Showing posts with label Windows Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Windows Tips. Show all posts

5 Steps To Keep Your PC Safe Online

There are some simple steps you can take to ensure your PC remains protected while you surf the Web. Following these tips can help protect your PC from virus, spyware and other online threats.

1. Update Windows
Microsoft regularly releases free downloads to fix security problems with Windows, Internet Explorer and other Microsoft software such as Office. Read Update Windows to find out how you can get these important updates.

2. Install A Firewall
A good firewall such as ZoneAlarm will prevent programs from accessing the Internet without your permission, and block access to your PC from intruders.

3. Check For Viruses
Malicious virus code can infect your PC’s system files and damage your important data. Read Check For Viruses which explains how to use an anti-virus program to find and remove malicious programs.

4. Remove Spyware
Spyware is malicious code that tracks your movements on the Internet and can even affect your PC's performance. Read Remove Spyware which explains how to get rid of malicious spyware and adware.

5. Browse More Safely
The latest web browsers such as Internet Explorer 7 and Firefox 2 offer security features like pop-up blockers and phishing filters to keep you safe when visiting web sites.

Technorati tag :
Labels: , ,

Remove Spyware

Spyware tracks your movements on the Web and can affect your PC's performance. This guide explains how to protect your PC and remove spyware.

What Is Spyware?
Spyware is malicious code that infects your PC and can manifest itself as things such as unwanted browser toolbars and pop-ups, or if your browser homepage suddenly changes without your knowledge. Spyware also takes the form of tracking files that watch where you go on the web in order to create a marketing profile of you that will be sold to advertisement companies. Not only is it a source of irritation but it also infringes on your privacy too.

Removing spyware is an important step in the process of cleaning unwanted files and programs from your PC, keeping it secure and fixing problems. Fortunately there are programs available to help you track down and remove these unwanted files. There are several commercial security packages that offer antispyware tools as well as other features.

Ad-Aware and Spybot are two free programs you can use to fight spyware.

Download Ad-Aware SE Personal from the Lavasoft web site.

Technorati tag :
Labels: , ,

Restore A Deleted File

If you've deleted something that you wish you hadn't, it may not be too late to get it back. As long as you haven't emptied your Recycle Bin you can restore it to where it once was.

On your desktop, double click on your Recycle Bin icon. Find the file you want and click on it once to highlight it. Then, at the top of the screen, click FILE | RESTORE. The file will disappear right before your eyes.

However, if you go back to where you deleted it from, you'll find it, safe and sound.

Technorati tag :
Labels:

Add A Program To Your Desktop

Sometimes going through that START menu can be a chore. It can be easier to add a shortcut to a frequently used program to your Desktop. To accomplish this, navigate to the desired program by clicking on START | PROGRAMS | DESIRED PROGRAM.

Once there, right click on the name of the program. Choose SEND TO | DESKTOP (Create
Shortcut). An icon will be added to your desktop.

By the way, this technique will also work with other things as well. Documents or Favorites, for instance. Don't be afraid to experiment.

Technorati tag :
Labels:

Expand Your Taskbar

If you have too many programs open, your Taskbar can get pretty crowded. If you need more room, carefully hold your mouse over the top of the Taskbar until the cursor changes shapes. It will become a line with an arrow at both ends. Once you've got the arrows, drag your Taskbar up as far as you need to.

Move Your Taskbar
Your Taskbar does not have to be at the bottom of your screen. You can move it anywhere you like. Hold your mouse over the Taskbar. While holding the left button down, drag it to the top or the left or right.

Using FIND
Ever forget where you placed a file? Use your FIND utility. Click on START | FIND | FILES OR FOLDERS. Type in the name of your file and search.

View All Open Programs At Once
If you'd like to view each and every open program at the same time, you can. Find an empty space on your Taskbar and right click. Choose either "Tile Windows Vertically" or "Tile Windows Horizontally."

Add A Program To Your START Menu
If you want to add a program that is on your desktop to your START menu, just drag and drop. Hold your mouse over the program icon, left click. While holding the mouse button down, drag it and drop it onto your START button.


