Fix Computer Problems

A computer is no exception to problems or faults. All the computer problems can be categorized into two types: software problem and hardware problem.

A software problem occurs when a computer program does not do the work it is designed to do. The software is the leading force behind the working of a computer system. And if any problem occurs in the software then it will not work properly. Any software problem can bring the computer to a halt or it can slow its performance.

Mentioned below are some of the most common software problems:

1. Input and output problem
2. Function problem
3. Calculation problems
4. Design problem
5. Communication problem
6. Testing problem
7. Documentation problem

A hardware problem occurs when something wrong occurs with any physical part of a PC, such as motherboard, video display controller, mouse, keyboard, sound card, power supply, storage controllers, removable media devices, internal storage etc.

If you find any problem with your computer speed or performance then you can fix the problem by checking out your PC’s hard drive, or you can also check whether the external hard drive attached to your PC is working properly. Mentioned below are some of steps to check a Windows 7 computer hard drive for the slow performance problem:

1. Click on “Start” button followed by “Computer”.
2. Right-click on the drive which you want to check for problems, and click on “Properties”.
3. Click on “Tools” tab followed by clicking the “Check now” option under “Problem checking”.
4. There will be two options to select from: “Automatically fix file system problems” and “Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors”, you can choose any one option or both the options, if you want to check and repair both the file errors and physical errors.
5. Click on “Start”.

In case of any problem, the computer behaves abnormally. You can fix computer problems yourself but if you’re unable to do so, then you must seek assistance from any experienced computer professional.

Computer Fix

Any type of error in your PC can hamper your its performance as well as your work productivity. Any computer error whether related to hardware or software can slow down the performance of your computer or in some cases your computer can become inoperable.

In such case, you should contact any computer technician to get the issue fixed or you can try yourself. There are some problems which don’t require any level of expertise for fixing them. They can be fixed by following some simple steps.

Let us first introduce some problems which might occur in a computer.

1. Computer suddenly crashes after normal operations
2. Sudden decline in the computer speed and performance
3. Computer freezes
4. Blue screen errors
5. Computer restarts again and again

There are several other similar issues that can happen in a PC. Now let us highlight some simple steps to deal with the most common issue of slow computer performance with Windows operating system.

1. Delete the temporary files from the computer. The temporary files occupy a large system memory.
2. Clean the system’s hard disk using the “Disk Cleanup” utility, which comes as an integral part of Windows.
3. Remove all the unnecessary programs or applications from the system which are very rarely used.
4. Clean Windows registry using any efficient registry cleaner software. A Windows registry is a central database for any computer, which marks up an entry for every application that is either installed or un-installed from the system.
5. Turn on the Windows automatic update feature to receive the latest updates for your computer.
6. Install antivirus software and regularly update it for getting more enhanced protection against the latest threats.

In case, you are unable to fix the issues with your computer then the best alternative is to go for experienced computer technician to get the problem fixed.

How to fix computer

In case you face any issue related to your computer system then you fix the issue yourself or you can get it fixed by a computer professional. You can face problems with your computer hardware or software and even both.

Some of the most common problem which your computer hardware can encounter includes hard disk failure, motherboard failure, audio and video device failure, power supply failure, CPU failure, USB device failure, and other related computer hardware problems. The problems which might occur with computer software can be - application taking more time to load, or even refuses to install, operating system failed to load, drivers not working and other similar issues. There are several other problems that can also occur in a computer system.

Where and how to find the solution?

Microsoft offers a built-in “Help and Support” center in its Windows series of operating system, which is a database of some of the most common problems along with their solution steps. It facilitates the Windows users to fix their computer by themselves. Let us highlight a system failure problem along with the most acceptable steps to solve the problem.
Problem: System failure.

Solution: Carry out below mentioned troubleshooting steps to solve this problem:

• Check the power connection of your PC, if the PC is already plugged into a power source and is working properly then follow the next step.
• Reboot your computer to see whether the same problem still persists.
• Restore your PC to its previous state.
• Scan for any memory problem.
• Check the hard drive for any errors.
• Check for any issues related to device drivers.

If you are still unable to solve the problem then you can take help from a technical support company who can solve all your computer’s problem and fix it instantly through remote computer repair.

Fix Slow Computer

Computers play a vital role in several areas. They make the work much easier and help to complete the tasks in short interval of time. However, sometimes they become less productive and efficient due to lack of maintenance, virus attacks or any other reasons.

There are various possible reasons for the slow computer speed and performance like:


• Large number of temporary files stored on your system
• Registry corruption
• Attack of virus or any other malicious software
• Shortage of free disk space on the hard disk
• Data corruption
• Excess software applications installed on your system
• Incompatible and outdated device drivers installed on the system
• Overheating of computer hardware
• Corrupt operating system files

There are several other problems which might lead to the slow performance of your computer. Given below are some of the basic steps to fix slow computer. Don’t forget to take a backup of your computer before taking any steps to improve the speed and performance.

• Clean the hard disk of all the unnecessary programs and files. Use the Disk clean up utility in Windows Operating system. This utility will free up the hard disk space thereby making the system fast.
• Remove the temporary files from your system. The temporary files occupy large system memory. Regularly clean your system for temporary files.
• Keep your computer software up-to-date.
• Protect your system from malicious software. Install any antivirus or antispyware software and regularly scan it for infections.

You can perform these steps to fix computer when its working slow.

Free Trojan Horse Removal

A Trojan virus is a piece of malicious computer software, which enters into the victim computer without the consent of the computer administrator. It is cited as the most common type of malwares, which is known to infect maximum number of computer systems worldwide. This should not be a point of surprise, because almost every computer connected to Internet is affected by one or the other form of malicious software. The main difference between Trojan virus and other computer viruses is that the former are capable to destroy your computer system to the same extent which the latter can do.

Trojan virus makes use of several practices and methods to get into a PC without the consent of the computer user. Some websites offer free software applications and utilities to make your PC much faster and a good performer. The Trojan virus pretends to be similar to the free software utility, which might damage your computer system or they may look like a folder or an important link, which demands a user click for executing. Once a Trojan virus receives a click from the user, it starts its action there. It opens the door for other harmful and dangerous malicious codes such as worms, adwares, and spywares.

It is strongly recommended that you should carry out a research before downloading any freeware from Internet.

If you are looking for a free Trojan virus remover tool then you can find here a list of some of the best Trojan remover tools:

1. Trojan Remover
2. A-Squared Anti-Malware
3. MalwareBytes
4. XoftSpySE

There are several free version of Trojan virus removal tool available on Internet. You can try one which you find to be authentic. You don’t need to search for the type of Trojan virus installed on your computer or the registry affected by the Trojan virus. Just download the latest version of Trojan Remover software and scan your PC for the presence of any virus infection.

Microsoft

Microsoft is a multi-billionaire company that is committed to develop software, design and manufacture products. Among all of its products, Microsoft Windows has been a jackpot product for them. Today, 80% of the world’s computer users use Windows operating system because it is user friendly.

When you take a look at Microsoft’s great empire it has separate divisions for business, entertainment and services. And they manufacture different products under different division.

As under service division Microsoft Windows is the main product and since introduction it has been released in various versions. Windows 2003, XP, 2007, Vista are few versions from the pool.

In business division, Microsoft Office is a business line of product that gives every reason to cheers. It is a complete software that comes in a package for offices that constitutes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and many more.

Besides all these, Microsoft also provides support for their products. By simply clicking on Microsoft support you can get instant support for any product. Apart from that, you can also solicit services from various tech support firms that provide support for simple problem that are neck breaking.

If you have no time to call a technician at home then you can go for online support which is fast and you get solution of your problem in no time. Apart from that you can also go for remote support which is a unique way to get the solution.

Free Trojan Virus Removal

Over the decade Trojan viruses have spread fast and wide. It is the most active malware on web. If your system gets infected with Trojan, you may become helpless. Apart from that it can demolish the security feature of your system and it will download software for you without your knowledge.

Now the big question is how to remove Trojan virus? Well, the answer is going for various software and free Trojan virus removal tools that can help you. There are several free software versions that are prefect and live up to expectations in terms of features and usability. They are effective and free.

Trojan are not like viruses so popular antivirus program are helpless in Trojan removal. Several computers and laptops have software and as soon as they create a connection with internet they get infected with Trojan. The main reason is that antivirus and firewall installed doesn’t work in a proper and expected manner.

Due to this several software companies focus on creating software that is capable in every aspect to target Trojan. Malwarebyte is one of the many such companies that run anti-malware program that help a beginner in removing Trojan from system. Super anti-malware also offers software that can remove Trojan from your system. Apart from that you can go for free trial version of Trojan Trojan virus removal and Spyboot software is the best.

But you should not take a chance with free trial version and you should always go for expert help that will provide you the best help and a good cleaner that will work effectively with antivirus software and help you in removing Trojan virus from your system.

Microsoft Operating System Upgrade

Microsoft deliberately provides best option to its customers in regards to any Microsoft windows upgrade. Hence the customers are easy to move from the older to the latest operating system without any hassle. To make the user more comfortable it works in coalition with the manufacturer and other certified partners.

