"-" COMPUTER REPAIR SERVICE "-"

Microsoft warns of new Office attack

2008-03-29T20:04:00.003+07:00

Microsoft has warned users to be vigilant after the discovery of a series of attacks on Office..

The attacks use specially crafted Word files to target a vulnerability in Microsoft's Jet DB, a database component used in the productivity suite.

The company issued an advisory outlining the attacks, which were classified as "very limited" and aimed at specific targets.

McAfee researcher Craig Schmugar suggested in a blog posting that the attacks could indicate a shift in strategy.

Attackers have typically exploited Microsoft Jet DB vulnerabilities through MDB files, and Microsoft has always stuck to its MDB files are unsafe story, wrote Schmugar. "Well that has changed," he added.

Microsoft said that Windows Vista and the recent Service Pack 1 upgrade are not vulnerable to the buffer overflow used in the attack. The Service Pack 2 version of Office 2003 is also immune.

The company is investigating the attacks, and has not yet decided whether to patch the flaw immediately or wait until next month's scheduled security update. Microsoft has advised users not to open files from untrusted sources.

The vulnerability allows an attacker to access the system with the rights of the current user, and Microsoft said that administrators can minimise this risk by putting controls on non-administrator accounts.

Enterprises urged to plug IM security holes

2008-03-28T12:06:00.003+07:00

One in four employees has used instant messaging to send information about company plans, finances or password/login credentials, security experts have warned..

FaceTime Communications said that enterprises need to wake up to the use of real-time communications in the workplace and ensure that they have the ability to log, archive and retrieve the communications.

A review of thousands of pages of IM conversations in the recent Société Générale trading scandal revealed that the rogue trader may not have acted alone.

The reports note that much of the trading scheme was discussed over instant messaging, as opposed to more traditional email channels. Société Générale's ability to retrieve these messages provided a clear trail for investigators.

"The financial sector has long led the way in the use of technology, and its adoption of instant messaging is no exception," said Nick Sears, EMEA vice president at FaceTime.

"Employees frequently believe that their IM conversations are private, as the Société Générale case shows.

"By and large the employees are correct as many businesses do not even recognise that real-time communications are being used on their systems, let alone monitor it."

FaceTime added that IM is not the only real-time communication tool that organisations should be wary of when it comes to information leakage and employee collusion.

"Even if you ignore the fact that you cannot scan for malware using traditional security tools, encrypted VoIP is still a major headache for companies in terms of data leakage," said Sears.

"It is not just conversations that go unmonitored. Most VoIP clients allow you to exchange files too, allowing confidential documents to slip easily in and out of the organisation before you can say 'regulatory investigation.'"

Google in trouble over data security

2008-03-27T09:44:00.003+07:00

Organisations and individuals using Google's applications suite have no right to data privacy, a case in arbitration has shown..

Lakehead University in Canada was one of the first large-scale adopters of Google applications, but a storm has broken out after staff were told not to use it for personal or sensitive information.

The problem arises because the information is stored on Google's servers in the US where authorities have the right to read everything Google stores under the Patriot Act.

"The [university] did this on the cheap. By getting this free from Google, they gave away our rights," Tom Puk, a former president of Lakehead's faculty association, told the Globe and Mail.

"You would have no idea what they are up to with your information until, perhaps, it is too late. We do not want to be subject to laws of the Patriot Act."

Puk has brought a complaint against the university because his contract guarantees private electronic communications in line with Canada's privacy laws.

Darren Meister, associate professor of information systems at the Richard Ivey School of Business, said: "If I were a business manager, I would want to be very careful about what kind of data I made accessible to US law enforcement."

Google has declined to comment on the specific allegations. However, Peter Fleischer, global privacy counsel at Google, has called for unified privacy standards around the world to protect user data.

Red Hat releases free security code

2008-03-25T09:30:00.003+07:00

Red Hat is freeing up the source code behind its identity management and security system in a bid to show that open source software is more secure than rival technologies..

The Linux distributor is staking its future on fleshing out products beyond its popular operating system to ensure the continued uptake of open source by the business community.

Until now the only parts of the system freely available as open source code were the Apache web server and the Red Hat Directory Server.

The company said in a blog posting that the release of the code "further demonstrates Red Hat's belief that the open source development model creates more secure software".

The move is seen as offering a carrot to developers who will be more likely to embrace open source if they can more easily integrate their technology with Red Hat's security and network management products.

Red Hat highlighted the freeIPA project which it claimed would provide central management for machine and service digital certificates by integrating technology from the Red Hat Certificate System (RHCS).

"By incorporating technology from RHCS the freeIPA project will, over time, be able to centrally manage machine and service digital certificates including provisioning those certificates to the machine when it joins the identity, policy and audit realm and renewing them upon expiration," the firm said.

"This will enhance enterprise security by streamlining the use of certificates within the environment."

McAfee steps up online safety education drive

2008-03-24T08:31:00.003+07:00

To help educate internet users about the potential dangers of the online world, security firm McAfee has created a free 10-step internet safety plan..

Available through the McAfee Advice Center, the ebook is broken into separate sections each aimed at providing safety guidelines for various age groups and experience levels, including kids, teens, parents, teachers and community groups.

In conjunction with the guidelines, there is also a quiz aimed at that challenges teens' knowledge of online risks and their ability to stay safe from spyware, spam, scams and identity theft.

"The days when people went online only to gather information and send email have changed," said Todd Gebhart, senior vice president and general manager of Consumer, Mobile and Small Business for McAfee.

"Cyberspace is an exciting environment full of opportunity, but it is also increasingly risky, with numerous threats emerging daily. Parents need to be on guard whenever their children venture online, so we've developed some simple steps to help ensure that young people's online experiences are safe and pleasant."

According to recent research, teens and kids are known to engage in risky online behaviour. For example, while 51 per cent of teens have downloaded music, the search term 'digital music' often leads to drive-by download sites that can populate a computer with spyware, viruses and exploits without users' knowledge. In addition, 45 per cent of young people said someone they've never met in person has asked them for personal information online.

The guidelines also include a section on how to save chat session logs, block users, report intruders and it provides recommendations for age-appropriate browsers and search engines, among other tips.

McAfee hopes that its new ebook will help families work together to set boundaries and create a list of rules to follow.

Second mass hack exposed

2008-03-23T08:40:00.003+07:00

Hot on the heels of a recent hack in which 10,000 sites were compromised, researchers have disclosed a new large-scale attack..
Researchers at McAfee estimated that the attack has been active for roughly one week, and in that time frame has managed to place itself on roughly 200,000 web pages.

Most of the infected pages are running the phpBB forum software, said McAfee. The compromised pages are embedded with a Javascript file that links to the site hosting the attack.

Rather than attempt to exploit browser vulnerabilities, the attack attempts to trick a user into manually launching its malicious payload.

"This contrasts [Thursday’s] attack in that the vast majority of those were active server pages (.ASP)," explained McAfee researcher Craig Schmugar on a company blog posting.

"The ASP attacks are different than the phpBB ones in that the payload and method are quite different. Various exploits are used in the ASP attacks, where the phpBB ones rely on social engineering."

The infected pages bring up what appears to be a pornographic web site. Upon loading the page, a 'fake codec' social engineering attack is attempted. The user is told that in order to view the movie on the page, a special video codec must be installed.

The user then downloads a trojan program which installs a malware package on the users system then delivers a fraudulent error message telling the user that the supposed codec could not be installed.

Microsoft begins distributing Hyper-V

2008-03-21T10:24:00.002+07:00

Microsoft has begun distributing a "feature-complete release candidate" of Microsoft Hyper-V, the hypervisor-based virtualisation software available with versions of Windows Server 2008..

A beta of Hyper-V was included with Windows Server 2008 when it launched last month, and this release candidate provides updated near-final code.

The release candidate features an expanded list of tested and qualified guest operating systems, which now includes Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2, Novell SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10, Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3.

Host server and language support has been expanded to include 64-bit versions of Windows Server 2008 Standard, Enterprise and Datacenter.

English, German and Japanese language options are available, as well as enablement of Hyper-V on international locales. Further language options and support will be available in the final release.

The release candidate also comes with support for more hardware configurations, and offers improved performance and scalability.

It also includes the option for installing Hyper-V Manager Microsoft Management Console on Windows Vista SP1 for remote management.

Bill Hilf, general manager of the Windows Server Division at Microsoft, said: "Virtualisation has been too complicated and expensive for most organisations, which is why less than 10 per cent of servers are virtualised today."

Microsoft said that hardware firms including AMD, Dell, Fujitsu, Fujitsu Siemens Computers, Hitachi, HP, Intel, IBM, NEC and Unisys are working with the firm to test and evaluate Hyper-V.

"Once final code is available, these partners plan to integrate support for Hyper-V into their virtualisation offerings in ways that best fit their business, including pre-installation on servers, device support, solutions and services," Microsoft stated.

The final version of Hyper-V remains "on target" for release by August 2008, Microsoft said.

Customers and partners can download the release candidate at Microsoft's Virtualization and Consolidation website.

Windows Vista SP1 wreaks havoc on some PCs, users complain

2008-03-20T09:47:00.003+07:00

A day after it was released for public download, Windows Vista SP1 is drawing barbs from some computer users who say the software wrecked their systems..
"I downloaded it via Windows Update, and got a bluescreen on the third part of the update," wrote "Iggy33" in a comment posted Wednesday on Microsoft's Vista team blog.

Iggy33 was just one of dozens of posters complaining about Vista Service Pack 1's effect on their PCs. "What a disaster," wrote "SeppDietrich" of the update. "It exiled all my Nvidia drivers to the Bermuda Triangle."

"Bikkja" said that "after installing SP1 things seem to go really slow, even though my computer shouldn't have any problems."

Other troubles reported by Vista SP1 users ranged from a simple inability to download the software from Microsoft's Windows Update site to sudden spikes in memory usage. "Went from using 650 MB RAM idle to 1 Gig... I'll be switching back," said "Kurrier."

It's not uncommon for major software patches to cause problems when first released. Windows XP Service Pack 1 inflicted numerous glitches on host computers when it shipped in 2002. Microsoft fixed many of the problems with subsequent patches.

Microsoft on Tuesday made Vista SP1 widely available for the first time. The company has admitted it's still not perfect.

The service pack will not install on computers that use peripheral device drivers that Microsoft has deemed incompatible. The list includes a small set of audio and display drivers made by Realtek and Intel, as well as drivers from several other manufacturers.

Microsoft said it's working to resolve the compatibility issues.

Computer users with Vista already installed on their systems can now download Vista Service Pack 1 for free from the Windows Update site. Some retailers, including Amazon.com, are offering boxed versions of Vista SP1 for sale starting Wednesday.

The software is available in five languages: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.

Vista SP1 contains numerous features designed to enhance the operating system's speed, performance, and stability. Among other things, it offers a patch that will allow users to run the BitLocker encryption tool on multiple hard drives. It also improves the speed at which the OS wakes up from hibernate mode.

SP1 will also remove from Vista the so-called Kill Switch -- a feature that deactivated key components of the OS if Microsoft detected users were not running a properly licensed copy of Vista.

The feature was plagued by false alarms that flagged thousands of legitimate Vista users as software pirates.

All told, Vista SP1 includes more than 300 hot fixes for the OS.

Users will need to install three prerequisite files onto their computers before they can upgrade to Vista SP1. Those files are also available through Windows Update.

Microsoft is hoping that Windows Vista SP1 will quell some of the disappointment that greeted the operating system's initial rollout early last year. Many corporate and home users complained about its resource requirements and lack of compatibility with existing applications.

Internet Explorer 8 could break applications, Gartner warns

2008-03-19T09:58:00.003+07:00

Microsoft's improved support for Web standards in its Internet Explorer 8 browser is laudable -- but it could cause big headaches for enterprise IT developers..

That's the opinion of analysts at tech research firm Gartner, which cautions in a new report that IE 8's default standards mode "will result in pages that don't display correctly for some enterprise applications."

That's because many Web- or intranet-facing applications used in business were built to work with previous versions of Explorer, in which Microsoft often favored its own protocols over universal Web standards.

With Explorer 8, slated for full release later this year, Microsoft has promised default compatibility with W3C guidelines.

Among other things, the browser features support for Web programming standards such as CCS 2.1 and HTML 5. It also promises improved support for the Ajax programming language. "Microsoft is trying to woo the Web 2.0 world," Gartner said in a document published last week.

The researchers said it's "an indicator of what some have called 'the new Microsoft.' "

Microsoft last month pledged broad support for systems interoperability and open standards -- in part to appease European monopoly regulators who have levied more than $2 billion in antitrust fines on the software maker.

Gartner is recommending that enterprise developers fall in line with Microsoft's commitment to standards when creating new Web applications. "Strive to design for standards, not browsers," Gartner said. "Don't depend on any one client-side technology. Focus instead on validated user interaction patterns."

A beta version of Internet Explorer 8 is now available for download directly from Microsoft.

Why the Microsoft Mouse Won't Cut it For Next Generation Computing

2008-03-17T19:38:00.002+07:00

Let’s face it; the electronic world is just asking to be touched. The classic computer mouse is more than 20 years old and in that time more efficient methods of working with our computers have been developed. Touch pad phones, computer screens and even touch pad computer mice are replacing technology that previously needed an external component to reach within the screen. Touch screen technology is apart of each of our lives everyday: at the gas pump, the grocery store checkout, the library and on our cell phones. So what about our standard computer mouse at home?

Most of us either own a Microsoft Mouse or know someone who does. Double-clicking, once a frustrating experience for novice computer users, will soon be a thing of the past as people grow accustomed to navigating their computer system via touch. The world is turning towards touch screen technology for several reasons not just because touch screens offer a faster solution. Computer mouse alternatives are quickly becoming the standard for how we spend our lives online.

Touch Pad Keyboards:

Increase productivity
Decrease caporal tunnel issues
Offer up valuable USB slots for cameras and other storage devices

Integrated touchpad technology works in tandem with the computer system, keeping the ability to work with data close at hand. Using a Microsoft mouse for example, means moving your hand away from the keyboard. This small movement can waste time and dwindles productivity down to bare minimums. Imagine having to reach over for a new pen every time you write a note and you've got the basic idea.

Separate peripherals take up precious work space, as well as valuable computing resources like extra USB slots.

Imagine your next business trip, you are sitting on a plane and the executive next to you pulls his dinosaur computer from his bag, un-coils the computer mouse and plugs it into his USB port, excuses himself as he asks to borrow your seat tray for his computer mouse and mouse pad. Now imagine removing your sleek, paper thin laptop with touch screen technology built into the keyboard touchpad. Imagine being hassle free, independent of space and efficient.

Syria expands "iron censorship" over Internet

2008-03-16T11:03:00.003+07:00

Syrian authorities have ordered Internet cafe users to reveal their identity, the latest measure in their "iron censorship" of cyberspace, a Syrian monitoring group said on Thursday.

Security officials ordered Internet cafe owners this week to take down the names and identification cards of their clients as well as the times they come and leave, said Mazen Darwich, head of the Syrian Media Centre.

The records are to be presented regularly to the authorities, who targeted bloggers and Internet writers in recent months as part of a renewed campaign against dissent.

"These steps are designed to terrorise Internet users and spread fear and self censorship in violation of the right to privacy and free expression," Darwich said.

"The government has been methodical in extending the scope of its iron censorship," he said.

There was no comment from the government. Officials had said Internet controls were needed to guard against what they described as attempts to spread sectarian divisions and "penetration by Israel".

Several Internet cafes confirmed the new regulations.

Restrictions have also increased on surfing the World Wide Web and online publishing. An increasing number of Syrians who have voiced opinions on the Internet were being jailed, Darwich said.

The Syrian Media Centre, an independent body that tracks curbs on media, said at least 153 Internet sites are blocked in Syria with bans expanding over the past few weeks to Googleblog and the Arab Maktoobblog.

"Open forums have been used by thousands of Syrians to launch a counteroffensive against the government's curbs on public expression," Darwich said.

The forums also provide a way for users to share information on how to bypass government blocking of sites through what is known as Internet proxies, he said.

Facebook and Youtube are already banned as well as sites for Syrian opposition parties, Lebanese newspapers and Lebanese groups opposed to what they call Syrian interference in Lebanon. The site of the Saudi Asharq al-Awsat newspaper is blocked although the daily has a correspondent in Damascus.

The government last year ordered Internet sites based in Syria to provide the "clear identity and name" of those behind any article or comment they publish.

A poet is facing trial at a state security course for publishing articles on a civic society forum. Another writer spent a week in prison for an Internet piece about fuel and electricity shortages, Syrian human rights organisations said.

A teacher from the farming province of Reka is facing trial for criticising online what he described as patronage and nepotism in the state-run education system.

The Internet spread in Syria after President Bashar al-Assad succeeded his late farther, Hafez al-Assad in 2000. The country is ruled by the Baath Party, which took power in a coup in 1963, imposed emergency law and banned all opposition.

Swarm robotics work hundreds of robots into one

2008-03-14T21:34:00.003+07:00

Forget the conventional notion of human-like androids; researchers are investigating large swarms of up to 10,000 miniature robots which can work together to form a single, artificial life form.

Swarm robotics is a field of study based on the supposition that simple, individual robots can interact and collaborate to form a single artificial organism with more advanced group intelligence.

As a part of an international collaboration dubbed the "Symbiotic Evolutionary Robot Organisms" project, or "Symbrion" for short, researchers from the University of York are developing an artificial immune system which can protect both the individual robots that form part of a swarm, as well as the larger, collective organism.

Researches expect an artificial immune system to be able to detect faults and make recommendations to a high-level control system about corrective action - much like how a person's adaptive immune system works to keep the body healthy.

Should any faults be detected, individual robots will be able to share the information with others in the robotic swarm. The swarm as a whole will thus be capable of evolving in the face of new problems, just as a natural immune system is able to cope with unfamiliar pathogens.

The multi-robot approach to artificial intelligence is a relatively new one, and has developed from studies of the swarm behaviour of insects such as ants.

Eventually, swarm robotics might be applied to real-world tasks such as rescuing earthquake victims, according to University of York research leader Jon Timmis, of the Intelligent Systems Group in the Department of Electronics.

"This is an increasingly important area of research," Timmis said. "We may be able to use the collaborative power of many robots in situations where human intervention isn't possible."

"For instance, a Symbrion swarm could be released into a collapsed building following an earthquake, and form themselves into teams to lift rubble or search for survivors."

"This kind of thing is clearly a long way from being realised, but work in this project will allow us to start building the robots of the future," he said.

IT security budgets on the rise

2008-03-13T10:52:00.003+07:00

Three out of five IT professionals plans to increase spending on security over the coming year, according to a study by Cisco..
A two-part study on the impact of remote workers on corporate security polled 2,000 remote workers and IT professionals from various industries in Australia, the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, China, India and Brazil.

Nearly two-thirds indicated that they will increase security-related spending in 2008, more than half of whom will increase security investments by more than 10 per cent on the previous year.

Cisco said that one of the main drivers behind the increase is financial losses from attacks on corporate networks and employees, including those who work outside the office.

The highest percentage of IT decision makers who plan to boost spending are in nations that are relative newcomers to widespread IP-based corporate networking.

China, India and Brazil had the highest number of IT decision makers planning to increase spending in general, and the largest percentage who will increase security investments by more than 10 per cent year over year.

The study suggests that risky behaviour from remote workers, such as opening suspicious emails, hijacking wireless networks or sharing corporate devices with non-employees, is much more extensive in China, India and Brazil than in nations with a longer history of corporate internet use.

"During the past few years, virus attacks caused the most damage in countries where internet adoption was greatest," said John Stewart, chief security officer at Cisco.

"As new countries increase adoption, those that drive the new internet growth can learn from others to understand the inherent security challenges, especially those who use the internet to shop or work remotely.

"For multinational corporations and the IT departments that support them, understanding their employees' level of security awareness and experience is key in fostering tighter relationships, building trust and administering effective education that will ultimately help to protect the enterprise."

Stewart added that companies need to take a considered and practical approach to protecting their assets and employees, and to prevent spending on reactive security fire-fighting.

"Businesses need firewalls, virtual private networks and data protection technologies," concluded Stewart.

"The challenge is how to minimise other costs that could have been prevented through sustained education of employees, such as managing malware outbreaks and data theft.

"Increasing employee awareness through sustained education reduces threats, attacks and the painful price tags they typically carry."

Spammers crack Gmail Captcha codes

2008-03-12T10:00:00.003+07:00

Experts are worried about the security protection on Gmail after a recent rise in spam volumes..
Researchers at MessageLabs found that spam messages originating from Google's webmail service doubled last month to reach roughly 2.6 percent of all webmail spam.

