Computer Troubleshooting

Turn your symbian smart phone into a remote control using SmartTouch

2010-11-23T12:07:00.000+05:30

SmartTouch is a free software available for Symbian series 60 phones (5th edition only i.e Nokia 5800). You will require three files to run this software.

SmartTouch client for your phone
Python to run the SmartTouch on your phone.
SmartTouch software for your PC.

Install all this softwares on your phone and PC and see the video below to know that you can do with your smart phone

Encrypt/Lock Computer Drives Or Pendrive In Windows 7

2010-11-19T14:33:00.000+05:30

Microsoft Bitlocker drive encryption is used to encrypt/lock any Local drive or removable drives like pendrives.Bitlocker encrypts the drives using 128 bit key.Once the drives are encrypted/locked it can only opened using the password.Microsoft introduced bitlocker encryption in windows vista.The bitlocker feature is currently available in Ultimate and Enterprise editions of windows 7 ,Vista as well as the Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 .Bitlocker requires that your hard disk should have atleast two NTFS drives :One of the operating system and the other with a minimum size of 100 MB.
Let’s Begin the step by step tutorial along with screenshots on how to Lock/encrypt Computer drives or pendrive in windows 7.

1.Plugin your Pendrive into your Usb port.
(Skip the above step if you want to lock/encrypt a local drive)
2.Click on Start button and type Bitlocker and click on BitLocker Drive Encryption

3.Now you can see all local drives and your pendrive(If you have plugged in any)

4.Now click on Turn on BitLocker in front of the drive you want to lock/Encrypt.
5.Now it will ask you to choose your password

6.Once you have entered your password click Next you will be now asked to save the password or take a print out.

Note:If you save your password in your computer then make sure that it at some safe place.

7.Now bitlocker will start encrypting your drive.The encryption time varies according to the size of the drive.

8.If you have encrypted/locked a local drive then you will see a lock in front of the drive.

9.If you have encrypted/locked a pendrive then you will see a bitlocker setup file when you put this pendrive in computer.Install this in another computer.
(If bitlocker is already installed in another system then this step is not required.)
10.Now it will prompt you to enter your password.

Create a Password Reset Disk

2010-11-08T18:36:00.001+05:30

If you’re running Windows XP Professional as a local user in a workgroup environment, you can create a password reset disk to log onto your computer when you forget your password. To create the disk:

Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click User Accounts.
Click your account name.
Under Related Tasks, click Prevent a forgotten password.

Follow the directions in the Forgotten Password Wizard to create a password reset disk.

Store the disk in a secure location, because anyone using it can access your local user account

Windows 7 Tips & Tricks

2010-08-25T18:14:00.000+05:30

1. Use Keyboard Shortcuts

Using the mouse, you can drag-‘n-dock windows to either side of the screen, or drag it to the top to maximize it. These keyboard shortcuts are even faster:

Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow dock the window to the left and right side of the screen
Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow maximize and restore/minimize
Win+M minimizes everything
Alt+Up, Alt+Left Arrow, Alt+Right Arrow navigate to parent folder, or browse Back and Forward through folders in Explorer
Win+Home minimizes/restores all open windows except the active window
Alt+Win+# accesses the Jump List of program number ‘#’ on the taskbar

2.Rearrange System Tray Icons

You can rearrange icons on the taskbar as you wish and start new (or switch to running) instances of the first ten taskbar programs using Win+1, Win+2, and so on. The cool thing is you can also rearrange system tray icons. Reorder them on the tray or move them outside or back in the tray. Take control of what you want to always keep an eye on, and from which apps you’ll require notifications.

3. Access Jump Lists with the Left Mouse Button

Jump Lists usually show up when you right-click on a taskbar icon. However, they can also be accessed by holding the left mouse button and dragging upwards. If you’re using a laptop touchpad or a touch screen, this is convenient because you do not have to click any button to access a context menu.

4. Add Any Folder to Favorites

You can add any library or folder to the Favorites section in Windows Explorer. To add a folder, navigate to it in Explorer, right-click Favorites in the left navigation pane, and select Add current location to Favorites. Now you get quick access to your favorite folders in all File->Save As dialogs!

5. Pin Frequently Used Folders to the Taskbar

Right-click, drag, and pin your favorite folders to Windows Explorer on the taskbar. They will now show up in the Jump List when you right click on Explorer giving you quick access to your favorite folders.

6. Pin Control Panel to the Taskbar

You cannot pin the Control Panel to the taskbar via the Start Menu or by drag and drop. Open the Control Panel and right-click its taskbar icon to pin it to the taskbar. An advantage of this is that Control Panel’s Jump List allows quick access to recently used functions.