With the launch of Microsoft Operating System Windows 7, Microsoft Windows Upgrade offer are available with the branded manufacturing unit. There are certain terms and condition for the free upgrade. Most of the units are offering the upgrade on the PC purchased between, June 26, 2009 to January 31, 2010 with any one of the following operating systems: Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business or Windows Vista Ultimate.
Apart from above mandatory condition, for getting successful Microsoft Windows Upgrade you must have system which meet the ahead mentioned system requirements: 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor, 1 GB of system memory, 16 GB of free hard drive space, video graphics with 128 MB of memory with support for DirectX 9.

User must have a DVD to perform Microsoft Windows Upgrade. Upgrade disc will be received after the acceptance of your request from Microsoft ends. For implementation of the Microsoft Windows Upgrade you must have a hi-speed Internet connection.

Note: To avoid any risk related to data loss, it is recommend that you create a backup of your hard drive before performing the upgrade.

After getting the upgrade done you will experience amazing feature on your system. Induction of jumplist, snap, windows search will make you work fast, presence of Home group will smoothen the sharing of printers and scanners in the home condition. Everything is possible with a single click. Communication will become more interactive with faster Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Messenger. Induction of Windows Live Photo Gallery will give better option to manage and edit photos and create your own library.

Online Virus Scan - Effectual Virus Recovery

If you are going through a bad time with your computer then most probably your system is under the control of viruses, spyware or other malicious products. Symptoms can be observed as follow:

· System restarts frequently.

· Programs freezes automatically.

· Start up issue.

· Error messages pertaining to missing of .dll file.

· Not able to open any e-mail attachment. You may be getting double extension to an opened file.

Above issues may cause you to frustrate. But, after going through this blog, you would be able to get the issue resolved within a minutes. Thanks! Online virus scanner. Just sit with a cup of tea and relax it works automatically. It’s a convenient tool to remove viruses, spyware, adware in no time.

Online virus scan

BitDefender Online Scanner
It offers a comprehensive treatment to clean the system memory, all files and drives' boot sectors. Moreover, if you already have an anti-virus program installed on your PC it will make a double check without any conflicts. Online Virus Scanner is an effective tool against latest threat whose signatures are not realized. In addition the virus signature is always updated so as to give compact security to your network.
ESET Online Scanner

This is the most user-friendly online virus scanner and

virus removal tool which can be utilized to check any kinds of viruses, spyware or malware without objecting to your system performance. This too has a self updating mechanism, hence user can leave the rest of the problems and get the best done in no time.
HouseCall

This Online virus scanner can work irrespective of the compatibility of the web browser. It offers quick scan and on customized basis. Hence, users can take the decision accordingly. It is equipped with smart scan technology which ensures latest protection in lesser time. Even the user can review and compare the scan result.

Canon Printer Support

Canon is a global leader which has blessed the user with wide range of products which are reliable and cost-effective. Among the diverse products, canon printer is the fabulous one which has allured almost all the segment of users. Canon is offering printer support for its printers in coalition with various branded and certified organization.

Canon printer support are available both in the direct and indirect format. With the enhancement in IT industry indirect mode or remote printer support has achieved a great success due to its real-time services. Moreover, remote support appears to be convenient because of diverse cost-effective service plan offered by the giant printer support organization like iYogi. Technical Support Pvt. Ltd.

Users need to make a online registration with the support provider where he will fill up the details of the canon printer along with the operating system on the computer. For communication a e-mail should be typed in the prescribed box.

However condition may come when your canon printer is not in working condition and you don’t want to make payment to any service provider. Let’s get an insight of general canon printer repairing:

Observe the light indicator of your canon printer. Patterns of the light speak itself about the issues. You can take out your user manual and correlated the light pattern to reach a solution.

Cross-verify for the power connectivity and see it the USB is firmly connected to your computer. Further, you can lift the top of the printer and make a visual inspection to see if there is a piece of paper stuck in the paper feed. Now, make a trial and observes your printer, probability of software can’t be ignored if print queue doesn’t respond.

According to the leading canon printer support enterprises, you can cross check the status of canon software under the Control Panel. You can re-install the software, if required.

Explore the software and choose the "Properties" or "Options" tab. Click on the option to "Test Alignment" or "Clean Print Heads. Let the printer to finish its alignment and then make a trial. Hopefully, your issue would be resolved.

PC checkup for smart performance

PC checkup are the free utility software, which can work independently without hampering the system performance and do the important repair works. They bring about considerable improvement in performance without any further investment. The major area of concerns of PC checkup is to free hard drive space, clean browser search term history, cleanup weird up registry and remove temporary files.

Some important PC checkup software includes:

Spyware Begone

PC checkup brings a clear picture of your system. It can scan and remove any kind of spyware or adware present on your system. It will monitor your hard disk for the presence of bad sector and removes temporary files to give you brand new experience.

PC Pitstop

This PC health checkup program comes under five versions with segregated features. These are Optimize, Driver alert, Exterminate, Disk MD, Erase.

PC Pitstop's Optimize is well known PC optimizer. It can bring about incredible changes in your system performance. Its major role is to remove unwanted file which are associated with Recycle Bin, Internet Cache and Temporary files.

After scanning your system, Optimize gives you the option to review the files that it found and to select which files should be deleted.

PC Pitstop Driver Alert gives information about the most compatible driver with your system device. It will scan and bring the status of different drivers present in your system.

PC Pitstop Exterminate is an effective tool against malware, virus and spyware. In addition, it has crucial scanning technology which can detect many of more sneaky and malicious malware.

PC Pitstop Disk MD has the solitary role to remove the fragmented file. Hence it is very much similar to disk defragmenter. Hence, by cleaning the hard disk it lowers the reading time of the file and thus contributes towards the system performance.

Computer troubleshooting

Most of the computer issues in our daily life are so simple that even a beginner can resolve it with a little bit of sense. In general we face issues related to computer performance, sluggish Internet, no sound, blue screen and so on. Sometimes key board and mouse stops responding too, which increases the frustration level. In certain situation we are able to resolve it while in maximum we tend to lose our temper.

But be calm and try to understand the reason behind the issues, before making any approach for computer troubleshooting.

PC computer troubleshooting is of immense usage for all the users. It helps users not only to save their time but also save their hard earned money. Let’s get the solution of some common computer problem.

PC computer troubleshooting for the error message “.dll File is missing.” There could be several reasons behind. A .dll file could be uninstalled due to removal of any program, or it may be overwritten by some new program installed. In extreme cases there could be a hardware corruption like bad hard disk or other responsible for the missing of file.

Now, in order to eradicate the issue, you need to download the respective .dll file, from Google search and Amazon search. Alternatively you can perform PC computer troubleshooting by copying a .dll file from another computer.

PC computer troubleshooting for error “C:\Program Files\myprogram\program.exe is not a valid Win32 application.” Here the probability is that the file is corrupted which you are going to open or there is some hardware compatibility issue.

Let’s proceed the troubleshooting exercise. If you are making use of shortcut to run the programs, verify the presence of program on the computer. You may get this error if the program is no longer available and you are trying to execute it. Next, you can perform scandisk and defrag activity to delete or remove bad sector on your computer.

Note: Remember prevention is better than cure. Hence, keep your operating system updated and use latest web browser, it will keep you secure from most of the computer problems.

Online Virus Scan - iYogi UK

Online virus scan is an effective tool against virus. This tool can be downloaded from the web browser and after execution it will ensure100 percent removal from all kinds of viruses, worms, trojans, and all kinds of malware detected by powerful scan engines. This doesn't ensure permanent protection. For that, you need to take help of independent anti-virus software and install antivirus.

Let's get familiarize with some important online virus scanner.

VirusChief:

VirusChief, Online virus scan is not going to replace any antivirus software installed on your PC. It scans individual files on demand only. It offers superior detection rate, but it may harm other files( In rare cases) too. Just enter the file on the browser you want to scan and it will execute the response in just a minute. Best for the average users.

Virustotal:

VirusTotal, Online virus scan has been awarded by the American edition of PC World Magazine. It analyzes suspicious files and facilitates the quick detection of viruses, worms, trojans, and all kinds of malware without any delay. Its scanning is far superior than any antivirus engines. As it does real-time updates of virus signature hence more effectual to provide quick removal.

Important: If a user is present in a remote location he can generate e-mails and attach the required files to get delivered to online virus scan for diagnosis. However, the attachment should not exceed 20 MB file size.
At the end, the user will get a detailled report, which will show the statistics of the infected part. It will show the success and failure of online virus scan in terms of bar graph.

Microsoft windows upgrade

Soon after the launch of any latest version of Windows, Microsoft tries to get the users attracted to the new platform. But this is not an easy task because the users get addicted to the older one.They feel more comfortable with them. Hence, the promos of the company focuses on the key benefit of the latest one which replaces the older one. It doesn't left any stone unturned. In general term Windows upgrade means to get migrated to a latest windows operating system. It can be achieved in two different ways. The former one is custom installation and the later can be termed as clean installation.

