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Cannot Create a Restore Point
"Suddenly I'm not able to create a Restore Point. I have been getting error message 0x80042306. I have tried reboot, tried Safe mode, neither has helped. I am thinking of doing a complete recovery, but thought I would ask you before taking this drastic step. Any help would be appreciated."
Continue reading "Cannot Create a Restore Point"...What is Windows Live Essentials?
"Do I need Windows Live Essentials? I was reading a page on the Microsoft website that recommends installing this package of add-ons, but for most of them I either don't understand it or can't see why I would need it. Can you explain what each of the "Essential" tools will do for me?"
Continue reading "What is Windows Live Essentials?"...Make Windows XP Run Faster!
"How do I make Windows XP run faster? My Windows startup is taking longer than ever, and once it finally stops churning, everything runs slower than it used to, when my computer was new. Any maintenance tips or tweaks to speed up Windows would be appreciated!"
Continue reading "Make Windows XP Run Faster!"...Time Travel with 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 "Time Travel with System Restore"...My Computer Won't Start
It's pretty scary when your computer won't start. The cause may be easy to find and fix, or it may take a trained technician and hundreds of dollars. Here are some troubleshooting tips you can try when your computer won't start...
Continue reading "My Computer Won't Start"...Free Windows Troubleshooting Tools
The Microsoft Windows operating system is an incredibly complex beast. Inevitably, things go wrong and it can be difficult to track down the source of the glitch. But you can put away the sledgehammer, because there are plenty of free troubleshooters you can use to fix most problems. Here's my recommended list of free Windows problem solvers...
Continue reading "Free Windows Troubleshooting Tools"...Registry Cleanup
If your computer is starting up slowly or it sometimes "hangs" for several seconds, geeky friends will ask if you have cleaned your registry lately. Registry cleanup is one of the standard prescriptions for computer performance problems. But what is the Windows registry, and is registry cleanup really necessary? Can it be dangerous to your computer's health? Here's the scoop...
Continue reading "Registry Cleanup"...Windows Keyboard Shortcuts
Windows keyboard shortcuts are combinations of two or more keys (or a key and a mouse button) that, when pressed simultaneously, perform a task that would normally require moving the mouse around, clicking, and possibly navigating sub-menus. Windows keyboard shortcuts save time and wrist motions. Here are some you should know...
Continue reading "Windows Keyboard Shortcuts"...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?"
Continue reading "Free Windows Desktop Themes"...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"...Free Registry Cleaners
"I've heard conflicting stories on the effectiveness of registry cleaners. Do they really help? If so, which registry cleaner do you recommend?"
Continue reading "Free Registry Cleaners"...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"...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"...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"...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?"
Continue reading "Windows 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...
Continue reading "RPC Server Unavailable"...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!"
Continue reading "Recovery Console"...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?"
Continue reading "Take A Screenshot"...Fix MBR
"I was trying to fix a spyware problem and it seems I messed up my computer. Now when I start Windows XP, I get the 'MBR Corrupt' and 'Error loading operating system' messages. What should I do?"
Continue reading "Fix MBR"...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"...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"...Can I Delete This File?
"As a fairly new computer user, I find that deleting files is a problem for me. When I want to delete a file, I get a message that I should check to see what the file does before I delete it because I could cause a problem and there is no correction for it. Where do I go to find out what a specific file does?"
Continue reading "Can I Delete This 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?"...
