your BIOS gets reset. Usually you can access your BIOS seconds after your computer turns on by pressing the Delete button or by pressing a specific function key. Once in the BIOS, check to see that your system drive is listed appropriately in the boot order sequence; you may need to refer to your motherboard manual for help.

Another possible reason for Windows not being detected upon start up is a hardware issue. If your BIOS is unable to detect your system drive, check to make sure all the cables are plugged in properly. If your hard drive is making an odd noise, such as a clicking sound, your hard drive may be broken. Finally, it is possible that the hard drive is having data corruption issues, which has damaged important system data, such as the Master Boot Record (MBR). If you suspect a faulty hard drive, it may be a good idea to backup and scan your hard drive for errors from another computer and possibly consider buying a replacement. Trying to repair a boot problem on a damaged drive can possibly lead to even more data loss, so backup your data before attempting anything.

The MBR and other important boot data can also be damaged by trying to install an earlier version of Windows, such as Windows XP, alongside Windows 7 and by third-party programs, such as viruses. In the case of a virus, it is recommended that you run a virus scan of the drive before attempting any repairs as otherwise it could lead to more data loss. It is further possible to achieve the appearance of damaged boot data by having the wrong drive partition set to active, which can be the outcome of an overly curious Windows user with administrative permissions.

Fixing the MBR and other start up problems in Windows 7 is most quickly accomplished by using the Windows 7 Installation DVD. If you do not have a Windows 7 Installation DVD however, you can alternatively use a Windows 7 System Recovery Disc, which we will show you how to create further down in this article. If you do not yet have either a Windows 7 Installation DVD or a recovery disc, do yourself a big favor and make a recovery disc right away to avoid any unnecessary headaches down the road.

Fixing the Master Boot Record (MBR)

Step one: Turn your computer on, booting from either your Windows 7 Installation DVD or Windows 7 System Recovery Disc. Remember, you may need to change the boot order inside your BIOS to have the your DVD drive boot first.

Step two: After the installation or recovery disc loads, if prompted, select your language settings and then continue. If you are using the installation DVD, when prompted by the following screen select Repair your computer.

Step three: The computer will take a moment now to scan itself for any Windows installations, after which you will likely be given a choice to select which installation you wish to repair. Select the appropriate Windows installation from the list and then continue. If by chance a problem is detected in one of your Windows installations at this initial stage, the system may also ask you if it can try to repair the problem automatically. It is up to you if you wish to let the system try to repair itself, but otherwise just select No.

Step four: Once you have reached the System Recovery Options screen, as shown below, you will be faced with a list of choices that can aid you in repairing a damaged Windows 7 operating system. If you wish to try the Startup Repair option first, it is often successful in automatically fixing many different start up issues, but in this article we will be using the Command Prompt option to resolve our problems manually. So, click Command Prompt to continue.

Step five: Now sitting at the command prompt, enter the following command and then press enter:

        bootrec.exe /FixMbr
If successful, you should be greeted with the message The operation completed successfully. That's it! Your Master Boot Record has been repaired.

While the above command does fix the MBR, and sometimes that is enough, there still might be an error with the system partition's boot sector and Boot Configuration Data (BCD). This might occur if you have tried to install another operating system alongside Windows 7, such as Windows XP. To write a new boot sector, try the following command:

       bootrec.exe /FixBoot
If you are still faced with your Windows 7 installation not being detected during start up, or if you wish to include more than one operating system choice to your system's boot list, you can try the following command to rebuild your BCD:

       bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd

The above command will scan all your disks for other operating systems compatible with Windows 7 and allow you to add them to your system's boot list. If this fails, you may need to backup the old BCD folder* and create a new one in its place with the following commands:

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup

cd boot

attrib bcd -s -h -r

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

       bootrec /RebuildBcd
*Some users also find simply deleting the boot folder and retrying the above steps effective at resolving boot issues, but it is not recommended.

How to change active partitions
Upon purposely changing the active partition on my system drive, I was faced with a BOOTMGR is missing error during my system's start up that prevent Windows from starting. It is a common mistake to make when playing with partitions on a system drive and it can be a headache to solve if not prepared. To change your active partition back using the Windows 7 recovery disc or Installation DVD, follow the steps below.

Step one: Follow steps one to four in the above guide. This should take you to the Command Prompt in the Windows Recovery Environment.

Step two: Type DiskPart and then press Enter.