Technorati tag :
Labels:

Automate Your Updates of Windows Drivers

Windows device drivers often cause problems. You need to install a large number of drivers and also keep on upgrading them once new versions are released. Just getting audio to work with all applications can sometimes take very long time to sort out. Often this is due to problems with the audio drivers. A lot of applications will install their own drivers and configure your audio devices. Sometimes this stuffs up the audio for your existing applications. In worst case, driver problems can cause Windows to hang or to reboot.

This is not just a problem with audio drivers. Windows needs the right driver for every hardware device you are using. This includes basic devices, such as keyboard, mouse and screen, as well as every other device used by Windows, for example network interfaces, printers and faxes. Windows also uses device drivers for a number of software features. All in all, your PC has a huge number of different drivers installed.

Trying to solve Windows driver issues can easily take hours, without any progress being made. Generally, you need to disconnect hardware, reboot your PC numerous times and install or un-install drivers. This trial-and-error takes very long time, and you still may not find the right combination of drivers and versions that works with your PC devices.

Fortunately, most of the problems with Windows drivers can be eliminated by letting a software utility manage your drivers. The software scans your devices and then connects to a central database on the Internet which contains the latest versions of device drivers for Windows. The new drivers are automatically downloaded and installed by the software utility.

Technorati tag : Kenali dan Kunjungi Objek Wisata di Pandeglang
Labels: , ,

Update Windows

Microsoft regularly releases free downloads that help fix security problems with Windows, Internet Explorer and other software including Office. This guide explains how you can get these important updates.

What is Windows Update?
The Windows Update service provides a way of checking whether your Windows operating system needs any updates.


This can include security fixes, and software and hardware updates. It is essential Windows is kept up-to-date to prevent malicious programs taking advantage of security flaws to harm your PC.

You can download and install updates by visiting the Microsoft web site, or set your PC to automatically download the files in the background while you work. Note that ‘updating’ is not the same as ‘upgrading’. To upgrade your version of Windows from an older version to XP you would need to buy a Windows XP Home Edition Upgrade package. Updating Windows only ensures that you have the latest files for your particular Windows version such as XP.

Technorati tag :
Labels: ,

Bypass Your Recycle Bin

Most of us know that when we delete a file, we're not really deleting it, but sending it to our Recycle Bin. There, the file will sit until we empty the Recycle Bin, or restore the file to it's original location.

If you are sure that you want this file gone, and don't want it hanging around your Recycle Bin, hold down the SHIFT button on your keyboard while deleting it.

Technorati tag :
Labels:

Hide Your Taskbar

Your "Taskbar" is the tool bar at the very bottom of your screen. It's where all of your open programs and applications reside.

To hide it, find an empty space on the Taskbar and right click your mouse. Select PROPERTIES. Under the "Taskbar Options" tab, check the box next to "Auto Hide." Click OK.

Now, to view your Taskbar, move your mouse down to the bottom of your screen. Your Taskbar will appear.

Technorati tag :
Labels:

Windows Clipboard

This should really be under the heading of "Copy And Paste." Copying and pasting is merely a way of moving something from one place to another. The most common thing moved around with this technique is text. You have a program on your computer that you can't see. It's called a "Clipboard." It is there for one purpose only; to hold the text (or graphic, or whatever else you're moving) as long as you need.

The catch is, the clipboard will only hold that text until another block of text is placed on it. It only holds one clipping at a time. Let's say you've typed out a letter to your mother in your Windows Notepad. Now, you're ready to move it to your e-mail program to send it. To do this, you need to first "Copy" it to your clipboard. To copy the text, place your mouse at the beginning of the text you want to copy. Hold down your left mouse button and drag the cursor to the end of the text. Lift up your finger. The entire text will be highlighted.

To save it to your clipboard, or "Copy" it, you can do one of two things. You can go to the top of your screen and click EDIT | COPY. Or you can hold down CTRL + C on your keyboard. Now, although it seems like nothing happened, it did. The highlighted text has been placed on your Windows Clipboard. Don't believe me? You can view it. Click on START | PROGRAMS | ACCESSORIES | SYSTEM TOOLS | CLIPBOARD VIEWER. See?

