Tips4pc lattest Free Computer Tips articles

How to find the url of a Youtube video?

The URL (universal resource locater) means the address to something on the internet. It could be a webpage, file, or a picture. In the case of Youtube, it is the address of where a particular video is located on the Youtube website.

Request another Ebay members contact details - buyers or sellers

When you buy and sell items on Ebay you might need to know exactly who you are dealing with. It is only fare that we are able to access the details of a buyer or seller on Ebay that we are involved with. Ebay will give out details such as home address and phone numbers only if you are already in a transaction with the other Ebay member.

How to find the url of an image or picture on the internet?

The URL (universal resource locater) is basically the web address for something that is on the internet. In this case we want to find the url of an image or a picture that is already stored on the internet. So for example if you see an image on a particular website, I will show you how to find the url of that image, logo, or picture.

Put a html link to a website or image in your Ebay auction listing

Previously I have written an article that explained where to put links to your Website on Ebay. It also included a few tactics to try and get the visitors to actually click on the link. However this article and video is different because it will show you how to actually write the html for the link in your Ebay auction. Now obviously in order to post a link into an Ebay auction you will need to be registered as an Ebay seller..

How to save a picture, logo, or clip art from a word document?

Have you ever been sent a word document that contained a picture, logo, or clip art that you needed to save to your computer? It might be a picture that you want to use on another document or you might want to save the picture so you can send it through email. People find this puzzling because you cannot just simply save the picture as it is really imbedded into the document itself. Of course there is always a way around this...

How to make a logfile with Trend Micro's HijackThis

Are you having major problems with your computer. Not doing what you want and not going to the websites you want to go to. If persistent spyware is invading your computer then you may need to download HijackThis. This free program lists key areas of the registry and hard drive in a logfile for you or an expert to analyze. Once you have downloaded and installed HijackThis, all you have to do is press the scan button to create a logfile that can be posted in a computer help forum or pasted at a website that analyses the information for you.

How to Fix the Vista Blue Screen of Death Error

It�s a fact; Windows Vista is still prone to some of the annoyances faced by older versions of Windows. One of the most common issues is the notorious Vista Blue Screen of Death or simply, the BSOD. Everything can be going fine one day and the next you know� you are stuck with a blue screen bearing some incomprehensible computer language. It can be a terribly frustrating experience but don't panic; this article will provide you with some helpful tips for dealing with the Vista Blue Screen of Death.

Add shortcut icons to your Quick Access toolbar in Microsoft Word 2007

In Microsoft word 2007 there is a quick access toolbar at the top of the screen next to the office symbol. See in the screenshot below. I have circled the quick access toolbar. By default the quick access toolbar has a save shortcut icon, an undo, and a redo icon. However you can add or remove shortcut icons from the quick access toolbar by choosing to customize it.

Convert AVI movie format to mpeg, DVD disc using Any video converter

I usually store my movies as AVI format and do not use the original discs as they are so easily damaged. However when you go on holidays and take your movies with you to watch, some DVD players will not play AVI movies. This is extremely annoying but if you want to watch your movie in the dvd player you have to convert it back to dvd mpeg format. The easiest way to convert your AVI movie to Mpeg to put on a DVD disc is to use a full version of Nero. However if you do not have Nero you can download Any Video Converter.

How to use and show all keyboard shortcuts in Word 2007

There is a great little trick that I actually discovered by accident. If you press the ALT key when you have a word document open, the shortcut keys appear over the button they apply to. Just try it for yourself. You will see that Alt-F = Office Button, Alt-1 = Save, Alt-2 = Undo, Alt-3 = Redo, Alt-H = Home tab, Alt-N = Insert tab, Alt-P = Page Layout tab, Alt-S = References tab, Alt-M = Mailings tab, Alt-R =Review tab, Alt-V =View tab, Alt-L = Developer tab, and Alt-B = Acrobat tab. You might have different tabs enabled on your Word 2007 however what ever tabs you do have, they will show the keyboard shortcut for it. Below is a screenshot of what you will see.

