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Windows Taskbar Tips and Tricks
The Windows taskbar - that narrow strip of icons at the bottom of your screen - is a nuisance to some and a fertile world of productivity for others. Learn the non-obvious secrets of the taskbar, you'll be glad you did. Read on and learn how to master the taskbar...
Continue reading "Windows Taskbar Tips and Tricks"...Windows XP Repair
Sometimes, something goes wrong with your Windows XP installation. It could be due to a hardware glitch, a software error, malware, a lightning strike, or who knows what else. In the worst case, Windows XP won't boot at all; you get a black screen and a message like "disk boot failure", "Invalid partition table", or "missing operating system". Or Windows may boot up, but you keep getting "error reading disk" or "file not found" errors. In other cases, everything seems okay, but you can't access the Internet. Here are some time-tested tools and techniques to repair your Windows XP system...
Continue reading "Windows XP Repair"...Speed Up My Computer
We have a need for speed when it comes to computing. Whether a computer is brand new or several years old, it's never fast enough. Here are a few tips to make your computer run faster...
Continue reading "Speed Up My Computer"...Free Windows Desktop Themes
"I just installed Windows 7 on a new desktop, and I want to trick it out. Where can I download new cursors, icons and backgrounds, and how are they installed?"
Windows Registry Errors
"When I start my computer, I always get some sort of 'error in registry' message. Things seem to work okay after that, but it makes me wonder if there is a problem that should be corrected. Will a registry cleaner fix this?"
Continue reading "Windows Registry Errors"...Startup Programs
If you feel your computer is sluggish, what's going on? One reason could be your Windows startup programs. let's take a look at how to manage your startup programs, and pump some speed back into your system...
Continue reading "Startup Programs"...System Restore Not Working
"I tried to run System Restore and got this error message: 'System Restore did not complete successfully. Your computer's files and settings were not changed.' Uggh. Why does this happen, and what can I do about it?"
Continue reading "System Restore Not Working"...What is Data Execution Prevention?
"I keep getting an error that says 'Data Execution Prevention - To help protect your computer, Windows has closed this program.' What is Data Execution Prevention, and why is it suddenly blocking programs that I've been using for years?"
Continue reading "What is Data Execution Prevention?"...What Does System Restore Do?
System Restore is a great feature in Windows that lets you roll back the clock on system changes. Have you ever wondered how System Restore affects your computer's resources, performance and what's really going on behind the scenes? Read on...
Continue reading "What Does System Restore Do?"...What Is Silverlight And Do I Need It?
"Whenever I go to Microsoft's website, it nags me to install a thing called Silverlight. What is Silverlight, and do I really need it on my computer?"
Continue reading "What Is Silverlight And Do I Need It?"...Windows Task Manager
Task Manager is a utility built into Windows that lets you monitor the applications and hidden services running on your PC. You can also use it to force a task to shut down; get an idea of how well your Internet connection is doing; or see exactly what users are currently logged into your PC. Read on to tap in to the power of Task Manager...
Continue reading "Windows Task Manager"...Virtual Memory
"What's the difference between virtual memory and real memory? And how can I add more virtual memory to my computer?"
Continue reading "Virtual Memory"...Do I Need a Registry Cleaner?
"My computer seems to get slower and slower. A friend told me I need a registry cleaner. Will that really help? If so, where can I get a good free registry cleaner to do the job?"
Continue reading "Do I Need a Registry Cleaner?"...Password Protection for Windows XP
"How can I password protect a file on my Windows XP system? I want to add a password so that nobody can open the file without knowing the password. I tried the Sharing and Security option, but there was no place to enter a password. There must be a way..."
Continue reading "Password Protection for Windows XP"...Upgrade to Windows XP SP3
"I've heard that Microsoft just released a new service pack for Windows XP. Is SP3 going to make my XP machine run faster and jump higher? Or should I avoid it? I remember the SP2 hassles... What's your take on XP SP3?"