7. Create Keyboard Shortcuts for Programs

You can create keyboard shortcuts for any program in Windows 7. Right-click the program icon and select Properties. Select the Shortcut tab, click in Shortcut key, to set the keyboard shortcut for that program.

8. Open Command Prompt in Any Folder

Like the command prompt? Miss the ‘Open Command Window Here’ Windows XP power toy? Press ‘Shift’ when right-clicking on a folder to get that option in the context menu. This also works on the desktop. No power toy required!

9. View Expanded ‘Send To’ Menu

Press Shift when right-clicking on a folder to get an expanded Send To menu.

10. Adjust Screen Text with Clear Type

Use Clear Type Tuner for the best look on your LCD monitor or laptop screen. Run ‘cttune.exe’ from the Start Menu search box, or go to the Control Panel Display applet, and select Adjust ClearType Text from the left.

11. Get Exact Colors On Your Screen

If you are an artist or you work with colors, use the Calibrate Color option in the Control Panel Display applet or run dccw.exe from the Start Menu search box. You can adjust gamma, brightness, contrast, and color balance, ensuring that colors are displayed correctly on your screen.

12. Customize the Power Button

If you restart your computer more often than you shut it down, change the default Shutdown power button to Restart. Right-click on Start, select Properties, and choose the Power button action that you use the most.

13. Customize Number of Items in Jump Lists & Start Menu

Right-click Start, select Properties, click Customize and choose the number of recent programs to be shown in the Start Menu and the number of items displayed in Jump Lists from the Start Menu Size section below.

14. Search Internet from the Start Menu

Enable Internet search from the Start Menu using your default browser. Run GPEDIT.MSC from the Start Menu search box to start the Group Policy Editor. In the left pane, go to User Configuration->Administrative Templates->Start Menu and Taskbar. In the right pane, right-click to Edit and Enable Add Search Internet link to Start Menu.

15. Add Videos to Start Menu

Windows 7 does not place a link to your videos on the Start Menu by default. To add a link to your videos on the Start Menu, right-click Start, select Properties, click on Customize. In the Videos section at the bottom, choose Display as a link.

Did you like these tips? Tell us or share your tricks with us in the comments! Don’t forget to watch out for Part 2!

Speeding Up Internet Explorer 8

2010-08-25T18:13:00.005+05:30

Several users have reported significantly slower performance under Internet Explorer 8, particularly when the browser is first launched or when navigating to new pages. Delays of up to 30 seconds or more have been reported.

The problem, in most cases, is the presence of IE restricted sites and enhanced security configuration zones, which are generally created automatically by spyware removal software, such as Spybot and IESpyAd. Traditionally, the presence of these entries has been hugely beneficial, offering protection against malicious software. However, Internet Explorer 8 includes new security measures that may obviate the need for these entries, and the browser can suffer a tremendous speed hit in their presence.
The fastest and easiest way to remove these entries and dramatically increase Internet Explorer 8’s speed is to use the DelDomains package. Right click on this link and save the file to your desktop. Next, right-click on the downloaded file (DelDomains.inf) and select “Install.” The package will remove all Internet Explorer restricted sites, enhanced security configuration zones and trusted sites.
Alternatively, or in addition to the above fix, you can try registering actxprxy.dll, a process that has improved Internet Explorer 8’s performance for a handful of users.
Click the Start button then search for “CMD.” Right-click cmd.exe and select “Run as Administrator,” then type regsvr32 actxprxy.dll and press return. Quit then re-launch Internet Explorer 8 and check for improved performance.

Easy Data Recovery Tips

2010-08-25T18:13:00.002+05:30

Accidental loss or deletion of the critical data of your organization can cause big problems for you and for your company. If you are a system administrator or a hardware technician and responsible for your company’s data, it is your duty to equip yourself with the great system restore and data recovery utilities and if you are empty handed and you encounter such problems, there can be big financial loss for your company in case of completely removal of data and wastage of precious time. Following are the few tips for recovering the lost data.

1. Use some good data recovery utilities such as File recovery, Recovery My Files, R-tt and a free utility Handy Recovery.
2. If you are responsible for the data and system administrations, use backup tapes drives and regularly take backups of your server’s data.
3. Use UPS and diesel generators if power failure occurs regularly in your area because sudden shutdown can crash your server and other systems.
4. Make a clean humid and dust free environment for your server room.

Speed Up Windows 7 Shutdown Time

2010-08-25T18:12:00.008+05:30

1. Open the registry editor (enter regedit into search field)
2. Go to “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control”
3. Lower the value (12000 is the default value = 12 seconds) to a value of your choice

Speed Up Windows 7 Shutdown

Speed Up Windows 7 Boot

2010-08-25T18:12:00.005+05:30

1. Click on Start, enter “msconfig” into the search field
2. Open the “boot” tab
3. Click on Advanced

Speed Up Windows 7 Boot

4. Check “Number of proccessors” and select “2″ or “4″ from the dropdown menu. (obviously, you can only select it if you have a dual-core/quad-core).