How to save a word 2007 document to be compatible with Word 97-2003

When I first started using Microsoft Word 2007 I had no idea that the files were not compatible with earlier versions of Word. It was not until I had sent a document created using Word 2007 in an email and received complaints from recipients not being able to open the file. At first I thought there was something wrong, because I had seen no mention of incompatible files on the internet or the packaging Office 2007 came in. Finally I realized that the file extensions were different. The old Word 97-2003 files were saved as .doc and the new Word 2007 are saved as .docx.

SHow to export or copy a task from task scheduler in Windows

Using Task Scheduler can be a complicated process and sometimes it is wise to backup your favorite tasks by exporting or copying them. When you set up a custom made task in task scheduler that took you hours to perfect, you obviously want to make a copy of it. You should not risk loosing this task because it will save you loads of time if you have a copy of it ready to go. For example I have a task set in task scheduler to backup a folder on one drive and make a mirror copy of it on another drive. This process has saved my life, seriously.

How to enable or show the developers tab in Microsoft Word 2007

In Microsoft word 2007 the developers tab contains an entire lot of features to use, however it is not enabled to show by default. Therefore the developers tab will not show until you change the Word options. Some of the features the de3velopers tab reveals are advanced controls and hidden elements to your document that not too many users are familiar with. See what the developers tab looks like in the screenshot below. If you have not enabled it to be shown you will not see it.

How to search for a registry key or subkey in the Windows registry

The Windows registry can be a confusing place when you are trying to find a particular registry key. Just to find one registry key you might have to enter up to 10 folders. Folders in folders, in folders. It seems like the Windows Registry goes on forever. Its just a maze of entries that takes time to navigate through, and therefore I take the shortcut. I do not navigate or browse through the registry, I do a quick search and find my registry key fast.

See what Windows Update history you have installed on your computer

Sometimes when you install a Windows update a problem occurs and you might need to see the Windows update history. The Windows update history will show you what updates have been installed on your computer. It will also allow you to remove un-wanted updates.

Lock the taskbar to stop it from being accidentally moved or changed

Don't you just hate it when your taskbar has been accidentally moved to the top or side of your desktop. If you let inexperienced users on your computer that is usually what happens. And if you are a new user yourself, don't worry because everyone accidentally moves the taskbar at one time or another. The taskbar can easily be dragged to any position on your desktop if it is not protected. You can even add or remove icons from the taskbar accidentally or on purpose. The question is how do we stop the taskbar from being moved or changed in any way? That's easy, we just have to lock the taskbar.

Use the Windows Vista Snipping Tool to take screenshots

One of the great new features in Windows Vista is the Snipping Tool. The snipping tool takes screenshots of your computer desktop. Therefore you can take a snapshot of anything you see on your screen and save it on your computer. You could be in my computer, on the internet, or chatting on MSN, and whatever is on the screen is available for you to capture and save.

Change UPPERCASE text to lowercase in Word 2007

It is annoying when you have text that is not punctuated correctly or is all UPPERCASE or all lowercase. However this is not a problem in Microsoft word 2007 because you can change the text from UPPERCASE to lowercase or vice versa. This is a great tip to remember.

How to run the dos command prompt (cmd.exe) as an administrator?

When you try to use the dos command feature in Windows Vista on occasions it will not work because it needs to be run as an administrator. Sometimes you might type a command in, and the dos command box either flashes on the screen or appears to do nothing at all.

How to clear and delete the run box history list that pops up

The run box is a handy tool where you can type in commands to perform tasks or open programs and internet pages through. It can also give you access to hidden settings if you know the correct command to type in. This is great, but by default, all of your entries to the run box are recorded and listed for all to see. If you do not want this list recorded or you just want to delete the history and start again, read on..

How to delete folder items from the recently viewed list in the start menu

The recent items folder in Windows Vista stores a record of all the files you have recently viewed on your computer. You might have created a document or saved a picture, and it will all be there for anyone to view on the list. The recent items folder traces every move you make when it comes to files. You might only change one word in a document and this file will show up on the recent items list.

How to open a compact disc (cd) to view the contents

When you insert a compact disc into your cd drive in your computer there are a few ways to view the contents of the cd. Obviously if the compact disc is blank there will be nothing to see, however if there are files you can view, copy, and paste them to your computer. Also if there are music files such as mp3's, you can play them from the disc.

