Sunday 2 June 2013
0
Sunday 2 June 2013
able
Remove spyware, and help protect your computer from viruses
Spyware collects personal information without asking for permission. From the websites you visit to user names and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to compromising your privacy, spyware can hamper your computer's performance. Fortunately, there are a couple of easy ways to combat spyware.
Download Microsoft Security Essentials for free to help guard your system from viruses, spyware, adware, and other malicious software (also known as malware). Microsoft Security Essentials acts as a spyware removal tool and includes automatic updates to help keep your system protected from emerging threats.
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, also free, checks computers running Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 for infections by specific, prevalent malicious software, including Folstart, Phorpiex, Weelsof, Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom. It helps remove any detected infection or malware.
2. Free up disk space
The Disk Cleanup tool helps you to free up space on your hard disk to improve the performance of your computer. The tool identifies files that you can safely delete and lets you choose to delete some, all, or none of the identified files.
Use Disk Cleanup to:
Remove temporary Internet files.
Delete downloaded program files, such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets.
Empty the Recycle Bin.
Remove Windows temporary files, such as error reports.
Delete optional Windows components that you don't use.
Delete installed programs that you no longer use.
Remove unused restore points and shadow copies from System Restore.
Delete system files (Windows 8).
Tip: Typically, temporary Internet files take the most amount of space because the browser caches each page you visit for faster access later.
To use Disk Cleanup:
Windows 8 users
Windows 7 users
Windows Vista users
Windows XP users
3. Speed up access to data
Disk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your system. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk as a file is opened (to piece it back together). The response time can be significantly longer.
Optimize Drives (Windows 8) and Disk Defragmenter (sometimes shortened to Defrag by users) are Windows utilities that consolidate fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end to end, without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.
When to run Optimize Drives or Disk Defragmenter
In addition to running these utilities at regular intervals (weekly is optimal), there are other times you should run it, too, such as when:
You add a large number of files.
Your free disk space totals 15 percent or less.
You install new programs or a new version of the Windows operating system.
To use Optimize Drives:
Open Optimize Drives by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering Defragment in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking Defragment and optimize your drives.
Under Status, tap or click the drive you want to optimize. (The Media type column tells you what type of drive you're optimizing.)
To determine if the drive needs to be optimized, tap or click Analyze. You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
After Windows is finished analyzing the drive, check the Current status column to see whether you need to optimize the drive. If the drive is more than 10% fragmented, you should optimize the drive now.
Tap or click Optimize. You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
Optimizing a drive might take anywhere from several minutes to a few hours to finish, depending on the size of the drive and degree of optimization needed. You can still use your PC during the optimization process.
Notes
If the drive is being used by another program, or is formatted using a file system other than NTFS, FAT, or FAT32, it can't be optimized.
Network drives can't be optimized.
If a drive isn't appearing in Optimize Drives, it might be because it contains an error. Try to repair the drive first, then return to Optimize Drives to try again.
Additional information and instruction to optimize your hard drive for Windows 8 is available.
To use Disk Defragmenter:
Windows 7 users
Windows Vista users
Windows XP users
Running Optimize Drives, Disk Cleanup, and Disk Defragmenter on a regular basis is a proven way to help keep your computer running quickly and efficiently. If you'd like to learn how to schedule these tools and others to run automatically, please read Speed up your PC: Automate your computer maintenance schedule. Windows 8 users should read Improve performance by optimizing your hard drive.
4. Detect and repair disk errors
In addition to running Optimize Drives, Disk Cleanup, and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.
As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.
If you use your computer daily, you should run this utility once a week to help prevent data loss.
Run the Error Checking utility:
5. Learn about ReadyBoost
If you're using Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista, you can use ReadyBoost to speed up your system. A new concept in adding memory to a system, it allows you to use non-volatile flash memory—like a USB flash drive or a memory card—to improve performance without having to add additional memory. With Windows 8, if you have a storage device that will work with ReadyBoost, you’ll see an option to use ReadyBoost when you plug the device in to your PC.