MessageLabs believes that this points to a possible breach of Gmail's spam protections, in particular the 'Captcha' system.

Captcha codes are the input boxes in which a user copies a sequence of letters or numbers from an image. The system is designed to prevent spammers registering multiple accounts automatically.

"There are several approaches a spammer can take to defeat a Captcha," said Mark Sunner, chief security analyst at MessageLabs.

"Whether they do so using an algorithm, a 'mechanical Turk' or combination of the two, email providers are feeling the pressure to keep pace but are limited to what a human can realistically solve.

"This is creating ever more doubt about the long-term effectiveness of Captcha as a security mechanism for email services."

A Google spokesperson declined to comment on the MessageLabs report, but did say that the company has taken action against the spammers.

"Fighting spam is a never-ending battle," said the spokesperson. "We disabled these accounts immediately and will continue to do so if they spread."

MessageLabs acknowledged that Gmail is a relatively minor source of spam. While the February boost brought Gmail's total to 2.6 per cent of webmail spam, Yahoo Mail accounts for a whopping 88.7 per cent.

Quantum computers: technological deliverance or the end of security?

2008-03-10T20:17:00.002+07:00

Quantum computing might spell the end of today's computer and credit card encryption technology, a U.S. physicist has claimed.

Long lauded as the next generation of computing, quantum computing is expected to herald a world where technological advancement is no longer bound by Moore's Law. Scientists speculate the applications of quantum computing to range from more accurate clocks, to finding cures to modern day diseases and even to mapping the human brain.

In the wrong hands, however, the increased computational power could be disastrous. Security measures that might take current computers thousands of years to crack will be solved by quantum computers within a few hours, rendering digital encryption all but obsolete.

Current day encryption systems employed in electronic banking, secure communications and credit card transactions rely on a cryptographic key that is only known by the transacting parties.

The key is used to encrypt and decrypt information and can only be cracked by an attacker who is able to determine the prime factors of a large number through a mathematical process known as factorisation.

Factorisation is a difficult, time consuming task for classical computers, which are designed to approach and tackle one problem at a time. Not so for quantum computers, however, which are able to tackle multiple problems in parallel by harnessing a property of quantum physics that allow particles to be in two states simultaneously.

Through a mathematical concept known as Shor's algorithm, which is a theory designed with quantum computing in mind, a quantum computer will be able to solve factoring problems as well as a number of other mathematical problems on which current day encryption is based.

“It is known that quantum algorithms can compute certain problems much faster than their classical counterparts,” said Enrique del Barco, Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Central Florida.

“Factorising a large number is a task that would take the most powerful classical computer thousands of years, and this is the reason for which current cryptography codes, used to keep the security of our electronic transactions, are based on the factorisation of large numbers.”

“It turns out that factorisation is one of the problems that a quantum computer would solve in a few hours,” he said.

Fortunately for security stakeholders, quantum computers are still many years away from reality. As governments and corporations come up with an unending list of potential uses for the technology, theoretical debates rage on about if practical quantum computers should be based on superconductors, transistors or spintronics.

Even so, security experts are regarding the technology with a wary eye.

“We all use cryptography every day, and most of us do so without knowing it,” said Robin Balean, Solutions Architect at VeriSign Australia. “Certainly the consequences could be dire if all electronic commerce were suddenly rendered insecure.”

“Although still many years away, it turns out that there is such a threat,” he said.

One way of circumventing security gaps caused by Shor’s algorithm is to use some lesser known public key encryption algorithms currently believed to be not vulnerable to quantum methods. Balean listed the Diffie-Lamport-Merkle signature system, the NTRU encryption system, the McEliece encryption system, and the HFE signature system as some examples.

But while such cryptographic techniques rely on advanced mathematics, Balean expects cryptography of the future to rest in the hands of physicists.

“It is certainly reasonable to assume that quantum encryption will be practical long before quantum computers become a reality,” he said, noting that there exist commercial systems for quantum key exchange that are in use today.

“Although the advent of quantum computers would be the nail in the coffin for many of the cryptographic algorithms in use today, there are other algorithms and technologies ready to take their place,” Balean said.

“I believe we can look forward to an age of quantum computers rather than needing to fear that they will make our computing insecure.”

The University of Central Florida’s del Barco agrees, expecting quantum computing to provide solutions to any security problems it might cause.

In fact, del Barco said, secure transactions in the age of quantum computing will far surpass the security of today.

“When a qubit [quantum bit] of information is sent from one place to another, as would be the case during an online purchase with our credit card, if one wants to read the state of the qubit it will change its state and the sender will know about it, and the system will automatically cancel that particular operation, leaving the consumer safe,” he explained.

“In other words, quantum transferring of information is an anti-spy process that will make our electronic transaction infinitely more secure than today.”

“However, the appearance of quantum computers won’t represent a problem for the security of our transactions,” del Barco concluded.

“Just the opposite; quantum information and computation technologies will make the transfer of secret information to be unbreakable.”

AMD shows off 45nm quad-core CPUs

2008-03-09T09:53:00.005+07:00

AMD has unveiled its first 45nm quad-core chips at the CeBIT show in Hanover..
The processors were produced in Dresden at AMD's Fab 36 300mm manufacturing facility using an advanced 45nm process co-developed with IBM.

AMD said that the 45nm transistors deliver higher performance without significantly increasing clock speeds, enabling greater performance-per-watt capabilities in AMD processors and platforms.

The chips are manufactured using immersion lithography, which uses a thin meniscus of water between the lens and the wafer to shorten the wavelength of light and make the production process more efficient.

The first 45nm chips demonstrated by AMD include 'Shanghai' for servers and 'Deneb' for desktop platforms. Both are expected in the "second half of 2008".

However, some analysts are sceptical about AMD's chances at clawing back market share from Intel, which began shipping 45nm processors late last year.

"It is late, but not too late for AMD to come out with 45nm chips," said Dan Olds, an analyst at Gabriel Consulting Group.

"The degree to which these chips can compete with Intel's depends on whether 'second half of 2008' means July or late December.

"If we're talking July, this might allow AMD to pull back to parity with current Intel products. If we're talking December, AMD is still firmly behind Intel."

Chip lock aims to end hardware piracy

2008-03-07T12:39:00.003+07:00

Pirated microchips based on stolen blueprints could soon be a thing of the past thanks to computer engineers at Rice University and the University of Michigan.
The boffins have devised a way to head off this costly infringement by giving each chip its own unique lock and key.

The patent holder would hold the keys, and the chip would securely communicate with the patent-holder to unlock itself. The chip could operate only after being unlocked.

The Ending Piracy of Integrated Circuits (Epic) technique relies on established cryptography methods, and introduces subtle changes into the chip design process without affecting performance or power consumption.

With Epic protection enabled, each integrated circuit would be manufactured with a few extra switches that behave like a combination lock.

Each would also have the ability to produce its own at least 64-bit random identification number that could not be changed.

The chips would not be manufactured with an ID number, but would have the tools needed to produce the number during activation.

Epic chips would not work correctly until they were activated. To activate a chip, the manufacturer would plug it in and let it contact the patent owner over an ordinary phone line or internet connection.

The researchers report that integrated circuit piracy has risen in recent years as US companies started outsourcing production of newer chips with ultra-fine features.

Transferring chip blueprints to overseas locations opened new doors for bootleggers who have used the chips to make counterfeit MP3 players, cellphones and computers, among other devices.

This is a very new problem, according to Igor Markov, associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan and a co-author of the paper.

"Pirated chips are sometimes being sold for pennies, but they are exactly the same as normal chips," he said.

"They were designed in the US and usually manufactured overseas where intellectual property law is more lax. Someone copies the blueprints or manufactures the chips without authorisation."

PC Virus Removal

2008-03-05T12:41:00.003+07:00

Removing a virus from your PC manually can be one the hardest kind of computer repairs. Luckily there are many different software programs out there that can help. To remove a virus you will need a combination of Virus software, Spyware software and a startup manager piece of software. These three are still not enough. You need to know the right process in which to run the software pieces to remove the PC virus.
The good news is we have the process right here to repair your computer. We will provide a few free programs but recommend you actually go out and purchase a good all in one security suit. The first thing is to boot normal. Once logged in you will need to turn off the system restore. The reason for this is because many viruses will hide in this area. Now reboot and boot into safe mode with networking.

Once you are booted into safe mode with networking you will need to download, the free AVG anti virus, Spybot Search and destroy, highjackThis, and ad-aware. Install all programs and then update them. Now download CCleaner, install and run. Remove all those junk temp files. Now run ad-aware and Spybot. Both programs can run at the same time. Once they finish reboot normal, if you were asked to run Spybot again on boot then let it run. Now run AVG and do a full scan.

One AVG has finished then reboot and run highjack this. Remove any entries that you know to be bad. Be careful and only remove the known bad entries because if you remove something that is needed you will be hosed.

If you are unsure about any of what was said here then your better off having a pro remove the virus. This can be done for as little as $89 dollars on places like www.onlinecomputerrepair.org. We recommend you purchase anti-virus software as well because the fact you were infected in the first place tells me you were not protected enough.

For a more in-depth guide on removing spyware and exact steps view our spyware removal guide. Our Vista Repair site also features many repair tips and tricks as well. If your in need of online computer repair then check us out at www.onlinecomputerrepair.org">online computer repair. If you need anti-virus or spyware software we have reviews on our Vista anti-virus software page.

Problems faced while merging two PST files

2008-03-04T08:09:00.003+07:00

When you are using multiple Outlook accounts and want to use a single account you need to import all your .PST files into that account. Your .PST files contain messages, files, and other items stored in folders. These files are either stored on your computer’s hard drive or on a file server accessible to you.

You need to follow this procedure to merge a PST file called Mailbox.pst with a version from a backup also named Mailbox.pst. You need to be careful so as to prevent overwriting the PST files having the same filename. You need to follow these steps:

1. Create backup files of both PST files.
2. Then rename the restored version of Mailbox.pst to Mailbox1.pst.
3. Then copy Mailbox1.pst to the directory which contains the working version of Mailbox.pst.
4. After that add Mailbox1.pst to your active profile using the process described in steps 5 to 8.
5. Go to the Tools menu in the Viewer, then Click on Option and press the Services tab.
6. In The Following Information Services Are Set Up In This Profile dialog box or field, click on Personal Information Store, and then click on Add. Go to In The Following Information Services Are Set Up In This Profile Box, click on Personal Information Store and then on Add.
7. In the Available Information Services box, click on Mailbox1.pst and then click on OK.
8. You need to keep clicking the OK button until all open dialog boxes are closed.

After this you will be able to see two Personal Folders on the left side of Microsoft Exchange client. You should now see two Personal Folders icons on the left side or pane of the Microsoft Exchange client. After the process is finished, you will have your old .PST files merged with the current .PST files.

Sometimes during merging process .PST files may get corrupted or damaged. When you try to access them, they will not open. You will need to use Outlook Pst repair software to recover the corrupted or damaged .PST files.

Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Recovery Software is specially designed to repair, recover and restore data from damaged or corrupted .PST files. This software utilizes powerful algorithms to scan the damaged .PST files and extracts and saves information in a new usable .PST file. Additionally, it helps you recover e-mail with attachments, contacts, notes, tasks, journals and drafts. The software also repairs and recovers password protected and encrypted .PST files. Stellar Phoenix Outlook PST Repair Software will help you to overcome all your PST related problems.

Desktop Computer - Know It Better

2008-03-01T13:16:00.003+07:00

Desktop computers, a type of micro computer, fit on a desktop and are used widely in offices and home. Personal computers or home computers, workstations, internet servers and special communications computers are four types of desktop computers used. Desktop computers are widely used in household, schools, business as these computers are very cheap.
The desktop computers are normally modular and its components can be easily upgraded or replaced. These are available in elegant case styles. They are used for carrying various tasks like organizing digital photos, office tasks, editing of video and accessing Internet.

Micro Instrumentation Telemetry System (MITS) 8800 offered the first desktop type system in 1975. The launch of this variety of computer encouraged scores of other companies to produce personal computers. In 1977, Tandy Corporation (Radio Shack) launched its model of personal computers having a keyboard and CRT. In the same year the Commodore PET and Apple II were also released market and these are forerunners of today`s Desktop computers.

Introduction of IBM PC, in 1981 by IBM, was a milestone in the field of Personal Computer. Based on Intel`s 8088 microprocessor, it became a success overnight. The introduction of a 16 bit microprocessor paved way for more powerful and faster micros. Also standardization in computer industry could be made as IBM PC used an operating system which was available to all the computer manufacturers. Apple Mac PC using Motorola 68000 is another series of 32 bit popular personal computers launched by Apple in 1984.

A modern desktop computer consists of Display Motherboard, CPU, Primary storage (RAM), Expansion cards, Power supply, Optical disc drive, Secondary Storage(HDD), Keyboard, Mouse.

All the desktop computers come with ports which allow plugging different external devices into the computer viz, keyboards, monitors, scanners, printers.The different type of ports are Universal serial bus, Ethernet, Modem, Headphone, Serial, Parallel, PS/2, VGA, Power connection, Fire wire, and Card reader.

You should surf the internet to check for detail guides available before purchasing a desktop computer. A few important points are listed here which may help you to have an informed purchasing decision:

Processors (CPUs): It is a very difficult choice to make between an Intel processor and an AMD. The main difference comes in the relative speed and number of cores in the processor. You should refer for the detail information on this in the internet sites.

Memory (RAM): It is best to have at least 1 GB memory system and older DDR memory standard should be avoided. For better performance, faster memories are must and ensure that future upgrades of memory are possible.

Hard Drives: 250 GB or more storage space is best to have in present days. Serial ATA interface is used in most drives now for ease of installation.

Optical Drives (CD/DVD): Multiformat DVD burner which can support both +R/RW and -R/RW with a 16x recordable speed are best to have in desktop computers.

Video Cards: Integrated graphics is sufficient if you are not doing 3D graphics. The important things which you should consider are the memory capacity of the card, version of Direct X supported, output connectors and the performance. For the purpose of games a Direct x 10 card with 256 MB memory should be considered.

External Connectors: Instead of internal cards, external interfaces are preferred now for various upgrades and peripherals to computers. IEEE 1394 or FireWire points and USB 2.0, both should be present in a desktop computer.

Monitors: These days LCDs are more popular than CRTs. This is because they have less power consumption and have reduced size. Also traditional aspect ratio of 4:3 is being replaced by wider display screen and prices of 20-22 inch models are decreasing.

This article can also be accessed in portuguese from the Article section of page www.polomercantil.com.br/computador-pc.php
Roberto Sedycias works as IT consultant for www.PoloMercantil.com.br

The Face of Textbook Publishing Is Changing With XML, XQuery and Publishing Software

2008-02-27T13:52:00.003+07:00

Instead of chunky thick textbooks with every topic under the sun to give to students, professors have gotten smarter about how they deliver information to their class. The long back breaking days of lugging around one’s textbooks on campus has changed. The internet, XML and now XQuery have changed how content is assigned.

XQuery makes it possible for anyone, not just professors looking to build their own text book to search huge contentbases of information for the smallest piece of code to the largest digital file.

It is now possible now for any professor to piece together a custom text book, using the right resources like a large encyclopedia or publishing house for example. A professor who teaches a class on just the history of the Titanic can create a text that is full of interviews, photos, drawings and pages and pages of historical facts instead of demanding students spend $400 on a textbook based on American history, only to read 2 chapters that actually pertain to the Titanic.

Students and professors both love this new concept of custom education, and large publishing houses of large information enjoy the new profits that come with new advances in reuse and repurposed publishing.

It is also possible for organizations to perform an enterprise search and pull content from an entire contentbase within the organization and create an entire new text and redistribute it. Enterprises are finding that it is not necessary to recode a document that previously exists elsewhere in the system and needs only minor adjustments. With an XML platform, all previous content not already in XML can be automatically converted to XML and then queried using a highly powered enterprise search using XQuery. Professors can search a publishing company’s vast files that are converted in XML using XQuery.

Professors find satisfaction knowing the content is agreeable to their teaching. Often times professors feel that if they order a book for their students, it often times it is because it is the best of what is available and not necessarily perfect for the class. With the possibility for professors to use XQuery and enterprise search within a publishing house’s database of quality publications and not the “who knows if this is remotely accurate” of the World Wide Web, everyone wins.

Laptop Information and Features about Lenovo 3000 C100

2008-02-25T12:11:00.002+07:00

Lenovo launched the Lenovo 3000 C100, a stylish widescreen notebook combining popular features at an attractive price. The N100 will be available in 14.1-inch- and 15.4-inch- wide models. All Lenovo 3000 PCs include Lenovo CareSM, a software application that helps your computer recover from viruses at the touch of a button, update itself and enable it to easily connect to wireless networks.
Open things up and you really get a feel for how dated this notebook appears. If it wasn’t for the rounded corners, I’d have trouble telling the difference between this and a six year old machine. The 4:3 ratio, 1,024 x 768 screens is the first indication of this. The quality isn’t bad, but it actually feels like a panel from an old notebook, possibly due to the slightly poor contrast ratio. Perhaps panel manufacturers are only concentrating on the widescreen panels now and haven’t updated 1,024 panels in the past few years. 1,024 x 768 is fine if this is only a secondary machine, but if I was using this all day everyday, I would want a little more desktop real estate to play with - that said, many notebook manufacturers maintain that a large portion of the customer base still wants this resolution in a large physical screen.

The plastic used for the rest of the chassis is a finely pitted dark grey, much like you’d see on the inside of a budget mid-80’s car or on a canteen chair. Despite this apparent roughness, it’s actually fairly smooth to the touch. The optical drive is decorated to match. This is a contrast to the lid which has a smooth silver finish.

ThinkPad laptops generally have excellent keyboards. The C100 isn't a ThinkPad, and it doesn't have a ThinkPad keyboard, but what it does have is pretty good. The keyboard is a bit more cramped than those on comparable systems, such as the Pavilion dv4000, but the keys are firm, wide, and very comfortable to type on. The touch pad is a bit small, though, and the touch-pad buttons don't give as much as we'd like; alas, it lacks the ThinkPad's red, eraser-head pointing stick. Above the keyboard sits a lonely mute button--the extent of the C100's dedicated multimedia controls--and one other button, which summons Lenovo's useful system-management and help utility. Both the Inspiron E1505 and the Pavilion dv4000 have dedicated multimedia buttons and full external volume controls.

Lenovo 3000 C100 notebook also sports standard DVD/CD-RW combo optical drive and has integrated 802.11/b/g wireless network connection, a 10/100 Ethernet adapter, built-in 56 kbps fax/modem and 3-in-1 media card reader. Instant On feature of Lenovo 3000 C100 notebook allows playing MP3s, music CDs, and DVDs or look at digital photos without having to boot into Windows XP, and the Express Card 54 slot offering more ‘future-proof’ upgrades than a traditional PC Card slot or an Express 34 slot. Wi-Fi ready Lenovo 3000 C100 notebook PC offers four-pin FireWire, four USB 2.0, 3-in-1 digital media reader (SD/MMC/MS), Audio/S-video in, External Display (VGA), External Microphone/Line-In, Headphone/Line out, IEEE 1394, RJ-11, RJ-45, and TV/S-Video Out port.

Lenovo 3000 C100 Features:-

* Intel Celeron M Processor 370 * 1.5 GHz, 1 MB L2 cache, 400 MHz front-side bus (FSB) * Intel 915 GM Chipset * 256-MB DDR2 SDRAM, 533 MHz * 40-GB 5400 rpm 2.5-inch HDD * DVD/CD-RW Combo Drive * 15-inch XGA TFT display, 1024 x 768 resolutions * Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 900 (GMA 900) * Integrated 802.11/b/g Wireless Network Connection * 56 kbps V.92 modem/fax * 10/100 Ethernet LAN adapter * 3-in-1 media card reader * One ExpressCard/54 slot * Bluetooth 2.0 (optional) * Ports: 4 USB 2.0 ports, 4 pin FireWire, VGA and S-Video ports, PCMCIA slot * 8-cell Li-Ion battery, 4.5 hours backup * Dimension: 265 mm x 360 mm x 32.2 mm * Weight: 2.90 Kg

3 Home Wireless Network Points

2008-02-24T13:43:00.002+07:00

Now a days having a wireless network available to you is more normal than abnormal. Many reasons have led to this change, one being cost. It is very cost effective so set up a wireless network as opposed to a wired network.
Because of the rise in wireless network popularity, more and more computer manufacturers are equipping their systems with the right wireless networking hardware. I am going to discuss 3 big points, wireless networking in laptops, desktops, and also the software on these machines

So we start off with a very important question – Is your laptop or home computer wireless enabled? This is how you can check if your computer has wireless capabilities or not.