Computer Troubleshooting Tips

2010-08-25T18:12:00.002+05:30

Computer problems are those users encounter all the time. Although technological innovations have greatly developed and the Internet has become an essential part of living from day to day computer problems seem to computers from all over the world plague. They complain about slow startup and shutdown procedures, a virus in your system file, memory disturbances, and other software issues. The list goes on and on.
Fortunately, you can find several troubleshooting > Tips on how to recognize the problems can attack and destroy your computer. These troubleshooting tips are vital pieces of information that effectively resolve your computer problems.
There are several sites that are tips on how to repair computers. This page is one of those and the tips we have for you are simple, easy to follow, and proven.
Unknown number of computer users, most of the> Computer problems you will encounter are caused by software issues. To avoid the software-related computer problems, it is highly recommended that you upgrade your applications, drivers and operating systems, using their latest versions. Do you have a list of hardware and software you have installed in or on your computer over time and look for updates and new services, patches and bug fixes available on the market. Initial updates will help, too To avoid software conflicts, in which an application only works if another remains unopened.
Checked Check for viruses. This is perhaps the golden rule for maintaining peak performance of your computer, it is the most frequently suggested tip on how to repair computers, and it makes sense. Virus devastating of all system files, and it was not long, your computer for repair of damage. Prevent this by using anti virus software to recognize the difficult task and do Viruses destroy. Also to be considered malware. The best known of this type of computer problem is spyware and adware for spyware and AntiAdware should be used. You can also see into your computer for viruses and malware, and keep updated the virus definitions.
Uninstalling and reinstalling programs or applications not in use for a long time been. Most people have the idea that means cleaning and storage space simply deleting programs Applications and files. It is not so simple. These things are intertwined, and the removal can not be used if the others. If you are not careful, you could be a messy web on your computer. To avoid this, what you can do is track of the programs, applications and files that will not keep you touched for a while. You must uninstall these programs, applications, and create files and then reinstall it. Get the updated version while you're here. If you are highly adept at, such as Computer Repair, you can install new files individually, allowing you to be able to tell, and only the files that install any trouble to your computer is not new.
With these tips for troubleshooting your computer is working fast as new.

Tips to remove new folder exe or regsvr exe or autorun inf

2010-08-25T18:11:00.005+05:30

Manual Process of removal

I prefer manual process simply because it gives me option to learn new things in the process.

So let’s start the process off reclaiming the turf that virus took over from us.

1. Cut The Supply Line

1. Search for autorun.inf file. It is a read only file so you will have to change it to normal by right clicking the file , selecting the properties and un-check the read only option
2. Open the file in notepad and delete everything and save the file.
3. Now change the file status back to read only mode so that the virus could not get access again.
4.
5 Click start->run and type msconfig and click ok
6 Go to startup tab look for regsvr and uncheck the option click OK.
7 Click on Exit without Restart, cause there are still few things we need to do before we can restart the PC.
8 Now go to control panel -> scheduled tasks, and delete the At1 task listed their.

2. Open The Gates Of Castle

1. Click on start -> run and type gpedit.msc and click Ok.
2.
3. If you are Windows XP Home Edition user you might not have gpedit.msc in that case download and install it from Windows XP Home Edition: gpedit.msc and then follow these steps.
4. Go to users configuration->Administrative templates->system
5. Find “prevent access to registry editing tools” and change the option to disable.
6. Opening the gate of castle: Group Edit Policies

7. Once you do this you have registry access back.

3. Launch The Attack At Heart Of Castle

1. Click on start->run and type regedit and click ok
2. Go to edit->find and start the search for regsvr.exe,

3. Launch the attack in the heart of castle: registry search
4. Delete all the occurrence of regsvr.exe; remember to take a backup before deleting. KEEP IN MIND regsvr32.exe is not to be deleted. Delete regsvr.exe occurrences only.
5. At one ore two places you will find it after explorer.exe in theses cases only delete the regsvr.exe part and not the whole part. E.g. Shell = “Explorer.exe regsvr.exe” the just delete the regsvr.exe and leave the explorer.exe

4. Seek And Destroy the enemy soldiers, no one should be left behind

1. Click on start->search->for files and folders.
2. Their click all files and folders
3. Type “*.exe” as filename to search for
4. Click on ‘when was it modified ‘ option and select the specify date option
5. Type from date as 1/31/2008 and also type To date as 1/31/2008

6. Seek and destroy enemy soldiers: the search option
7. Now hit search and wait for all the exe’s to show up.
8. Once search is over select all the exe files and shift+delete the files, caution must be taken so that you don’t delete the legitimate exe file that you have installed on 31st January.
9. Also selecting lot of files together might make your computer unresponsive so delete them in small bunches.
10. Also find and delete regsvr.exe, svchost .exe( notice an extra space between the svchost and .exe)

5. Time For Celebrations

1. Now do a cold reboot (ie press the reboot button instead) and you are done.

UPDATE : Avast Boot Time Scheduling

Avast Boot Time Scan

Check out How to stop regedit, task manager and msconfig from closing automatically if your regedit or msconfig closes automatically.