Continue reading "Upgrade to Windows XP SP3"...Run Windows On Mac
Why choose between Windows and Mac? Now you can run BOTH operating systems side-by-side on your Mac desktop. Here's the scoop on how to run Windows on your Mac...
Continue reading "Run Windows On Mac"...Switching From Windows to Mac
Devoted fans of Macs and PCs have been in heated debate for years, even before those "I'm a Mac", "I'm a PC" commercials ever appeared. Let's set aside the question of which camp is "right" and focus on the reasons why some people choose a Mac over a PC, and the major differences between the two operating systems, for the benefit of those who are considering a switch from Windows to a Mac...
Continue reading "Switching From Windows to Mac"...Daylight Savings Time
Daylight Saving Time (DST) arrives three weeks early this year (March 11), and will end one week later (Nov 4), to comply with revised Daylight Saving Time laws in many countries. Here's what you need to do to make sure your computer is aware of the new time keeping rules...
Continue reading "Daylight Savings Time"...Registry Problem
"I had a problem with Windows XP. A friend entered the registry and did something to it. Now every time I turn the computer on I get a notice saying that Windows Installer is preparing to install. I can't now open pps or ppt attachments. I don't know how to fix the problem and I don't want to reformat my computer. Any suggestions?"
Continue reading "Registry Problem"...Is Genuine Advantage Spyware?
"I read in another newsletter that Microsoft's Genuine Advantage for Windows is spyware. Microsoft seems to be forcing it on me every time I try to update my system. Is Microsoft trying to poke into our private files with spyware?"
Continue reading "Is Genuine Advantage Spyware?"...Windows PreFetch
"I've heard that Windows XP will run faster if you disable something called PreFetch. Apparently Windows remembers everything you have done and, in a misguided attempt to be helpful, pre-loads all the files and links when XP boots. What's your opinion on disabling PreFetch?"
Start Menu Missing Items
"All of a sudden, the Run and Search options are missing from the Windows XP Start Menu. What caused this, and how can I get them back?"
Continue reading "Start Menu Missing Items"...RPC Server Unavailable
After helping a friend clean up a nasty spyware infestation, we had one remaining problem. Windows would say "RPC Server is Unavailable" when starting up, and also later when trying to print or install new software. Some other things just didn't work, like copy and pasting text, and right-click menus. Here's how I solved the problem and got the RPC server running again...
Recovery Console
"I'm having trouble starting up my Windows XP system. A friend told me to run the Recovery Console from the bootup screen, and then enter some commands. But I don't see a Recovery Console option when I turn on the computer. I'm not even sure what the bootup screen is... help!"
Take A Screenshot
"I want to take a screenshot of my screen and save it in a graphics file, so I can email it to a friend. Do I need to purchase or download special software to do this?"
System Restore
"Help! I downloaded a program that was supposed to remove spyware from my computer. But now I'm getting even MORE popups and my system freezes at random intervals. I tried to uninstall but can't find a way to get rid of this thing. What do you recommend?"
Continue reading "System Restore"...Reformat hard drive under XP?
"I have Windows XP and the system has gotten very slow and flaky. I would like to learn how to reformat the drive. Can you teach me in simple English how to completely format the drive and then re-install the operating system?" Yes, but... you might want to think about some alternatives first.
Continue reading "Reformat hard drive under XP?"...What is Windows OneCare?
Microsoft has announced a new service called Windows OneCare. Is it something you need for your computer? Maybe... If you're worried about not doing everything you should to keep your PC optimized and safe, then Windows OneCare is something that may help.
Continue reading "What is Windows OneCare?"...Internet Connection Fails
"I am using XP home with a cable modem connection, and quite often using while online, I get the error of can't find the server. I just lose my internet connection, and it says my TCP/IP needs resetting. How do I do that and what causes the internet dropout?"
Continue reading "Internet Connection Fails"...Make Windows XP Run Faster!
"My Windows startup seems to be taking a long time, and once it finally stops churning, everything seems to run slower than it used to. Can you suggest any maintenance tips to make Windows XP start and run faster?"