Disable programs from starting with msconfig

When you install a program the default settings usually are to start the program when you login to your computer. For example if you install Nero at least three items start-up when you login. Nero secure disc, Nero check, and Nero Incd. But seriously we do not need all these programs starting up and can easily disable them by using the msconfig command which will bring up the system configuration settings.

How to label a new hard drive or partition and assign a drive letter?

When you have installed a new hard drive, in order for your computer to recognize it you may need to label the drive by assigning a drive letter to it. So for example if you have installed a second hard drive into your computer, it may need to be labeled so it can be used and show up in my computer with all the other drives. This also applies to a partition of a hard drive.

Change settings in the Regional and language options

The Regional and language options hold some very important settings for your computer. This is where you can change the language, location, date format, keyboard type, currency format, and more. For example if you have chosen the wrong location for your computer then your local time on your computer will also show up wrong.

How to shrink a partition on your hard drive

If you have your hard drive partitioned and want to change the size of the partitions or the amount of partitions you have on your computer, you can. It is still going to wipe your data but if you backup your files to the main partition just while you are shrinking the other partition then you can move it all back after.

Embed Youtube video into a PowerPoint 2007 presentation CD

You can not only embed Youtube video into your PowerPoint presentation but you can also save the entire presentation to a CD to distribute or share around. And the video can be any movie you like, not just one you have downloaded off Youtube. It could be a home movie, business production, commercial, or even a video tutorial.

How to embed a Youtube video into a PowerPoint Presentation

Many businesses and large organizations have found that embedding a Youtube video into a PowerPoint presentation can be a great way to get your point across. It can really make your PowerPoint presentation stand out from the rest.

Add items or links to open a programs in the desktop right click menu

When you right click on your blank desktop a menu appears. This is the desktop right click menu. This menu usually contains default links such as personalize or properties, view, new, and more. This tutorial will show you how to add items to your right click menu. You can basically link to anything as long as you know the command to enter. For example if you type a command into the run box to start a program, then this is the command to use.

Apply a menu template to a folder in Windows XP or Vista

Applying a template to a folder is often an overlooked feature in Windows. Even I have been guilty of moving music to a music folder so I can have access to the menu that comes with that template. If only I had realized that you could just make any folder a music folder or a picture folder.

What is the difference between a partition and a hard drive?

People often get confused when it comes to distinguishing between a partition and a hard drive because on the actual computer, viewing them through the Windows Operating system, they look exactly the same. You might have one hard drive that is partitioned into four sections, however in my computer it will appear as four hard drives all labeled with their own drive letter.

How to find a folder or file path and copy it in Windows Vista

Finding the path to a file or folder in Windows Vista is not as easy as in Windows XP. In Windows Vista the file paths are hidden or shortened as you can see in the screenshot below.

Block email messages from a particular country to control spam

Blocking email messages from a particular country is a new feature in Windows Mail. Previously, in Outlook Express you could not block an entire country from sending you spam emails. This is a fantastic feature that really helps stop spam and junk email coming into your inbox. I personally can't believe how well it works.

Create a free photo cd slide show with Windows XP

A cd photo slide show is a great way to share photos with your friends and family. You can send them a cd in the post for as little as $1.00 and all they have to do is pout it in their computer and the photo slide show will start. This is also handy for sending your photos to non computer savvy people who just like to have things work automatically without having to find the pictures or try to view them on their computer.

Network printer has problems printing - You do not have permission to use selected printer.

When you have a network of two or more computers in your house, it is very easy to then connect one printer to facilitate both computers. This is a network printer. It can be a normal printer connected to one of the computers and the other computer accesses the printer over the network. However sometimes there can be errors. Apart from the obvious errors which be just simply having the settings wrong, there is another common error when dealing with a network printer.

Enable IMAP in your Gmail email account

IMAP allows you to download your Gmail email to other devices such as mobile phones, blackberries, and computers. So for example if you wanted to read your Gmail email in Outlook Express which is installed on your computer, then you will have to enable IMAP.