Learn more about ReadyBoost in Windows 7.
Learn more about ReadyBoost in Windows Vista.
6. Upgrade to Windows 8
If you try all the previous remedies and your computer still isn't as fast as you would like it to be, you may want to consider updating to Windows 8.
Download the Upgrade Assistant to find out if your computer can run Windows 8.
Download Windows 8 Pro.
Compare Windows 8 editions.
If the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant determines that your computer can't run Windows 8 and you still have the need for speed, it might be time for a new computer. There are some great deals on new computers right now:
Shop for a Surface.
Shop for new desktop computers.
Shop for new laptop computers.
Read More
How to make a computer faster
Spyware collects personal information without asking for permission. From the websites you visit to user names and passwords, spyware can put you and your confidential information at risk. In addition to compromising your privacy, spyware can hamper your computer's performance. Fortunately, there are a couple of easy ways to combat spyware.
Download Microsoft Security Essentials for free to help guard your system from viruses, spyware, adware, and other malicious software (also known as malware). Microsoft Security Essentials acts as a spyware removal tool and includes automatic updates to help keep your system protected from emerging threats.
The Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool, also free, checks computers running Windows 8, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2012, Windows Server 2008, and Windows Server 2003 for infections by specific, prevalent malicious software, including Folstart, Phorpiex, Weelsof, Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom. It helps remove any detected infection or malware.
2. Free up disk space
The Disk Cleanup tool helps you to free up space on your hard disk to improve the performance of your computer. The tool identifies files that you can safely delete and lets you choose to delete some, all, or none of the identified files.
Use Disk Cleanup to:
Remove temporary Internet files.
Delete downloaded program files, such as Microsoft ActiveX controls and Java applets.
Empty the Recycle Bin.
Remove Windows temporary files, such as error reports.
Delete optional Windows components that you don't use.
Delete installed programs that you no longer use.
Remove unused restore points and shadow copies from System Restore.
Delete system files (Windows 8).
Tip: Typically, temporary Internet files take the most amount of space because the browser caches each page you visit for faster access later.
To use Disk Cleanup:
Windows 8 users
Windows 7 users
Windows Vista users
Windows XP users
3. Speed up access to data
Disk fragmentation slows the overall performance of your system. When files are fragmented, the computer must search the hard disk as a file is opened (to piece it back together). The response time can be significantly longer.
Optimize Drives (Windows 8) and Disk Defragmenter (sometimes shortened to Defrag by users) are Windows utilities that consolidate fragmented files and folders on your computer's hard disk so that each occupies a single space on the disk. With your files stored neatly end to end, without fragmentation, reading and writing to the disk speeds up.
When to run Optimize Drives or Disk Defragmenter
In addition to running these utilities at regular intervals (weekly is optimal), there are other times you should run it, too, such as when:
You add a large number of files.
Your free disk space totals 15 percent or less.
You install new programs or a new version of the Windows operating system.
To use Optimize Drives:
Open Optimize Drives by swiping in from the right edge of the screen, tapping Search (or if you're using a mouse, pointing to the upper-right corner of the screen, moving the mouse pointer down, and then clicking Search), entering Defragment in the search box, tapping or clicking Settings, and then tapping or clicking Defragment and optimize your drives.
Under Status, tap or click the drive you want to optimize. (The Media type column tells you what type of drive you're optimizing.)
To determine if the drive needs to be optimized, tap or click Analyze. You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
After Windows is finished analyzing the drive, check the Current status column to see whether you need to optimize the drive. If the drive is more than 10% fragmented, you should optimize the drive now.
Tap or click Optimize. You might be asked for an admin password or to confirm your choice.
Optimizing a drive might take anywhere from several minutes to a few hours to finish, depending on the size of the drive and degree of optimization needed. You can still use your PC during the optimization process.