Tips to buy an used laptops

2010-08-25T18:11:00.002+05:30

In certain situations, buying used equipment may be a better option than buying new. Some possible scenarios: Your requirements aren’t that high–it’s for use by grandma for emailing her grandkids. Or, the computer is expected to be used in not-so-friendly situations–it will be used by your preschool-aged kids for games and practice activities. Or, perhaps you intend it to be just your backup laptop (for some reason that you need one).

You can even go cheaper if you opt for last year’s models or even those older than that. Some laptops are, after all, built tough, and still have decent capabilities a few years down the line. You won’t probably need a Core 2 Duo laptop if all you do is send five emails a day and visit your favorite news sites and blogs a couple of hours coming home after work.

What’s great is that you can usually even purchase old models from the manufacturers or dealers themselves–whether these are refurbished units, unsold stock, or leased units already returned, you can still get good deals. If you do decide to purchase or bid online, be sure to ask for photos and specifications from the seller (or the dealer). Of course, with used units, I would prefer to be able to manually inspect the computer myself.
All right, what do I need to know?

* Chassis - The condition of the chassis–meaning the laptop’s frame and body–would tell you about how well the laptop has aged. There will be indications if the computer has been maintained well, or if it had been misused. If you’re lucky, you’ll even chance upon a laptop that’s rarely been used. The Dude advises to look for irregularities outside of usual wear and tear, such as loose hinges, warping, lid alignment, and even missing parts like screws, port lids (where applicable) and the like.
* Screen - The LCD screen is one of the most expensive parts of the laptop. When buying a used unit, you probably won’t enjoy the warranty that comes with brand new. And if something goes wrong with the LCD, you’ll have to spend quite an amount on a replacement. Make sure the screen is still properly aligned and that the lid sits well on the hinge, opened or closed. Also, it’s best if you can have the laptop turned on to see if the screen has dead or damaged pixels.
* Input devices - These are the most abused parts of any computer, and with laptops, you’ll have to watch out for irregular wear and tear on the keyboard and touchpad (or trackpoint). It’s not as easy to replace them as on a desktop computer, after all. Again, it would be best if you can turn the computer on to test, so you can see if all the keys are working and if the pointing device is functioning smoothly.

These are mostly things to look for at first-glance. Usually, when checking out used machines, the first thing I look for is wear and tear. If a computer seems older than it’s supposed to be, then that means the original user might have not taken care of it properly. Or, it could mean that that particular model (or even brand) was poorly built by the manufacturer, and should be avoided.
What’s next?

Let me add to The Dude’s suggestions in determining whether a laptop still has a few years of serviceability life. After inspecting the build quality and physical characteristics, do look under the hood. Here are things I would look for.

* Processor - While old computers still do work, I won’t go with any technology older than five years. For this reason, I would probably not go below anything lower than a Pentium III or the more modern PowerPC G3s. These can still run today’s modern OSes (such as Windows XP service pack 2, Mac OS X Tiger, or your choice of Linux flavor) pretty well. Do consider what you plan to do with the laptop. A P-III should be able to handle wireless Internet and the usual Web surfing, email, IM and VoIP pretty well. Movie playing and MP3s are also handled decently. Don’t plan on playing around with multimedia manipulation, though. You’ll need raw processing power for that.