Setting up a free Gmail email account in Outlook Express or Windows Mail

Ok now this is going to kill the competition because Gmail email now has IMAP which will allow to to download your emails to any compatible device, including your computer. This means that you can have a free email account with Gmail and collect and read the emails in your Outlook Express or Windows Mail. Therefore you will not have to go to the usual web based inbox to see your new emails. All you have to do is open your Outlook or Windows Mail and the emails will download there.

Setting up a Godaddy.com email account in Outlook Express or Windows Mail

Every time you want to set up an email account in your Outlook Express you will need to know the particular settings for that email account as there are sop many companies providing emails nowadays. If you have a Godaddy email address then you will need to gather the incoming and outgoing email server settings from the Godaddy.com website.

Disk cleanup stops working and will not remove files in Windows

Disk cleanup is a handy system tool that is included with the Windows Operating system. It removes unwanted and junk files from your computer. However sometimes when you want to use disk cleanup it will not remove all the files and stops working half way through the process. When this happens there is definitely a problem that needs to be fixed.

Do I have a 32 bit or a 64 bit processor or operating system on my computer?

I stumbled across this dilemma when I needed to download a free file from the Microsoft website and was presented with two choices for my download. I could download the file in 32 bit version or 64 bit version, depending on which one suited my operating system. Now the average user has no idea what the difference is between a 32 bit operating system and a 64 bit so I will show you how to find out which one is running on your computer.

Login to your user account automatically when you start your computer

If you want to simply enter the computer without having to login, you can...You even choose which account you want to automatically login to..

Creating, saving, copying, pasting, and moving files or folders on your computer.

Files and folders are an important when it comes to using a computer because the computers entire existence is made up of files which are stored in folders. A group of files together form a software program which runs on your computer. These program files are stored in a folder called program files which will have sub folders or directories with the individual program contained in them. You can also create your own files by typing a document and saving it, or downloading photos to your computer. All files and folders can be copied, saved, pasted or even moved to another location.

Disable or enable the Task Manager using the Group Policy Editor or Windows registry editor

Disabling the task manager is sometimes a very handy tool, especially if you are running public computers. It is also a good idea to stop your children from accessing task manager as they can easily change settings that can possibly harm your computer and cause it to crash.

Importing and Exporting Bookmarks/Favorites in Internet Explorer/Firefox

Ever wondered how to make a backup of your bookmarks in Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 3? Saving all your favorite bookmarked website links can be an important part of the computer backup process. Or maybe you would like to export your priceless list of bookmarks from one of these browsers to the other? Here's how to import and export your bookmarks/favorites quickly and painlessly.

Putting a picture or text into your Gmail email signature.

A signature is a bit of personalized text (such as your contact information or a favourite quote) that is automatically inserted at the bottom of every message you send. Nowadays it is a common for most people to add an email signature to the end of your emails. Unfortunately Gmail does not support adding a picture, logo, or html to your email signature, however you can add text and links to websites. Putting a picture into a Gmail signature is a daunting task as you will see in the tutorial below.

How to use the BBC code anchor and iurl tags to jump to an anchor in a post

I have a forum that uses bbc code and one day I had decided to make a page that required the user to be able to jump from section to section on that page. Here is the page Computer terms A-Z. I knew that I needed to use the anchor tag in conjunction with the iurl tag, however I couldn't find an understandable explanation on the internet.

Top HTML Layout Codes for your Myspace Webpage

Despite the rising popularity of Facebook, Myspace is still one of the most popular social networking websites, with thousands of users and a wide array of features to create your own page. Unfortunately, as popular as the website is, there are time's when it can cause you trouble. Personal messages left in your public friends area can lead to friction with a different friend, for example, or reveal info about yourself you'd rather have hidden.

Backup your cookies by using the import export option in your browser

Seriously, I never thought I would say this, but I cannot live without my cookies! Yes that's right, I love them. I hate going to a website to sign in and I actually have to type the password and username myself. Hello guys? Who wants to type in your login details when a cookie can do it for you.

Create a desktop shortcut to open Windows registry editor (regedit)

If you are like me and always accessing the window registry to edit it , then you really need this shortcut on the desktop. The usual way to get into the registry editor is to go to the start menu, open the run dialog box, then type in regedit, and finally press enter. Why would you do all that when you can simply click on a icon on your desktop or even have the registry editor icon in the quick launch toolbar.