Laptops

Many newer laptops have wireless networking capabilities already built in to them. If you laptop came with the hardware built inside of it, then all you need to do is make sure it is enabled and the button on the front (usually) of the laptop is lit up. If a wireless PCMI card is needed in the laptop computer, then make sure it is compatible with your brand of computer first. When you install it, make sure you have the driver disk associated with the hardware, and that it’s driver matches what version of Windows you have.

Desktop Computers

If you need to check to see if your desktop computer has a wireless connection, turn off the computer and turn it around and look for a rod sticking out near the bottom of the tower. This would be the wireless antenna just like an antenna would be on a radio. If you see nothing like this then your desktop probably does not have a wireless card installed in the PCI slot. So buy one that matches the version of Windows that you have on the desktop.

Windows to check the Wireless Capacity

Once everything is installed on your laptop or desktop you want to use windows to check the wireless capacity to make sure the settings are correct. Open up the Device Manager in Windows. Look for the network adapters + sign and click it. Look for something under there that should have the term “wireless” attached to it. If you see that there then you know everything has been configured correctly and all you need to do is connect to the available wireless network.

How To Fight off Viruses?

2008-02-21T20:18:00.003+07:00

Computers today are an integral part of day to day campus life. But every day new computer viruses are created to annoy us and to wreck havoc on our computer systems. New viruses are created daily. The best thing you can do is to remain vigilant, keep your anti-virus software updated, and stay aware of the current computer virus threats.
A computer user should remain diligent and follow a few simple steps to protect against the threat of a virus:

1. Install antivirus software with high quality.

Because new viruses erupt daily, it is important that you regularly update your antivirus software. Become familiar with the software's real-time scan feature and configure it to start automatically each time you boot your computer. This will protect your system by automatically checking your computer each time it is powered up.

Before you pick the best product for your needs,you should start by asking yourself a series of questions. Do you need password protection for individual files, your desktop, a network, or to block someone's access to the Internet? Is your computer used only by you or do multiple users have access to the computer? How many users in total do you expect on your computer? What are your system requirements? How much do you want to spend?

Once you are able to answer these questions, you can begin to research which security suite will best meet your needs. Product reviews and user statements provide a great starting point. PCMagaine (www.pcmag.com), Zdnet.com (www.zdnet.com), and Consumer Reports (www.consumerreports.org) are just a few informative sites that offer research on various computer software products.

2. Evaluate your current computer security system.

With the threat of a new generation of viruses able to attack in a multitude of ways, the approach of having just one antivirus software version has become outdated. You need to be confident that you have protected all aspects of your computer system from the desktop to the network, and from the gateway to the server. Consider a more comprehensive security system which includes several features including antivirus, firewall, content filtering, and intrusion detection. This type of system will make it more difficult for the virus to penetrate your system.

3. Make it a habit to always scan all new programs or files no matter from where they originate.

4. Perform regular backups in case your system is corrupted. It may be the only way to recover your data if infected.

There are numerous security suites available on the market. Take the time to choose the one that meets your specific needs. As a starting point, we've listed a couple of the more popular programs:

- Kaspersky Personal Security Suite

A comprehensive protection program package is designed to guard against worms, viruses, spyware, adware and other malicious programs. The program offers five pre-defined security levels and is convenient for mobile users. System requirements: Window 98/2000/XP; Internet Explore 5.0 or higher, Memory: minimum of 64 MB RAM, 100 MB free on hard drive.

- AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition It is a free downloadable antivirus program that has received high marks for its reliability. In the past, free downloadable antivirus programs have been viewed skeptically because of issues relating to its reliability. However, AVG from Grisoft, remains one of the best-known free anti-virus programs available. While AVG can not be installed on a server operating system and there is no technical support, it still makes a good choice for many home computer users. The best part is that since it is free, you can try it with no further obligation necessary.

For more information about pc security, please visit: http://www.pcsecurityarticles.com/.

How is MS Access Database Useful?

2008-02-15T18:57:00.003+07:00

It’s a computer world and data is saved electronically in the form of files to avoid heaps of papers and files. File system is a method for storing and organizing computer files and data they contain to make it easy to search and access them. File system provides access to data which is saved on a data storage device like hard disk where it maintains physical location of the file for easy accessibility. For example, if you want to store the wedding anniversaries and birthdates of your relatives and friends, you can store them in file and this file will be saved at some location of your hard drive so that you can easily retrieve the information stored in this file. But when data becomes more to handle and it creates problems in accessing those files, the file system saving process also becomes poor in terms of accessibility and retrieval. In such cases traditional file system is in-efficient and in-convenient to use.
To store huge amount of data, businesses, corporate, organizations are now using Data Base Management Systems (DBMS). It contains information about a particular enterprise. It is a collection of interrelated data, set of programs to access data , and an environment that is both convenient and efficient to use. Today, DBMS are used in each and every field like banking, airlines, sales, human resources, on-line retailing, and manufacturing.

Previously, database application were built directly on top of file systems but data storage using file system resulted in to certain drawbacks, like

• Data redundancy and inconsistency
• Multiple file formats,duplication of information in different file formats.
• Difficulty in accessing data
• Need to write a new program to carry out each new task
• Integrity problems
• Atomicity of updates
• Concurrent access by multiple users
• Security problems

Database systems offer solutions to all the above problems. There are number of databases available in the market like MS Access, DB2, My SQL, FileMaker Pro, SQL Server, Oracle and many more. . Amongst all, Microsoft Access is the widely used database to store and retrieve information in organizations.

Microsoft Access provides users with one of the simplest and most flexible RDBMS solutions in the market today. Database solutions for MS Access has been designed to help & assist Microsoft Access 97, 2000, 2002 (XP), 2003 and 2007 database users and developers of database applications to find answers of some frequently asked questions. It includes facilities to add, modify or delete data from the database, ask questions (or queries) about data stored in the database and produce reports summarizing selected contents.

For example, organizations, corporates maintain database of their employees such as emp_id, emp_name, designation, salary, address, date_of_joining, highest qualification using MS Access database. Information like what’s the name of an employee and designation whose emp_id is 56 can be easily retrieved from MS Access database.

MS Access database is widely used in every field whether banking, human resources, manufacturing, payroll systems, airlines etc. When a Microsoft Access database shows an error while trying to open it then it might be possible that that particular database file is corrupt.

Access database gets corrupted due to bad sectors in storage device, hardware malfunction, improper system shutdown, virus attacks etc. If a database gets corrupted then business can go down forever. There should be some access recovery software or tool which can repair the corrupt .mdb files. One such access database repair software available over internet is on the site http://www.accessdatabaserepair.net, the Kernel Recovery for Access software listed repairs corrupt access database file of MS Access 95, 97, 2000, XP and 2003. As the access repair software is available for free download to repair access file and recover data from them.

Repair Your Computer For Free

2008-02-07T14:05:00.000+07:00

I just read an article about a lady whose computer was deluged by adware. It was such a problem that she spent thousands of dollars on computer repair fees to try to clean up her computer. The said thing is that she could have restored her computer by herself in less than a few hours and for free.

Somewhere down the line, there will be problems with your computer (adware, spyware, viruses, good software gone bad, etc,). Obviously, you should use protection software to prevent as much as possible. However, you will most likely eventually find yourself in a mess. Relax! Don't worry.

Don't spend thousands of dollars on a computer guy to fix your computer if it breaks down. The first rule of thumb is, don’t spend more than $300, which would buy you a new computer today. But don't throw away your computer yet -- there is another solution.

If you are unable to access programs like MS Office and Quicken you may have a hardware problem, or your data may be so corrupted that you may have to call in a computer expert to get to it – and he may not be able to access it in a cost effective way. Decide ahead of time how much your data is worth to you and find out how much you will pay the expert.

If you can still access your data, try the following:
First, back up all the saved data from programs like MS Office and Quicken. Make sure you have the original program discs because later you will need to reload these programs, and any backed up data. Then, just reload your Windows XP operating system (or upgrade to Windows XP). Bypass any warnings it gives you about your existing data. It will wipe your computer clean and you can start again. Go online and load the FREE security programs listed below. Then load the programs you wish to re-install and then their backed up data. Your computer will run like brand new (or better!). Warning! You will lose everything on your computer when you install Windows XP, and all the programs have to be re-loaded.

Here is the plan.

1) Starting now if it is not too late, you should be saving your important files and data to a disk or better yet to an online file folder. The online file folder sign-up can be found in the godaddy e-mail area. This way your files and data are safer. I enjoy accessing my files remotely from any computer as well. You should also neatly save and organize your important software so it is easy to reload.
2) Reload or load for the first time Windows XP Home edition or Professional.
3) Now download for FREE Microsoft Defender Anti-Spyware from microsoft.com.
4) Now download for FREE Avast Anti-virus.

These three work great together. You can find great information on in the free stuff forum at dealking.com. They list many of the above solutions.

I even suggest for older computers that are running sluggishly to load Windows XP right now to clean it up your system and make it work faster – before problems occur. Your computer will work like new. CAUTION: You will lose everything when you re-load the Windows XP on you computer, but that is good if you have a bunch of junk. SAVE YOUR IMPORTANT ITEMS FIRST.

I did the above on 2 older Dells. One was plagued by an overload of junk and adware that popped up constantly. The other was just old and slow. I loaded the new Windows XP and started from scratch, and they work even better than the brand new Dells at my office that are loaded with a paid McAfee security package. McAfee seems to try to trick you into paying twice for the subscription, but the above solution is free and does the same thing.

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on any of the above, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn last night. For hardware problems or to restore data, you may need a computer guy (expert). Also, you may have a computer guy who is very cost effective and efficient (they are around), but there are just as many that spend to much time and money (yours) to fix something their way.

Troubleshooting On The Bench

2008-02-01T10:48:00.000+07:00

There's nothing more frustrating than a freshly built PC that will not boot. Normally, you're starting with all new components and you're not sure if any of them work to begin with. This article deals with a few common techniques computer technicians use when dealing with this common problem.

Before you begin yanking out cables and components, just go over your connections one last time. A common mistake is the connection from the case power and reset switches to the motherboard. Carefully review the motherboard's manual to make sure these connections are right. Not only do the connectors need to be on the correct pins, they must also be in the correct orientation. If that is good, make sure the | / O switch on the back of the power supply is in the "|" position. Then, give the computer a little shake. Do you hear any screws bouncing around between the motherboard and the case? This can cause the system to blow or go to ground. Lastly, make sure the CMOS jumper is on pins 1-2. If it is on pins 2-3 the motherboard will not boot. This jumper is located near the watch-like battery on the motherboard.

Still no POST? Now carefully remove any PCI and AGP cards. Unplug the power supply and IDE cables to make life easier. You may already be able to get to the screws that hold the motherboard to the case. Personally, I like to remove everything except the CPU and heat-sink before pulling the motherboard.

Once all components are out of the case, place the motherboard on an antistatic bag (use the bag the motherboard shipped it, if possible) or a piece of cardboard. Be sure not to leave the motherboard running on the cardboard unattended because there is a remote possibility it could cause a fire.

You may need to rest the cardboard and bag on top of the case depending on the amount of wire you have with the case wires and the power supply leads. You can short the pins on the motherboard to boot without actually using the case wires but we are not going to cover that here.

Now make sure you only have the bare minimum of components connected to the motherboard. This means only one stick of memory (if the motherboard allows only one stick), the CPU and the video card. Nothing else. The only thing we're trying to do here is get the system to POST. A successful POST should result in a single, short beep. Make sure the motherboard has a built in speaker or you will need to connect an external speaker via pins on the motherboard.

If you still get nothing, begin swapping out spare parts if you have them at your disposal. Otherwise, you will need to start returning the components, starting with the motherboard, then the CPU. Before returning them, look for visible signs of damage (scorch marks on the CPU, bubbling capacitors on the motherboard, etc...).

Good luck. The most important ingredient in troubleshooting a new PC is patience.

Thanks http://www.pctechbytes.com/computer/article-31.html

Top Ways to Break Your Computer

2008-02-01T10:42:00.000+07:00

We've had a lot of very interesting posts in our message board over the years so we decided to list some of the most common ways people have broken their computers in hopes of preventing others from making some of these mistakes. So here are some of ways to break your PC, just in case you wanted to go that route.

Leave it alone for five minutes with your young children. You think you know what every dial on the monitor does. But when you sit down at the computer after the child leaves, suddenly the screen is yellow, wavy and filled with polka dots. The keys on the keyboard no longer work and the printer is spitting out gibberish. Try to set aside a computer just for the kids.

Flash the BIOS. We get a lot of questions about BIOS upgrades gone bad. A BIOS upgrade going bad is akin to a brain transplant going bad. While it may sometimes be necessary to update the BIOS, usually you will gain no extra functionality by flashing it.

Just start deleting stuff. We also get a lot of questions from people complaining their computer is no longer booting. When asked if there were any recent changes to the system, we’ll occasionally hear something like “that program explorer.exe was taking up a lot of space so I deleted it.” Only remove programs via the Add / Remove Programs area of the Control Panel or the uninstaller that comes with the program.

Open Email Attachments. Opening attachments—even from people you know—can be catastrophic. Worms will use Email attachments to propagate. They use your Email to send itself to everyone in your address book. So it may appear the Email is coming from Sister Susie, when in fact it is a virus. If you receive an attachment from a relative, call and ask them before you open it. At the very least, invest in a commercial-grade antivirus that scans incoming and outgoing Emails.

Move your computer from one side of the room to another. Seems like a safe thing to do, right? Wrong. While we have discovered no real explanation why this happens, dozens of forum members have written to say that all they did was move the PC from the bedroom to the living room and then it no longer works. Even when taking said computer back to the bedroom it still doesn’t work.

Replace a bad 350 WT power supply with a known good 150 WT power supply. Enough said.

Download Freeware. Not all Freeware is bad. But unless you get it from a reliable source, it’s not a good idea to put it on your PC. It’s bad getting spyware and viruses. But when you actually download and install the virus yourself, well that just makes it hurt more.

Hit it. Despite how good it makes you feel, it’s not a great idea to smack your computer when it crashes or takes too long to execute a task. Computers just don’t understand tough love—it’s a binary thing.

Thanks http://www.pctechbytes.com/computer/article-84.html

What are computer output devices?

2008-01-27T20:31:00.000+07:00

Computer output devices are the components that have been used to receive the output of processed data. The output could be a picture displayed on the screen, printed document or a song played.

Most of the computer output devices are common to home or office environments. However, there are devices that are not commonly available.

General Computer Output Devices

1. Monitor

Most of you may call this as ‘”Computer Screen”. Monitors are in different sizes and types. Average size of a Monitor used in a home environment is from 15” – 21”. However, there are large specially made Monitors have been used for special purposes such as architecture designing, production designing etc.

Having a quality Monitor is not enough to get a quality output. It is important to have a quality Video card (graphic card) installed in your PC. More information on Video cards can be found in Computer hardware components page.

2. Printers (printed copy)

We all use printers. There are different types of printers such as

Laser
This is the highest quality printer among all types of printers. These printers and the consumables are expensive than other printers. Laser printers are useful in office environments where speed and high quality is important.

Inkjet
Good for low volume home use. These printers are using cartridges filled with ink to produce the printouts. Relatively slow in printing (around 4-6 pages per minute)

Dot-matrix
This is a very old type printer. They are using ribbons. Quality is not very good. Useful for low quality continues printing.

Thermal
These printers do imaged based printing. Usually they have been used to print plastic cards, labels etc.

It is important to buy the most suitable printer for your requirement.

3. Speakers (sound) It is important to have a quality sound card in order to get the best output from your speakers.

Special Computer Output devices

Plotter : Used especially for building plans and engineering drawing and really large pictures. Plotters use a pen to draw continuous lines and are favored for engineering drawings, which require both large sheets of paper and precise lines.

Microfilm (COM): Computer Output Microfilm. The computer directly generates the microfilm images.

Document printers (multi functional devices)

These are the devices that can handle multiple tasks. The common tasks they can handle are
Printing
Photocopying
Faxing

Thank you info by http://www.preventiveguru.com/computer-output-devices.html

Computer Input Devices

2008-01-27T20:29:00.000+07:00

Computer input devices are the components that have been used to pass data into a computer to process and provide the desired output. The input data could be letters, numbers, images or sound.

Most of the computer input devices are common to home or office environments. However, there are devices that are not commonly available.

General Computer Input Devices

Keyboard

Mouse

Joysticks

Scanners

Special Computer Input devices

Touch screens

In touch screens, users have to press (touch) areas on the screen to pass data. A typical usage of the Touch Screen technology is some Bank ATM machines.

Smart Cards

This input device stores data in a microprocessor embedded in the card. This allows information, which can be updated, to be stored on the card. This method is used in store cards which accumulate points for the purchaser, and to store phone numbers for cellular phones.

Light pen

A Light Pen is a pointing device shaped like a pen and is connected to a VDU. The tip of the light pen contains a light-sensitive element which, when placed against the screen, detects the light from the screen enabling the computer to identify the location of the pen on the screen. Light pens have the advantage of 'drawing' directly onto the screen, but this can become uncomfortable, and they are not as accurate as digitising tablets.

OCR (Optical Character Recognition)

OCR is designed to translate images of typewritten text (usually captured by a scanner) into machine-editable text, or to translate pictures of characters into a standard encoding scheme representing them in (ASCII or Unicode). OCR began as a field of research in artificial intelligence and machine vision. Though academic research in the field continues, the focus on OCR has shifted to implementation of proven techniques.

Optical Mark Reader (OMR)

The Optical Mark Reader (OMR) can read information in the form of numbers or letters and put it into the computer. The marks have to be precisely located as in multiple choice test papers.

Bar Code Reader

You might have seen bar codes on goods in supermarkets, in libraries and on magazines. Bar codes provide a quick method of recording the sale of items. A bar code is a pattern printed in lines of differing thickness. The system gives fast and error-free entry of information into the computer.

Thank you info by http://www.preventiveguru.com/computer-input-devices.html

Personal Computer History

2008-01-27T20:24:00.000+07:00

Who invented the computer?

Unlike most devices, the computer is one of the few inventions that does not have one specific inventor. Throughout the development of the computer, many people have added their creations to the list required to make a computer work. Some of the inventions have been different types of computers, and some of them were parts required to allow computers to be developed further.

First computer invented

Perhaps the most significant date in the personal computer history is the year 1936. It was in this year that the first "computer" was developed. It was created by Konrad Zuse and dubbed the Z1 Computer. This computer stands as the first as it was the first system to be fully programmable. There were devices prior to this, but none had the computing power that sets it apart from other electronics.

It wasn't until 1942 that any business saw profit and opportunity in computers. This first company was called ABC computers, owned and operated by John Atanasoff and Clifford Berry. Two years later, the Harvard Mark I computer was developed, furthering the science of computing.

Over the course of the next few years, inventors all over the world began to search more into the study of computers, and how to improve upon them. Those next ten years say the introduction of the transistor, which would become a vital part of the inner workings of the computer, the ENIAC 1 computer, as well as many other types of systems. The ENIAC 1 is perhaps one of the most interesting, as it required 20,000 vacuum tubes to operate. It was a massive machine, and started the revolution to build smaller and faster computers.

The age of computers was forever altered by the introduction of International Business Machines, or IBM, into the computing industry in 1953. This company, over the course of personal computer history, has been a major player in the development of new systems and servers for public and private use. This introduction brought about the first real signs of competition within personal computer history, which helped to spur faster and better development of computers. Their first contribution was the IBM 701 EDPM Computer.

A Programming Language Evolves

A year later, the first successful high level programming language was created. This was a programming language not written in 'assembly' or binary, which are considered very low level languages. FORTRAN was written so that more people could begin to program computers easily.

The year 1955, the Bank of America, coupled with Stanford Research Institute and General Electric, saw the creation of the first computers for use in banks. The MICR, or Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, coupled with the actual computer, the ERMA, was a breakthrough for the banking industry. It wasn't until 1959 that the pair of systems were put into use in actual banks.

During 1958, one of the most important breakthroughs in personal computer history occurred, the creation of the integrated circuit. This device, also known as the chip, is one of the base requirements for modern computer systems. On every motherboard and card within a computer system, are many chips that contain information on what the boards and cards do. Without these chips, the systems as we know them today cannot function.