Step three: Type List Disk now and then press Enter. This command will list all disks attached to your computer and assign them a disk number.

Step four: Type Select Disk x, where x is the number for the disk containing the partition you wish to make active. Press Enter.

Step five: Type List Partition and then press Enter. You will now be shown a list of the partitions on the selected disk. Determine which partition you wish to make active.

Step six: Type Select Partition x, where x is the number of the partition you wish to make active.

Step seven: Now, just type Active and then press Enter. That should be it - the selected partition is now active.
How to create a Windows 7 System Recovery Disc
Windows 7 makes it easy to create a System Recovery Disc if you already have Windows 7 installed and running.

Step one: Click Start > All Programs > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc
Step two: Insert a blank CD or DVD into your disc drive.

Step three: Click Create disc and let the program do its thing.
That's it! It only needs to write about 140- to 160-megabytes to the disc, depending on whether your OS is 64-bit or 32-bit, and that should only take a minute. If you do not have a CD/DVD-R drive to create a recovery disc with, you can alternatively download the ISO image of the Windows 7 System Recovery Disc and use it to make a bootable USB flash drive.

How to create a Windows 7 System Recovery USB flash drive
Step one: If you do not have a DVD drive, download the appropriate Windows 7 Recovery Disc image from Here. You will need a torrent client for this step, such as µTorrent. Alternatively, if you have a DVD drive, you can use an existing Windows 7 Installation DVD or a Windows 7 Recovery Disc when at step seven.

Using a Windows 7 Installation DVD at step seven will also allow you to install Windows 7 via USB, not just recover a damaged system; very useful if you have a netbook!

Step two: Open a command prompt with administrative rights. To do this, click Start > All Programs > Accessories and then right click Command Prompt, followed by clicking Run as administrator.

Step three: After accepting any UAC verification questions, you should now be at the command prompt. Make sure your USB flash drive is plugged in and then type DiskPart, followed by pressing Enter.

Step four: Type List Disk and then press Enter. Determine which disk number corresponds to your USB flash drive. In the following scenario, Disk 1 corresponds to our USB drive since we know our USB drive has a capacity of 2-gigabytes.

Step five: Enter the following commands in order, changing the disk number to the disk number listed for your USB drive. Warning - the following commands will erase everything on your USB drive or the disk you select.
       Select Disk 1
       Clean
       Create Partition Primary
       Select Partition 1
       Active
       Format FS=NTFS
Step six: After DiskPart successfully formats the USB drive, which might take a few minutes, you will want to enter the following commands:

       Assign
       Exit
Step seven: You will now need to copy the contents of the ISO image you downloaded, or the contents of a DVD you wish use, to the USB flash drive. There should be two folders and a file in the ISO image that need to be copied. To extract the files contained within an ISO image, you will need to use a program such as WinRAR. You can download WinRARhttp://rarlabs.com/download.htm

Step eight: Now that the files are copied, we will want to make the USB drive bootable. To accomplish this however we will need to download a small file called bootsect.exe; it can be http://www.filedropper.com/bootsector The file can also be found in the boot directory of the Windows 7 Installation DVD. Once downloaded, place the bootsect.exe file in the root directory of your USB flash drive.

Step nine: Back at the command prompt, we will want to change the current directory to that of the USB drive and run the bootsect command. In our case this is drive E, so we will be using the following respective commands:

          e:
          bootsect /nt60 e:

The bootsect command will update the target volume with a compatible bootcode. If all goes well, you should now have a bootable USB recovery drive; just remember to add the USB drive to the boot list in your system's BIOS for it to work upon start up.

Error Message: Disk Boot failure-insert system disk and press enter

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 19:06:00 +0200

If your computer has just been formatted, your computer might require you to insert the boot CD to be able to run it. You might hence get the error message Disk Boot Failure- Insert disk and press enter displayed on the screen every time you will try to run it. This might be linked to:

1. The boot options not correctly set in BIOS
2. A non bootable CD is found in your CD drive
3. You do not possess any bootable device
4. You have installed a new hard disk
5. The hard disk is not properly plugged
6. Your system files have been infected

Solution 1: Ensure that your drives are empty

If there is a non bootable CD or disk in the drives, your computer might be attempting to boot the program with this disk. Hence, ensure that the floppy disk drive, the CD/R and DVD drives are all empty before restarting your computer and trying to run computer again.