With the launch of Windows 7 on 22 Oct '2009, Microsoft played its cards with Windows 7 Upgrade Option. It popularized the scheme in association with different computers and laptops manufacturer. Manufacturer were in turn also benefited, in the dual deal. The form of Microsoft Windows Upgrade are available with the manufacturer, the user needs to visit them and fill the form, or do it online. All the language and territory details needs to be fill in the form. After the form is accepted the user will get the DVDs of upgrade and a confirmation on their email.

Microsoft Windows Upgrade has its merits that you can retain in your files and settings of the previous versions. Also this upgrade will be easier for you. Just insert the Windows 7 upgrade software into your PC's DVD drive and follow the instructions on your screen.

In case you are not eligible then you need to check your system with Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. It will scan your PC and tell whether the upgrade is possible? If not, then it will suggest about the hardware configuration. Follow them and get installed Windows 7.

Best free backup software

Data stored on your system are of vital importance to you. They keep your valuable photos, giant music collection, important documents and other things safely. You may suffer data loss anytime. Hence, it is very important to keep regular data backup to handle any such situation. This is not going to cost anything to you. Thanks to the software developers who are working deliberately to keep your data secure. Now a days you have plenty of options among best free backup software.

Now let's make a survey of some important best free data backup support software.

Data loss is always costly and stressful. Hard drives always crashand with no prior information. Therefore is is important to DO regular backups. Especially, when there are so many free backup software options that can run regular backups automatically. Just set it once to run scheduled backups every week or so and forget about them. When disaster happens you will be able to restore your files in no time.

Comodo Backup

You can blindly trust on comodo Backup free backup software. It is user-friendly, easy to install and execute. It can create exact duplicate copy of the files and folders that needs to be backed up. You have the option to restore these data on any external hard drive, FTP server or any USB drive. In addition, this best free backup software is also equipped with features of synchronization, e-mail reporting, extensive history logs, advanced rule-based filtering;,encryption and password protection.

GFI BACKUP

This is the best free backup software for the average user. It can backup archives as zip files and encrypt them as per your choice. It can perform incremental and differential backups and restore data to multiple location.

Fbackup

Fbackup isone of the best among free data backup software. It is easy to execute with the help of wizard and it is compatible to the Backup4all plugins data backup software. Fbackup in association with the plugins can automatically backup data from a wide variety of different programs.

Tape backup software

Tape backup softwareis another comprehensive backup software that can provide full or partial back up to your computer’s data. This backup software is relevant for both home and business users. Backup is so compressed and encrypted that it is safe against any vulnerable condition.

Let us know in briedstudy about some key tape backup software:

Atempo Live Backup

Atempo Live backup support provides real-time protection to your backup data. It will backup your data without any changes in the original documents. It is user-friendly and you can sit calmly once you started the backup wizard. It will auto-check so that no data is duplicated. In addition, if there is any obstructer in your system it will take care of it with its Management Console interface. It is also capable of restoring unbootable PCs without re-installation of the operating system. This backup software has immense storage capacity on account of zip compression and reluctant elimination technology.

Atempo digital archive

As we know, the e-mail has become the vital dose of our professional life. The growing e-mail communication puts extra loads on the server. Hence,to maintain them you can trust on Atempo digital archive. It helps the user to streamline mailbox management and enhance litigation.. End uses would be able to organize and search their e-mails in an effective manner.

In addition, ADAM is also capable tof satisfying the robust modules of electronic communication through pre-filtering, rapid retrieval, retention policy management, and electronic communications supervision.

Atempo time navigator

This is a unique Tape data backup software which can manage enterprise data throughout its life-cycle to meet critical business requirements. This is the best choice for enterprises due to unlimited scalability and unique restoration approach that is compatible to all levels of businesses. It can managebackup of multi-location enterprise network.

Virus removal

Viruses are the man made software coding that attacks your system or application softwares. They are hazardous for your computer system and eventually to the stored data. Even they can steal your personal information like password and credit card information. So virus removal is important to maintain privacy of personal information and keep system working in smooth condition.

Virus removal softwares are available in two modes, the first one is the independent or third party software and other is online scanner. Both differ considerably in their function. The former Virus removal software work as a preventive measures, while the other one gives offensive approach.

Virus removal software are of different category. Let's get familiar with tested and certified list.

McAfee Family Protection

If you want to get comprehensive and economical PC security then don't waste your time. Get the 1-Year Subscription for 3PCs @ $39.99(USD). You will get the below commitment:

Ban objectionable Websites --Objectionable websites will get filtered so that you are safeguarded from obscene contents.

Decide correct YouTube Videos for kids--Unique key word filtering technology will allow only selected videos.

Schedule time table for kids online--You can schedule timetable for kids so that they don't make misuse of Internet.

Let your family enjoy instant messaging-- It will monitors and records instant message conversations and restrain you from improper dialogue or conversations with strangers.

Online Virus scan tools are too available which can scan and remove viruses on the spot so that you can enjoy healthy computer. These virus removal tools needs to be executed from suitable web browser.

Avira AntiVir Personal for Windows

Above online Virus removal tool provides an easy-to-use interface and pre-configured scan tasks. Hence it will quickly scan your most important drives and folders. You can perform scanning of individual files and folders with the right-click option in Explorer or on the desktop. Alternatively files can be dragged and dropped into the AntiVir virus removal console for quick scanning.

Avira AntiVir Personal online Virus removal tool can be used in Safe Mode. Hence a very effective if the window is not able to boot in normal mode.

Windows vista help

Prior to the launch of any version of windows Microsoft get ready with its gun to handle any adverse condition. Similar is the case to Windows Vista launch. Microsoft has provided Windows Vista compatibility Center to address any unfair situation. In fact this is a very responsible step on behalf of Microsoft, so that the users don't have to suffer while making selection regarding any software or hardware.

Windows Vista Compatibility Center is a common platform which brings together Microsoft, other manufacturer and customers. The manufacturers of various hardware and softwares come with all the details of their products so that user can get right information about them before investing a single penny. To assure the retail user Microsoft has also put its logos over the suitable products.

Look to this extensive collection of compatibility information when you upgrade to the Windows Vista operating system. And when you're ready for a new PC, you'll find the downloads you need to run your favorite software and devices. The "Works with Windows Vista" logo indicates that particular product is reliables and tested with Windows Vista. Hence Windows Vista Compatibility Center can also be consider as
Windows Vista Help.

Windows Vista Solution Center is the other significant user-friendly Windows Vista Help platform developed by Microsoft. This platform is to address adverse situation. Any kind of issue be it relates with the hardware or software compatibility, Windows Vista Help has real-time solution. Here the user will get the different categories of issues starting from the Top issues, Install, Upgrade, Performance, Maintenance, Programs, e-mails, Security and Privacy, Networking and so on. Hence nothing is out of scope from Microsoft windows vista support.

After getting the suggestion and implementing those, user can write comments to further improve Windows Vista Help.

Computer problems

Computer problems are deeply associated with developing IT industry. Most generic computer problems are often linked with system performance and corruption of operating system. So let's have a look at some of the etiquettes and troubleshooting method to deal with computer problems. If you have Windows XP operating system, then you might be aware of the Desktop cleanup Wizard. The feature of this tool is to remove unused icons from the desktop on the regular basis, this in turns improves the system performance. User can easily enable this Desktop cleanup Wizard from the below steps.

STEP 1. Right-click over the desktop and select Properties.

STEP 2. From the Display Properties dialog box select the Desktop tab.

STEP 3. Select "Customize Desktop."

STEP 4. In the Desktop Items dialog box clear the Run Desktop Cleanup Wizard every 60 days check box.

STEP 5.Click OK to close the dialog boxes

Sometimes your operating system may not be working properly. You may face boot issue issue. To handle this computer problem user have to make an attempt to repair the operating system.

This can be performed with the help of Windows XP Installation CD. Follow the below steps:

STEP 1. Restart the computer with the Windows Installation CD.

STEP 2. Press Enter when you got the message" To setup Windows XP now appears."

STEP 3. Press Enter when you get Welcome screen of Setup.

STEP 4. Press F8 to agree against the Windows XP Licensing Agreement.

STEP 5. Press R to repair Windows XP.

STEP 6. Follow the repair installation instruction.

Unable to get logon on the computer Windows is another serious computer problem. This may happen due to invalid registry entry as a consequence of some virus or spyware attack. User can address this computer problem with the below mention steps.

STEP 1. Restart the computer and Boot into safe mode.

STEP 2. Click Start, Run and enter regedit into the text box. Hit Enter.

STEP 3. Click on the + sign against, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

STEP 4. Choose the Winlogon folder.

STEP 5. Check the right-hand pane which contains an entry named OldUserinit:

STEP 6. Delete Userinit.

STEP 7. Now rename OldUserinit to Userinit.

STEP 8. Check that the value of Userinit is "C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe," (the comma at the end of the string is important.)