Continue reading "Make Windows XP Run Faster!"...Blue Screen of Death
"I wonder if you know what it means when a dark blue screen comes up saying Windows has encountered an error. It shows "Bad Pool Caller" and a lot of things about reinstall. The tech info is "Stop" with lots of 000, etc. This has happened to me twice about 2 weeks apart. What is going on?"
Continue reading "Blue Screen of Death"...Thumbnail Display Problem
Suddenly Explorer can no longer display thumbnails. Except for .bmp files all I get is black line box with the blue E -- NOT a thumbnail of the .jpg or .gif file. Short of FORMAT what can I change to fix this annoyance?
Continue reading "Thumbnail Display Problem"...Scandisk Keeps Restarting
I'm trying to clean my computer like you suggested but when I run ScanDisk it keeps restarting. Finally I get a message "ScanDisk has restarted 10 times because Windows or another program has been writing to this drive." You mention disabling my screen saver, do you mean remove that program until I have finished with the ScanDisk and defrag?
Continue reading "Scandisk Keeps Restarting"...Icons in the System Tray
"I have a large number of icons in my system tray (in the left hand lower corner of the screen) which I don't use and would like to remove. Do they in anyway slow down the computer?"
Continue reading "Icons in the System Tray"...Making Windows XP Start Faster
"My computer startup seems to be taking a long time. It's sometimes three or four minutes before the hard disk stops churning and I can launch a program. I'm sure it used to boot up faster -- can you suggest any maintenance tips to reduce the Windows startup time?"
I have this theory that sludge builds up inside a computer over time, much like an automobile engine. After a while, it doesn't start right up like when it was new, it stalls unexpectedly, and performance is sluggish on the (information) highway. Is there something like engine cleaner we can pour into our personal computer to restore that "like new" performance? Actually, yes!
Continue reading "Making Windows XP Start Faster"...Printing a .PRN file
"If I'm using my laptop away from the office and I choose to print something and select "print to file" (since I don't have a printer with me) it creates a .PRN file, but how can I print that file later?"
Continue reading "Printing a .PRN file"...Downloading Security Patches
"I get messages informing me of viruses and asking me to download patches at www.spw5e.com and www.updatepatch.info. Are these downloads safe?" Ackkkk, NO! Run for the hills!
Continue reading "Downloading Security Patches"...MS Fax doesn't work with XP SP2
"I used the MS fax program in Windows XP for sending faxes on my telephone line. After installing SP2 updates, the program doesn't work. The fax console reports All fax printers are inaccessible and I also get a Microsoft Shared Fax Driver is not installed message."
Continue reading "MS Fax doesn't work with XP SP2"...CD won't start automatically?
"I set my CD drive so it will not start automatically when a CD is loaded. I would now like to reverse that setting, but I can't figure out how to do it. Can you help?" Sure, the Autoplay setting for CDROM drives can be easily turned on or off. Here's how...
Continue reading "CD won't start automatically?"...Scandisk doesn't work on Windows XP?
A reader asks "I had the SCANDISK program in Windows 98. Now I'm running Windows XP and I can't find ScanDisk. Is it under another name?" The short answer is YES...
Continue reading "Scandisk doesn't work on Windows XP?"...Should I upgrade to Windows XP x64?
Recently my partner in crime Patrick Crispen answered this question in a Tourbus newsletter posting. Here's what he had to say:
You may have heard about a new version of Windows XP - Windows XP Professional x64 Edition - that is faster and more efficient, supports up to 128GB of RAM and lets you run two processors at the same time. This new version of Windows is a godsend for anyone who does processor-intensive academic research or corporate database manipulation. Best of all, if you already have Windows XP Pro on your computer, you can upgrade to Windows XP x64 Edition at no charge. So, you should rush out and upgrade to this new version of Windows immediately, right? WRONG!
Continue reading "Should I upgrade to Windows XP x64?"...