Also, I would personally advise against buying a Pentium-4 based laptop, as the P-4 chip (even the mobile version) isn’t designed to be truly portable. These often get really hot and tend to come in bulky packages. P-4 machines are good for gaming, though, since they offer sheer processing power and usually come with large screens.
* Memory - RAM is usually cheap these days. Whether it’s SDRAM or DDR SDRAM, you’re sure to find laptop memory selling for cheap. Do check how much RAM the laptop already has, and whether it can upgraded easily. Most laptops have slots at the bottom or underneath the keyboard that are easily accessible and user-upgradeable. Some laptops, however, have only one slot for RAM, while most have two. I would suggest putting in at least 512 megabytes of RAM, regardless of your OS. Having more RAM would speed up operations, regardless of your processor’s speed.
* Storage - New laptops come with at least 40 GB of hard disc space, and this is the barest minimum today. The standard is in the 60 to 80 GB range. Older laptops, though, might come with 20, 10, or even 6 GB drives. These are easily upgradeable, but you might have to spend about $100 for a decent 80 to 100 GB drive for storing all your MP3s, photos and videos. Regardless of capacity, though, do check the drive for strange sounds like clicking or abnormal screeching sounds. These are signs that the drive is bound to fail soon. Also, try to check the hard disc’s model (usually under the OS’s device manager) for the speed. Standard is 5200 RPM. You can usually enhance performance by going for drives with higher speeds rather than the lower ones (like the 4200 RPM drives that come with low-end laptops today). This is especially so for OSes that are fond of swapping to virtual memory constantly, such as OS X and Windows XP.
* Battery - Used laptops almost always come with dead or weak batteries. This is because Li-Ion cells have a life of about three years, whether it’s on the shelf or in constant use. Thus, you should consider whether you’ll be needing a good battery for your used equipment or not. A new battery will cost you–OEM batteries can cost up to 1/3 the price of a new laptop. Aftermarket solutions would cost about $100 to $150, depending on the model. You can also have your battery set repacked for a fraction of the cost of buying a new one (you can even have higher-capacity cells installed for longer operating life). Just make sure you buy or get services from reputable dealers or service centers. After all, batteries do burn and can cause explosions if improperly used or installed. If the used laptop will mostly spend its life on a desk at granny’s home as a desktop replacement, then you probably won’t be needing a good battery.
* Feel - Lastly, ask yourself how you feel about the laptop. Is it the right choice? Should you buy a new, more expensive, unit? Does it look like it will still last a couple of years? A while back, I wrote about things to consider when buying a new laptop. These are still very much applicable when buying a used unit. Again, a laptop is as personal as a computer can get, and even with used devices, I think you should have the power to choose what fits you well.

How to Speed up the Computer

2010-08-25T18:10:00.000+05:30

1. Windows Defragmenter utility: You can use this utility by using this path Start > Programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk defragmenter. This is built-in utility in Windows operating systems and this will automatically analyze the empty disk space on the hard disk and defragment and all scattered files.
2. Shutdown Unnecessary programs: By using this path Start > Run > Msconfig > Startup, you can close all unwanted programs at the Windows startup and this will automatically increase the windows loading time and speed of the computer will also be increased.
3. Increase RAM: By increasing the RAM in your system you can get exceptional fast speed of your computer.
4. Disk Cleanup: By using the disk clean up utility Start > Programs > Accessories > System tools > Disk clean up utility, you can delete unwanted programs and files from your computer and this will be helpful in increasing the speed.
5. Empty Recycle Bin: When you delete a file or a folder form your computer it first goes to the recycle bin and it covers the disk area of your C drive. It is imperative, to delete all the files and folders from the recycle bin and you will get the space of C drive for reusability.
6. Delete Temporary Files: Delete the temporary files and cookies from your computer to get the better speed. You can do this like Internet explorer > Tools > Internet options > Generals > Settings > View files > here you can delete all the temporary internet files.

Steps to Scan and Remove Malicious Viruses

2010-08-25T18:09:00.000+05:30

henever an outbreak happens, you should take the following steps:

1. Run the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool.
2. Run the McAfee Stinger Tool (optional)
3. Make sure you are using Updated Anti-Virus Software.
4. Make sure Windows Updates are turned on.
5. Get Notified for Microsoft Security Alerts.

We aren’t talking about regular viruses… your anti-virus software can handle those. We’re talking about the terrible viruses that will crash your computer, steal your information, delete the pictures of your kids – and cause your computer to be remotely controlled by a spammer. Bad stuff, but they can usually be prevented.

Run the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

The first step in detecting and removing horrible viruses and worms from your computer is to run Microsoft’s own Malicious Software Removal Tool – it’s not a replacement for anti-virus, but it’s the best way to get rid of some of the worst offenders, like the current Conficker worm.

To run the tool, you simply need to download the file from Microsoft and run it. There’s no installer required.

Malicious Software Removal

If you were affected, the tool would remove the virus and alert you. Since we’re thankfully safe, we got the friendly message that no malicious software was detected. You can click the “View detailed results of the scan” to see more information.

No malicious software detected

By scrolling down in the list, you can find the current threat and make sure that you are not infected.

Scan results

The tool should be updated automatically through Windows Update, but you can always just download it directly as well. This is an important tool to keep around.

Download the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool from microsoft.com
Run the McAfee Stinger Tool (optional)

An alternative tool is the McAfee Stinger tool, which is a freeware tool that removes only the worst viruses from your computer. You can check to make sure that Stinger can remove the current virus problem by checking the List Viruses dialog… make sure you have the latest version of Stinger before you use it.

List of viruses Stinger can detect

Simply hit the Scan Now button to do a full scan of your computer, but be warned that this will take a long while.