Solution 2: BIOS set up

If this has not solved the problem, it might be linked to a wrong set up of BIOS. Hence,

1. To enter BIOS, press the F8 key when the Windows screen shows up upon the start of the computer.
2. Then all you have top do is to prioritize the boot sequence to Disk C:

Solution 3: New hard drive configuration

If you have just installed a new hard drive, you should insert the system installation CD and restart your computer again so that it reboots with the CD.

Solution 4: Hard drive not properly plugged in

If your hard drive is not properly plugged in, this can also lead to a rebooting error message. Hence, I will suggest you to switch off your computer and remove it from the power switch before checking the cables attached to it. Ensure also that the motherboard is correctly installed. Hence, put it again and try running your system.

Solution 5: Restore the corrupted system files

If neither solution has solved your issue, then it might be due to a corruption of your system files. Hence,
1. Start your computer with a system boot CD and once it is running, enter the command "Dir C:" to ensure that you can access the C: drive's contents.
2. If the computer enables you to access the contents, then you can enter the command

fdisk /mb

sys c:

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10 Quick and Easy Ways to Speed Up Your Computer

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 19:00:00 +0200

Many people are interested in making the most of their hardware. So here are 10 simple tips on how to make your Windows computer run faster without having to purchase additional hardware.

Many people are interested in making the most of their hardware. So here are 10 simple tips on how to make your Windows XP computer run faster without having to purchase additional hardware.

1. Defrag Disk to Speed Up Access to Data
One of the factors that slow the performance of the computer is disk fragmentation. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk when the file is opened to piece it back together. To speed up the response time, you should monthly run Disk Defragmenter, a Windows utility that defrags and consolidates fragmented files for quicker computer response.
* Follow Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter
* Click the drives you want to defrag and click Analyze
* Click Defragment

2. Detect and Repair Disk Errors
Over time, your hard disk develops bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing difficult or even impossible. To detect and repair disk errors, Windows has a built-in tool called the Error Checking utility. It’ll search the hard disk for bad sectors and system errors and repair them for faster performance.
* Follow Start > My Computer
* In My Computer right-click the hard disk you want to scan and click Properties
* Click the Tools tab
* Click Check Now
* Select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box
* Click Start

3. Disable Indexing Services
Indexing Services is a little application that uses a lot of CPU. By indexing and updating lists of all the files on the computer, it helps you to do a search for something faster as it scans the index list. But if you know where your files are, you can disable this system service. It won’t do any harm to you machine, whether you search often or not very often.
* Go to Start
* Click Settings
* Click Control Panel
* Double-click Add/Remove Programs
* Click the Add/Remove Window Components
* Uncheck the Indexing services
* Click Next

4. Optimize Display Settings
Windows XP is a looker. But it costs you system resources that are used to display all the visual items and effects. Windows looks fine if you disable most of the settings and leave the following:
* Show shadows under menus
* Show shadows under mouse pointer
* Show translucent selection rectangle
* Use drop shadows for icons labels on the desktop
* Use visual styles on windows and buttons

5. Disable Performance Counters
Windows XP has a performance monitor utility which monitors several areas of your PC’s performance. These utilities take up system resources so disabling is a good idea.
* Download and install the Extensible Performance Counter List (http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/reskit/tools/existing/exctrlst-o.asp)
* Then select each counter in turn in the ‘Extensible performance counters’ window and clear the ‘performance counters enabled’ checkbox at the bottom button below

6. Optimize Your Pagefile
You can optimize your pagefile. Setting a fixed size to your pagefile saves the operating system from the need to resize the pagefile.
* Right click on My Computer and select Properties
* Select the Advanced tab
* Under Performance choose the Settings button
* Select the Advanced tab again and under Virtual Memory select Change
* Highlight the drive containing your page file and make the initial Size of the file the same as the Maximum Size of the file.

7. Remove Fonts for Speed
Fonts, especially TrueType fonts, use quite a bit of system resources. For optimal performance, trim your fonts down to just those that you need to use on a daily basis and fonts that applications may require.
* Open Control Panel
* Open Fonts folder
* Move fonts you don’t need to a temporary directory (e.g. C:\FONTBKUP?) just in case you need or want to bring a few of them back. The more fonts you uninstall, the more system resources you will gain.