Gaming, Mice, & the Internet

For many computer users now, games are a vital part of the computing experience. 1962 saw the creation of the first computer game, which was created by Steve Russel and MIT, which was dubbed Spacewar.

The mouse, one of the most basic components of modern computers, was created in 1964 by Douglass Engelbart. It obtained its name from the "tail" leading out of the device.

One of the most important aspects of computers today was invented in 1969. ARPA net was the original Internet, which provided the foundation for the Internet that we know today. This development would result in the evolution of knowledge and business across the entire planet.

It wasn't until 1970 that Intel entered the scene with the first dynamic RAM chip, which resulted in an explosion of computer science innovation. On the heels of the RAM chip was the first microprocessor, which was also designed by Intel. These two components, in addition to the chip developed in 1958, would number among the core components of modern computers. A year later, the floppy disk was created, gaining its name from the flexibility of the storage unit. This was the first step in allowing most people to transfer bits of data between unconnected computers. The first networking card was created in 1973, allowing data transfer between connected computers. This is similar to the Internet, but allows for the computers to connect without use of the Internet.

Household PC's Emerge

The next three years were very important for computers. This is when companies began to develop systems for the average consumer. The Scelbi, Mark-8 Altair, IBM 5100, Apple I and II, TRS-80, and the Commodore Pet computers were the forerunners in this area. While expensive, these machines started the trend for computers within common households. One of the most major breathroughs in computer software occurred in 1978 with the release of the VisiCalc Spreadsheet program. All development costs were paid for within a two week period of time, which makes this one of the most successful programs in personal computer history.

1979 was perhaps one of the most important years for the home computer user. This is the year that WordStar, the first word processing program, was released to the public for sale. This drastically altered the usefulness of computers for the everyday user. The IBM Home computer quickly helped revolutionize the consumer market in 1981, as it was affordable for home owners and standard consumers. 1981 also saw the the mega-giant Microsoft enter the scene with the MS-DOS operating system. This operating system utterly changed computing forever, as it was easy enough for everyone to learn.

The Competition Begins : Apple vs. Microsoft

Computers saw yet another vital change during the year of 1983. The Apple Lisa computer was the first with a graphical user interface, or a GUI. Most modern programs contain a GUI, which allows them to be easy to use and pleasing for the eyes. This marked the beginning of the out dating of most text based only programs.

Beyond this point in personal computer history, many changes and alterations have occurred, from the Apple-Microsoft wars, to the developing of microcomputers and a variety of computer breakthroughs that have become an accepted part of our daily lives. Without the initial first steps of history of the computer, none of this would have been possible.

Thank you info by http://www.preventiveguru.com/personal-computer-history.html

Protecting Your Computer From Viruses

2008-01-19T18:52:00.000+07:00

With so many computer viruses lurking on the Internet ready to attack your computer, it is important that you are prepared for and know how to fend them off even before they arrive at their intended destination. Computer viruses can conceivably delete or destroy all the data on your computer. Worst of all, they can extract information from you computer and transmit it to other computers along with the virus itself.

It is essential that you protect your computer with an anti-virus security program which you can either download from an Internet merchant or buy at any computer software store. A good anti-virus program is one that is capable of detecting and blocking incoming viruses before they hit your PC, as well as detecting viruses that are already there. Once the virus is detected, your anti-virus program should be able to safely quarantine, repair, or simply delete infected files so your computer retains its optimum health and functionality.

There are three types of computer viruses that should be of concern to you. The first is a common and standard computer virus that is typically delivered through the medium of a launched program on your computer. The virus will then spread throughout your system and eventually infect other programs that it reaches. Most security software is designed to protect you against such viruses, but there are new viruses being developed every day by computer thugs, so it is vital that you keep your anti-virus definition file updated at least weekly.

The second type, and the one for which you are likely most familiar, is the email virus which can be sent unknowingly from person-to-person before being detected. These viruses are hidden in an email message; opening that message on the receiving end activates the virus. It can then collect, for example, the email addresses you have registered in your email client and send copies of the same virus to every person on your contact list. Most email services have built in protection that scans messages for viruses as an email is received, but the best protection is know what to look for in the first place. Email viruses "hang out" in emails from unknown sources and in attachments, usually from people you do not know.

Finally, the most dangerous of the computer viruses is the "worm." This type of infection has the ability to worm its way from computer to computer across the Internet or a local area network. They copy themselves directly onto a computer without being notice, so you might not be aware you have one until your data is completely stolen or gone. They are written to seek out specific weaknesses of your security program through which entrance is made onto your computer. The best way to combat a worm is through a computer firewall. These front line security programs inhibit attempts to access your computer and alert you to when you have a potential danger.

Knowing now the high level types of viruses, you are in a more strategic position to protect yourself and your computer from pending dangerous data theft or destruction.

Thank you info by http://www.articlesbase.com/computers-articles/protecting-your-computer-from-viruses-309524.html

Finding A Computer Repair Shop You Can Trust

2008-01-15T17:14:00.000+07:00

Your have a computer repair that needs to get done right away. You are ready to take it anywhere. Question is, where should you take it? Does it really matter where you take it? I would suggest that it does. Here are some things you may have not considered before.

What kind of turn around time do they have? Some computer repair shops will take two to three weeks to return your computer to you. Are you ready to be without your computer for that long? If not, shop around. There are computer repair shops that can get your computer back to you in as little as a few hours. Some of these faster companies can charge more but the speed is worth it if you are working on a big project that has to get done right away.

What do they charge for their hourly fee? Some companies charge really high fees and take a really long time to get the computer back to you. You want to take your repair to a computer repair shop that will be quick and will do the repair right the first time. Look for a computer repair shop that posts their prices. Most shops have a set price list for specific tasks. Look for a company that can give you a solid quote before they start their work. You should also make sure they will contact you for approval if there is any reason to increase their repair bill before they start the repair.

Is their staff A+ certified? The A+ certification doesn't guarantee that the computer technician knows what he is doing but it is generally a good indicator that they have invested the time into their craft to do it well. You should also find out if everyone on staff is A+ certified or only certain staff. Ask to have the certified staff do the work.

Trust your gut. If after talking with someone at the shop in person you don't get a good feeling about them, walk away. In any given town there are many people who do computer repairs. Don't be afraid of shopping around.

Computer Repair Franchises: Evaluating A Site

2008-01-15T17:11:00.000+07:00

Computer repair franchises need a good location to enjoy success. Finding the best site involves several factors, and many franchisors are happy to help prospective owners weigh different criteria and use all available resources before choosing a site.

The following factors are critical to location choice for computer repair franchises: population density; traffic; competition; appearance; and visibility. A realtor might help potential buyers in the search, and could be a good investment.

Franchisors will often be able to give you a demographic report. Even in cases where this is not a possibility, you can find a company that can give you reliable statistical information about population density. The report should include the amount of people in the area, their ages, incomes, ethnic backgrounds and marital status. All these characteristics of the population are relevant to those looking to open computer franchises because it determines the customer base.

Traffic in the area of the potential sites of computer franchises is also very important and consists of several considerations. What is the traffic within the proximity of the potential location? A city's downtown will probably not bring much business for those needing home computer help, so you probably want a suburban location to tap into this market. Besides this type of traffic, computer repair franchises are dependent upon traffic that drives by the site. How accessible is parking and what inhibits entry to the lot? Having a location that is easy for driving traffic will greatly improve business.

Competition can make or break computer repair franchises. Buying a site directly next to another computer store is not a good idea. You should find out where competitors are located and try to avoid saturation. The area surrounding your computer franchise needs to be able to sustain the business; there can't be too many franchises in a 15-mile radius.

The appearance of the potential or existing site is critical to business success. Evaluate the parking lots, landscaping, signage and lighting, and for new sites, look into the landlord's reputation and even visit other properties he owns to gauge what you can expect over the years.

Visibility of the site is very important for computer repair franchises. You want to make sure the location can be seen from the road and that landscaping doesn't block any signage. Drive past the location from every direction to see if visibility is optimal.

Choosing a site is one of the first and most important steps to opening computer repair franchises, and considering every factor will help ensure a successful business future.

Speed Up Your Computer With Free Registry Repair

2008-01-12T21:36:00.001+07:00

How do I speed up my computer? Tough question, if you are not familiar to the computer and software, but not to worry I have found a free registry repair software.

The free registry repair works like a charm. Do you know how many millions of unused files laying in the system? Some clear the browser cache and use windows XP disk clean up and still is difficult as more are created by the third party programs, installers, java cache files, adware and virus programs etc, so why not use the free registry repair. I am sure this free registry repair will not slow your computer daily database operation.

Keep in mind that, thousands are recorded daily, every single time, when you change, install or move software, or hardware. So use the free registry repair to assist you.

A lot of time spends to check the file locations, hardware driver aspects, and many of the different settings, so I use the free registry repair to improve the quality performance.

It is not a lot of fun to know what files or settings are no longer needed. It is impossible when repairing the computer and the free registry repair will come in handy.

Tune UP Utilities will clean up as well as delete all the old inactive files. The free registry repair does not removes many of the uninstall programs, but only the files and installation that get cluttered up. And so does the speed on boot up and day-to-day operations. It’s a noticeable difference before and after you run the free registry repair. The free registry repair has a support area and forum on their web site for any questions and issues that you have when using the free registry repair software.

Most computer sites and magazines have given Tune UP Utilities, one of the free registry repairs, the highest marks for both reliability and results. It shows how good the free registry repair is, since these expert web sites are pretty thorough in testing and don’t give high rankings all that often.

This free registry repair helps any computer speed up both the boot process and daily operations. This Tune UP Utility, one of the free registry repair, always make sure that there are no pesky viruses or adware first when release the latest version.

Did I mention that this great free registry repair is also free? I am not joking, it’s free for you, and if you are happy and find it useful, donate something so that the free registry repairs can continue their great work to make more free registry repair programs for you.

Computer Fits? You Need Registry Repair

2008-01-12T21:27:00.000+07:00

Is your computer getting slower and slower? Is this occurring despite not using any more memory? Are you having frequent freezing or spontaneous shutdowns? You may have tried erasing all the programs that you don't use with no success. You may even have tried anti virus software thinking that you had been infected by a virus, and were disappointed to find that this didn't improve things.

Well I have good news for you and bad news. The good news is that your problem is common and repairable, and also that you were on the right track. The bad news is that you are probably suffering from the symptoms of a virus infection and that you probably need to get a tool that will clean your registry which is yet another cost incurred.

A computer registry is the part of your operating system that monitors and records the information for all the settings and preferences of the users for all hardware and software. Whenever a change is made it is recorded in the registry. As such it becomes cluttered and congested with time. The registry can also be manipulated with virus code to give up sensitive information and to cause malfunctions in the operating system. Just like any tool you use your computer needs regular maintenance and repair including a good thorough registry repair.

You need to be careful though when you select a registry repair tool as there are many out there with varying levels of effectiveness and related risk. You see it is possible to make changes in the registry that are irreversible and can forever affect negatively the proper performance of your computer. So how can you make a good informed decision?

Well there are several publications dealing with computer technology that will regularly review products such as registry repair software and give feedback on the pros and cons of each product. You need to pick one that is on the mainstream market for sure as they have had the most thorough testing and review and generally come from the most trusted sources. Also pay attention to the banter on the net. There are several forums that you can go to to ask questions and get feedback from actual users like you who have used the software themselves. This can be extremely helpful as long as you take all this advise with a grain of salt.

Be careful but also be excited because you will be amazed at the difference that a little maintenance registry clean will change the operating performance of your pc.

Computer Repair And Cracking Passwords!

2008-01-12T21:25:00.000+07:00

I spend a lot of time cracking passwords! No, not for stealing software or information, for doing computer repair! One of the most common home or small business computer service repair calls I get is that Bob, fill in the blank here – lost his password / forgot his password / left the company and never told anyone his password, and we can’t use the computer or software.

If you have physical access, most times you can reset a password on any version of Windows XP. Some vertical applications get a little trickier but I still can usually figure out a way to get in to clear the existing password and then let the customer reset it.

And no, I’m not going to teach you how in this article, sorry. But what I can do is help you figure out a way to never forget a password without writing down. An especially bad practice that I see all the time is someone will write down the password on a post-it note and put it on the monitor. Which is a particularly ugly breach in security.

But I can understand the problem. Chances are you have many passwords to remember if you use a computer at home or at work. And since many of the systems automatically force the user to change their password every 90 days, this becomes quite a challenge to remember them all.

There are some good ways to create a password so that you can’t forget it. And you can easily meet the minimum requirements of at least 8 characters with at least three being punctuation or numerals too. But the best is 15 characters (I won’t go technical on you but let’s just say that the stored password of over 14 characters are much more difficult to crack). I can’t even remember who taught me this method but I’ve been using it for years.

The first thing to remember is not to use children’s names, birthdays, or any information that someone might guess. This includes common names found in the dictionary or some other know source. The reason for this is there are many cracker programs out there that use these common sources to check against password to break them. So stay away from common words or expressions.

Even the programs that generate random characters can be beat by another program designed to emulate that type of software. The idea behind them is good and they can provide a stronger password but for most user that creates a bigger problem since who can remember W#8hY*2l-Km$!1d, let alone type it.

So what’s the secret? The easiest way I’ve found to remember a password is to associate it with a person or event that you’ll never forget. Something that even a good friend might not know but also something that you couldn’t forget even if you wanted to if you tried.

If the password is for windows or a windows program you have up to 127 characters most times. So use a phrase instead of just one word. So if you have a phrase (or song lyric) burned into your brain you could use it too. When I need a quick password when working at a client’s I normally look at the machine or something on the wall and use it for the password. One of my favorites is “I hate Compaq’s model 2780!” or use any computer name).

When I was five we moved to the corner of 85th street and pacific. Most people I know now don’t know that and I doubt it would come up in any conversation. So if I used 085TH@pacificst5 that contains something I can easily remember and also meets the high end password requirements.

Or how about the first love of my life (which dumped me in about 2 weeks)? I won’t use her real name to protect the guilty but here’s that one, http://2wKJeN06.OrG an, I added organ since she was organic (I think). See how this works? I’ll bet we all have lots of things, events, people, and the date or age we experienced them to use.

One weakness any password can have is if someone slips in a keylogger program on your computer. Keyloggers record all the keystrokes that a user makes and regardless how tough you make your password, if they can see the key strokes, they’ve got you. And it’s much easier than you think to do a stealth install.

There is one way to get around this issue, use extended characters. If you hold down the alt key, then press one or more numerals you get one of those weird characters with double dots on top or a symbol. But the keylogger still shows the character, but a way around it is to use Alt 0160. This extended character is a space and hides the fact that you used the Alt method to create it. So they won’t be able to duplicate it even if they see it.

There is no perfect solution for passwords. But you can and should take some steps to insure that you take the appropriate precautions whenever you create one. Keep it over 15 characters, use numerals, punctuation, and alphabetical characters. Combine elements that are easy to remember but not common information like birth dates or children’s names. Use associations that make it easy to remember.

And never communicate your password in any documentation or emails. Don’t display them on your computer or loan them to friends or associates. Random generators can be helpful but aren’t bullet proof. Change your passwords on a regular basis just in case. Always have a master or Administrator password that can be used to go in and change user’s passwords when necessary.

I’d much rather fix hardware or software problems than crack passwords on a computer repair service call. It makes my job a little easier and can save you a lot of money.

Do Computer Repair Classes Make Sense For You?

2008-01-12T21:22:00.000+07:00

There is a lot to know if you plan on repairing computers for a living. Even if you simply plan on moonlighting with a computer repair business, the amount of information you are expected to know can be daunting. Computer repair classes may make sense for you if you have both time and some money to invest in some training.

The first thing you'll want to determine is what kind of training you will need. Do you need advanced training or are you looking for simple techniques? Knowing what kind of training you need can reduce the time it take you to find the right class for your training needs.

How much of a budget have you set aside for training? Most computer training takes money. The more advanced the training, the more money it will cost. The cost will also depend on whether you follow a course of study. For the computer repair industry, compTia's A+ certification is the one most recognized. Most computer training centers will offer a course on A+ certification.

Other training that makes sense for a computer repair technician includes computer networks including compTia's Network+, Microsoft's MSCE certification and CISCO certifications. You could also benefit from computer security certification like compTia's Security+, MCSE security, Cisco security and even an ethical hacking cert like CISSP training.

Know what you plan on focusing your energies on. If you plan on working for someone else, know what area you plan on concentrating on. If you plan on owning your own business, you should also know what your area of concentration is going to be. Don't take the MSCE certification if you intend to focus your business on Linux based products. While this may seem obvious to some, I've encountered people who were confused on this issue.

Bottom line, choose a computer training firm that has been around a while and is known for their thoroughness and expertise. There is nothing worse than paying big bucks for computer training that fails to prepare you properly for the field. Do some research, ask some people in the industry. In the end, if you've done your homework, you'll be fine.

Computer Virus Repair

2008-01-12T21:21:00.001+07:00

Viruses happen. They've been around for years and unfortunately that doesn't look like changing. They sneak up on you when you least expect them and when your computer defenses are weak. What happens when you need to do a computer virus repair?

Of course, you should be running up to date anti virus software at all times. But since anti virus software involves both computers and software writers, that can be easier said than done. If there's a loophole in a software program, you can bet that a virus writer will exploit it quicker than the software writer can patch the hole.

Even if you have all your anti virus defenses in place, occasionally a virus will still slip through the net - maybe a scheduled update fails, perhaps the anti virus software company launches a new version that causes your current program to stop getting updates or you've just plain ignored the "you need to update" messages. Whatever the reason, it's irritating when your computer gets taken over by a malicious virus.

So, if you've caught a computer virus, just what do you need to do when you need to perform a virus repair on your computer?

If you're not already running an up to date virus removal program, install one now. Most of the programs around can cure most viruses for you when they detect that you've got a problem. If you've got a boot sector virus you may not be so lucky, but otherwise there's a good chance that they can help.

Unplug your network and internet cables. These will stop your computer from causing damage on your network or to unknown computer users across the internet. Also remember to disconnect your infected computer from your home wireless network before you cause any damage there. There'll be a little icon (probably at the bottom of your screen) that should allow you to do this. Otherwise you'll need to delve around in your Control Panel.

Once your computer is safely isolated, run your anti virus program, following any virus disinfection prompts as they appear. If you're one of the few people in the world who don't have an anti-virus program on your computer, you'll obviously need to download and install a program before you can run this step of the process.

Once that's been done, reconnect your internet connection and if necessary update your anti virus software with the latest virus signatures and then re-run the software. This should trap anything that has crept through your defenses whilst you were running the first virus scan.

With luck, you've now repaired any virus infection you may have had.

Next, make sure you keep it that way.

Get Windows Security Center to advise you when there problems with your virus repair software. If you're running XP or Vista, you'll find the Security Center in your Control Panel (or just search Help and it will point you in the right direction).

Check your virus repair software settings. Make sure that the virus signatures are regularly updated so that you keep any potential future infection safely out of harms way.

Home Computer Repair – Do It Yourself?

2008-01-12T21:20:00.000+07:00

Home computer repair is not brain surgery! Most computer repairs can be broken down into two specific areas, software and hardware. Now I do admit that in some people’s hand, a screwdriver can be a dangerous object. But if you can change a light bulb without shocking yourself, I’d bet you could swap out a computer part. Software gets a little trickier but is still within the grasp of most computer users.

I’ve been involved in computer repair in one way or another for over 25 years. The three major repairs I get called for on a weekly basis are:

Spyware/Malware Issues
Hardware failure (power supplies, hard drives, and ram usually)
Computer boot problems (lost password, toasted OS, hardware failure)

All of these can be quite a challenge depending on the value and risk of losing important data, which can be anything from tax records to photos. Any computer can be repaired; it just depends on time and budget. But not all data can be rescued. If a hard drive suffers a catastrophic hardware failure, data recovery is doubtful (unless you want spend 100’s if not 1000’s of dollars for special services).

So the best scenario in any home computer repair solution is have a good backup of your important data before you start any repair. I never work on anything for over an hour without immediately backing it up on another media (USB thumb drives are only about $30 for up to 5 gigs of storage and CD or DVD prices are under a buck). I learned the hard way very early in my computer using experience. It’s much easier to deal with any home computer repair if you don’t have to worry about important data. *Please, backup your data right after you finish this article and start doing it on regular basis.

When you have a secure backup, the home computer repair is a matter of a little investigative work (to determine the real issue – sometimes Windows will point you in the wrong direction) and coming up with a good solution. Let’s look at the best way to prevent each of the three most common computer repairs and if you already have the problem, some possible solutions.