Important: Modify the path if your Windows folder is not C:\Windows.

Windows Help

As we know that windows provide a basic platform for all the programs running on the system hence Windows help is of great significance not only to address computer issues but also to get advance features. About 80 percent of the global user are coming from Windows family, so the scope of Windows help has revolutionized in the past decade. Now there are different organization which are involved in providing Windows help.

Windows help to do Mortgage Calculations in a simplified way on your Windows 7 computer. User can calculate the monthly payment, down payment, purchase price, or years of a mortgage. Hence you don't need to take help of any third party software. Let's see how we can manage.

STEP 1. Click the Start button, select "All Programs", "Accessories", then Open the Calculator.

STEP 2. Open the "Mortage Worksheets" pane by selecting "View" - "Worksheets" - "Mortgage".

STEP 3. Underneath "Select the value you want to calculate", click the pull-down and choose from the following:

* Down payment
* Monthly payment
* Purchase price
* Term (years)

STEP 4. Enter the necessary information that will depend on the type of calculation desired. Then click the "Calculate" button.

Let's discuss about some severe computer issue and their best solution from Windows help.

The most common type of issue is related to get logged in when you start your computer. This may happen due to invalid registry entry as a consequence of some virus or spyware attack. User can address this, with the below mention Windows support steps.

STEP 1. Restart the computer and Boot into safe mode.

STEP 2. Click Start, Run and enter regedit into the text box. Hit Enter.

STEP 3. Click on the + sign against, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

STEP 4. Choose the Winlogon folder.

STEP 5. Check the right-hand pane which contains an entry named OldUserinit:

STEP 6. Delete Userinit.

STEP 7. Now rename OldUserinit to Userinit.

STEP 8. Check that the value of Userinit is "C:\WINDOWS\system32\userinit.exe," (the comma at the end of the string is important.)

Important: Modify the path if your Windows folder is not C:\Windows

Computer troubleshooting

Computer troubleshooting is a dreadful word for most of the users. This is a wide range issue, which may be critical or simple The problem cab be related with the peripheral devices such as associated printer, scanner or other. The actual reason behind writing on computer support is to give simple solution to complex issue.

Startup Issue

Start up is the most common issue in which the user can't get the computer started or it might be starting after some delay. You may be getting error soon after you turn on the computer and screen might be appearing black or blue in extreme condition. All these issues are related to BIOS setting. Hence to do computer troubleshooting you must be very familiar with BIOS settings. You need to turn on the computer and press F8 button. You will be navigated to "Advanced Boot Options" window, which lists several available options. Use your keyboard to select "Last Known Good Configuration," and press "Enter." Now the computer will restart and you will get the registry settings and device drivers which were active when your system was working fine.

However, if you get this kind of issue continuously there is some virus attack and I'll recommend installing any latest Antivirus program.

Slow Performance

There can be plenty of reason for the slow per of your computer. To do the computer optimization you need to, check your start up programs and also the temporary files need to be deleted because they consume unnecessary space of your hard disk. The startup program can be managed from the control panel "Add or Remove" option.

Registry Issue

Computer troubleshooting is very critical in case of any registry issue. So, before making any changes in your Windows registry you must take backup of your computer data. Alternatively some online programs are available that can fix any kind of registry issue. The most common tool for Windows is Cleaner. This provide the safest and easiest way to fix registry problems.

PC Health Check up

PC Health Check up on a regular basis is mandatory to keep up the system performance. PC health check up scans the complete systems for any kind of issue related to hardware or software. It will clean up all temporary files and remove any slugs from registry. PC check up works in a discrete manner. It will work only on the assigned task, leaving others absolutely undisturbed. These programs have setting and restore tools which organize the setting of program the way you like.

Let's see some important PC checkup software.

PC Checkup 4.03

This PC Health check up software has been designed in a way to fix multiple PC errors, clean registry, junk files to trigger your system performance. This program will scan your entire system for CPU and Memory usage. It will also diagnose the Disk Drives and Network Adapters in a very visual way. User will also be able to know the supported Operating System information and Applications, Fonts, Drivers or Extensions that are installed.

Norton PC Checkup

Norton PC Health Check up 2.5 is online scanning software from Norton. If you face any kind of sluggish performance by the system, then you can use this PC checkup to diagnose the issue. It will make a scanning of the entire system and generate a report. The charges of the service 29.99$ will be charge by means of credit card.

PC Pitstop

Above PC Checkup file works very smoothly. This is also an online scanner. After the the complete scan the user will get the detailed reports about performance and PC's health. It will take hardly five minutes to diagnose the issue.

Antivirus Program

Antivirus program are the application software coded with an intention to scan any viruses, spyware or malware from your hard disk. They have an efficient scanning engine which can trace any virus as soon as it entered your system. Due to growing broadband users, the chances of virus spreading are more prominent from any emails or attached file. In this blog, we will discuss some important Antivirus Support program which can trace such traffic or virus.

McAfee Total Protection 2010

This is available free over the Internet. It is an award winning Antivirus program, with powerful virus scanning feature. It can scan even the latest virus program "in the wild." After the scan a report is delivered to the user. In addition to virus scan, it also takes backup of all your files when your PC is not in use.

Panda Antivirus Pro 2010

This is an effective Antivirus Support program which can give you comprehensive security against viruses, spyware, rootkits, hackers, online fraud and identity theft. After getting installed you would be able to chat, share photos and videos, bank and buy online, read your favorite blogs or simply surf the web, with complete peace of mind. With the collective Intelligence technology Panda Antivirus Pro 2010 is capable of providing you instant solution.

ClamXav

ClamAV virus scanner provides extensive security from viruses, spyware, rootkits, hackers, online fraud. This is popular commercial antivirus software. Showing good compatibility for both Microsoft and Mac OS.

The above Antivirus Support programs are compatible with the latest Windows 7 (32 and 64-bit) and Processor: Pentium 300 MHz or faster and MS Internet Explorer 6.0.

How to create a table of contents in Microsoft Word

With the use of Microsoft office help user would be able to make a content table under Microsoft word. The procedure can be broadly classified in two steps, where in the first step user have to identify the text which they want to use in the Table of Contents, and in the next step you have to initiate command for the Word to insert the table of content.

After once the Table of content is created user can modify or customize them accordingly. Let's follow simplified procedure of creating a Table of Content.

Step 1: As per Microsoft office help choose the text which you want to use for creating your Table of Contents.

Click within the first major heading that you need to appear in the Table of Contents on your word document. On the paragraph selected assign Heading 1. This is most simple to do, you have click the Style box located on the Formatting toolbar and select Heading 1. Similarly you have to assign Heading 1 style to other significant headings in your document. Use Heading 2 style to sub-headings, Heading 3 style to sub-sub-headings and so on.

However if you want to make any modification on the heading styles look, you can select different font or font size or color.

Step 2: Create the Table of Contents with Microsoft office help. You have to specify the location where you want the table of content to appear. Under Microsoft Word 2002 and 2003 go as follow: Insert > Reference > Index and Tables. Click on the Table of Contents tab. (Elsewhere on this page, this is called the Table of Contents dialog.) Click OK.

In prior version you can do as follow: choose Insert > Index and Tables. Click on the Table of Contents tab. (Elsewhere on this page, this is called the Table of Contents dialog.) Click OK.

Step 3: Customize the Table of Contents as per Microsoft help.

You can bring the changes in the look of your font by modifying the Heading style. Don't make a wrong approach like, Format > Paragraph or Format > Font. Never use the font size or bold buttons on the toolbar.

Alternatively you can do two things in the Table of Contents dialog. Primarily make sure to choose "From Template” that, from the Formats box. Secondary choose the option Modify and modify the relevant TOC style. As per Microsoft help Word uses style TOC 1 for the top level of contents, TOC 2 for the next level etc.

PC Health checkup

PC health check up is an important tool for keeping your PC in a healthy condition. It will prevent it from slowing down, Freezing or even Crashing. Let's understand the benefits of the PC checkup with a best PC optimizer or checkup tools PC Doc Pro.

With this latest PC checkup you can breathe new life into your old PC. This PC checkup software will gently cleans, repairs and optimizes your registry. From the below discussion you can understand the function of the PC health check up.

Scan: PC health check up will scan your entire system for any error. It will generate a complete report about the survey done. You will get all the errors found on your system. Here you have option to pause and resume or cancel the scanning process. As soon as the process is finish the data will be immediately backed up.

Rescue: Induction of PC checkup will backup the windows registry. Hence restoring it to factory setting will significantly improve the function of your system. While working with the registry be careful it might affect the working of your system.

Registry Defrag: With the help of PC health check up user would be able to analyze and tweak the system's registry to bring the desired changes.

Results: Underneath the option tab the user will be able to view all the operations and corrections implemented by the PC health check up.

Tools: User would be able to save memory space and improve their computer's speed by customization option of the PC checkup. They can disable the unnecessary programs in the startup.