McAfee Stinger

Once it’s done, you should get a report with the number of clean files.

Stinger Results

It’s a simple and rather ugly tool, but it does the job. It’s still not a replacement for real anti-virus though.

Download McAfee Avert Stinger from vil.nai.com
Make sure you are using Updated Anti-Virus Software

This is one of the most important steps in keeping yourself safe. You need to make sure that your anti-virus software is enabled and properly working! Here’s a quick list of what you should do:

1. Make sure your virus definition updates are automatically updated.
2. Make sure that real-time scanning is enabled.
3. Run a full scan (optional but useful)

ClamWin Update

If you aren’t sure what anti-virus software to use and don’t have money to spend, you can try out AVG Free edition, or you can take a look at the big list of anti-virus software we tested with Windows 7.

Note: We don’t necessarily recommend ClamWin for regular users, because it has no real-time protection. It’s just what I have installed on this computer and I needed a screenshot.
Make sure Windows Updates are turned on

Now we arrive at the most important step: making sure that Windows is fully patched and Windows Updates is enabled. You can’t protect yourself against worms and hackers if you are running a woefully out-of-date version of Windows that isn’t patched. It just won’t work.

Open up Windows Updates, make sure to click “Check for updates” and install every security patch they recommend. Then click the Change settings link…

And make sure you have it set to check for updates automatically, and installing updates automatically isn’t a bad option. Just remember, if you are running an un-patched system, you are leaving yourself open for all sorts of bad things.

Note: Please pardon the alarmist nature of this point, but patching is the #1 key to keeping safe against internet worms.
Get Notified for Microsoft Security Alerts

If you really want to make sure you are secure, you can sign up for alerts from Microsoft whenever there is an important patch that needs to be installed. You can also check the current security bulletins at any time by visiting their security bulletin home page.

Subscribe to Microsoft Security Alerts by Email or RSS

Latest Microsoft Security Bulletin Home Page

How Do I Make Sure the Patch is Installed?

So now we get right down to it… how do you know if you are vulnerable to one of the security holes? As an example, we’ll look at the security hole that leaves you vulnerable to the Conficker worm: Vulnerability in Server Service Could Allow Remote Code Execution. If you look through the list of downloads, you’ll see the particular patch for your system.

If Windows update says that you are up to date, you can check for a particular patch by clicking on “View update history” on the left-hand side.

Windows Update

This will take you to a long list of every update that has been installed. Look through the list, and you should see the update mentioned in the security bulletin… for me, it was KB958644 for x64-based systems, since I’m running 64-bit Vista.

View Update History

At the very least it’s a relief to know that you aren’t vulnerable… to the current worm, at least.
Conclusion

These steps are essential in protecting your computer from hackers, worms, and viruses, but they aren’t the only important keys to safety. You should still remain vigilant and use common sense: don’t download files from untrusted sources, use a firewall, and make sure your email provider scans for viruses before you open attachments.

Office 2007 Installation Fails: Fixes

2010-08-25T18:08:00.005+05:30

Several users are experiencing problems installing the new Office 2007 Service Pack 2 (SP2) update, which was released earlier this week. Users are sometimes presented simply with the message “updates failed” or “The installation of this package has failed.”
Fixes

Install the Microsoft Office System Update Download and install this file from Microsoft. It contains fixes for issues that can prevent the installation of Office 2007 updates. Next, re-attempt installation or move on the the following fixes.
Try Windows Update If you manually downloaded the Office 2007 SP2 installation package initially, try downloading and installing the update through Windows Update instead.
Re-download the installation file Microsoft’s servers have had issues delivering the Office 2007 SP2 installation package. When downloading Office 2007 SP2, ensure that the file size is 290MB. If it is smaller, you may have a corrupt, unusable file. Try re-downloading the file.
Use the Windows XP or 2003 hotfix If you are running Windows XP or 2003, try using this hotfix from Microsoft that solves an issue with large installation files