Now, to put the text into your e-mail program, or wherever else you want to move it to, you need to "Paste" it. Go to wherever you want to paste the text in. Click your mouse where you want the text to start. To paste the text, you can do one of two things. You can click on EDIT | PASTE or you can hit CTRL + V on your keyboard. While this sounds very confusing, it's really not. Once you've done it once or twice, you'll be a pro.

Technorati tag :
Labels:

Add Frequently Used Programs To Your QuickLaunch Bar

In Windows 98, you have a handy tool bar called the "QuickLaunch Bar." It allows you to start up a program with just one click without having to go to your desktop or using your START button. The QuickLaunch Bar is located directly to the right of your START button. If you've never customized it, you probably have icons for Microsoft Internet Explorer, and Outlook Express, and a button that takes you directly to your desktop, among others.

It's easy to customize your QuickLaunch Bar. To remove an icon, simply right click on it and choose DELETE. Don't worry, you're not removing the program from your computer. Just from your QuickLaunch Bar.

To add an icon, simply left click on the icon on your desktop (If the program you want isn't on your desktop). Without lifting your mouse finger, drag it to your QuickLaunch Bar. Once there, lift your mouse finger and the icon will appear. (This technique is called "Drag and Drop" and is outlined)

Technorati tag :
Labels:

Changing Your Desktop Icons

If you ever get bored with the same old icons sitting on your desktop, there is a solution. Many of the programs on your desktop offer lots of different icons.

First, right click on the icon you'd like to change. Select PROPERTIES. Then, click on the "Change Icon" button under the "Shortcut" tab. Select the icon you prefer and click OK.


Technorati tag :
Labels:

Turn off keyboard repeat trick

We enabled a keyDown and keyUp listener but we wanted to have a key stay pressed and navigated through the menu and then when the keyUp is triggered to close the device connection. But we ran into an issue with the key repeat trigging the keyDown event. So after some looking we found out that you can turn off keyboard repeat.

Here is how in Win XP:
1. Setting -> Control Panel -> Accessibility Options
2. Filter Keys check the 'Use FilterKeys'
3. Click Settings button
4. Filter options select 'Ignore quick keystrokes and slow down repeat rate'
5. Click settings
6. Select 'No keyboard repeat'
7. Click 'OK'
8. Notification Uncheck 'Beep when keys pressed or accepted'
9. Click 'OK'
10. Click 'Apply'
11. Click 'OK'

Now you can hold a key down and have the keyDown event trigger and navigate while holding it down and then the keyUp event will trigger when you let go of the key.


Technorati tag :
Labels: ,

Selecting Items by Access Key or by Name

Most dialog box controls, menu titles, and menu items have underlined access keys. You can press ALT along with the access key to activate the control or menu anywhere within the active window. If an item doesn't have an underlined character, its access key is the first character in its name.

Access keys can sometimes be used without the ALT key for choosing controls or menu items. Use access keys without ALT to select items from an open menu. You can choose a dialog box control by typing its access key alone, except when the focus is on an edit box, a list box, or another control that expects typed characters. Therefore, using the ALT is a more reliable method.

Choosing controls in this way normally activates them, except when more than one item has the same access key. In that case, it will navigate to the next item assigned that key, but will not activate it. You must then press ENTER to activate it.

Within a list box, list view, tree view, or on the desktop, you can select an item by typing the first one or more characters in its name. You can begin typing a new name by pausing, and in some cases by pressing BACKSPACE. Pressing the same character more than once at the beginning of a name will select the next item beginning with that character.

Technorati tag :
Labels: ,

Windows Explorer keys

The Windows Explorer displays the contents of a computer, drive or directory. The Windows logo key+E opens the Windows Explorer at any time, and it can also be started from Programs on the Start menu. It normally has two panes, the left pane showing a tree view of your folders, and the right pane showing the contents of one folder.

Windows Explorer can also show a single-pane, without the tree view. In this case it normally hides the toolbar unless you explicitly turn it on using the View menu. The same information is can be accessed using the My Computer icon from the desktop, and in the standard Open and Save As dialog boxes.

In the View menu offers a choice of icon displays. The Large Icons view displays the contents of a drive or directory as large icons in horizontal rows. The Small Icons view displays the same information in small icons in horizontal rows. The List menu item displays directories and files as small icons in vertical columns. The Details view displays files as a single column of icons with multiple columns of information about each file.