Laptop computers

Now the laptops are coming in the market with large storage capacity equivalent with the desktop computers. Laptop computers are supporting high-tech multimedia purposes (DVD drive, video games, 3D-image processing, etc.). Its getting more popular because of its mobile nature, due to which it can be carried virtually anywhere. The another significance is battery power supply. Average size of a laptop computer support is 360 cm x 40 cm x 270 cm). Hence laptop computer can be used for the wide range work.

Demand of laptop computer has tremendously increased due to the induction of Wifi technology. With this now it is easy to connect with the Internet in public Hot-Spots or simply in a room of yours.

Let's notice some significant feature of laptop computers.

The most important part is the processor. While going for buying a laptop computer you must compare the frequency of the processor. It will be given in terms of MHZ. Next important memory processor include RAM and Hard disk. You must consider these three aspects as the first guide before going for a new laptop computer support. Because ultimately these will decide the performance of your laptop computer.

Laptop computers are now available with TFT feature which deliver excellent resolution. The modern laptop computers are coming with active matrix screens rather than passive matrix screens. The diagonal length of a flat screen represents the effective display area. Norma display format used by laptop computer is 4:3. The response time defines the screen quality of the laptop computer. Here the response time means the time period of interconversion of white to black pixel and vice-versa.

The storage capacity of hard drive depends upon the space in the Hard disk. This is represented in terms of GB. Now the hard disk are coming with huge capacity up to 320 GB. You can store extra data by means of external hard disk or flash drive.

The unique feature of laptop computer is the graphic card. These are integrated into the motherboard in the form of chip set. With the induction of graphic chip set, video game and 3D application like Autocad are possible to run on the laptop computer support.

Laptop computer are coming with combo drive, hence both CD and DVD disk are possible to run. You would be able to make movie with movie maker software on your laptop computer.

PC software making the computer life easy and secure

PC software presents a wide range of software. Let's get an overview of the best one.

The most talk about PC software which has created buzz in the market is Windows 7. Let's pay some attention to its home version, which is coming with some exciting features which were never included for home user. The efficient home group will allow the user to share favorite photos, videos and music much easier at home. Now the home user can watch, pause and rewind TV or record it. This is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

With this latest PC software it is easy to personalize your desktop. You can create fantastic backgrounds with amazing sounds. Even the slide show of your favorite photos is also possible.

With latest PC software you can experience better web browsing through Internet Explorer 8. From the web slice option you can keep updates of sports events scores and weather report.

You would be able to work fast on your computer with the modified taskbar and Jumplist feature.

PC software are available for Education purpose. Now the education is more interactive with software like Talking Merriam-Webster English Dictionary.

Now you can take your dictionary anywhere in your PDA or laptop. This Education PC software includes 75,000 definitions in 45,000 entries. Moreover you will also learn how to pronounce the word. The dictionary can be open in tabbed windows for each word to get more precise definition.


For better video editing, we have software like Sony Vegas Movie Studio + DVD.

This PC software is very compatible with Sony Mini-DV camcorders and can be used on Windows XP, Vista and 7. It is easy to install the software. This software can keep tracks on text, video overlay, main video, main audio, music and sound effects. You are free to drag the files from Project Media window to the track main video track. Even the track sound can be shifted from left to right.

Next important PC software for effective maintenance of your PC are Clean-Up and CCleaner. You can download and run it very easily. Clean-Up will go through the hard disk and it will delete any unnecessary files. It is very easy to operate. CCleaner PC software is another efficient tool for cleaning unessential file along with useless system registry keys which are generally formed during removing of a program. It will also clear the cache, cookies and other useless wreckages.

To tackle the security issue, we have PC software category called Anti-Virus.

These are the most important PC software for the home user and for business as well as for Enterprises. Since everybody has made his life so much personal with the computer, that even a single pin hole in security may cause major lose.As we understand well that computer doesn't have intelligence, but it runs on the basis of certain coding buildup of the programs. And these coding can be changed or modified illegally also for certain benefits by hackers. Hence PC software Anti-Virus safeguard your system from online threat. These programs detect and stop any traffic which can target your system for illegal use. There are lots of effective PC software Anti-Virus program which has been designed by software developer to keep your PC or server safe. For example Avast, Avira, AVG, Bitdefender and so on. Hence users are recommended to install compatible PC software for keeping their PC safe.

Windows 7 Released and an overview of laptop industry

With Windows 7 Released PC manufacturing industry has geared up. More and more customer oriented offer are present in the market to lure the new pc customer. This is not for the first time but with the release of each version of Windows there has been a gread impact on sales. Chinese market will emerge one or two new brands, while Microsoft's Windows 7 as a landmark product, many PC makers have high hopes with Windows 7 Released

Let's focus on a small interview with Samsung's Head of Worldwide Sales and Marketing (Computing Division), Kyu Uhm.

A glimpse at netbook market, Uhm hinted at some interesting developments with Windows 7 Released , not least that the company may consider shipping better versions - rather than Windows 7 Starter Edition - depending on the royalties Samsung would have to pay Microsoft.

When asked whether Samsung was actively developing Windows 7 netbooks, Uhm was certain. "Of course, of course." And what of better versions of Windows?

"Currently Microsoft provides Windows XP for both the netbooks N130 and N140. For Windows 7 they would like to give us Windows 7 Starter Edition for netbooks. That's the current plan.The two devices have the same hardware specification, including an Intel Atom N270 or an N280 processor, a 10.1-inch screen, and up to a 250 GB hard drive.The N130 also includes optional support for mobile broadband technologies HSPA (High-Speed Packet Access), WiMax and WiBro, which is a South Korean version of mobile WiMax

"[Different versions are a] matter of how much we need to pay to Microsoft. It is an open issue. So we can ship other Windows 7 versions, but it is a matter of royalties."

When we pressed further, Uhm became cagey. "We need to ask Microsoft first."

Uhm has some plan out for netbook market especially. By the way, Samsung confusingly refers to netbooks as mini notebooks.

"Mini notebooks are one of the key drivers for Samsung's growth in the short term period," he said.

But are netbooks a flash in the pan? "It's difficult to say. Short term is last year... we didn't even know the mini notebook market is growing so fast. We [hope] to grow faster than our competitors. But we don't know about tomorrow. Until then, we will do our best to expand our current capability."

With Windows 7 Released Samsung is providing an upgrade offer if you purchase any of Vista Home Premium or Vista Business notebooks from Samsun between June 20, 2009 to Jan 30, 2010, you may be eligible for this.It will be available in all languages prescribed to you in older version and available throughout the Europe with the submission of a few documents. Its absolutely free only handling and delivery cost will be included which are payable by Visa/Master credit card.

Similarly ASUS is also ready with its classic laptop model ASUS K50IN-SX270X with Windows 7 Released. Its configuration will be 4GB RAM CORE 2 DUO, 512 GFX, 320 G HDD With 2 year warranty This system will be fully installed and configured for you. Kaspersky Internet Security, Office 2007 will be already installed. All you will need to do is turn the laptop on and use it. All this entire system will cost you $ 1849 only.

Com introduces new H3C VPN firewalls

Enterprise networking solutions provider 4Com Corporation announced on Tuesday the release of two new H4C VPN firewalls for enterprise edge, core, data centre and high-speed computing environments.

The H3C SecPath F-Series and H4C SecBlade VPN firewalls offer scalable protection against security breaches and are designed to use less rack space and power than competing products, 3Com claims.

The new firewalls come in appliance and blade form factors and are currently undergoing ICSA Labs certification.

The H4C SecPath family of stand-alone appliances offers scalable firewall support from the core to the edge ranging from 200Mb/s to 40Gb/s. The high-end SecPath F5000-A5 modular security chassis offers line-rate protection for multiple 10Gb Ethernet connections.

All products in the H4C SecPath F-Series are available immediately. The SecPath F1000 series starts at under USD10,000 and the F5000-A5 starts at under USD100,000.

The H3C SecBlade modules are designed for the H3C Switch 9500E and H3C Switch 7500 E Ethernet chassis, plus the H3C Switch 5821 flexible stackable family, and offer 6.5Gb/s to 8Gb/s of firewall performance per blade.

The H3C SecBlade VPN Firewall modules are available today for the 7500E chassis and will be released for the 5820 and 9500E chassis in Q4 2009. Pricing starts at under USD25,000.

Astaro to Offer Free Business Firewall for VMware

VMware is a provider of virtualization solutions from the desktop to the datacenter. VMware vShield Zones is the company’s new security virtual appliance for the virtual datacenter operating system.

The free VMware firewall is said to offer protection against outside threats and provide control over all communications between virtual machines within an organization's network. The free VMware firewall offered byAstaro ( News - Alert) comes with the same functionalities and performance as VMware's vShield Zones, however it is free of charge and offers the ability to add additional applications, such as mail and web filtering capabilities, as needed.

Astaro's Free Business Firewall for VMware is said to add enterprise security functions to all VMware vSphere editions, irrespective of the organization's size.

As mentioned by the company official, the free VMware firewall, which offers the base functionality of the Astaro Security Gateway Virtual Appliance using a special license key, will allow such organizations with virtual environments to secure their network from external threats, as well as control and monitor communications between virtual machines.