Speed Up or Disable Windows Search Indexing in Vista

2010-08-25T18:08:00.002+05:30

The new indexing service built into Windows Vista has been the subject of a lot of complaints, since it seems to kick in at strange times and thrash your hard drive. So what can we do to speed this up?
There’s two options: You can either trim down the amount of files that Windows Search is indexing, or you can disable it entirely if you never use the search.
Trim Down Indexing Locations
The best way to trim down the amount of processor time the indexing service uses is by trimming down the amount of files being indexed. For instance, if you don’t regularly search through your C: drive, there’s really no need to be indexing it.
Personally, I love the search function for Outlook and the Start Menu, but that’s the only places I care about indexing.
Type Indexing into the control panel search or the start menu search box, and you should see an item called Indexing Options.
All you have to do to remove a location from being indexed is uncheck the box. You might have to click the Show All Locations button to see some of the default locations.
If you wanted to remove the start menu indexing, you’ll need to click on Start Menu in the summary list at the bottom, and it’ll automatically navigate to the item in the tree.
The start menu indexing really doesn’t take much processing time though, so I wouldn’t bother removing that.
Completely Disable Indexing
If you’d prefer to completely disable the indexing service, you can disable it entirely by turning off the service.
Open up Services through control panel, or by typing services.msc into the start menu search box. Find “Windows Search” in the list of services and double-click on it to open it.
Change the Startup type of the service to Disabled, and then click the Stop button to stop the service.
At this point the Windows Search service is completely disabled.

Windows 7 Antivirus Compatible Software

2010-08-25T18:07:00.002+05:30

Microsoft Windows 7 compatible antivirus software. Some people claim they are having problems with Kaspersky 8 , Trend Micro Internet Security 2009 according to a forum that relates to Windows 7 operating system. Below is a list of antivirus programs that work or are compatible with the new OS as of this writing:

Avast! (Most users have no problem)
Avira Antivir Personal Edition (No issues so far)
Eset Smart Security 3 and 4 (Working flawlessly with Windows 7)
Comodo
Eset Nod32 4 (some users reported having some issues)
Kaspersky 2009
Norton Internet Security 2009
Norton 360 version 2.0
Sophos v7.6
Bitdefender 2009

Windows7 Versions

2010-08-25T18:06:00.003+05:30

Windows 7 Version	Starter	Home Basic	Home Premium	Professional	Enterprise	Ultimate
Sales Channels	OEM (Global)	Developing Countries Only	Retail and OEM (Global)		Volume License	Retail/OEM (Limited)
64-Bit Support	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Concurrent Applications	3	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited	Unlimited
Mobility Center	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Aero Features	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Home Groups	Join Only	Join Only	Create/Join	Create/Join	Create/Join	Create/Join
Premium Games	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windows Media Center	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Windows Touch	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Advanced Network Backup	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Domain Joining	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Encrypting File System	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Group Policy	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Location Aware Printing	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Offline Folders	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Presentation Mode	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
Remote Desktop Host	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes
AppLocker	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
BitLocker	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Branch Cache	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Direct Access	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Enterprise Search	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
MUI Language Packs	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Virtual Desktop Interface	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Virtual Hard Disk Booting	No	No	No	No	Yes	Yes
Unspecified Features	No	No	No	No	No	Yes

Thinking About Upgrading To Windows 7?

2010-08-25T18:06:00.000+05:30

With Windows 7’s release date just little more than three weeks away, you may be thinking more seriously about whether you’re going to upgrade to the new system when it arrives on store shelves. Microsoft’s track record with OS upgrades has been tarnished lately, and the company is determined not to repeat the same mistakes. One area in which the company took a lot of flack was the unavailability of device drivers for Windows Vista. Microsoft has that in the bag this time, or so they say. Upgrades should expect to find a plethora of drivers available on release day, which should make the process of upgrading smoother.

Upgrading From Windows Vista

If you’re upgrading your system from Windows Vista, you should have a smooth ride. There’s one caveat: if you’re running Windows Vista Home Basic, there’s no upgrade path for you. You’ll need to install the full Windows 7 product. If you’re upgrading from Windows Vista Home Premium, the upgrade to Windows Vista should be relatively easy. Your computer is already very likely to be capable of running Windows 7, and unless you have some very old or very dodgy devices, you should be in luck when it comes to drivers.
If you’re upgrading to Windows 7 from an older version of Windows (like XP), there’s good news and bad news. The good news is that Windows 7 contains a virtual environment in which you can run Windows XP. This will work for you if you have an older, irreplaceable piece of hardware or software that must run on XP. When you need to operate it, simply fire up XP virtually and run like the wind. Your XP drivers will work from the XP virtual environment. That won’t be the case if you attempt to run devices using XP drivers from the Windows 7 environment, though.
You’ll also need to verify that your older hardware is in good enough shape to run Windows 7. Microsoft offers a compatibility checking tool that will give your hardware setup the once-over to see if you need to make any hardware modifications before installing Windows 7. Older devices, smaller hard disks and minimum memory requirements are most likely to trip up old hardware.
If your hardware is seriously old… as in Jurassic or Pre-Colombian… you might want to consider just purchasing a low-cost desktop system that comes with Windows 7 already installed. Really old hardware is unlikely to meet the requirements of Windows 7. Even if you can get it to load and run, it’s performance will suffer tremendously and you’re not likely to reap the benefits of upgrading your system.