8. Shut down your PC nightly
There are a lot of slow down issues that can be solved by simply shutting down your PC on a nightly basis. During the day (or night) as you use the PC, resources are being consumed such as hard drive space and memory. Even though you may close a program it's still very possible that a good amount of the resources have not been released. This is why you periodically shutdown/restart your PC.

9. Use a Flash Memory to Boost Performance
To improve performance, you need to install additional RAM memory. It’ll let you boot your OS much quicker and run many applications and access data quicker. There is no easiest and more technically elegant way to do it than use eBoostr (http://www.eboostr.com).
eBoostr is a little program that lets you improve a performance of any computer, powered by Windows XP in much the same way as Vista’s ReadyBoost. With eBoostr, if you have a flash drive, such as a USB flash thumb drive or an SD card, you can use it to make your computer run better. Simply plug in a flash drive through a USB socket and Windows XP will use eBoostr to utilize the flash memory to improve performance.
The product shows the best results for frequently used applications and data, which becomes a great feature for people who are using office programs, graphics applications or developer tools. It’ll surely attract a special attention of laptop owners as laptop upgrade is usually more complicated and laptop hard drives are by definition slower than those of desktops.

10. Perform a Boot Defragment
There's a simple way to speed up XP startup: make your system do a boot defragment, which will put all the boot files next to one another on your hard disk. When boot files are in close proximity to one another, your system will start faster.
On most systems, boot defragment should be enabled by default, but it might not be on yours, or it might have been changed inadvertently. To make sure that boot defragment is enabled:

* Run the Registry Editor
* Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Dfrg\BootOptimizeFunction
* Set the Enable string value to Y if it is not already set to Y.
* Exit the Registry
* Reboot

Mouse Acting Erratic and/or Not Moving Properly

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 19:00:00 +0200

Issue:

Mouse acting erratically and/or is not moving properly.

Cause:

This issue can occur because of one of the below possibilities. These may vary depending upon the type of mouse you have connected to the computer.

Mouse is not clean.
Optical portion of mouse is blocked.
Moisture or other material on finger.

Solution:

- Mouse is not clean

Users who have an optical mechanical mouse (most common mouse for desktop computers) are likely experiencing erratic behavior because the mouse is not clean or is dirty. Information on how to clean the mouse can be found on our cleaning page.

Optical portion of mouse is blocked

Users who have an optical mouse are likely experiencing erratic behavior because a portion of the optical eye is blocked. Most commonly this is caused by a hair.

- Bad surface

Although most mice will work with any computer surface if you're having issues we suggest trying a different mouse pad, a book, piece of paper, or something different to verify it's not the surface causing your issue.

- Moisture or other material on finger

Users who are using a touchpad may experience erratic behavior because of moisture or other material on the finger such as a lotion.

If your cursor is moving by itself and you have a touchpad see additional help below and information on this issue.

Some laptops may have a button around the touchpad or an icon in the Systray that enables you to temporarily disable the touchpad.

- Make sure you're not touching the touchpad
Because the touchpad often is close to where the palms of your hands and thumbs lay, it's possible that you may be touching the touchpad without realizing it. An easy way of quickly identifying this, would be to see if the cursor moves without touching anything on the keyboard.

- Dirty touchpad
Oils, lotion, and other substances from your fingers can cause the touchpad to not work properly. Make sure the touchpad is clean by dampening a cotton cloth with water and rubbing the touchpad surface.

- Disconnect other external input devices
It may not be touchpad that's causing your issue. If you have other input devices such as an external mouse, graphics tablet, keypad, etc., try disconnecting these devices to make sure they're not the cause of your issue.

- Disconnect from docking station
If your laptop is only encountering this issue while connected to a docking station, it could be the cause of your issues. For this issue we suggest the below solutions.
- Make sure your laptop has the latest BIOS update.
- Update drivers
Because the drivers control how the touchpad interfaces with the operating system, if the drivers contain issues, any number of problems can occur. Including the cursor moving improperly. Make sure you have the latest drivers from your laptop manufacturer for your touchpad either by visiting their website or contacting their support.

- Bad hardware
If you've completed all the above steps and continue to have issues with your touchpad, it's possible you may have a physical hardware issue either with the touchpad and/or interface connected to the touchpad.
If your laptop is out of warranty and you do not wish to spend the money it takes to repair the laptop, we suggest disabling the touchpad and using an external USB mouse.

- Disconnect other external input devices

It may not be the mouse that's causing your issue, if you have other input devices such as another external mouse, graphics tablet, keypad, etc. Try disconnecting these devices to make sure they're not the cause of your issue.