Spyware/Malware – Two good preventive measures to eliminate Spyware and Malware is to keep your OS (normally Windows) up to date on security patches from your friends at Microsoft. This is pretty easy to do if you turn on Automatic Updating in your Security Center (go to Control Panel, click on Security Center, then check that Automatic Updates is turned on). The other is to make sure you have a good Anti-Virus software installed and it gets updated automatically. These two programs give you about a 93% solution.

Another 5% can be addressed with Anti-Spyware software such as Windows Defender (free from Microsoft, just do a search for it on your choice of Search Engine) or Spybot, a free program from www.spybot.info that does a good job too. Where’s the last 2%, well there is no 100% solution I’m sorry to say. Although common sense on where you surf, what email you open, and where you click can generally keep you safe.

What if you are already infected? Well, there are manual ways of removing Spyware/Malware programs but they aren’t pretty and involve a whole lot of searching around and rebooting in safe mode. If you search on the offender (normally most have a common problem) you can find a manual solution. If you would rather skip all that hassle, the most effective commercial program I’ve seen is SpySweeper. Last time I looked it was only $30 per year and could save you a lot of time and pain. You can find it here: www.webroot.com

Hardware Failure – OK, not a lot of prevention available for this home computer repair. Keep in mind that most modern computer components have a 3-5 year mean failure rate. Depending on how much you use or leave your computer on each day, this time period can expand. I have several testing computers that are very old (plus 7 years) that don’t get used often.

But one point I do want to make is that almost every customer I call on for a hardware failure issues had warning signs before the final crash. Strange noises, computer freezing up, frequent re-starts, etc. are causes for alarm. Don’t wait until the computer literally dies, if any of these events start occurring, go to the proactive mode and replace the power supply, hard drive, or ram. Which one? That’s a challenge, I’ve found that some diagnostic programs can be helpful, but a lot of the time it’s experience.

Basic rules of thumb; Freezing, rebooting can be both flaky power supply and RAM going bad. Power supplies slowly loose ability to supply enough wattage, so if you run fine for the first 30 minutes that’s another tip it could be the power supply. RAM just gets flaky due to constant heating and cooling. It will usually start dying slowly too. Both are cheap to replace but the power supply has anywhere from 8 to 10 plugs you get to keep an eye on when changing out. Any power supply above 250 watt will be fine for most computers, 300 watt is better. Match the power supply or RAM exactly or look up the motherboard requirements if you want to jump up in speed or wattage.

On hard drives, boot failure with the message “no operating system” or similar is almost always a controller or hard drive (some hard drives have controllers on them that go south too). When you go to save or copy files and get an error can also indicate a hard drive issue. Noises of any kind coming from your computer can only be the power supply fan or hard drive. Sometimes you can low level format a drive and bring it back but with the cost being so low on new hard drives, why take a chance.

Boot Up Problems – Number one offender is Windows of any flavor. All versions use a “registry” to manage all software, user, and hardware settings. This is just a fancy database of settings but can easily destroy itself. Open files don’t close properly when there’s a software problem and there goes the database integrity. When you go to reboot, the registry is not readable or flat gone. In Windows XP, there are several files involved in the “hive” (5 to be exact). Any one of these can toast itself, but I always replace all five since they are so interdependent on settings.

The easiest fix, if you can access the Recovery Console, is to find a usable set of back up files and copy them to the current area of access. This sounds pretty simple but the directory structure is fairly long and you have to unhide the backup locations. If you go to Microsoft’s knowledge base here you can read all about the Recovery Console and how to replace registry files: http://support.microsoft.com/search/?adv=1 .

You can run the Recovery Console from Windows XP if it is installed or from your install CD if not. But what if you don’t have an install CD (many computers manufacturers don’t provide one anymore)? You can always use a bootable CD with an NTFS write enabled OS (like Linux) and do the same copying of files recommended in the Recover Console information. If that sounds too scary, you can always borrow some friends Windows XP install CD of the same flavor (Home or Pro) to use Recovery Console. OK, no friends have an install CD and no access or desire to Linux CD, now what?

Well, plan B is to take your hard drive out of the computer, change the little connector on the back of the hard drive to slave (most hard drives have instructions right on the case to show how), and connect it to a working Windows XP computer. Now you have access to the drive with an NTFS write enabled OS. Go back to the instructions on Recovery Console fix and get after it.

If the hard drive won’t even light up or spin, well then you get to install a new one. Most of the new units have a CD that will handle all the details of adding the new hard drive. Then you get to use your Recovery CDs from the manufacturer to install the all the original software on the new hard drive. Don’t have the restore disks? Check with the computer manufacturer and they’ll sell you a set for under $20 usually. Make sure you give the exact model number to get the right software for your unit. Whenever I buy a new computer, if I don’t get a set of recovery CDs, I order them right then and there. That way I’m ready for what ever happens.

So, now you have the basics on home computer repair for the three most common problems. It’s not that hard for most people, just take it slow and read the instructions. Push comes to shove, find a friend who may have a little more experience to help. You buy the pizza and they provide a little experience and moral support.

When Is Professional Computer Repair Advisable?

2008-01-12T21:19:00.000+07:00

There are many computer repairs that the average person can perform without much problem. Things like installing CD-ROM drives, sound cards and other expansion cards don't take much computer knowledge. How can you know though when you are over your head and need professional computer help?

Some computer repairs are difficult for the average person to do without causing damage to their computer or a peripheral. There are some repairs I'd classify as beginner level, some as intermediate and others as advanced. I've already mentioned some repairs I would call beginner level. Some intermediate repairs include replacing your hard drive and installing an operating system. There was a time when something like this was advanced but with modern Microsoft operating systems like Windows XP and Windows Vista, operating system installations are not as advanced as they used to be.

So what repairs should a beginner not attempt? I would suggest some things like replacing your motherboard. The need to replace your motherboard can come either when you are ready to upgrade your motherboard to something newer or when your computer case power supply kicks the bucket.

Another repair I would caution against is based in software. That's when you need to clean out a nasty virus or spyware program. It is very easy to cause you much grief if you don't do it right. You could lose access to the data on your hard drive if you mess up your operating system. Now if you don't care about the data on your hard drive, simply re-installing your operating system while making sure to format your hard drive can usually solve a software problem. Kind of like killing a fly with a large shovel. It works but it is overkill. A professional computer repair technician can help you keep your data while ridding you of a virus infection.

Computer Repair

2008-01-12T21:18:00.000+07:00

Owing a computer is almost essential in today’s world. With the introduction of the internet and the convenience of email as a method of communication, it’s easy to see why most people want to have a computer in their home or office.

Computers are like anything else and there are times when they don’t operate as planned. It’s frustrating to be sitting at your desk ready to play a game or work on a document only to find that your computer isn’t being cooperative.

When it comes to computer repair it’s often wise to seek out professional help. A computer technician is specially trained to evaluate the problem and offer the best possible solution.

There are certain types of computer repair that you might want to undertake yourself. These are usually minor fixes that can be handled with a bit of instruction and attention to detail.

A computer repair that you might be able to take care of yourself is the replacement of the computer’s battery or fan. Every desktop computer has a fan inside of it. This fan is used to keep the computer’s components cool. It’s essential that the fan operates efficiently to ensure that the computer doesn’t become overheated.

The first sign that your computer’s fan might not be operating properly is that you’ll notice a different sound when you start or run your computer. Instead of immediately taking it to a computer repair shop, take a moment to test the fan.

Computers typically have two fans. One is used to cool the power supply and the other is used to cool the CPU. Open the cover of the computer and listen. If the sound does appear to be coming from the fan that cools the CPU you’ll want to replace it.

If the computer is still under warranty than this type of computer repair will be done free of charge. Follow the instructions you were given for repairs at the time of purchase. If the warranty period has elapsed you can either take it to a computer repair shop or do it yourself.

The very first and most important step when doing any computer repair is to unplug the computer from the electrical outlet. You’ll then need to examine the fan to see how it’s connected. It will probably be attached by a few small screws. Once these are loosened you’ll need to disconnect the fan from its power supply. This will be one or two small clips. Then take the fan to your computer repair shop and purchase a new one.

After replacing it, reattach the cover and plug the machine in. The fan should operate perfectly now and the noise that you were hearing will have disappeared.

Sometimes a computer will make noises because a piece of hardware isn’t attached properly. One of the likely culprits is the CD-Rom or DVD drive. Again for this type of computer repair, you’ll want to carefully remove the cover and listen for the source of the noise. After tightening the screws that hold the hardware in place and reattaching the cover, plug the machine in and listen if the offending noise is gone.

When it comes to computer repair it’s important to be safe and thorough. Computers are an expensive investment and keeping them running efficiently is crucial. If you are comfortable handling a small computer repair yourself, give it a try. If you’re not comfortable, take the machine to a local computer repair shop and allow the experts to do their job.

Is A Computer Repair Franchise Right For You?

2008-01-12T21:16:00.000+07:00

Starting a computer repair business is not for everyone. Starting one from scratch is even less appealing to most people. One way to dramatically reduce the potential for business failure is to buy into a computer repair franchise. There are some real positives to doing this but there are also at least a couple of negatives.

First the positive. A good franchise opportunity will offer you lots of training and support. There is a saying that says that you don't know what you don't know. This is certainly true of computer repair. There are a million tiny details to worry about when running your own business. Many of them are not obvious to someone new to the business. A franchisor can make your life much easier by pointing out the potholes before you fall in them.

Proven advertising is another big plus of buying into a franchise. A good franchise opportunity will have proven flyers, business cards, newspaper advertisements and more to get you started. Good franchises will also send you leads. You can often get better advertising rates due to bulk buys if the franchise is large enough.

Lower computer part prices should be another benefit you get from being involved with a franchise. Being part of a larger buying block should help you get better prices with your vendors. People that are running a mom and pop repair shop won't have the benefit of a buying group.

Professional image is another benefit of belonging to a good franchise opportunity. You will use their logos, t-shirts, business cards, car decals and more. You won't have to pay to get these created for you or simply try to create your own half baked graphics. These things will be provided for you.

What are the drawbacks to a franchise opportunity? One of the biggest revolves around money. Both the up front franchise fee and the ongoing royalty fee. Usually the more established a franchise opportunity is, the higher their up front fee is going to be. My advice is to shop around for the best opportunity for you. If you can't find any that interest you, you may have to start a business on your own.

Repair Your Computer For Free

2008-01-12T21:11:00.000+07:00

Repair Window Registry Problem

2007-12-22T08:40:00.003+07:00

Chances are, if you've found this article, that you're experiencing some sort of problem with your computer that needs repaired -- you were happily typing away or browsing, when suddenly... nothing happened. The program you were using froze or shut down. And you've found out that the issue is some sort of window registry problem. Only thing is... what exactly is a window registry problem? How do you repair that window registry problem?

Thankfully the answer to both these questions is simpler than you may have feared. Before we look at each in turn though, a quick prelude to reassure you you're not wasting your time here: a window registry problem is the actual condition your computer is suffering from. If you want to think of the whole thing as an illness, the issue you're having -- your computer freezing, slowing down terribly, that irritating blue screen -- any of these things are really just the symptoms of illness. A bit like a cough -- it's a symptom of the actual condition that's making you ill. And just like a cold, the condition your computer is suffering from is a window registry problem that needs repaired. So read on.

Back to our first question then. What exactly is a window registry problem? Well basically, your computer's registry files are what tells it how to run the software and hardware it's been given. When these files are in order, everything works perfectly. But as you use your computer, particularly as programs are installed and uninstalled, changes happen. And often files become corrupted and go missing -- which is when the problems start. The computer no longer knows exactly what to do with everything it's being asked to run -- and you begin seeing the symptoms of this. Things slow down, lock up, freeze, shut down, go blue and even automatically restart.

So that's the window registry problem. Now for our second question: how do you repair that problem? Thankfully this is the easiest answer of all. To repair your window registry problem, simply download and run some registry repair software. The whole process will take just 10 minutes, and will have you swiftly back in excellent working order. What the software does is scan your window registry for problems, report back to you on what's wrong and ask your permission to repair it. The brilliant thing about it all is that you don't even need to know what a 'missing dll' is, or what to do about missing shortcuts, corrupted files or the many other issues of window registry repair. All you need to do is one click of the mouse. Or even better, set the software to operate automatically whenever suits you, and you don't even need to be around.

So if you're currently facing any of the symptoms described in this article, or when you do again in the future, let some registry repair software repair your window registry problem for you. It'll save you much time, money and perhaps most of all frustration.

There are plenty of decent registry repair products out there. Here's one I'd recommend giving a go. It's completely compatible with all versions of Windows, from the older ones to XP and Vista. It's also thorough, easy to use and you can test it out for free.

Windows Registry Repair The Easy Way

2007-12-22T08:39:00.001+07:00

If your computer is running slow there can be many reasons that cause the problem such as a virus or spyware but one of the main reasons is a corrupted registry in windows. Anytime you install then uninstall software it can leave remnants in your windows registry and the more you install and remove, the more remnants. Eventually, your computer may become slower and slower.

You can purchase and download a [windows version] repair but before I would do anything I would visit a site that offers a free windows registry scan to make sure that the registry is the problem. This should be your third step after running a virus scanner and running a spyware detector, both you can get free. Many of these will give your computer a free diagnostic scan and let you know where the problem is, saving you both time and money.

If the free diagnostic computer scan shows that the problem is your windows registry then you will need to get a repair utility of some kind to perform a recovery. What you need to look for in a registry repair tool is one that has these benefits and features:

Uses the most sophisticated and up-to-date technology available to analyze your registry for missing, obsolete, and corrupt entries. Compatible with Microsoft products and third party applications. Removes the remnants left behind it from failed installations, incomplete un-installations, disabled drivers, and spyware applications.

Backs up your registry.

Has a built in scheduler so you can keep your computer running free and smooth on a regular basis.

Removes duplicate files

Deletes empty registry Keys

Checks invalid Class Keys

Checks Shell Extension

Checks invalid Help Files

Checks Invalid CLSID/Typelib/Interface Entries

Checks Invalid Shared known DLL's

Checks invalid Paths

Checks Application Path Keys/Orphan References

Checks Invalid Fonts

Checks Invalid File Types//Extensions/Entries

Once you find a registry repair utility that can do all the above then that is the one you may want to purchase. I think if you find one that does the above you will have the one that you need. Again, before your purchase anything run a free scan to diagnose your computer and make sure that is the problem, otherwise, you're wasting your money.

Do You Have A Slow Running Computer?

2007-12-22T08:38:00.000+07:00

Your computer was running fine, and now all of a sudden it is terrible slow. Sometimes the program just locks up, and will not work. Other times, the entire computer freezes. You know, the point where you must hold the power button down for 5 seconds to shut the machine off. Or, if you are running earlier versions of Windows, the infamous Blue Screen of Death appears. All of these are signs something is wrong with the internals of the computer, and this is causing you to have a slow computer.

Think back, and see if you can remember installing something or uninstalling something since the computer starting acting funny. Most likely, you did. It might have even been something as subtle as an update for your computer, or a greeting card, or even a screen saver. As a side note, screen savers are one of the worst pieces of software carrying spyware with it. If you do download something like this, use your spyware remover and remove the junk that came with it. Back to topic.

We all install and uninstall software. The problem with doing this is it can mess up your registry files. The registry files are a set of operational files which tell the computer how to run and operate the computers software programs and hardware. When you install something new, it might write over an existing registry file. This will then cause the previous software not to work right, hence the freezing of the computer.

On the flip side, if you uninstall software, it may take the registry file with it. Well, what if another program is also using the registry file. Now the computer runs really slow, and possible will just hang there until you put it out of its misery by ctrl-alt-delete. All of these issues can easily be fixed with a registry repair software.

A registry repair software will run a scan of the registry files on your computer. It looks for anything which may be out of place, or wrong, or even missing. If it finds this type of problem, it will then fix it. It can do all of this in less than 10 minutes. I personally found over 400 errors the first time I ran this type of a program. Now, I run this software every week to keep my computer maintained.

If you have a slow running computer, a registry repair software may be just what you need. This will not be a one time fix either, as you can run the software as often as you like, and always keep your computer running fast and free from errors.

How To Fix A Slow Computer

2007-12-22T08:36:00.000+07:00

Do you want to learn how to fix a slow computer? Most likely you are a computer user, but have no idea about why your computer starts to slow down over time. Having experienced a slow computer myself, I was finally able to clean up my slow computer and make it run like brand new again.

What I Did To Fix My Slow Computer

To make your computer run faster again, you will need to repair your registry files. They are the files in your computer registry that give the software and hardware the instructions to run properly. A computer registry filled with errors will cause the computer to slow down, because the applications get stuck while running. Another result of a bad registry is the frequent freezing of the computer.

How To Fix Your Computer Registry

The computer registry is a component of the computer that is not regularly talked about, yet it is one of the most important. Most people have no idea about a computer registry, even after years of using their own PC.

Fixing your computer registry requires you to download a good registry cleaner. Try not to fix your registry by yourself, because any mistakes made may be fatal to the system. The registry cleaner I used managed to detect all the errors in my computer registry, and proceeded to clean up all of them. The whole process took about 10 minutes to complete. To download the top registry cleaner on the internet, visit my website link below to learn more about the best 5 registry cleaners.

Why Free Registry Repair Is A Must For PC

2007-12-22T08:35:00.000+07:00

Several reasons are responsible for computer problems caused by system registry errors. At these times free registry repair comes in handy to PC users. Data stored in the registry varies from the version to version of Microsoft Windows. The registry is one of the most important parts of a Windows operating system. System registry is a database used by Windows to store plenty of information.

Free registry cleaner download is available easily on the internet free of cost. Sometimes even spyware leaves behind several errors in the registry that will not be removed by anti-spyware software. Registry scanning is available with anti-spyware software, and errors can be detected through this. Using free registry repair to maintain efficiency of the PC is very important as it helps with better performance through the years.

Free windows registry repair can be downloaded from the internet and installed on the PC to clean these errors. All free registry repair softwares use advanced technology, and this helps in speeding up the start-up of the PC. It also makes the PC more efficient by repairing unwanted trash left behind by spyware and adware.

While using a PC, when you receive error messages and blue screens, don’t be alarmed. This can be solved on your own by cleaning up the system registry with a free registry repair software. This will also save a lot of money when you avoid calling in system analysts to repair your computer system. They will probable use the same free registry fix when they begin work on repairing the system.

The registry repair software not only scans and cleans up the registry, but also organizes and streamlines information in the registry. It is advisable to use this software to clean up the system if you use the computer with heavy hours, as it prevents the computer from crashing, and this may result in you losing a lot of data. Advance system optimizer and fix-it utilities are the most popular among registry repair softwares.

Some come with automatic removal option where the software is installed, scans and cleans up the registry automatically. To be safe, information from the registry can be converted into a text file and transferred if any problems are encountered till the clean up is done. Once this is completed, the information from the text file can be transferred back to the registry. By then the software would have automatically removed corrupt files within the registry.

Little Known Ways To Restore Registry From A Backup

2007-12-22T08:34:00.000+07:00

It is impossible to discuss all the computer problems and the registry hives that need to be restored. The most common registry problem is created by installation of a bad or incompatible driver, or another similar configuration process affecting hardware that just does not work for your Window version.

Basically, restoring the registry is very easy and straightforward. All you need to do is boot your PC system, launch your backup software, and restore the system state. However, if your computer has suffered a problem that caused the loss of the registry, it will probably not boot properly. So you must get your computer into sufficient shape to run your backup software. That would mean reinstalling the operating system, repairing the system with the Recovery Console, repairing the system with the ERD, or if you are lucky enough, booting into the Safe mode.

Once your operating system is up and running, open your backup software and do the restore. I recommend a registry cleaner called RegCure to perform the backup. In RegCure, you can just press the backup/restore button and the software itself will do the rest. Make sure your backed up registry and any files you are restoring is properly restored. It is also a good idea to go to backup log tab and select a detailed.

To restore with the ERD, start your PC system with the Window CD. At the welcome setup screen, press R to repair the operating system. Press R again to repair from the ERD. Then follow the prompts to perform a repair with the ERD. Select the appropriate menu choice to specify the files you want to repair.

Some Best Ways To Repair Your Computer At Home

2007-12-22T08:28:00.000+07:00

Present age is the computer age. Even a 10 year old child possesses his own personal computer. In a nut shell, the number of computer in a single home depends upon the number of members in the family. Similarly, it is quite natural that one of the computers might face some technical or hardware problem sometime. What will you do in such situation? Would you prefer to waste your money by going to mechanic again over simple computer problems? We are sure many of you want to enquire about some ways in which you can protect your compuetr yourself without any external help?