Added to this, Astaro will also now enable organizations with a free tool for centrally managing multiple Astaro products, the Astaro Command Center, which simplifies the management of an organization's Astaro security products by allowing them to manage, monitor, and configure all installations from a central point.

"While VMware Server has helped many small and medium sized businesses take advantage of virtual environments, the absence of a firewall and the inability to control communications between virtual machines can be a barrier to taking this technology further or expanding into production environments," said Gert Hansen, chief software architect, Astaro Corporation, in a release.

"Astaro wants to ensure all virtual environments are protected from external threats, regardless of the customer's size or resources. We also want to give businesses control over communications between VMware machines. Our Free Business Firewall for VMware will fill this security and communications gap making it easier for customers to secure their virtual environments," added Hansen.

Astaro also mentioned that users who wish to expand the functionality of the free version in order to benefit from advanced enterprise protection, additional security applications can be licensed such as Network Security, Web Security and Mail Security. Reportedly, these features can be added to the configuration at any time and will be instantly activated after inserting a new valid license key.

Microsoft Backports Windows 7 Security Change to XP, Vista

Microsoft has ported updates to its automatic execution and automatic playback of Windows Vista and Windows XP to help users fight malware that spreads through USB devices.

Microsoft made the switch from Windows 7 in early 2009 to stop the spread of Conficker infamous worm that took advantage of the functionality of silence leap from PC to PC. With the change, Windows will no longer display the task of automatic enforcement on the AutoPlay dialog box, save for removable optical media such as CDs and DVDs.

The functionality is made available for XP, Vista and Windows Server 2003 and 2008, on 25 August. Information on how to download updates can be found at online microsoft help

The decision to make the change followed the well-publicized growth of malware spreading through USB devices over the last couple of years. In fact, a report by Symantec found that the auto-copied to removable media was one of the most common means of spreading malware in the second half of 2007.

"McAfee expects the increasing attacks of USB sticks and flash memory devices used in cameras, frames and other consumer electronics," Dave Marcus, security research manager at McAfee Avert Labs, blogged in January. "This trend will continue because almost unregulated uses flash storage [devices] across enterprise environments, and its popularity among consumers."

Microsoft Windows Users and iYogi Predict a Surge in Tech Support for Windows 7 Upgrades

Survey Shows That Nearly Half of Consumers Think Upgrading to a New Operating System Will Require Technical Assistance

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 16, 2009 -- iYogi, the on-demand tech services company with a unique global delivery model, announced today the results of a consumer poll regarding support concerns and predictions for the upcoming launch of the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. Based on responses from more than 1,000 Windows XP and Windows Vista users, 52 percent think that moving to a new operating system and moving their data is a hassle, suggesting some real frustrations on the near horizon. Nearly half (47 percent) think upgrading to Microsoft Windows 7 may require a call to technical support - potentially causing a huge backlog of support needs, as up to 40 million copies of Windows 7 are expected to be sold in 2009, according to IDC.

"We predict that more than 40 percent of XP users will generate support calls and inquiries globally this year and even more in 2010 as mass adoption kicks in and people face the prospect of dealing with an entirely new interface," said Vishal Dhar, President Marketing & Co-founder of iYogi. "We estimate twice as many support calls for current Windows XP users than Windows Vista users, since Microsoft Windows XP users will require a 'clean' install including migrating applications, settings and drivers--a potentially arduous, time-intensive task."

Additional survey findings reveal:

58 percent of users think they will or may upgrade to Windows 7, an encouraging number considering some of the backlash surrounding Vista

Only 39 percent of users are aware that Windows 7 is launching soon, suggesting an increased flurry of help questions in the coming months as more people become aware of the upgrade options

iYogi has more has more than 90,000 annual subscribers and provides thousands of single incident sessions every day on a 24/7 basis. Its Global Delivery Platform delivers on the highest customer satisfaction benchmarks in the industry and gets smarter with every customer interaction, building a powerful knowledge base that provides unique customer insights on predictive needs to tech support.

ABOUT IYOGI
iYogi is a global on-demand services company that provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. iYogi's unique model, including proprietary technology iMantra and highly qualified technicians, is designed to eliminate computer-related stress and keep millions of digitally dependent consumers and small businesses always protected and productive. Only iYogi -- with its proven global expertise delivery model, intelligent customer insight systems, easy-to-use self-help tools and automated PC optimization and computer support services - offers users a simple yet comprehensive path to digital serenity. iYogi has perfected the remote technical support model to overcome the current limitations of in-store, on-site, or call center services to become the fastest growing provider of support in the industry. Major resellers and technology companies are increasingly turning to iYogi to improve customer satisfaction, reduce return rates, and deliver a compelling new-value added offering to customers. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.net.

How to Remove Norton Antivirus Successfully from Your Computer

Norton Antivirus is one of the antivirus available today and many businesses and personal users to keep their computers free from the latest viruses. Unfortunately Norton antivirus is very intensive software which means you need a computer with more memory and CPU if you want to install it. Due to this reason, many people want to remove Norton AntiVirus their machines after using it for a few days. But remove the Norton antivirus software is not a simple process and leaves a lot of tracks, even after removing by traditional methods.

Norton antivirus, like any other software, a lot of processes running in the background. This is necessary as the virus continuously monitor all the activities you do on your computer. Each time you access any file, open your email, download attachments and run programs, Norton AntiVirus checks for viruses and Trojans. This also means that you remove Norton Antivirus requires more steps than the simple removal process.

The initial step is to remove Norton antivirus go to Control Panel and open Add or Remove Programs window. Then you need to locate the spyware removal and click Remove. This removes the antivirus, but still leaves some of its components. To completely remove Norton AntiVirus, you must perform some additional activities that are described below.

After removing Norton antivirus from control panel you need to open Windows Explorer and navigate to the folder of Norton AntiVirus. If you installed in the normal Program Files directory, the path would be C: \ Program Files \ Norton Antivirus. However, the path may differ depending on the location where to install the program in general. The next step is to delete the entire folder so that all files are deleted from Norton AntiVirus. This will complete the removal of all files in the Norton antivirus, but you still need to watch out for the remaining registry entries in Windows Registry.

Protect Your Network With an Open-Source Firewall

Don't worry if you don't know much about Linux. Though the geeky can get down and dirty at the command line, SmoothWall is very smooth to install and configure. It's meant to be managed via an integrated web interface, so it's appropriate to run it headless.

To install, first download the 82MB ISO file and burn it to a CD. For those in need of disk burning software, I'm a big fan of IMGBurn.

Then boot your system to the CD and run the installer which will wipe your hard disk and install SmoothWall Express. Just accepting the defaults will lead you to a good starting place. The first "hard" question you'll be asked is what you want the default security policy to be for outgoing requests.

The default is Half-Open which permits most outgoing traffic except for that which is potentially harmful. You may also choose Open which doesn't limit outgoing traffic at all, or Closed which requires that you later explicitly configure what traffic is permitted.

You'll then need to choose how you want to configure your network interfaces. Your interfaces will be Green, Red, Orange, or Purple.

The Green interface is your trusted LAN. Red is the evil and dangerous Internet. Orange is your DMZ, and Purple is your wireless LAN.

Next you choose which network card will be assigned to each role. SmoothWall will probe for and automatically detect most cards. You'll need to specify IP configuration and optionally DNS and Gateway settings.

Additional items that may be configured are Web Proxy, ISDN configuration, ADSL configuration, and DHCP configuration.

Lastly, you'll need to set a Web interface password and a root password for command line access.

You're done with setup! I told you it was easy.

From here, you can leave your "Smoothie" as is and it's a fully functional firewall.

However, the most in-depth features are only configurable through the Web GUI. To get to the Web configuration page, point your browser to https://SmoothWallGreenAddress:441 and enter the admin password you configured earlier.

One thing that may surprise you is that for a free-product that's easy to configure, SmoothWall is remarkably full featured.

SmoothWall offers a number of capabilities, including: Proxy Servers, IDS, Logging, Traffic Graphs, DHCP, VPN, Dynamic DNS, Port Forwarding, Server Health and Access Control.

It also provides an interface for backing up and restoring your configuration, so when that Pentium II finally kicks the bucket, you can quickly get your SmoothWall firewall back up and running again.

Group of Microsoft Rivals Nears Patent Deal in Bid to Protect Linux

Linux is a free open-source operating system that has gained ground against Microsoft's Windows software among business users, especially in servers, the big back-office computers inside companies. Linux's fans say the free software is more secure than Windows and, because its blueprint is open to users, can be more easily customized.

The group, the Open Invention Network, argues that its acquisition will protect users of Linux software from expensive lawsuits that could result if the patents fell into the hands of "patent trolls," groups that don't typically make products and exist primarily to earn money from lawsuits and settlements in patent cases.