- Update drivers and uninstall older drivers

Because the drivers control how the mouse interfaces with the operating system if the drivers contain issues any number of problems can occur including the cursor moving improperly. Make sure you have the latest drivers from your mouse manufacturer.

We also highly suggest that you go into Add/Remove programs and uninstall all previous installations of previous mouse drivers that have been installed on the computer. This is very important when moving between mouse manufacturers such as going from a Logitech mouse to a Microsoft mouse.

- Mouse has been cleaned and still has problems

If you've cleaned the mouse and continue to encounter issues and this mouse has worked in the past fine unfortunately your mouse is likely defective. One additional test that can be done to help determine if this is the case or not is to connect the mouse to another computer. Otherwise we suggest replacing the mouse.

Troubleshoot a Slow PC

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 18:58:00 +0200

Slow computer? Over the months and years, we download and install several programs to our PC's. Some of those applications and games we use often others once installed never see the light of day again. You only use a few applications every now and then so it makes you wonder, "why is my PC so slow?"

Essentially, a slow computer has an increased demand on resources. Over time we add: music, games, pictures, MOVIES!; and these begin to use up the finite resources of the computer. Before long, there are too many processes, too little RAM, and too little Disk Space.

Below are some steps you can follow to get your PC "back up to speed"

1. Backup Before anything else, make sure you save ALL your Documents, pictures, term papers, music, financial data, email, bookmarks, etc. You should always have and maintain backups.

2. Priority Updates. Make sure Windows is up-to-date: Our first line of defense against threats(Which cause slow computer). We recommend using automatic updates.If your PC is slower than normal at performing routine tasks, you may have spyware. Microsoft has a great FREE antispyware program.

3. Spyware is a small program which records information about your internet activity and relays it back to thieves. Spyware will impede PC performance considerably. A sudden decrease in performance could indicate a malware infection. Malware is the #1 cause of Slow Computer Performance

4. Virus infection. These are small programs, using resources on YOUR computer, which you never asked for, and make computer really slow! Keep antivirus software up to date.

5. Registry repair. Your registry is like a directory of all the programs you have on your system. This too can become disorganized and cause your hardware to run slowly. Speed up slow computer with a registry cleaner.

6. System breach. If you don't already have a firewall or don't think you need one you may want to review this step. Your computer could be sending and receiving unauthorized data. Do not be a spammer's zombie!

7. Unused Programs. Programs you do not use or do not need, require space on your hard drives, and in memory - making your computer run slow, and possibly delay startup and shutdown.

8. Wasted space. Remove temporary and unnecessary files from your hard drive. Freeing up operating space can speed up your PC.

9. File fragmentation. Over time, the data on your hard drive gets broken into pieces, making them harder to retrieve and update. Result: Everything take longer to retrieve and save.

10. Disk Errors. Your PC spends much time reading and writing data to the hard drives. Low performance can be caused by badly arranged or erroneous data on your hard disk.

11. System Recovery. If your laptop or desktop seems beyond all help, but is only a few years old, you have another option ... restore computer to factory condition.

12. Low Memory. Having enough memory can make the difference in speed. Eg., Windows XP runs very well with 2Gig or more, and well enough for most people with 1G, but a PC runs slower with less. Vista needs more. Adding memory can be the least expensive and yet one of the most significant ways to speed up computer.

13. Old hardware. Technology changes fast. And with each new change comes more advanced software to take advantage of the speed. It may be, your machine is just lagging behind.

14. Windows indexing service. The indexing service helps Windows OS find information faster. But if you are like most, it uses more resources than it is worth.

15. Eye candy. Some of the graphical options set by default are unnecessary. Speed up computer by turning off some of the glitter. Also extends battery charge on laptops.

16. Dust in the machine. After hundreds of hours of sifting through household air, the computer literally accumulates dust in the fans and heat-sink. This problem especially affects laptops.

Scan Your System For Viruses, Trojans, and Other Malware

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 18:57:00 +0200

Completely and correctly scanning your computer for malware like viruses, trojan horses, rootkits, spyware, adware, worms, etc. is often a very important troubleshooting step. A simple virus scan will no longer do.

Many forms of malware cause or masquerade as seemingly unrelated PC issues like Blue Screens of Death, issues with DLL files, and other serious Windows problems so it's important to properly check your computer for malware when working to solve many problems.