Troubleshooting Windows Driver Problems

2010-08-25T18:05:00.000+05:30

Troubleshooting Windows Driver Problems

Windows Driver Problems can be frustrating because they’re often difficult to identify. I always recommend using a product like Driver Detective to manage your Windows drivers. Driver Detective will locate, download and install drivers your system needs, update drivers that are already installed and remove drivers your system no longer needs. Even with the expert management services of Driver Detective, you can still run into driver issues. Most users don’t understand (and don’t want to understand) exactly how their computer systems work. Driver problems can arise seemingly out of thin air, or they can arise immediately after a new piece of hardware has been installed in the computer. They can also show up after the OS or another hardware driver has been updated, installed or even removed.
One good tool for determining the overall performance of your system is called the DPC Latency Checker. This is a free utility that can provide immediate information on the performance of your computer. It can help you diagnose driver problems, though it doesn’t get specific about which driver(s) may be having difficulty. In other words, this tool will point you in the right direction when trying to troubleshoot system problems.
The DPC Latency Checker with a tutorial that will help you figure out how to use the program. DPC Latency checker is a small program, and there’s no installing to do, simply download it and run it.
DPC Latency Checker measures how quickly your system responds to your commands. As you open and close applications, DPC Latency Checker will graphically display your system’s response capabilities. Using this tool while you perform certain problematic tasks can help you determine what the system is doing. You may need to disable devices and then re-add them one at a time to determine which devices may be causing difficulty.
Once you’ve located the problem, you can disable the misbehaving device as a temporary measure. If you don’t have Driver Detective loaded, you might try locating the following to resolve the issue:
Apply all OS updates and security patches.
Uninstall the driver for the misbehaving device.
Apply all driver updates and patches for the misbehaving device. Check with the device manufacturer for the most up-to-date driver, and be sure to pay attention to the specific OS requirements of each driver. If the most current driver won’t work with your OS, locate the last good driver for your version of the OS and install that one.
Try the suspect device once a fresh copy of the driver is installed to see if your problem has been resolved.

Speed up Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail Preview

2010-08-25T18:04:00.002+05:30

1. Click on Start, enter “regedit” into the search field.
2. Goto: HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Mouse

Speed Up Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnail Preview

3. Double-click on “MouseHoverTime” and change the value to 100 or lower:

Change the mouse hover time to 100 or lower

4. Voilà, your thumbnail previews should appear a lot faster now.

Disable Search indexing for better performance in Windows 7

2010-08-25T18:03:00.005+05:30

If you know where your files are stored and never really use the search function, stop this service and you will gain a significant performance boost in Windows 7.

Click on the Start button and type in “services.msc”
Find and right click the “Windows Search” and click properties
In the startup type field choose “Disabled”
Reboot your computer and you are done.

Black screen after Windows 7 Install

2010-08-25T18:03:00.002+05:30

Some users especially Asus have had troubles installing Windows 7,as there seems to be a bug when using 2 monitors.So if you experience this unplug one of them,and then install Windows 7 again..

If you already have the bug try pushing Ctrl+Alt+Delete and see if it removes the black screen.If not you can try starting in safe mode by hitting F8 just before Windows 7 loads..

Once you get to the desktop open notepad and copy the following in.

displayswitch /extend
displayswitch /internal

Now save the file as a .bat file..You could call is display.bat

Put the file in the windows startup folder..
C:/ProgramData/Microsoft/Windows/Start Menu/Programs/Startup, where C is the letter of the drive Windows 7 is installed on..

Reboot and Windows 7 should load correctly now

Another tip is to remove all USB units except Mouse/keyboard and reboot.

'Open with notepad' as menu item

2010-08-24T13:39:00.001+05:30

Always use notepad, or some other tool all the time, and just want a default 'open with' function? Easy.

* open the registry edit (start, run, regedit)
* navigate to [hkey_classes_root\*\shell\
* create a folder called 'open with XXXXX'
* create a folder called 'command'
* click on defalt
* add command, for example 'notepad.exe %1'

Change Backup Size

2010-08-24T13:37:00.003+05:30

I believe Vista allocates 300mb for backups. Want to change that setting for whatever reason? Here we go

* Open an Admin Command Prompt (right click on cmd, and select run as Administrator)
* type 'vssadmin Resize ShadowStorage /For=[DRIVE]: /On=[DEST]: /MaxSize=[SIZE]MB'
* where [DRIVE] is your main drive
* where [DEST] is destination drive
* where [SIZE] is the size to change it to.

Turn off Automatic backups

2010-08-24T13:37:00.001+05:30

Don't want automatic backups running constantly to annoy you and make installing drivers take longer than it should? Or, just never really see yourself using it? It doesn't back up your personal files, only system files.

* Start
* Backup and Restore Center
* Create a restore point or change settings
* Uncheck next to your disk under 'Available Disk