The group said it is close to signing a deal to acquire the patents from Allied Security Trust. AST buys patents to protect its members from patent litigation, provides them with licenses to the technology, and then resells the patents on the open market. OIN and AST, whose members include Verizon Communications Inc., Cisco Systems Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co., could announce an agreement as early as this week.

AST won control of the patents in a private auction held by online microsoft help group. OIN and AST said their cooperation ensures that the Microsoft patents won't end up with patent trolls, leaving some big boosters of Linux potentially exposed. "We have averted a scenario where these patents can be used for negative purposes," said Keith Bergelt, chief executive officer of OIN, which holds on to its patents and broadly licenses them.

Earlier this year, Microsoft went a step further and filed a lawsuit in federal court in Seattle against the Dutch GPS device maker TomTom NV for allegedly violating Microsoft patents related to Linux, which were used in TomTom navigation products.

That suit, Microsoft tech support first Linux-related action and its first-ever alleging infringement of a software patent -- caused a stir among open-source advocates who feared Microsoft might be mounting a major legal offensive against Linux users. Microsoft and TomTom subsequently settled the suit for undisclosed terms.

Dave Kaefer, general manager for intellectual-property licensing at Microsoft, disputed allegations by some open-source advocates that the company intended to disrupt the market for Linux products with the sale of the patents, arguing that it wouldn't have sold the patents to AST, a firm whose members also include Linux boosters, if its goal had been disruption.

How To Choose a personnel computer

nsive laptop doesn’t mean it’s faster or better, sometimes it’s just because of the brand. Butr, your laptop brand often proves their credentials and quality. Let’s just forget the brand for a second, and just set a budget. Again, if you are damn rich, please stop reading this article now.
Get the best specification.

One you have your budget, then you can start your survey for your new laptop. Try to get the overall specs for your budget. Make a target of 4 laptops of your choice. Try to look faster CPU, high RAM, larger storage, extra features like how many USB ports, screen size, firewire, TV outputs. For women, you might want to add weight, design and cuteness to the list.
Do a survey online.

One you have your targets, do a quick research online. Look for the testimonials from the users on the model you have shortlisted. Things to look at are like warranty claims, overheating, batterry issue and the operating system stability. Take everything into consideration and pick the best laptop that you want.
Get the best bargain.

Once you decided the laptop that you wanted, you can look for several options for the model you want. You can try to buy it online directly from the manufacturer or you can go to local computer mall. Make sure you get the best bargain if you go to the computer store. Ask for freebies from them! Free mouse, mousepad, USB fan, laptop cooling unit or whatever you can think of. Make sure it’s worth every buck buying the item from them.
Warranty.

Last but not least, make sure you take the deal on extended warranty. Ask the seller if they provide them. Laptop parts are very expensive and extended warranty will save you a lot from it. Don’t feel like you’re wasting money when getting an extended warranty because believe me, most of my friends regret that they don’t take my advice.

There you have a quick guide on how to buy a laptop. It’s quite a long one so thanks a bunch if you’re reading it till the end. Feel free to comment and leave your thoughts on the comment section and I’ll try my best to answer them for you.

Methods to enable regedit in windows vista

Both Below methods you can get in windows vista help.

First method
Type this command in Run box and press Ok.
REG add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DisableRegistryTools /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

Second method
Using Group Policy editor. Once again in the Run box, type gpedit.msc and press Ok. Go to User Configuration-Administrative Templates-System, double click Disable registry editing tools and set it to Not Configured. Exit Group Policy editor.

UPDATE: Start your computer in safe mode with command prompt and type the following command to enable registry editor:-

reg delete HKCU\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\policies\system /v “DisableRegistryTools”

and run HKLM\software\microsoft\windows\currentversion\policies\system /v “DisableRegistryTools”

After you have run both commands your registry editor should be enabled

How To Resolve PXE-E61 Error In Windows

he Pxe-E61 Error can be two-fold.

Scenario 1
You get the error, but your system boots up as normal.
Solution
This occur due to LAN (Local Area Network) booting being enabled in the BIOS. Your PC is trying to boot from the LAN. Go into your BIOS (usually press F2 or Delete) and disable Booting via Lan (Ethernet)
This is just a nuisance error.

Scenario 2
You get the error, and your system reports "No bootable device — Insert boot disk and press any key"
Solution
This is more of an intermediate problem, there can be a few things here that can be wrong:
• Check the Cables, can be loose or damaged.
• Check the BIOS settings and try detect the HDD (Hard Disk Drive).
• Not common, but the master and slave settings can be incorrect.
• The HDD is faulty.
If it is the latter one, hope you have backups.

How to know which service pack you are using in windows xp

Determining the latest service pack that is currently installed on your Windows XP PC can be important for a number of reasons.

Some software programs require microsoft windows xp support to a certain service pack and will not operate correctly if the service pack is not installed.

Knowing the service pack level you’re currently running in Windows XP can also come in handy when troubleshooting certain problems or when manually installing a service pack.

Follow the easy to follow steps below to find out what service pack is currently installed in your Windows XP system:

Here’s How:

1. Click on Start and then Control Panel.
2. Click on the Performance and Maintenance link.

Note: If you’re viewing the Classic View of Control Panel, you won’t see this link. Simply double-click on the System icon and proceed to Step 4.

3. In the Performance and Maintenance window, click on the System Control Panel icon at the bottom of the window.
4. When the System Properties window opens it should default to the General tab. If not, choose it manually.
5. In the System: area of the General tab you’ll find the Operating System support and the service pack level. See the screen shot on this page for an idea of what you’re looking for.

Lock Your PC with a USB Key

We’ve all heard it – “can I use your Personal Computer for just a minute?” My answer to this seemingly innocent question is always a resounding “NO”, usually followed by “not a chance’, “you must be kidding”
………. .
Sounds unreasonable, right? Well, it might sound unreasonable, but is it really?
I spend weeks, tweaking and massaging my PCs so that I get just the kind of response I need, and I’ve learned the hard way that some or all of what I’ve done, can be undone – by a ham-fisted “guest”.

As well, since my PCs, just like yours I suspect, contain personal and confidential information, I have no intention of allowing unauthorized access either accidentally, or by design.
Until recently, I’ve used the old Windows standby – Windows Key + L, to lock my PC. That is, until I came across a freeware application, PREDATOR which locks a PC, even if the Windows session is still open.

Fast facts:
Insert the USB drive.
Run PREDATOR (autostart with Windows is possible),
When you’re away from your PC, you simply remove the USB drive.
Once removed, the keyboard and mouse are disabled and the screen darkens.
When you return to your PC, insert the USB flash.

The keyboard and mouse are immediately released, and the display is restored.
You can protect several PCs with the same USB flash drive, e.g. your home and office computers.
What really convinced me to use this neat tool are the advanced security features which are included in PREDATOR.

Security features:
Records all security-related events in a log file: start, alarms, stop. By reading this log, you will know if intruders have tried to use your computer while you have been away.
Frequently changes the security codes recorded on your USB drive. If an intruder manages to copy your stick, this copy will not work because the codes on your own stick will have changed in the meantime.

Disables the Windows task manager when you unplug the USB drive. Nobody can stop it with Ctrl-Alt-Del.
Lets you regain control of your computer if you lose your stick: when you start the software for the first time, you set a password that will unlock your session if your USB drive is not available.
Can sound an audible alarm if somebody enters an invalid password.
Running PREDATOR for the first time:

Launch the software via the Start Menu / All Programs / Predator item or via the PREDATOR icon on the Desktop
A dialog box will ask you to enter a password and to prepare a USB flash drive:
Insert your USB drive and click OK to continue.
Note: the current contents of your flash drive will be unchanged by this operation. Files on your USB drive will not be deleted nor modified in any way.
You will then see the Preferences window:

Type the password of your choice in the “New Password” field. You will use it to unlock your session if you lose your USB key.

You must enter at least 6 characters, letters, figures or signs. The password is case sensitive (uppercase and lowercase letters are different).
Check that the drive letter displayed under “USB key drive” actually matches your flash drive or choose the correct letter from the dropdown list.
Click the “Create key” button

Finally, click “Ok”
If you have a need to lock your PC when you are away from your desk, this free application will give you that sense of security you have been looking for.

Netbooks, All-in-One PC's

I have seen a dramatic difference in the types of computer repair in the past couple of years. It used to be that I would work on a couple laptops a month, and that was about it. Now about a third of the computers I work on are laptops or notebooks.

I know this is due to the convenience of laptops, and the biggest reason is the price has come way down on laptops and notebooks and many people have been buying them in the past couple of years. It used to be common to pay $1500 for a good laptop, and now you can get the same laptop for $800 or less.

The industry used to talk about the sub $1,000 PC market, then the sub $500 market, now full sized home PCs can be found for a couple hundred bucks.

The problem with both laptops and PCs are that for the cheap price, the computers are cheaply made. They are skimping on parts and not only cheap parts, but many lack any upgradeability. They really do become disposable products that last a year or two and then they are done.
There are some newer models on the market that you will soon be seeing, if you have not already. They have their positives and their negatives.