Note: These are general steps to scan and remove malware from your PC and should apply to any Windows operating system.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: Properly scanning your PC for viruses and other malware could take several minutes or longer

Here's How:

Download and run the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. This free, Microsoft provided malware removal tool won't find everything, but it will check for "specific, prevalent malicious software" which is a good start.
Here's a list of everything it will find and remove.

Note: You may already have the Malicious Software Removal Tool installed. If so, make sure you update it using Windows Update so it can scan for the latest malware.

1. Update your anti-virus and any anti-malware software installed on your computer.
Before running a virus scan or malware scan, you need to make sure the virus definitions are up to date. These regular updates tell your anti-virus software how to find and remove the latest viruses from your PC.

Important: Don't have a virus scan program installed? There are several free anti-virus programs available so there's no excuse for not running one.

2. Run a complete virus scan on your entire computer. If you have a dedicated malware scanner that does more than look for viruses, run a full scan using that program too.

Note: Don't simply run the default system scan which may not include many important parts of your PC. Check that you're scanning every part of every single hard drive and other connected storage device on your computer.

Important: Make sure any virus scan includes the master boot record, boot sector, and any applications currently running in memory. These are particularly sensitive areas of your computer that can harbor the most dangerous malware.

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Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 30 May 2011 10:51:00 +0200

Symptom

When you try to open Task Manager, the following error may occur:

Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator

Method 1

Click Start, Run and type this command exactly as given below: (better - Copy and paste)

Method 2

Download and run this REG fix and double-click it.

Method 3

Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe
Navigate to the following branch:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies\ System

In the right-pane, delete the value named DisableTaskMgr
Close Regedit.exe

Method 4: Using Group Policy Editor - for Windows XP Professional

Click Start, Run, type gpedit.msc and click OK.
Navigate to this branch:

User Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / Ctrl+Alt+Delete Options / Remove Task Manager

Double-click the Remove Task Manager option.
Set the policy to Not Configured.

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 30 May 2011 10:48:00 +0200

Operating Systems - Which should you use?

There are many operating systems available for you to use on your PC. Linux, Windows, Unix, OS2 and many more. In order to remain within the realm of my expertise this tutorial will deal with windows operating systems only.Windows XP Vs Win9x...
Windows 98 is really not as bad as the rap that everyone laid on it. It can still be retained in many upgrades and if programmed properly and the proper tweaks are adhered to win98 can remain a very stable system. In fact most of the bad reputation it has received is actually from inexperienced PC users screwing with it or installing a ton of unnecessary crap into it. I personally use win98 on one of my 2 main machines and it has been running stable for about 6 years now. Here are the Stats.

BCM QS400BX motherboard
550 Mhz P3 w/ 768Mb PC133 RAM
SCSI Card
Sound Blaster Platinum Card
GForce FX5200 Video Card
Monster II Voodoo Card
TV Capture Card
SN5200 100 Mbit LAN Adapter
DVD/RW Drive
3x 40 Gb WD Caviar Drives

I watch TV, Edit Video, Play Lord of the Rings Return of the King by EA games on it, do photo restoration and some 3D modeling on it also, and it isn't a slouch at running my game. It is a bit slow editing video, but not unbearable.
You might recognize this computer from my original article I wrote on building your own PC some 6 years ago. Well, let this machine stand testament to just how much mileage you can get out of a well built PC!

OK enough of that, let get back to the Pros and Cons of Win98...CONs

Does not support RAM over 1Gb *
Does Not Support HDs over 128 Mb **
Is no longer supported by Microsoft

PROs

Uses less CPU cycles than XP
Has a true DOS mode still available
Easier to control preventing OS autonomy
Easier to repair and recover from disaster

OK enough of that, lets look at the Pros and Cons of WinXP...
CONs

Harder to recover from disasters and Virii
Autonomous OS is not easily controlled by user
Not very backward compatible for software
CPU hog
Memory hog
No true DOS Real Mode
Licensing interferes with upgrades and repairs

PROs

Handles Hard Drives in excess of 128 Gb
Better PnP Support
Still Supported by Microsoft
Improved USB support
More compatible with new hardware

In conclusion... If you are upgrading an existing PC that has win98SE then you should try and stay with it unless you are going to be using drives larger than 128Gb
If you are building a new machine, then by all means you are much better off using either WinXP or Win2K.