Files and folders can be moved or copied by using the Cut, Copy, and Paste commands from the Edit menu or by shortcut keys. Moving a program icon does not change the performance of the program. Deleting a program icon does not delete all the files associated with the program, so install or delete programs using the Add/Remove Programs option in Control Panel.


Technorati tag :
Labels: ,

Speed Up My Computer Without Upgrading

The resource boosts of an archive of computer tips such as 10 easy steps to speed up your computer- without upgrading, 3 summer computer tips and many more.

A Goldmine for those who love computer tips. It is the collection of computer tips including more than fifty tips about computer how to empty the temp directory regularly, empty temporary internet files regularly, checking your hard disk for problems, Or, you can do a few of the performance tweaks yourself, turning off Active Desktop, How to Install and run a good AntiVirus program to keep out viruses, A lot of computer users have Spyware and don't even know they have it, much less how to get rid of it. If your computer has been taking you to websites that you don't want to go to, or if you get pop-ups when you aren't even on the Internet, or if your computer has been running extremely slowly lately, for no reason, you probably have Spyware.

To defragment your hard drives (in any Windows operating system), double-click on My Computer. Right-click on the c-drive and click on Properties. Click on the Tools tab and choose the bottom button, to Defragment Now and many more tips.

Thinking about getting a new computer, but with all the choices out there are you getting a little overwhelmed? Well why not look into building your own computer? By building your own computer you can get all the options you really want, whether you need a graphics design machine, game machine or just a simple word processor. You can tailor the computer to your specific needs. Now I know what you are thinking, "Isn't building a computer difficult? I don't want to screw anything up." Well with a little reading, assembling your computer will be cake.


Supported: avtorentacars

Technorati tag :
Labels: , ,

Basic Computer Troubleshooting Tips

1. Check all connections

  • Are the power cords plugged in? If using a power cord, does it work with other electrical items?
  • Is the monitor cord to the PC connected?
  • Are keyboard and mouse cables fastened securely?
  • Is the network cable connected to computer and hub or wall connection? Is there a green link light on?

2. Turn computer off, wait 30 seconds and turn on again.

3. Narrow down problem

  • Have you added new software recently? Could impact other functions.
  • Is it a hardware problem? (monitor, keyboard, mouse, printer); try each component with another computer to see, if they work.
  • A keyboard error could be a loose connection or a stuck key. Check cable connections and run hand over the entire keyboard. Reboot computer. PC's have batteries that have a life, of about 3 years. If computer keeps asking what time it is, you need to replace battery. Can be found on the motherboard. Cost about $10 at Radio Shack, etc.

4. Have, you deleted, moved, or renamed files recently?

5. Has computer been moved (even a few inches)? - Check connections.

6. When you turn on computer, listen for beeps - one is very good, two to four beeps is usually a memory problem. More than four beeps can be a motherboard problem. (# of beeps also depends on which BIOS system is used).

7. Is the ‘num lock key’ on for using number keys at right of keyboard?

8. If your computer continually beeps .at you it could be, frozen and must be rebooted or shutdown. Try Ctrl, Alt, Delete at the same time. As a last resort, turn off power and wait 30 seconds to turn on. Win95 systems will prompt you to do a scandisk check - go ahead with this.

9. Mouse isn't working - try cleaning the ball. Sometimes the driver for the mouse will be missing. Copy mouse files from another computer and copy to problem machine. Most of the time there is no software to load for the mouse – just plug in and use. Mice do wear out, so check with other machines.

10. Monitor problems --- screen arrangement looks weird? - There are adjustments for vertical, horizontal, etc., on most monitors.

11. Printers used with Win95 systems have a troubleshooting guide built in by double clicking on My Computer and opening Printers. Choose the printer and use the Help files. Is the printer clean? Does it need a new cartridge? Try turning off and on again. Make sure you are choosing the correct printer in Print Setup. Are connections secured? 12. If you get a memory error, you either need to delete unused files and programs or buy more memory.

13. How much memory do I have? Type in mem at the DOS Prompt (C:/) on 3.1 systems. In Win95, open My Computer, right click on C: and choose properties. On both systems watch the scrolling numbers in the upper left corner when you turn on the computer.