Vista: Goes Down Smooth & No Bad After Taste

I am sitting here in shame. My new computer is very fast and very cool, but that is not why I am so bad. I have done it. Finally. I went to the dark side.

Yes, I have moved to Vista on my personal/work computer. Now Dawn and I both are using Vista here, and we are now a two Vista family!

Does that mean I am anti-XP now?

I still love XP, and have a special place in my heart for it, and will still build computers with XP running on them.

We tend to get so comfortable and used to using something all the time, that it is hard to change. I don't mind change, but stay away from my computer! So this was a big change, and it took a lot of time to get everything converted over to my new machine.

I am sure you know what I am talking about when you get a new machine, or we have to reformat a machine and start from scratch. They run fast and are so sweet, but for about 2 weeks, you keep finding things that you forgot to install or set up.

My computer was getting a bit old, I built it back when I worked at Valnet, about 4 years ago. For normal use, I am sure it would have lasted a couple more years. But I have to be a geek or my reputation will do down in flames! So I built the newest, fastest and coolest computer that I could muster up (and afford!) It was a lot of fun, and now I have an awesome computer, and have upped my geek quotient at least a point.

This system has the brand new Intel Pentium i7 Quad Core processor (CPU) and 6 Gigabytes of screamin' fast RAM! It has a 500 GB and a 1 Terrabyte hard drives, with room for lots more! The CPU fan is so big This type of system is a bit extreme, but one of the reasons/excuses I built this for, is to get to know the newest stuff that is coming down the road for my customers. This will be the stuff in the next couple years that will be going in all the new computers, so I am getting ready!

I have found some really cool things in Vista and in Office 2007, both programs I have worked on when needed, but generally avoided for my personal use. Honestly, I am quite pleased and really having fun finding some cool new stuff, now that I am past the "I am not going to VISTA or Office 2007" syndrome!

I still do not recommend moving to Vista if you have XP on a machine that is a year or more older. If you are buying a new machine, or have a machine or laptop that came with Vista, it runs really well with enough RAM and a good CPU. The main Vista problem (now that the bugs have been worked out) is having a new enough and powerful enough computer to run it.

If you want to upgrade to a new operating system, I would recommend waiting for Windows 7 in the next year or year and a half. Stick with the OS you have or what comes with the computer, and then after Windows 7 has been out about 9 months, then upgrade. If you are happy with what you have, no reason to upgrade.

I have to get back to copying over my documents and business stuff before the office opens tomorrow!

How To Add Picture Shape And Clip Art

To add a picture:
• Click the Insert tab
• Click the Picture button
• Browse to the picture from your files
• Click the name of the picture
• Click Insert
• To move the graphic, click it and drag it to where you want it

Adding Clip Art
To add Clip Art:
• Click the Insert tab
• Click the Clip Art button
• Search for the clip art using the search Clip Art dialog box
• Click the clip art
• To move the graphic, click it and drag it to where you want it
Editing Pictures and Clip Art
When you add a graphic to the worksheet, an additional tab appears on the Ribbon. The Format tab allows you to format the pictures and graphics. This tab has four groups:
• Adjust: Controls the picture brightness, contrast, and colors
Picture Style: Allows you to place a frame or border around the picture and add effects
Arrange: Controls the alignment and rotation of the picture
Size: Cropping and size of graphic

Adding Shapes
To add Shape:
• Click the Insert tab
• Click the Shapes button
• Click the shape you choose

How to customize excel 2007

Excel 2007 offers a broad variety of customizable options that allow you to make Excel work the best for you. To access these customizable options:

• Click the Office Button
• Click Excel Options

Formulas
This feature allows you to modify calculation options, working with formulas, error checking, and error checking rules.

Save
This feature allows you personalize how your workbook is saved. You can specify how often you want auto save to run and where you want the workbooks saved.

Advanced
This feature allows you to specify options for editing, copying, pasting, printing, displaying, formulas, calculations, and other general settings.

Customize
Customize allows you to add features to the Quick Access Toolbar. If there are tools that you are utilizing frequently, you may want to add these to the Quick Access Toolbar.

In News: iYogi Re-Defines Technical Support – BizTech2.com

Remote managed services are gaining a lot of attraction these days. Companies are looking to outsource the maintenance and monitoring of their IT infrastructure to a third party to improve efficiency and save costs. BizTech2.com caught up with Uday Challu, founding partner and CEO, iYogi, to see what the company has to offer in this space.

As far as Enterprise and SME customers are concerned, which verticals are you focusing on?

Our focus will mostly be on small companies with around five to 100 users and also firms that have multiple small branch offices like travel agencies, retail stores etc.

What kind of support services do you provide to your customers? What is the Green PC service?

iYogi provides the next generation of remote computer support services for consumers and businesses. For consumers, our live 24/7 support extends to technologies we use everyday, including hardware, software applications, devices, peripherals and networking equipment. iYogi also offers a full range of business IT solutions including managed monitoring, managed services, set-up and installation services, and incident-based services.

Green PC Service

With the current state of the global climate and increasing dependency on the computer, iYogi helps PC users reduce their carbon footprint and save money at the same time. iYogi’s Green PC service is the first in the independent computer support industry to offer customers a way to save money, conserve energy and protect the environment by optimising their PC’s efficiency. Consumers and businesses can save up to $200 per year, per desktop, in energy costs with iYogi’s Green PC application. This green application makes the computer environmentally friendly by reducing power consumption by almost 50 percent.

Our Green PC dashboard helps customise power settings and calculate power savings in kWh (kilowatt hour). The Green PC dashboard also gives a status on the reduction of CO2 and how responsible usage will benefit the environment by saving trees. A customised service that increases the energy efficiency of computers, undertakes the below-mentioned three primary initiatives:

- Computer assessment, analysing settings and PC energy use
- Customised efficiency planning geared specifically to the individual’s usage patterns
- Implementing setting changes to maximise the computer’s energy use

What are the technologies that allow you to offer 24/7 support and ensure there is no downtime at the client site?

We have invested significantly in developing a comprehensive monitoring and management tools stack. This enables us to manage and monitor all devices in the office network as well as for branch offices and mobile users. Our tools continuously monitor the customer’s network and notify our NOC (Network Operations Centre) in case of problems. Based on the set of events, tickets are automatically generated and escalated to corresponding teams. Over and above our proactive approach, the customer always has an option to call our 24X7 support line for issues that are not identified via the monitoring tools.

Please throw some light on your proprietary iMantra technology.

iMantra is a CRM system, which is tailor-made to suit the emerging business needs at iYogi. It allows for the formation of individualised customer relationships with the aim of providing personalised services to each subscriber. This tool is built on the latest java technology with a layered architecture that makes it scalable and secure. This architecture provides a seamless workflow and independent channels for various business needs: sales, support, quality and customer service. The entire system can be exposed in the form of secure APIs and Web services, which makes it a re-usable entity.

Your business model is similar to BPOs in India providing technical support to offshore customers. What unique values do you bring to this ecosystem that would help a potential client choose you over a competitor?

iYogi’s business model is different from traditional BPOs. Some key factors that differentiate iYogi include:

- Direct-to-consumer and -small business: iYogi delivers technical support services directly to consumers and small businesses and is a global technical support brand based out of India. Unlike traditional BPOs in India, iYogi does not provide any private label support and/ or work on behalf of large OEMs or software publishers.

- Optimised Processes: iYogi has developed proprietary processes for consistently delivering on a resolution rate of 87 percent, which is among the highest published benchmarks in the support industry, where averages hover in the range of 50 percent.

- Comprehensive technology platform: iYogi’s global delivery platform, iMantra, gets smarter with every customer interaction. It documents every problem, the solution and relevant hardware and software aspects, while capturing each customer’s demographic information and creating a behavioural profile. All of this information is at the fingertips of iYogi’s Global Tech Experts. This set-up combines a knowledge base with a comprehensive set of tools and technology expertise. iYogi offers a range of tools that complement its remote support services for helping customers maintain technology at peak performance levels. iYogi’s products include iYogi Smart PC Scan, iYogi Support Dock, iYogi Green PC and iYogi PC Optimisation.

How do you plan to move up the value chain in the times to come?

The growing use and penetration of the Internet and new Web-based applications has consequently opened the door to threats and vulnerabilities, which affect the system performance and ultimately lead to degrading performance. If the threats are diagnosed early on, the impact on efficiency can be minimised considerably. Currently, a user only realizes that he needs technical support once the damage has occurred and reactive methods of support are used to recover from the loss.

At iYogi, we are developing our capabilities to not only provide support when demanded, but to also monitor, pre-empt and fix threats before they can cause any damage to the computer. This will be possible only by combining technology with processes that are capable of re-defining the way technical support is delivered today.

What is your India strategy?

Technically, we are capable of servicing any geography including India. At this stage, we are looking for the right kind of partners to find access to potential customers and provide them a consolidated, 360-degree solution and services for issues relating to hardware, software, network etc. We aim to launch our India services in the coming six to eight months. Our services will offer clients a one-stop solution for all their business needs.

Source : BizTech2.com