As I have pointed out staying with Win98SE has not been a bad nor troublesome experience for me and I see no reason to spend $300 to change to XP needlessly. However be aware that the time is rapidly approaching when Win98 machines will not be upgradable without changing the OS, so it is probably a better choice to build new machine instead of upgrading. Finally in defense of XP, although it is a memory and CPU hog, a well built machine using today's technology is more than up to the challenge.

* Use of more than 512Mb Ram requires some tweaks
** Use of larger HDs thru software translation.

The CAESARz Computer Repair Tutorial Help and Tips

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Mon, 30 May 2011 10:33:00 +0200

This is a very basic, general guide intended to provide a basic explanation of what happens when a computer powers up and what you should expect to find. It may not help all users but it can get you started troubleshooting your computer by helping to identify which piece of hardware may be defective.

Step 1 - Does It Power Up?

Plug in your computer does the computer show any signs that is is getting power? Press the Power On button does it power up? Take the case cover off are there any lights lit on the motherboard?

If you get no signs that power is getting to your computer at this point it could be many things. It could be the power supply, the motherboard or on some motherboards the memory or the processor. Most modern computers will turn on with the motherboard having just the power supply and maybe some memory plugged into it.

If it doesn't, take a voltmeter and measure the pins in the large connector that plugs into the motherboard. If you don't get any voltages like 3.3 volts or so on one of the pins the power supply may be bad. You will have to substitute a known good power supply to be sure. Even though you may measure 3.3 volts the power supply may still be bad there are many different voltages coming out of it.

Step 2 - It Does Power Up But Nothing Else.

Take a voltmeter and measure the pins on the small connectors that plug into the hard drive. You should get +5 volts and +12 volts with the ground connected to the case. If you don't, the power supply is bad.

Disconnect everything from the motherboard except the power supply, the processor, the memory and the video card with a monitor hooked to it. Before you disconnect everything make a drawing of where everything goes. There are wires that go to the switch and lights on the front case, you don't want to remove those.

Press the power on, does it do anything? It should start to boot showing the computer manufacturer's logo or an error message saying "System Disk Not Found", which is fine because in this state there is no system disk. If you get nothing at this point it could be the motherboard, the processor, the memory or the video card. The only way to troubleshoot at this point is substitution.

I realize most people don't have extra processors and memory laying around so you may not be able to complete this step. For people that do have hardware laying around try substituting each piece until you get a changed result. A computer that was hit by lightning or a power surge may have multiple problems and may not react correctly when swapping hardware. In a case like that you may be out of luck in that you won't be able to figure out what is wrong. This tutorial is under the assumption that there is a single problem which is usually the case.

Step 3 - It Powers Up, But Won't Boot.

Your motherboard should now have the power supply, processor, memory and video card with a monitor connected. You should get something on the monitor screen that you normally would get except it doesn't complete the process to full boot. Unplug the computer and connect your hard drive to the motherboard. Upon power up you should hear it spinning. If it doesn't spin unplug the computer, disconnect the signal cable but leave the power cable if it still doesn't spin it may be defective. Using a voltmeter measure the voltages on the power connector pins there should be +5v and +12v if not if suspect the power supply.

If your hard drive is connected and you get a "System Disk Not Found" error now that is incorrect. You may have gotten a virus that wiped out you boot sector or damaged the windows boot files. If the Windows files are damaged by a virus it is suggested that you re-install Windows and do a Full Format when it asks you about that. This way no corrupt files will be able to infect your new installation.

If you recently installed new hardware and now it won't boot remove it and see if it will then boot correctly. If it is a pc card try plugging it into another slot, it will get another IRQ and may work because now there is no IRQ conflict.

If it now boots add each piece of hardware one at a time re-booting after each piece. If it hangs or won't boot you will know which piece is causing the problem. If it is a pc card try it in another PCI slot of if that doesn't work forget it or replace it.

We hope this computer repair tutorial and the help and tips enabled you to identify the problem that was keeping your computer from booting.

How to Undo the Last System Restore in Vista and Windows 7

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:19:00 +0200

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General Troubleshooting to Fix System Restore Issues

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 26 May 2011 14:13:00 +0200

1. Make sure that System Restore is enabled

2. Make sure that you have sufficient disk space on all the drives where System Restore is enabled

3. Try creating a System Restore point manually and making a note of the Error Message you get. If you don't get one, check if one has been created or not.