Transfer email message rules from Outlook Express to Windows Mail

If you had Windows XP and was using Outlook Express, it was a simple step to backup your email message rules by exporting a registry setting and restoring it to the new computer. However now there is Windows Vista and the message rules are stored in a different area in the Windows registry. Not only has the name changed from Outlook Express to Windows Mail, but there is no identity number used in Windows Vista as there was in Windows XP

How to resize a gif image using a free online animated picture editor

In the old days, resizing a gif image file was a major technical event. It seriously wasn't even worth the effort. Just be aware that although we can now size a gif image, and it is relatively easy, but it does sometimes distort the original file. In my experience it is always better to make the gif image smaller when resizing it. Making it larger is sometimes pushing your luck, but there is no harm in giving it a go.

How to repair a Windows XP installation without formatting your computer and loosing your files

Repairing an installation of Windows XP will not wipe all of your files like formatting will. Formatting Windows XP cleans your computer of absolutely everything that you had on your computer, and therefore this fact alone makes repairing a good option to try when fixing an error. If you suspect that there is a problem with the Windows system files you can simply try to repair it before resorting to formatting.

How to embed a Youtube video's HTML code into your Wordpress or Blogger website

In the old days, embedding a video into your website was a huge task that was not only difficult, but took up a lot of bandwidth. However with the invention of websites like Youtube video you can now embed the html code into your website while Youtube hosts the actual video. This way You get to use Youtube's bandwidth for free and still enhance your website with videos that suit your websites theme.

How to extract audio from a movie video clip and save the file as an Mp3, Ac3, Amr, Wma, Wav, etc..

Have you ever wanted to save a video because it had great sound effects or music in it. And what a waste of space it is because you really only wanted the audio part of the video and not the entire movie. Well now it is so easy to separate the audio from the video by extracting the audio only from a video clip. In other words you can Convert AVI, MPEG, MPG, DAT, FLV, WMV/ASF, MOV, MP4, 3GP to aac, ac3, amr_nb, amr_wb, mmf, mp2, mp3, mpc, ogg, wav, wma audio formats. And when you go and play the file you will only hear the audio and not see the video.

How to bring back the Desktop tab when it is missing from the display properties

Sometimes when you right click on your desktop and enter your computers display properties, you may find that the desktop tab is missing. One of the reasons is that this setting may have been disabled. Having the desktop tab in the display properties is important as you can change a number of settings there. For example on the desktop tab you can change the desktop background color, the wallpaper, and also customize the desktop.

How to covert any video format or extract audio - avi,dvd,vob,flv,mpeg,ipod,mp3,Ac3,svcd,mp4,etc..

Sooner or later you will come across a file that will not play in a program or particular device you have and you will have to convert it to make it compatible to play. For example you cannot usually play an .avi video on a mobile phone. Therefore you could convert the video format from .avi or even dvd, to 3gp, 3gpp, or Mpeg 4 to suit your mobile phone.

Change the Windows Vista Start menu to a classic menu

Make the Windows Vista Start menu look like a Windows XP start menu. Over the past few years, most regular computer users have become used to a Windows Xp style menu. I am not sure if we have just learnt to use it well or is it just simply easier. Either way, it made using the Windows Vista start menu a shock to the system. Sometimes it seems a little confusing because it seems like everything comes up at once.

A free program to recover (Recuva) and restore accidentally deleted pictures, photos, and files

Accidentally deleting your precious pictures, photos, and files is bound to happen to anyone of us sooner or later. I hope that you do not encounter this dilemma, however if you do, you may possibly have a chance to recover the files that you have deleted. One way is to get a professional IT guy that specializes in file or data recovery, which in itself can be very expensive. The other way is to buy a program that recovers and restores your deleted files and photos.

Customize the Windows Vista notification area

Add or remove icons from the notification area by changing your settings. If you are wondering where the Windows Vista notification area is, don't worry, because it is right in front of your eyes. We all would know where it is, but probably don't know it is called the notification area. It is the area on the taskbar where the computer clock is located. It may also have a volume control shortcut icon, a network connection icon, a virus update icon, a Windows update notification icon, and more..