Many eminent companies provide you the repairing services. You do not have to go to the workshops for your computer repair. These companies will look after every problem of your computer that can be sorted out at home. For example, they upgrade the programs and functions of your computer, do small repairs that can be done by minimum number of tools, install several programs that you want in your computer but unable to do so because of your limited software knowledge.

If you want to resolve some integrated or theatre services, then, they come up with some additional preparation for your computer repair. First of all, they dress up themselves in a special uniform and create a vacuum around the place where computer has been placed. Then, the problem is seen out with special tools by using special methods.

Tuitions are also organized by these companies for those who prefer to repair their computer at their own. Computer users can also join these tuitions through internet. Similarly, now-a-days, computer repair books are easily available in the market that can guide you very well. Let us take an example, if you want to recover the data from one of the crashed hard disk. What will you do? This is a very simple problem and does not require any outer help. What you have to do is only to freeze that crashed disc and try to copy all the typed data on duplicate disc. Through this method, you can recover about 75-80 percent of the total data.

These home services do not even cost you much. It costs only within 19 dollars to 25 dollars per trip. Apart from the guides and tuitions, computer users can also get knowledge about the computer repair through one of the best media and that is, internet. Countless websites on internet gives you online guidance to repair your PC yourself. Even they will refer different tools that you will be required in the repairing process. So, are you still waiting for the technician to settle down a simple computer problem? Do it on your own and save your money.

Cheap Auto Repair

2007-12-22T08:27:00.000+07:00

Auto repair is a headache for motorists all over the world. Repair and replacement of parts have become so costly that motorists are looking for cheap auto repair as an alternative to regular repair.

Many auto repair firms advertise to repair vehicles at cheap rates but they do this by using inferior parts and employing unskilled workers. Generally, specialized shops, including transmission repair and old car repair shops, offer cheaper auto repairs compared to general shops. There are even general repair shops that provide you quality repair at cheaper rates.

It is imperative that you discuss the exact nature of the repair job and take time with the mechanic before you actually launch the repair. Most of the modern vehicles have computerized monitoring systems, which help mechanics identify problems easily. Auto repair manuals and guides call tell you details of each repair job and the normal time taken for each. These manuals can be bought from auto parts shops in your neighborhood.

Online you can find many experienced mechanics advertising cheap auto repair. They do brake jobs for as little as $50.00 and many other repair jobs just as cheap. There are also part-time mechanics who do most of their work at their own house and are ready to do cheap auto repair on request.

Cheap auto repair is usually sought by people who are money-minded. Cheap repair has many drawbacks too. It is not reliable, and often functionality is not guaranteed. Mechanics doing cheap auto repair generally do not give proper attention and, in many cases, inferior parts are used. Cheap auto repair can lead to long-term problems that may sometimes cost you much more money in the long run.

How Do I Speed Up My Computer?

2007-12-22T08:26:00.000+07:00

Since I first got a computer, my experience each time I get a new one has been the same. Initially, I'm excited and amazed by my new toy's speed and all the stuff it can do. Then, after no time at all, it's slowed down to what seems like absolute snail pace and has started to drive me nuts. Sound familiar? Wondering the same thing I did -- how do I speed up my computer?

The answer is simpler than you might think. After years of fruitless reboots and time-consuming (yet ultimately pointless) tinkering, I found out that the overwhelming majority of computer performance issues can be solved by simply running some registry repair software. This is very much the case when you want to speed your computer up. Now if that sounds daunting (what the heck is a registry?), don't worry. It isn't. Just download the software from a reputable website, run it and it will do the rest while you go off and live your life.

So what is registry repair software? How do I speed up my computer with it? Basically, the registry files are what tells your computer or laptop how to use the software installed on it. Over time your registry files change a bit and sometimes there's a bit of a communication breakdown. So your computer slows down. And that's where the registry repair software comes in -- it finds those breakdowns, reports back to you and asks if you'd like to set things straight. With one click of the button you say 'yes' and all is now well. You speed your computer right back up again.

And the best part is, you can tell the software to go ahead and do it automatically. While you're asleep, at the gym... whatever.

As I said, straightforward. Wish I'd known about it years ago. I can't tell you how many times I've needlessly looked to the heavens, pounded my keyboard, called friends in desperation... 'How do I speed up my computer?'

There are plenty of decent registry repair products out there with which to speed up your computer. Here's one I'd recommend giving a go. It's completely compatible with all versions of Windows, from the older ones to XP and Vista. It's also thorough, easy to use and you can test it out for free.

How To Repair System Registry Easily In Just 10 Minutes?

2007-12-22T08:25:00.000+07:00

Software to repair system registry can help computer users maintain their PCs in good condition. It is a vital component of the computer that I once neglected too. It eventually made me lose a lot of important data, and you should make sure that it does not happen to you.

This article will discuss the potential problems you might encounter if your registry is not in good condition, and the fastest way to repair it.

1. Potential Problems Caused By Errors

Your computer will show a significant reduction in performance speed if it contains errors. Other problems can include strange error messages that do not explain anything to the user. It may also cause the system to restart multiple times a day. Do ensure that you do a proper backup of your most important documents if this starts happening to your PC.

2. How To Repair The Errors?

To get rid of all the errors and invalid entries, you should download Windows registry software cleaner. This is software that is specially programmed to scan the entire system for illogical and erroneous files.

You will also want to ensure that the cleaner you download has a backup function. This safeguards your configurations in case there are any undesirable changes made.

The software that I use will also prevent important files from being edited without my permission. It also manages unwanted information automatically. All these features have helped my computer run much faster and more efficiently.

3. Do You Really Need To Repair System Registry?

You are experiencing any of the symptoms described in the above paragraphs, you really should look to download repair software and run a scan on your system. By ignoring this component in your PC, it will continue to store up with more and more files, and eventually become so cluttered that entries start to overwrite one another. Computer performance will be significantly affected as a result.

4. Conclusion

There are many useful software on the web that can help repair your registry, although one of them really stands out for me due to its effectiveness and functionality. It is definitely a great tool to help you safeguard your system against loss of information and prevent a poor PC performance.

How Can I Stop My Computer From Freezing?

2007-12-22T08:16:00.000+07:00

A while back, it seemed every day I was asking how can I stop my computer from freezing? I would just be working along, normally designing a website for a customer, and then it would happen. Everything would just stop. No movement from the mouse, the keyboard would not allow any typing; even the ctrl-alt-delete would not work. The only basic way to get out of this situation is to hold the power button down for 5 seconds or until the computer shuts down.

The problem with that is all of the information you were just working on is lost. Most likely you did not save the work just before the system froze up. Now it is gone. And, just because you restarted the computer, and it is up and running again now, you still have not fixed the problem. It will happen again, and you will get frustrated again. But there is a fix.

Registry repair software will take care of this problem. The reason computers lock up, or freeze up, is because of a problem in the registry files. These files, which most people do not know even exist; give the computer instructions for each piece of software on the system. These registry files tell the computer how to start it up, what resources to use, how to run it, and even how to shut it down. So, as you can imagine, if there is a problem in these files, the computer will not know what to do. This is what causes the error. By using a registry repair software, you will fix this condition by restoring your registry files back to their correct settings.

So, back to the original question I would ask: How can I stop my computer from freezing? The answer I learned and tell others is to use a registry repair software. You can have your computer running smoothly in a matter of minutes.

A Common Computer Problem

2007-12-18T21:14:00.001+07:00

A common computer problem many people have is with their registry files. These are files, which basically tell the computer how to operate a program when it opens it. IT basically gives the computer a set of instructions. So, when these instructions get messed up, the computer has no idea what to do. Sort of like if you are assembling an engine, and the instructions are either missing, or in another language. Not something you really want to be guessing at. These instructions must be clear. Let’s take a look at how this common computer problem can happen.

If you run a Windows operating system, you have messed up registry files. It just comes with the territory. Also, if you install or uninstall software, this can cause messed up registry files. If you are uninstalling software, you might get a box that pops up and says some of the files may be shared, and removing them can cause other programs not to work. Uh, they actually mean that. Leave those files in there. The computer has no idea what to do it goes looking for them, and they are different, or not there. It will just sit there, also known as hanging, or freezing. You may even have to do the ctrl-alt-delete to get out of it. If this has happened to you, you have a registry problem.

To fix a problem with the registry files, you must have registry repair software. This software will scan your computer and let you know if you have any errors. If it does find any, it will then fix them, and return your registry back to normal. Then, as a maintenance item, run this registry repair software weekly. This will ensure your common computer problem of messed up registry files stays corrected.

About The World Of Computer Building

2007-12-18T21:10:00.000+07:00

If you are having trouble with your computer and would like to have it up graded. Or if you would like to just upgrade your computer for better performance. For gaming or graphic solutions or for better multitasking endeavors.

If you have a computer a lot of the basic parts in that computer are reusable, and not necessary to change out. Basic components would be the CD/DVD Rom A-Drive, HDD, and a lot of times the memory. By using the computer parts that are reusable you can save yourself hundreds of dollars, and be able to have the perfect computer system for your needs.

A computer tech service can cost hundreds of dollars for the most simple of problems. Just to take the side off the computer will cost an individual no less then fifty dollars. Let’s say you are having a simple problem with your computer. Maybe one of your drives in the computer will not boot up. This can cause problems that will make the computer act very bad. So bad that you would think there was a major problem with your computer system. But because you don’t know or understand how the computer works, and that the computer components all work together, and are tied into the motherboard of the computer. Or mite be hooked on the same cable that is hooked to the computers motherboard. You could in turn end up with a four hundred to seven hundred dollar computer repair bill. For a simple five dollar computer cable, or a thirteen dollar A-drive or a thirty dollar cd-rom drive.

The bottom line is this I have seen and talked to people how have spent as much money to repair their computer as it would of coast to buy a new computer. Myself I can’t really understand that reasoning. Maybe it’s because there is information on the computer that you really don’t want to loss. Well let me just say this. If that’s the case then you need to know that there are ways to retrieve that information off that computers hard drive. You don’t have to loss that information. You just simply have to go after it. Unless the computers hard drive is shot, and then the information is lost any ways.

Building a computer is not hard you just have to know what the computer components are, and where the computer components go inside the computer. You don’t have to know in great detail of how each computer component works. You just need a basic simple understanding of what each computer component dose.

How Does Registry Repair Software Really Work?

2007-12-18T21:06:00.000+07:00

If your computer programs, applications, or drivers have begun to load slowly - or not at all - then you've probably started to do some research on registry repair software to see if a computer registry cleaner and repair tool is the best choice for you to fix your computer problems. If you've never done a registry fix before, knowing how this type of software really works can be very helpful in making your final decision.

So What is the Registry Anyway?

The registry is a database that stores the data from Windows and programs. By storing information about the configuration of your computer's system and it's programs, your registry allows your operating system (Windows) to use this data to launch and run your programs.

How Registry Repair Software Really Works

Basically, registry repair software works to fix windows registry by scanning various areas of your computer's registry to see if there are any invalid registry entries. When data changes on your computer - for example you delete a file and the registry doesn't remove the invalid data and often times you will continue to have a reference to a non-existent file remaining in your registry. Because of this reference to a file that is supposed to have been deleted, the registry continues to get filled with invalid data. This is when a computer registry cleaner (or other solution) becomes necessary so that it can clean out and fix these errors as well as continue to keep your computer error free. If you don't fix your registry, then Windows and programs will continue to consume more and more system resources when searching your database for any data that it needs.This is what causes your computer to become slower and slower.

In addition to cleaning and repairing the registry and keeping it error free, these tools also offer your system some degree of protection. It does this by helping to remove harmful viruses which can spread and cause damage to your PC through the registry and also sets the system restore points, which can actually return your system to a point before the changes or the damage first happened.

What Exactly Does Registry Repair Software Scan?

Some of the areas that registry cleaners scan, clean up, and make go faster include:

File Lists

Software Section

Classes Section

Shared Dynamic Link Libraries

Windows Startup Run

Invalid File Associations

Sounds

Fonts

Application Paths

Defragmentation Time

After doing the basic cleanup of your registry, a good registry repair tool will perform a defragmentation or compression. What this involves is eliminating all of the spaces that are left once the registry clean up occurs. Compressing these spaces is yet another process that will allow your computer to perform at its best and in a quick and efficient manner.

So now you have a pretty good idea of how registry repair software really works. Having a quality registry repair tool will allow you to fix registry problems with just a few clicks of your mouse. It will also make your computer more stable and help your software run faster and more efficiently

How To Make Your Computer Faster

2007-12-16T10:17:00.000+07:00

If you are reading this, then you are looking for a way on how to make your computer faster. We all want our computers to run faster. Many of use even have DSL or cable internet connections, and it still is not fast enough. The easiest way on how to make your computer faster is to keep the registry files optimized.

The registry files are a set of computer files which contain the operating instructions for your computer. They tell the computer how to start programs, how to best run the computer programs, and even how to shut them down. They are the blueprint on how the computer should run. So, needless to say, when the registry files get messed up, the computer gets confused, and begins to run much slower.

Messed up registry files can occur if you are downloading anything like music, videos, software, pictures, and even games and screensavers. These types of programs install their own registry files in some cases. Well, if this registry file overwrites your current registry file, you are in trouble. Now, the new registry files contain the wrong instructions for the program. When you go to open a program, your computer will just sit there, or maybe restart automatically, or even give you the blue screen of death. All of these errors are caused by the registry files.

The best way to keep this from happening is to scan your registry, find the errors, and fix them. This is exactly what registry repair software does. With the click of a button, it will run a scan of your computer, and look for any of the potential problems that can slow down your computer. It will then go through and fix all of these errors. Now the registry is optimized, and the computer is running fast again.

You should make it a habit of running registry repair software at least weekly. This will catch any of the potential problems before they pop up. It helps to keep the registry files optimized, and is a very good way on how to make your computer faster.

Looking For A PC Error Fix?

2007-12-16T10:16:00.000+07:00

If you are looking for a pc error fix, the first place to check should be your computers registry files. For a simplistic definition, these files contain the instructions on how to operate the software and hardware on your computer. If these files get messed up in any way, then you will definitely encounter computer errors.

Some of the computer errors caused by bad registry files are:

Computer locking up, or freezing: This will prevent you from doing anything. The only way to get out of this is to hold the power button down for more than 5 seconds and shut the computer down.

Blue Screen: This happens all of a sudden, and you end up with a blue screen with an error code in the top left hand corner. Once again, you will need to reboot the computer.

Program locks up: You can get out of this one by pressing the control-alt-delete buttons all at the same time. This will open a pop up window, where you can shut down the non-responding program.

All of these pc errors can be fixed by repairing the registry files. You should not try to repair these files yourself. You will cause more damage than what you already have. A registry repair software can help find and fix these pc errors you are getting. This software will run a complete scan of your computer, and show you all of the errors you have on the computer. Then, with the click of a button, it will fix all of them.

Once your registry files are fixed, you will not have any more errors. Then, as a maintenance type item for your computer, you should run this software on a weekly basis. This will help you fix your pc errors.

XP Repair Pro Review - How to Fix Problems and Repair Windows XP

2007-12-16T10:12:00.000+07:00

Are you having problems with your computer? If you have Windows XP, the registry could be the issue. There are lots of glitches and issues that can happen with a computer, especially in the registry. The registry can be likened to a repository of information about the configuration of your computer. The longer you have your computer, the more cluttered the registry becomes.

Things that shouldn't be there often end up there, and can cause serious PC problems. If you've ever taken a look at your computer's registry, then you can attest that it is extremely complex and difficult to decipher. You should never attempt to clean the registry on your own because you can seriously damage your computer.

This is why you might need a program like XP Repair Pro. This powerful software program automatically scans your registry and removes harmful or unwanted items. Doing this allows your computer to work more efficiently and can significantly speed things up. This program also features a Restore tool that allows you to restore your registry to previous settings in the event of system failure or data loss.

XP Repair Pro only removes unnecessary items from your computer's registry and does not have any effect on items that should be there. If you decide you want your registry the way it was prior to cleaning, you can certainly restore it quickly and easily. How much would you expect to pay for a program of this magnitude? You may be surprised to discover the cost is only $36.95 for a limited time. This comes at a savings off the normal price of $49.95.

That's certainly a small price to pay for better computer operation. If your computer is slow and sluggish, you know how irritating this can be. If it works fine, then you definitely want to keep it that way. In either case, XP Repair Pro is an ideal choice for you. After your purchase, you can download and use this software right away. The sooner you do, the sooner you can start reaping the benefits of a fine-tuned registry.

Learn Why You May Need A Good Windows XP Registry Fix

2007-12-16T10:09:00.000+07:00

Despite the new release of Microsoft Vista, there is still a great majority of people still using Windows XP. If you are still part of that majority, you may be looking for a good Windows XP registry fix. Maybe you noticed that your PC is having a slower overall performance or you're looking to doing a manual repair of the system. Whichever the case, this article will try to look at those two issues relating to the registry and help you determine whether you need a Windows XP registry fix or not.

The design of Windows has shown that over time, the computer tends to slow down due to the installation of programs and manipulation of the registry. This results in a slower overall performance. One reason that this happens is from the installation and uninstallation of programs. Another reason is that the registry gets corrupted and gets bigger over time. These two factors contribute to the slowness of the computer. At this point, you may want to look into doing a manual repair of the registry.

When your computer is having problems, one approach to take is to fix it manually. Now I must warn you that you have to be pretty comfortable with the different menus and configurations of your computer. It is really easy to delete something to find out that it is an essential file or folder of the operating system. To perform manual repair, I usually like to simply take whatever error or symptom that occurs and type it into Google's search engine. Sometimes, I am required to add or delete an entry in the registry. Other times, I am referred to a registry cleaner to do the job.

Now these are just a couple of the reasons why you may need a good Windows XP registry fix. If you are noticing that you are having slower performance, you may want to perform a manual repair your computer. However, I am a complete advocate for using registry cleaners to do the job for me. I also recommend taking a proactive approach to your computer's health. Many times, computers users only take care of their computer when they have a problem. This is the wrong approach! Take the time to do the research to determine whether you need a simple Windows XP registry fix or a complete and automated registry repair program.

Computer Repair Basics for Beginners

2007-12-16T10:08:00.000+07:00

Is it possible for regular Joe's to fix their own computer without needing to call a specialist in to do the computer repair? Yes! You can do it easy, and you can learn these computer repair techniques easy in the article I have written. You will be told exactly what you need to do and know, in order to get your computer repaired and working how you want it!

There is always the option of calling upon a company like Geek Squad, from Best Buy, if you have the extra $350 to repair your computer. Let's also state here their idea of computer repair is not what you need at all, unless you are looking for someone to come to your home with the intention of selling you software you don't need, instead of repairing your computer. Later I will indulge all of you reading, my experience with this company, and how it brought amusement into my world

Going through only the computer repairing techniques we need to know, I will not waste your time with confusing nonsense about how a computer works, or how did the computer get broken in the first place where it is in need of computer repair? Who cares right? What's done is done, lets just fix the darn thing.

I will show you how to do computer repair the easiest, most simplest way possible. We care about making our current computer situation better as it exists at this exact moment, ridding it of needing computer repair.

The computer repair basics presented here and the articles that follow will be more than enough to eradicate 90% of your home computer repair problems, completely resolving them all so you don't have to search the internet anymore for "computer repair" and how to fix your computer problems.

You could be thinking, as I at one time did when I knew very little about computers or repairing them, that it will be near impossible to understand these square mysterious beeping towers or how they work none the less. It is a lot easier then you might think! You just need to know the what information is important about computer repair, discarding all the unnecessary stuff that most computer repair companies say in order to confuse you so you hire them. We do not need them! We have ourselves and by gosh darn it, we have this helpful article to guide you thought basic computer repair.

Computer repair steps are all the same.

Let's repeat, computer repairing steps are all the same, no matter if it is you doing it or a computer engineer doing it. The computer engineer goes though the basic steps while repairing a computer system, the same steps we are going to go over in this article. He might know what to do in that chance of 10% when a computer is more damaged then normal, but we are not going to worry ourselves with that odd chance.

There are not hundreds of computer gurus that develop new and innovative ways to repair computers. Computer repair techniques have already been mapped out for us, and proven, so lets just utilize other peoples work and findings about computer repair, after all its free and legal!. Think of the same situation where you look up a recipe online to cook a fancy meal, it is the same idea!