4. Next set would be to Check the Event Viewer

Type Event Viewer in Start Menu Search Box, hit Enter. Expand Windows Logs then click on Application. Look for Errors if your find any codes post it here or search in Google for that Error codes.

5. Type Services in Start Menu Search Box, hit Enter. Make sure that the Volume Shadow Copy Service is Running if its not running then double click on it.

If the Start up type is set to Disabled or Manually

click the Drop down and Select to Automatic and click on start

Apply it then Click OK

6. Also make sure RPC, Task Scheduler and all service related to DCOM is started

7. Next step we could try to Rebuild the WMI components

Close all open programs.
Download the WMI.bat from from here

WMI.bat

Right Click on WMI.bat file and Run as administrator.
The Command Prompt window will open. When prompted, type Y to continue.

Allow the Command Prompt to finish and automatically close.

8. Then next step would be to try to create the Restore point in Selective Startup

9. Try to Login under Safe Mode then try to Create a restore point

10. Try to Turn off the System Restore and turn it back on

11. Remove restore points:

In Computer (Computer), right-click on C, then Properties (properties), click Disk Cleanup (Disk Cleanup), then clean the system files (Clean up system files)
which shows the More Options tab (More Options)
By clicking on Clean (Clean up) under System Restore and Shadow (System Restore and Shadow Copies), restore points will be removed, except the most recent.

12. Run System File Checker

Start type cmd then Right Click and Run as administrator
Type in SFC/ SCANNOW

13. If that also didn’t fix then the next option would be to perform Repair Install

Hope this helps,

How to Protect Your Computer from Mac Defender and Its Counterparts

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Thu, 26 May 2011 13:56:00 +0200

While it hasn't infected a lot of computers yet, Mac Defender has been making a lot of noise as one of the first major Mac security threats. Here's a look at how to protect yourself from it and avoid it altogether.

Search Before You Download

Mac Defender—now also masquerading as MacGuard, MacProtector, and MacSecurity—is pretty easy to avoid. First of all, if you see any offers for either of these applications—don't download them. This is probably fairly obvious, but for the less Mac-savvy who aren't used to virus and malware threats, it's an important reminder. If you don't know what the software is, do a web search for its name and find out whether or not it's malicious. If it is, you're probably not the first one to find out and report it online.

Disable the Automatic Opening of Downloaded Files

If you're browsing the web with Safari you'll want to disable the option that automatically opens your downloads. To do this, go to the Safari menu, choose Preferences, and in the General tab look for an item at the bottom that reads "Open safe files after downloading." This is checked by default. Just uncheck it and you won't have to worry about accidentally opening and installing Mac Defender (or whatever alias it has chosen).
Finally, it's worth keeping an eye on this Apple support doc. While there isn't much information there at the moment, it seems to be a placeholder for Apple's official instructions on the Mac Defender problem.
These are both pretty easy things to do, and chances are most Caesarz Tips readers are savvy enough to know about them. If you know someone who's got a Mac and might be at risk, be sure to forward this information along.

Finding drivers for unknown devices

noreply@blogger.com (Eke Israel) — Wed, 25 May 2011 13:56:00 +0200

After installing and setting up a fresh copy of Windows, there are times when you check the Device Manager and you see the little yellow exclamation point meaning a driver hasn’t been installed for a device.
If the driver isn’t on a driver disk, and maybe you don’t have a copy of the driver because the original hard disk was broken – what do you do? The device just shows up as unknown modem, or unknown media device or something similar.
What you can do is check the properties of the device, find out its signature and look it up on a great little website www.PCIDatabase.com.
In Device Manager, right click on the unknown device and select Properties. Go to the Detail tab and select Hardware Ids from the drop down list. The image below shows what you should expect to see.

The Hardware Ids includes a Vendor code and Device code. In this case, the Vendor code is 8086 and the Device code is 10DE.
What you do next is head over to the www.PCIDatabase.com website and plug in one of these numbers. Usually I enter the Device code into the Device Search box as it tends to produce a shorter list of devices to look through.

The results page then shows you all devices in the database where Device code is 10DE. What you need to do then is look for the one that also has a matching Vendor code.

In this case I have found that my device with Vendor code 8086 and Device code 10DE is made by Intel and the specific device is an Intel Gigabit network connection.
Sometimes you will find links to drivers, but the best option is always to go the manufacturers website and look for their Support/Service/Downloads area and search for drivers for the named device.

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