14. Need a formatted disk to save on? With 3.1 system - at C:\ type, a:format or use, the, Main Menu, File, Manager, Diskettes. In Win95, use My Computer and right click on A: drive and choose Format. There are two capacities to choose from - 720 and 1.44. Use 1.44 for HD (High Density) and 720 for DD (Double Density). Disks must be formatted to save files. Transfer files after a year of heavy use to another diskette. Floppy disks do wear out and you can lose all your files.

15. You may want to make a copy of a diskette (for example – Integrade before you turn it in to the SIMS operator). In Win95, open up My Computer, put original floppy in the disk drive and click once to highlight. Choose the File Menu and select Copy Disk. Follow onscreen instructions. To use DOS to make a copy of a floppy disk, click Start, Run and type in: DISKCOPY A: A: and follow the instructions on the screen.

16. Computer will not boot or reboot with a diskette in A: drive unless it is a system disk. System disk can be used to boot a system that cannot boot on its own. Should keep a system disk for each system in use.

17. On Win95 systems, if a blue screen with writing appears, choose Exit without Saving. The computer should continue on to the desktop. 18. Is my hard drive full? Open My Computer, and choose File Menu, Properties. Sometimes, you will have two hard drives. Is one full and the other almost empty? May need to move files to the other hard drive. Contact your school technology trainer for assistance.

19. Once you have tried all the basis options of troubleshooting, maybe you have been able to either fix your own problem or narrowed it down. Contact the school technology trainer or TUG person for additional help. If they need assistance, they will complete a work order for your computer to be serviced by a system technician.


Technorati tag :
Labels: ,

6 Tips For Optimal Computer Speed

Have you ever been in the middle working on your computer and suddenly it froze, crashed or came to a slow crawl? And you had to restart, lost your work, lost time and felt so enraged that if you had an ax...STOP! Don’t kill the computer. Here are 6 tips on how to speed up a computer.

1. INCREASE VIRTUAL MEMORY:

Virtual memory is the space your computer uses when it's short of RAM (Random Access Memory), which is the memory used when running programs like Office Suites.

Resetting the virtual memory usage on your computer, also referred to as pagination, is great way speed up a computer.

To access and reset the Virtual Memory:

On the Start menu,click My Computer. The My Computer window is displayed. Click View System Information. The Systems Properties dialog box is displayed. In the Systems Properties dialog box click the Advanced tab. Under Performance, click Settings. The Performance Options dialog box is displayed.

In the Performance Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab. Find the Virtual memory area. Click Change. The Virtual Memory dialog box is displayed. There you can make changes to the custom pagination. DO NOT exceed the limit given in the properties box of your windows system.

2. STORING FILES ON THE MAIN DRIVE:

Do not store lots of data on the main drive, which is where you install your windows operating system. Storing software like games, finance programs and other software on another drive of your computer is another way to speed up a computer’s performance.

3. RESETTING START UP MENU:

The speed with which your computer boots depends on the amount of programs that are set to be started automatically at booting. Removing unnecessary and unwanted programs from the start up process can greatly speed up a computer at the start up level.

4. TURN OFF SYSTEM RESTORE:

Having the system restore option on takes a lot of space from the hard drive. Freeing up a lot of physical memory by turning off system restore can significantly speed up a computer.

To access and turn off System Restore:

Click START, then click ACCESSORIES, then click SYSTEM TOOLS, then click SYSTEM RESTORE. Once there you can edit settings and then turn off the system restore option.

5. CLEANING INTERNET CACHE AND COOKIES:

Temporary Internet files affect browser speed. Regularly cleaning the cache and cookies will make your browser and computer perform at a faster speed.

To Clean Internet Cache and Cookies:

click Tools from your browser toolbar and click on Internet Options to delete and clear cache and cookies. This should be done on a regular basis to ensure ongoing improvement of computer performance and browser speed.

6. DEFRAGMENTING THE DISK:

Regularly defragmenting the drive will speed up a computer.

This tool can be accessed from the Start Menu then Accessories then System Tools.


Technorati tag :
Labels: , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)