Now, I have been prepping you for too long telling you why I think you can do it. You know you can do it, you just need to believe in yourself and take computer repair one step at a time. I cannot stress that enough. Computer repair has to be done in steps...1) before 2). Yes it sounds obvious but be strict on yourself about his, especially while learning how to do computer repair, you will make it easy on yourself.

Usually when we fix something in life we have identify the problem.. blah blah. Skip identifying the problem! (not how you learned it in school huh?) Lets not even try to pinpoint a problem that needs repairing with our computer yet!

We are going to first do a few very easy computer repair basics that will solve almost all computer issues (shhh overpriced Geek Squad doesn't want you or anyone to know this).

First Guide in Computer Repair

1) Click the Start Menu, a button that is visible while hovering over the start menu is the "run" button. Click the run button and a small window in the bottom left of your screen comes up.
2) Type "msconfig" (with no quotation marks) in the box that is within the window.
3) Another window comes up, now go to the tab to the right called "start up"
4) Near the bottom of the window is a button called "disable all" click that button
5) Then click the "apply" button just below the "disable all" button.
6) X out of the window (close the window) and another window pops up. Click the "restart now" option.

And there you have it! You just taught yourself how to do a very easy computer repair technique which will solve alot of your computer repair issues.

When to Buy a New Computer

2007-12-16T10:05:00.000+07:00

As a computer repair expert I get asked this allot. Should I just buy a new computer or fix the one I have? Here are some tips and simple questions to ask yourself.

Is your current computer working? If your computer is broken and over 3 years old call around to local repair shops and get an estimate on how much it might cost to fix. View www.windowvistarepair.com and join there free forum for what questions to ask. Now that you have a price in mind here are some questions to ask yourself. If I get this computer fixed will it do everything I want it to do? Does it still run all the programs I want to use? What in the near future do you plan to use your computer for? Is the computer really slow because the new software programs are so advanced? If you stop and ask yourself what you use the computer for and what you plan on using it for in the next few years most of the time you can come to a simple conclusion.

If your computer is already working but just started slowing down you may just need a little computer tune-up. Over time computers start to slow down because they get more programs installed on them and all these programs are running in the background. Getting a system tune up can be a cheap way of speeding up your computer and optimizing it.

As Technology advances your computer will become obsolete. For those of you out there running windows 98 ME or 2000 my answer to you is go buy a new computer. If you are running XP and everything runs fine but the computer is slow check and see how much memory you have installed. If it is 256 or less you can boost your computers speed just buying another stick of memory. Just contact your local computer shop with your computer model and they will be able to tell you what kind of memory to purchase.

Windows Vista Blue Screen Error

2007-12-16T10:04:00.001+07:00

New Windows operating system and you are now getting a Windows Vista blue screen error. You would have thought there would be no more blue screens of death, but I guess not. So, as long as there is a Windows Vista blue screen error, we will need a fix for it.

The solution for a blue screen of death is a registry repair program. In less than 10 minutes, this software can have your computer up and running, and without errors. No need to worry about how to fix this or what you did, just let the software fix it for you.

See, in today’s world, with DSL and cable internet, people are downloading videos, pictures, screensavers, background images, software, and music. This is a lot of stuff to be downloading onto your computer system. And Windows Vista is actually a pretty good operating system. So, it may not be so much Window’s fault as it is just the activity of the computer user.

Every time you install new stuff or download new stuff, you always run the risk of tweaking something that should not be tweaked. If you install some software, it may copy over an important file used by another program. If this happens, the program you are trying to use will not work, and sometimes this failure results in the blue screen of death. The best way to fix this blue screen of death issue is by using a registry repair program.

A registry repair software will run a free scan of your computer and look for errors, especially the ones that cause the blue screens. Once it finds these, and it will, it will fix the errors. This will put your computer back to its original speed and optimal performance. Then, just run the registry repair software once a week and you will be able to keep out the Windows Vista blue screen error.

Why Free Registry Repair Is A Must For PC

2007-12-16T10:03:00.000+07:00

Little Known Ways To Restore Registry From A Backup

2007-12-16T10:02:00.001+07:00

Some Best Ways To Repair Your Computer At Home

2007-12-16T09:59:00.002+07:00

How To Check My Computer For Errors?

2007-12-16T09:59:00.001+07:00

Are you searching for ways to check your computer for errors, because you are sure that there are errors on your PC? I knew I was like that a few months ago, where my computer would freeze mysteriously for no apparent reason, or its processing speed would suddenly slow down tremendously. Luckily, I managed to find software that detected all the errors on my computer, and restore my PC back to its optimal working condition.

1. Most Possible Cause For Computer Errors

The reason why my computer had so many errors, even though I do not download files from the internet often, was because I did not know how to clean my computer registry. This is the area in your computer that contains all the instructions for programs to run in your PC. Without maintaining your registry, it will start accumulating with missing shortcuts, or entries with errors.

2. How To Repair The Registry?

I managed to repair my computer errors by running a cleaning software on my computer. Before the software performs any cleaning on your computer, it will first run a free scan on your computer to determine the amount of errors in the area first. You will also be able to know the type of errors detected.

3. Where To Get A Free Scan?

You can download a top rated software at my website link at the end of this article to run a free scan. You will then be able to find out from the software whether your registry requires fixing.

4. Maintaining Your Computer

Even after cleaning out your registry, you need to run frequent scans on your computer to keep it error free. You can schedule the software to perform a weekly scan or once every two weeks, so that you do not need to remember schedule them yourself.

Do Computer Repair Classes Make Sense for You?

2007-12-16T09:57:00.000+07:00

How To Repair Windows Registry Problems

2007-12-16T09:56:00.000+07:00

Are you looking for how to repair windows registry problems? Chances are that you already know that it contains errors, either because you cannot access it, or you have detected errors in it. I knew a few months ago, I could not access the registry area, and I had to look for a cleaner software to fix the problem. Luckily, it is now fixed and my computer has been running like new again. This article will discuss the various alternatives to repairing the registry, and the benefits you will get by doing so.

1. How To Repair It?

Most computer users do not know what a computer registry is good for, and why they should maintain it. It is basically the area in your PC where the system stores all the changes made to the computer, and all the instructions and configurations of every program. Over time, the amount of useless entries can build up quickly, causing programs to run slowly.

2. Anti-Spyware And Anti-Virus Programs Are Not Enough

Most users feel that anti virus and anti spyware programs are enough to keep their computer running smoothly. This is not true, because errors can occur in the registry, and the above 2 types of programs are not able to fix them.

3. Where To Download Repair Software?

To keep your registry error free, you should download cleaning software from the internet. To use the software that I have successfully downloaded to repair my computer to its best performance level today, you can visit my website link at the end of this article to find out more.

4. Conclusion

Having a good cleaner software will keep your computer error free for many years to come. Removing the unnecessary entries will not only free up space, it also lowers the chances of entries being infected with spyware, adware and viruses.

Computer Repair Services: Four Steps to Customer Decisions

2007-12-16T09:53:00.002+07:00

When deciding to go with your computer repair services, a customer cycles through four steps: awareness; interest; evaluation; adoption. The strategies you use at each phase will encourage the prospect to take the steps to the end.

Step One: Awareness

Prospects you encounter might know about your computer repair services, but might not know much information about them beyond that. Your strategy in this initial stage should be to educate the consumer about the details of your business using flyers, brochures or websites. Providing a description of your services that is both exciting and informative will help bring you closer to a sale.

Step Two: Interest

This is the next level of customer curiosity. At this stage, a customer has already heard your commercials, seen ads or heard about you from friends. But he still needs more information about your services, so you should at this point provide more specific information about your computer repair services.

Step Three: Evaluation

At this stage, the potential client has complete information and has to evaluate whether your computer repair services are right for him. You can make this decision simple with the right strategy. One of these strategies is to offer a guarantee for services that will give him peace of mind in case he is not satisfied with any of the work you do.

Step Four: Adoption

The moment a customer decides to use your computer repair services you need to use strategies that will make him a long-term client. You need to create customer loyalty by providing superior service and the building blocks for a trusting relationship.

How To Do An XP Registry Repair?

2007-12-16T09:53:00.001+07:00

Are you looking for a Windows XP registry repair solution for your computer? There are many ways to do a repair, with some of them being easier, and some others being very risky as well. I once had a registry problem as well, one that caused my PC to run really slowly, and hang at random times. I was finally able to fix my registry easily with simple software.

1. Symptoms Of Registry Errors

Errors in this area of your computer can result in different consequences on your PC. The most common ones include processing/loading speed issues, the Blue Screen Of Death, and frequent hanging or crashing of the computer. If your computer is experiencing any of these symptoms right now, it is very likely that there are errors in your Windows registry that require fixing.

2. Causes Of These Errors

The registry becomes messy after the user has installed and deleted many program applications on the PC after a prolonged period of use. Remember when you first bought your computer, and how smoothly it was running without all the problems that you are facing today?

If registries are left un-maintained for a long period of time, the computer will start to accumulate with errors and missing shortcuts, which in turn causes other programs to slow down or even stop working. In worse cases, the computer may crash, and become unable to boot up again.

3. How To Fix The Problem?

To repair your computer and fix this problem, you will need to repair the Windows XP registry directly. If you have technical experience, you can try to fix it manually, but it can be very time-consuming to find all the entries yourself and go through all the steps manually. Any mistake on your part can be fatal to the system too!

The easiest way is to download a registry cleaner to run a scan and fix on your computer. The top rated software that I used was able to give me a free scan, and reveal to me the total number of errors and bad entries found, as well as the types of errors they were. After the scan, it will prompt you to run a repair on your PC.

4. Conclusion

Having used registry repair software myself, I am pleased that I have got my computer back to its great working speed. Repair and maintenance is easy once you have automated software to do all the work for you. If you need to download the software that I have personally used to great effect, you can visit the website link below to find out more.

Why Is My Computer Running So Slow?

2007-12-16T09:52:00.000+07:00

Why is my computer running so slow? If you are reading this, then you are experiencing what many other are also: a slow computer. You are probably waiting on programs to load, or start up, or waiting on the cursor to catch up with your typing. There is nothing more annoying than when you click on a button, or icon, and you must wait for the computer to actually perform the function you are asking it to do. If you ask some people what the problem might be, they will tell you to increase the size of your memory. While that may work, I would use that as a last result. I will give the first thing I would check, and fix, before you start upgrading your computer parts.

The way your computer works is when you click on a button, the button sends the computer to the program. The program will read something called the registry keys to determine how best to run the program. Now, registry keys are not talked about much in the world of computers. But they are the main culprit for slow running computers. So, the registry keys are deciding how the computer should start up programs. Well, if the registry keys are bad, missing, corrupt, shared, missing short cuts, or many other things, your computer will run slow. It will not know hoe to start up the program, or do certain functions of the program. We need to fix these, and then your computer will run at full speed again, just like when you first bought it.

To fix the registry keys is simple. You let registry repair software perform a scan of your computer, and tell you what errors you have. I guarantee you have errors on your computer. I run my registry repair once a week, and every week I have repairs which need to be made. It is just something that happens. When the registry repair software runs the scan, and finds the errors, just tell the software to fix them. The software will then fix all of your registry problems and return the computer back to normal. Do not try to fix registry files yourself. Let the software do it.

So if you computer is running slow, try a registry repair software fist. This will return everything back to its original state, and get your computer running normal again. And all of this can take less than 10 minutes. And then run the registry repair software weekly, and this way you will never have to ask why is my computer running so slow.

A Computer Program To Clean Dll Errors

2007-12-16T09:51:00.000+07:00

The best computer program to clean dll errors is a registry repair program. This software will perform a free scan of your computer and check to see what, if any, errors you have, including dll errors. But first, let’s look at what causes dll errors.

Dll (or Dynamic Link Library) is a set of static or dynamic links your computer uses to run its software. A static link is a link that does not change and a dynamic link is one that is only used for specific purposes, and generated right then. If there is a problem with one of these links, a program on your computer will have a problem when trying to start up.

The reasons these dll files get errors in them normally happens when you install additional software on your computer. The new software will install its dll files right over the top of your existing dll file. Many programs will share a dll file. So, if you install software that uses an older version of the dll file, it will cause the dll computer errors you are getting.

A registry repair software is a program which will look at those situations where you have dll errors and fix them for you. No need to worry about trying to find these guys yourself. Let the software run its scan, find all of the errors, and fix them right away. This will get rid of the dll errors.

By using a registry repair software, you are getting the best computer program to clean dll errors. It is fast, efficient, and very simple to use. Then, just continue to use the registry software on a weekly basis to keep your computer updated, and free of errors

Registry Cleaner and Registry Repair Utilities

2007-12-16T09:50:00.000+07:00

Did you know that over 94% of personal computers have hidden corrupt dangerous files with over 150 hidden errors and bugs on them . . . Over time your Windows registry becomes saturated with redundant files and broken links that cause errors and even system crashes. Using a registry cleaner and registry repair software will get rid of all those unnecessary files that swamp your PC and end up wreaking havoc.

Running a registry cleaner and registry repair software on a regular basis will boost your system performance, remove hidden Errors and bugs, and prevent system crashes. What is the windows registry and why do you need a registry repair and a registry cleaner software to keep it error free?, Every Microsoft Windows operating system has a system registry, Your system registry is one of the most vital and important components on your PC, it holds a wealth of information about your computer setup and configuration. When you delete a file or uninstall a program, the registry keeps a reference of that deleted file and does not remove it, and an invalid data or error stays in the registry, as the registry gets filled with these invalid data and errors, your computer system will become sluggish and can cause severe system complications resulting in system crash, hang and malfunction.

Why is it important to have a registry cleaner and registry repair software tool? Because registry cleaner and a registry repair software tools eliminates the clutter and junk that builds up in your computer's registry from installing and removing programs, deleting and creating files and surfing online the result is a fast optimized registry that keeps your computer running properly. Because without such tune ups your computer can become sluggish, full of error messages and experience frequent system crashes.

Computer Error Repair

2007-12-16T09:49:00.000+07:00

There are a lot of things that can go wrong with your computer. Which may leave you feeling a little helpless and/or frustrated right now. What type of repair job is needed to fix your current computer error, if there are so many? Thankfully, while the problems can be diverse, the solution is often remarkably simple -- and even identical. The answer, whatever the computer error you need to repair at this moment, is likely that you need to take a look at your registry files.

Let's do 3 things in this article. First, we'll take a quick look at some common computer errors caused by bad registry files -- that way you can be certain that's where the issue lies for you. Next, we'll take a quick look at what registry files actually are (don't worry, you don't need to be a rocket scientist -- I'll keep it really brief). Finally, we'll cover how to quickly and easily repair your registry files, whatever your level of computer savvy.

OK, first up: some common types of computer error that you can repair by sorting out your registry files:

1. Programs shutting down and/or restarting for no reason. This may well including that irritating little error message asking if you'd like to report this computer error to Microsoft.

2. Programs locking up -- all you can do is press Control + Alt + Delete until the program eventually shuts down. Again, the Microsoft error message appears.

3. Your whole computer locking up or freezing. The only way to get things going again is to shut your computer down altogether (by holding down the power button or even unplugging it) and restart it.

4. The infamous 'blue screen of death' - everything suddenly goes blue and the only thing you see is a computer error code in the top left corner. Again, you have no choice but to reboot (restart).

5. Slowness - at startup, of programs, when typing -- or simply of your computer as a whole.

See an error (or several) that sounded familiar? Then you need to repair your computer registry files. In short, your registry is what tells your computer how to use the various bits of hardware and software installed on it. Over time, these registry files get somewhat disordered, corrupted or even go missing. This especially happens as you install and uninstall things. While you would be right in assuming that going in and trying to repair these files by yourself is not a good idea (it's a very bad idea!), thankfully there is a very common bit of software available that can do the error repair for you.

Which brings us to the solution. Download and run some registry repair software. The registry repair software will quickly identify what's causing the error (or errors -- there are frequently many, which you hadn't even noticed) on your computer, tell you about it, ask your permission to repair it, and with one click of the mouse take care of everything for you.

There are plenty of decent registry repair products out there with which to do computer error repair. Here's one I'd recommend giving a go. It's completely compatible with all versions of Windows, from the older ones to XP and Vista. It's also thorough, easy to use and you can test it out for free.

Registry Repair Cleaners

2007-12-16T09:48:00.000+07:00

Registry repair cleaners work to get rid of computer errors, and more specifically, registry errors. These types of errors can cause a lot of stress to someone if they are experiencing them. Some of these errors would be items such as the following:

Computer freezing or locking up: This would be where you are working on a program, or surfing the internet and the computer just stops. It will not allow you to do anything. The only way to get out of it is to hold the power button for 5 seconds and manually shut down and start over.

Computer restarting: Sometimes you are just working along and the computer just restarts for no reason.

Programs just stop working: This is where the program stops responding. You have seen those messages that say the program encountered an error, or is not responding. You can get out of this by pressing the ctrl-alt-delete at the same time, and close the program.

If you have experienced any of these, registry repair cleaners will find these errors, and fix them. The reason these errors happen is because of installing and uninstalling software. Also, if you have downloaded anything such as music on the internet, you will have these problems. The programs, when installed or uninstalled, will change your registry files. The can remove registry files, or just change them. Once this happens, if a program is looking for a registry file to get started, and it is not there, the computer will just freeze. In other words, this program will not work. Fixing the registry files will prevent these types of errors.

Registry repair cleaners help to seek out these types of errors, and get rid of them. If you have ever had to deal with these types of errors, you no longer need to worry. Use a registry repair cleaner to get your computer back.

How To Prevent Your Computer From Being Slow

2007-12-16T09:46:00.000+07:00

One of the most common complaints that we hear from PC users is the slowness of their PCs. You must have had the same problem with your computer some time or the other. And generally the answer we get to this problem is that perhaps you have stored way too many files and documents on your personal computer, which makes it slow down gradually. This is indeed a valid explanation for a slow computer; however it is not the only reason for a slow computer. Other than this something very vital which you need to look into is the registry of the computer.

The registry or the registry files in the computer keeps stock of everything-information and settings of all the software, operating system software, hardware and every single file and functions running on the computer system. The registry files have to be maintained in proper order; otherwise once any of the files go awry, the computer faces problems in functioning smoothly and might even hang up. The computer requires starting up any particular software by looking into the registry files. In case the registry file is absent or not in its proper shape, the computer is liable to stop running the given software. This in turn slows down the computer generally. The slow computer is unable to do anything with the software. In such a situation there is the possibility of the computer hanging or getting locked up. This is where you need to take care that the registry files are in working order, or fixed properly when the need be.

The basic thing you need to have in order to fix your registry files is registry repair software. You can get the very best standardized registry repair software and use it on your personal computer. The registry repair software is imperative for such a situation; you cannot repair the damaged registry files otherwise. Using the registry repair software helps because it points out the number of files that are corrupted and need to be repaired. Then you can give command to the registry repair software to fix each and every registry file and restore them to their original configuration. The entire process is surprisingly simple, and can be done in only a matter of minutes. And because it is a relatively simple process you can check your registry files from time to time. For instance if you use the registry repair software once a week it is enough to ensure that the registry files are in proper shape.

A slow computer is a very common malaise in computer systems. As mentioned earlier, storing an excessive amount of files and folders may also cause your computer to operate slowly. In such cases we find that the speed of the computer decreases; a file or folder might take more time in opening than it earlier used to or your CD writer might take an unusually long time in writing material to a blank CD. But you should not forget the importance of registry files and how you can keep them in perfect order with the help of the registry files repair software.

Registry Repair Wizard - Provides The Helping Hand In Registry Cleaning

2007-12-16T09:45:00.000+07:00

Registry Repair Wizard is an advanced registry repair tool for Windows operating systems, using which you can scan, repair, and clean the Windows Registry. The only thing that you require is a few simple mouse clicks. The Windows Registry needs to be cleaned and repaired as with every time you use your computer, the registry simply grows and many of its information becomes obsolete and eventually becomes cluttered and fragmented. Such kind of information may hamper in the smooth running of many Windows applications, thereby can contribute in the performance degradation of your system. The Registry Repair Wizard performs scanning of the Windows Registry to identify the obsolete or incorrect information, and then repairs these problems so that your system can run faster and error free.

The Registry Repair Wizard has two tools, Startup Organizer and Internet Explorer Organizer, which helps in running your computer more smoothly. The Startup Organizer allows you to select the programs that you want to start automatically as you run your computer. The Internet Explorer Organizer, on the other hand, allows you select and deactivate spyware or adware running inside the Internet Explorer. In addition, this registry repair tool provides the backup/restore functionality that allows you to back up the complete Windows Registry, so that you can restore the registry to the current status whenever you required.

The Registry Repair Wizard is a shareware; however, it also comes as a registry repair freeware for an evaluation period of 15 days. After the evaluation period, if you want to continue with the tool, then you can register it with a one time registration fee. It also provides fast customer support for registered customer. Moreover, you can go for the various upgrades of the tool after its purchase, either for free or an additional amount of fee.

Registry Repair Tool - Making Windows Registry More Consistent

2007-12-16T09:43:00.000+07:00

The Windows Registry is one of the most essential components of the Windows operating system, which is critical to the proper functioning of a computer system. It is a database that is used to store information and settings for all the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the computer system. However, the Windows Registry is very much prone to errors that might hamper the smooth functioning of the computer. It is therefore, recommended to use a registry repair tool for recovering the Windows registry from various registry-related problems.

There are several causes that can create problems in the registry. The primary cause behind this is identified as the overflow of registry entries, and this is generally caused by continuous use of Windows Registry, incomplete installation and uninstallation of applications, and various spyware keys. These problems gradually affect the performance of your system, and soon your system starts responding very slowly. In such situation, you can use a registry repair tool, which you can purchase online from various registry repair service providers. Many a times you can avail the trial version of these tools as registry repair free downloads, where these tools can be freely downloaded with either limited features or for a particular period of time. You can upgrade it to the full version or you can buy the license for unlimited usage.

The registry repair tool is nothing but a computer program that is developed to refine the registry inconsistencies in your system. Therefore, it is also known as registry repair program. The primary function of this program is to scan your system efficiently and effectively to identify and delete the unnecessary registry entries. This minimizes the registry problems and enhances the system performance. Most of the registry repair tools offer registry backups before deleting the unused registry entries so that in case you need any particular entry in the near future, you can restore immediately from the backup. This helps in keeping the registry up-to-date.

Repair Window Registry Problem

2007-12-16T09:42:00.000+07:00

Here is the scenario: Sitting behind your computer, typing away, probably working on something fairly important, when all of a sudden nothing happens. Been there before? I know I have. Heck, I do this for a living, and just the other day in the middle of writing an article my computer locked up. It happens to everyone. But there is a simple solution to help you repair a window registry problem.

The problem is not the computer freezing, or you getting the blue screen. Of course, it turns into a problem, but these conditions are symptoms. They are telling you to repair a window registry problem. Sort of like coughing. Coughing is not the problem, only a symptom of an underlying condition. When you look at it that way, you will realize you need to fix the registry files.

The registry files basically have instructions for the computer on how to run the software and hardware. If these files are in perfect working order, then the computer runs fine. But, if something happens to a registry files, either they get corrupted or become missing, then the computer struggles, and the result are lock ups, freezing, blue screen, and even automatic restarting of the entire operating system. Now you know the problem lies in the registry files. But how do we fix these? With the help of software.

Registry repair software will repair window registry problem. This entire process will take about 10 minutes, and can solve all of your problems. The software will scan your computer, and let you know if you have any problems in your registry files. There are various problems you can have, such as missing dll’s, missing short cuts, corrupted files, and a few more. This software will show you the errors, and then fix them for you. Just let the software do all of the work for you.

So the next time you this problem again, let a registry repair software repair the window registry problem for you. It will save you much time, and cause you less headaches.

Top 3 Best Registry Repair Techniques

2007-12-16T09:40:00.000+07:00

There are a few techniques depending on your level of computer knowledge and technical know-how. The Windows registry is a sensitive and very important component of the Windows operating system. It stores configuration data for the operating system itself, as well as particular settings for all the programs installed on the computer. Because a clean computer registry is so important to the functioning of any Windows system, any errors can cause the whole computer to crash and sometimes stop running completely.

Fix the Windows Registry Yourself

This is probably the best registry repair technique if you know what you're doing. Computer savvy people can take a look at the files and diagnose certain problems and then repair them. However, you must know what you are doing. If you don't know how the registry works, attempting to make any changes can create even bigger problems. You could even damage it so much that the computer won't run at all and you will be forced to completely re-install the operating system. If you don't know about HKEYS, hives, values, or even where the it is located, it is not recommended that you attempt to conduct a clean up yourself.

Hire a Computer Technician

This could be the best repair technique if you have time and are willing to spend a lot of money. You could hire an independent technician or bring your computer to a place like Best Buy and let them take a look at it, however this can be a time consuming option. Often you will find that places like Best Buy will simply run cleaning software that could buy and run yourself.

Download Registry Repair Software

This is the best registry repair technique for the average computer user. This step is so easy and cost-effective that you'd be silly to look elsewhere before trying this method first. Repair software is relatively inexpensive, and it will perform all the necessary procedures in order to fix registry errors. Today's registry repair software is very efficient and advanced, and eliminates the need to hire expensive technicians. Within minutes of installing this type of software a computer could be running virtually like new.

Computer Repair or Junk? When Should you Give up on that Old Computer?

2007-12-16T09:18:00.000+07:00

Computers last only so long. Sooner or later you'll either have to do some computer repair on that old computer of yours or simply decide to abandon it. In this article I'll give you tips to help you decide when you need to send your computer out to pasture.

How much will the computer repair cost you? What kind of repair you need to have performed on your computer and the relative cost of that repair can help you make the choice to walk away from fixing that computer. Most computer repair shops will offer you a free estimate before they perform the repair. Smaller computer shops are more likely to offer free estimates that larger shops. If the computer shop you usually go to won't give you a free estimate, consider finding one that will.

Most software repair problems will cost you under $100 and won't usually be a reason to ditch your computer. Keep in mind that a newer computer in and of itself, won't stop you from getting a virus, or some nasty spyware and such. You still need to have anti-virus software installed and up to date. One exception to this advice though is if your computer is running an older operating system because it won't / can't run the latest patched operating system out there. In that case, buying a new computer would in fact help you avoid software related problems in the future.

Sometimes, it isn't the one repair that is expensive but the need for multiple repairs over a short period of time. I have an old Thinkpad 600X that is over seven years old. At first, I reasoned that I only needed a few repairs (which I was able to do myself). I replaced the battery, I added new memory and I replaced my keyboard. All of this cost me about $200. Now my hard drive has developed some problems and I'm looking at another $100 or so to replace it. Last Thanksgiving, I would have been able to get purchase a brand new laptop for as little as $400. This new laptop had many features lacking in my old computer laptop like a DVD player, more memory, a larger LCD screen and more. Sometimes, it makes more sense to purchase a new computer than to keep repairing an old one.

At the end of the day, only you can decide whether that computer repair makes sense or whether you need to look at buying a new computer. Many different factors can come into play but ultimately, it's about getting things done with a computer whether your old one or a new one.

Windows XP Registry Repair

2007-12-16T09:17:00.000+07:00

Windows XP registry repair is something each and every computer user should be doing on a weekly basis. Just by the nature of this Windows operating system, the registry files run the risk of getting changed, or even corrupted. When this type of a situation occurs, you will normally end up with computer errors, and a bunch of frustration. So, exactly how does a Windows XP registry repair work?

Every Windows system operates on a system of operating instructions for the software and hardware. These files are known as registry files. Sometimes you will even share a registry file, normally a dll file. Well, let’s say you uninstall software from your computer, and it happens to have a shared dll file. It may remove this file all together. But what about the other program that needs it? Precisely, you will now get computer errors and will need to get this fixed.

Some of the computer errors caused by messed up registry files are blue screens of death, very slow computers, programs shutting down, automatic restarts of the computer (without you telling it to), and the computer just hanging. Any of these situations are very stressful for the computer owner. The last thing you want is to take your computer into a computer store and get charged some outrageous amount to get it fixed. This is where the registry repair software comes in to play.

This neat software will run a free scan of your computer, and find all of the errors currently existing. Then, all you need to do is tell the computer software to fix it. And poof, all errors are fixed and are gone. You will not have any more errors and your computer will now run much faster. Then, just a preventative maintenance item for your computer, you can set the registry repair software to run at start up or just on a weekly basis.

I would personally recommend having a Windows XP registry repair software installed on your computer. You can never be sure when your computer will get errors. But I guarantee it will. Don’t be left unguarded.

Register Repair Program for Improved Performance

2007-12-16T08:54:00.000+07:00

Introduction

Registry of an operating system comprises of an enormous database that is referred by the computer for linking to the O.S. at the time of booting. However, over a period of time and with continuous installing and uninstalling of software utilities give way for cluttering of the data in registry. This muddling of information gives rise to problems that include complexity in removal or installation of software, O.S. crashing, attenuated speed and problems relating to booting of the system. Frustration in the user can increase if the intensity of these problems increases. Registry Repair Program is the medium that can take you out of this frustration.

Register Repair Program

Registry Repair Program offers scanning, diagnosing along with repairing other registry related problems. Registry repair program prevents crashes and malfunction of the system. The software eventually recovers the original speed of the computer system. Registry repair program is supplemented with various utilities for the system that includes registry repair scheduler, registry backup, registry restore and the most significant of the lot, 'Registry Repair Wizard'. Registry Repair Wizard is a utility that scans O.S. Registry looking for obsolete or useless data. This wizard repairs these obsolete data for error-free and improved performance.

Make the perfect choice

There is a puddle of registry repair program available on the web. However, all of them do not produce the desired effect and most of them supplement the registry errors. Experts advise to analyze the register repair reviews given by their manufacturers and other users of the program before purchase. Registry repair reviews can go a long way in discovering the details that you require in your register repair program. Simultaneously, Trial Version of many register repair software are available on the web for free that can be a practical proof of the registry repair reviews on the software.

Take Computer to a Trained Professional For Computer Repair

2007-12-16T08:53:00.000+07:00

Computers are expensive devices that are changing every day. Computer specialists are working very hard to come up with new computer programs all the time. This means that you need to keep on top of things as well. Sometimes computer’s break down and need to be fixed. If you are not familiar with computers then you need to take the computer to a trained professional to have it fixed. Computer repair can be quite costly depending on the problem and the age of the computer. Some computers that are really old and out dated cannot be fixed, as they cannot handle the updates. Computer repair in some cases will cost more than a new computer.

However, there are certain elements of computer repair that you yourself can do. Everyone knows that computers are full of cables and wires. If these cables are wires are not in working order than you are sure to have problems with your system. There are certain things you can do to keep your PC out of the computer repair store.

If you turn your computer on and it freezes then you this means that you don’t have enough memory on the computer for what you have on it. To fix the problem you simply need to check your memory on your computer, and do a update and disk cleanup on your computer. This will remove any unneeded files on the computer, hence freeing up space.

If you are experiencing problems with your mouse, speakers and keyboard, then you should check all connections. Maybe there is a loose wire or cable.

If you are hearing a grinding noise in your computer, then this usually means that there is a problem with the hard drive. What you need to do is back up all data that you do not want lost and have to replace the hard drive. Before doing this however, you might want to check and see if the fan is dirty and have it cleaned.

There are other things that could go wrong with your computer that might need to be repaired that you cannot do yourself. This means that you will need to bring the computer to the computer repair store to be fixed.

Using The Right Registry Repair Tools

2007-12-16T08:52:00.001+07:00

Computer problems can be some of the most stressful times. You really do not know what to do, nor do you even have the time or money to take this to someone to fix it. Lucky for you, all you really need is a good set of registry repair tools to fix your system. With just one program, you can take care of all of your computer problems by removing the errors causing this. No need for anymore stress if you have the right registry repair tools.

The one thing you should consider is if you are not sure what the registry files are, or even what settings to change when you find the registry files, then don’t. Although your computer might be experiencing some problems right now, if you change the registry files to something it should not be, you will really have a mess. By just using a registry repair software, you are using the best registry repair tools out there right now.

If you download software, videos, screensavers, etc…. and even have been uninstalling software, chances are you will have some registry problems. A corrupted registry will cause problems such as a slow computer, the blue screen of death, your computer restarting for no reason, and even the computer freezing. These are all the result of something gone terribly wrong in your registry files. The best registry repair tools for this are a registry repair program.

The registry repair program is very simple to run. It will run a scan of your computer and tell you how many errors you may have. It will then give you the option of fixing these errors. With the click of one button, you can fix all of these errors at once, and be done. The entire process can take less than 10 minutes. In today’s internet world, every computer needs to have a registry repair software installed. This helps to keep your computer running error free. And error free means stress free for you.

Computer Repair Tools

2007-12-16T08:51:00.000+07:00

Have you ever found yourself up to your elbows in computer wires and chips using your wife's toenail clippers to try and nip off an extra wire? You think you might be able to get your project complete before midnight, when you suddenly realize those clippers aren't going to work without taking out half your motherboard. Substituting computer tools with household things never ensures that your computer is repaired. Still, most people will try almost anything to save money. However, in the case of good computer repair tools, you should never skimp on quality or specialty.

There are millions of computer repair service provider companies who render great support providing all the necessary computer repair tools. Most computer repair tools are available in economical tool kits. They are durable, precision-engineered, demagnetized, and ideal for routine maintenance, upgrades and general repair. There are a number of computer repair tool kits companies offering their kits at remarkably low prices. These durable, precision-engineered, demagnetized tools are ideal for routine maintenance, upgrades and general repair.

An outstanding selection of superior Ultra tools comes in a handsome, rugged carrying case for easy portability. There are tools made of some rare and unusual elements to meet your needs in the most convenient of ways. For instance, Obsidian, also known as volcanic glass was used by primitive people to make tools. All tools are fully demagnetized to protect your computer's hard drive or magnetic media from damage, and each tool is conveniently stored in a custom designed case.

With Windows Registry Repair, No More Errors And System Crashing!

2007-12-16T08:48:00.000+07:00

A lot of information regarding the configuration of the computer and the data of various installed softwares is stored in the Registry. Proper maintenance of the registry is of utmost importance. However if the registry is not taken care of, it can lead to problems with the windows registry. Some of the common problems that occur due to the negligence in the windows registry are irritating error message from the windows and reduced performance and crashing of the operating system. To be away from these problems, window registry repair software is available. The window registry repair software scans the entire registry for illogical or outmoded files. Due to this, the computer performance is upto the desired level. The software has certain safety guard that avoids files to be tailored without consent. Windows registry repair also consist of a number of features that help to computer to be efficient. For example there is an immediate detection of errors in windows registry and also a back up of the registry. Window registry repair also acts as a manager that uninstalls undesired information from windows registry.

If a user's windows registry becomes more of a storehouse of useless information and there is a lot of software installation and uninstallation, then windows registry repair can of great help. Sometimes if the registry contains old drivers that are not in use, registry repair can be installed to remove such old drivers for better performance of the computer.

Window registry repair software can surely be an asset for the computer as well as its user. There are a lot of websites where window registry repair free download is available. There are a lot of registry repair free trial versions that are available. One can always go for a trial version before purchasing the software.

Remote Computer Repair

2007-12-16T08:45:00.000+07:00

Remote computer repair is a field that is fast picking up and becoming the preferred choice of customers looking for repairs for their PCs. These remote computer repair specialists can repair most of your PC problems by remote control, as long as you have a high speed Internet connection. Specialists usually charge an hourly service fee.

One can locate remote computer repair specialists through a simple search on the Internet. Their online resources give you a good idea about the jobs they have undertaken.

A remote computer repairperson watches everything on a PC screen while working on your problem. Technology has advanced so much that you can even assume control anytime, just in case you feel that there is a breach of security. In certain cases, the instructions are given from a remote location and you follow these instructions to repair your computer. Most of the remote computer repairers disconnect the connection program, until and unless you want to reinstall the program for future use. Although the entire method is popular, it is always preferable that you get good references from the remote repairing company. This way you will able to verify their credentials better and ensure the safety of your data. Remote computer repair is of great help in things like spy ware removal, trouble shooting, virus and pest removal, software installation, up gradation, cleaning up of disk, and PC optimization. Needless to say, the success rate is also pretty high when it comes to remote computer repair. Another advantage with remote computer repair lies in the fact that it will save you money in the long run, since the technicians are working from their own location.

Review On Registry Repair Software - Which Are The Best?

2007-12-16T08:43:00.000+07:00

Have you been getting frequent computer slowdowns, or programs that are randomly crashing or malfunctioning? There are probably errors in your computer registry, if you have been using your computer for a long time.

The computer registry is a central database in your computer that is being changed every time you turn on the PC. With every program application that you install on your computer, your registry needs to be changed. With time, your computer registry becomes filled with more and more errors, and you will start to experience your computer behaving erratically. These problems are signs that your computer registry needs fixing.

Luckily, there are several great computer registry fixers on the internet, and it is now possible to repair your registry quickly and easily. Having used many registry repair software myself, I now know that most of them do not work! Luckily, I was still able to find a good registry repair software that improved my computer speed considerably.

When you first buy a computer, the registry files are usually in perfect working condition to command your computer to work properly. After a lot of swapping and changing of files in the registry, the registry files may become missing or corrupted. The computer starts to behave in a weird way, like getting the blue screen, automatic restart of the system, or freezing and crashing while you are doing your work. To fix these registry files, it is advisable to get registry repair software to do the job for you.

Repairing your computer registry completely usually takes around ten minutes, if you use a good registry repair software. I used to have many corrupted files and missing shortcuts on my computer, and after using registry repair software, I have managed to clear all the problems after a simple scan and fix. If you suspect that your registry might be corrupted

Home Computer Repair - Two Anti Virus Programs

2007-12-16T08:41:00.000+07:00

So as you all know I own and operate a home computer repair services company. Well I'm just going to tell you about the problems one customer was having. She had a dell computer about three years old and was in need of home computer repair.

When she had bought her Dell Dimmension computer, it had came with Mcafee Anti Virus, which by no means is a suitable anti-virus program. If your home computer is in need of repair, alot of times it is Mcafee's fault. That whole topic is for another day in home computer repair.

So she had a version of that installed that was not activated, because they charge some amount of money per month or year or something like that. So she eventually installed a free anti-virus program that would help do home computer repair; that was very good in order to fix her home computer. She was having problems and it was running very slowly.

She chose to install a program called AVG anti-virus, but remember she still had Mcafee installed even though it was not registered and working. Having two virus scanners on a computer that needs repairing is a big NO NO. That would cause a regular working computer to be in need of home computer repair. Two anti-virus programs cannot be running concurrently on a home computer. So her minor problems of having Mcafee on her home computer turned into a bigger problem.

The bigger problem now was in need of legitamite home computer repair. That repair being uninstalling Mcafee anti-virus totally, so that only one anti-virus scanner would be installed. So that is what I did. I uninstaleld Mcafee anti-virus and then went about doing the home computer repair by doing a series of things like minimize background programs and ran other free programs to eliminate spyware/adware.

So the moral of the story is, and to remember, would be to never have two anti-virus programs installed on PC, or will need some serious home computer repair.

I'm a regular guy who has recently taken interest in the home computer repair field, and learned some things that can help others with their everyday interaction with computers. I remember about two years ago I knew nothing about computers, that gives me the mind set to explain in laymans terms how to help the masses who think they don't know enough to fix their computer issues.

Window Vista Startup And Repair

2007-12-16T08:39:00.000+07:00

Startup Repair is a great Windows tool that can fix many issues like missing or damaged startup files they may be preventing Windows Vista from starting. The Startup Repair option scans your computer for problems and then tries to fix it. If you experience problems while trying to run Startup Repair, or if your computer does not include Startup Repair, your computer manufacturer might have customized or replaced the tool. Check the information that came with your computer or go to the manufacturer's website.

Using startup Repair Startup Repair is on the System Recovery Options menu, which is on the Windows installation disc. Startup Repair might also be installed on your hard disk if your computer has preinstalled recovery options. Startup Repair might prompt you to make choices as it tries to fix the problem, and if necessary, it might restart your computer as it makes repairs. If you have a Windows installation disc:

1. Insert the installation disc.

2. Restart your computer

3. boot to the installation CD or DVD.

4. Select your language the next

5. Click Repair your computer.

6. Select the operating system you want to repair, and then click Next..

If your computer has preinstalled recovery options:

1. Restart Computer

2. Press and hold F8 as your computer boots up. You will need to reboot again if you see the Windows logo. That just means it did not work the first time.

3. On the Advanced Boot Options screen, use the arrow keys to highlight Repair your computer, and then press ENTER

4. Select a keyboard layout, and then click Next.

5. Select a user name and enter the password, and then click OK. On the System Recovery Options menu, click Startup Repair. Startup Repair cannot fix hardware failures or certain types viruses. Startup repair do not repair lost files like documents or pictures. If you need that see our backup articles or view the forum.