Notes
If the drive is being used by another program, or is formatted using a file system other than NTFS, FAT, or FAT32, it can't be optimized.
Network drives can't be optimized.
If a drive isn't appearing in Optimize Drives, it might be because it contains an error. Try to repair the drive first, then return to Optimize Drives to try again.
Additional information and instruction to optimize your hard drive for Windows 8 is available.
To use Disk Defragmenter:
Windows 7 users
Windows Vista users
Windows XP users
Running Optimize Drives, Disk Cleanup, and Disk Defragmenter on a regular basis is a proven way to help keep your computer running quickly and efficiently. If you'd like to learn how to schedule these tools and others to run automatically, please read Speed up your PC: Automate your computer maintenance schedule. Windows 8 users should read Improve performance by optimizing your hard drive.
4. Detect and repair disk errors
In addition to running Optimize Drives, Disk Cleanup, and Disk Defragmenter to optimize the performance of your computer, you can check the integrity of the files stored on your hard disk by running the Error Checking utility.
As you use your hard drive, it can develop bad sectors. Bad sectors slow down hard disk performance and sometimes make data writing (such as file saving) difficult or even impossible. The Error Checking utility scans the hard drive for bad sectors and scans for file system errors to see whether certain files or folders are misplaced.
If you use your computer daily, you should run this utility once a week to help prevent data loss.
Run the Error Checking utility:
5. Learn about ReadyBoost
If you're using Windows 8, Windows 7, or Windows Vista, you can use ReadyBoost to speed up your system. A new concept in adding memory to a system, it allows you to use non-volatile flash memory—like a USB flash drive or a memory card—to improve performance without having to add additional memory. With Windows 8, if you have a storage device that will work with ReadyBoost, you’ll see an option to use ReadyBoost when you plug the device in to your PC.
Learn more about ReadyBoost in Windows 7.
Learn more about ReadyBoost in Windows Vista.
6. Upgrade to Windows 8
If you try all the previous remedies and your computer still isn't as fast as you would like it to be, you may want to consider updating to Windows 8.
Download the Upgrade Assistant to find out if your computer can run Windows 8.
Download Windows 8 Pro.
Compare Windows 8 editions.
If the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant determines that your computer can't run Windows 8 and you still have the need for speed, it might be time for a new computer. There are some great deals on new computers right now:
Shop for a Surface.
Shop for new desktop computers.
Shop for new laptop computers.
0
able
If you make a regret sending a message, you can undo the action by enabling the "Undo send" lab. This lab will give you the option to take back a message you just sent.
Follow the following steps :
Click the gear icon at the top of your Gmail page and select Mail settings.
Click the Labs tab.
Find the "Undo Send" lab and select the Enable radio button.
Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
Click on gear icon again and select general tab .
Now you see "Undo send " option here and select the time for undoing a message.
Read More
Undo sending your mail
Follow the following steps :
Click the gear icon at the top of your Gmail page and select Mail settings.
Click the Labs tab.
Find the "Undo Send" lab and select the Enable radio button.
Click Save Changes at the bottom of the page.
Click on gear icon again and select general tab .
Now you see "Undo send " option here and select the time for undoing a message.
0
able
There are three simple rules to follow when choosing a blog name:
1) It must describe your blog: it is probable that lots of people will see a link to your blog before having the chance to actually read it (in search engines, for instance). Guess what, if just by looking at the name they can figure what the blog is about they will be more likely to visit it.
2) It must be easy to remember: suppose your blog talks about cycling, fitness and health advice in general. Naming it “The Cycling, Fitness and General Health Advice Blog” would offer quite an exhaustive description of the blog, but would it also be easy to remember? Stick with simple names.
3) It must be equal to the domain name: this rule is often ignored by people, probably because finding a suitable domain that has not been registered yet is a difficult task. Still if your domain name does not match the blog name you will probably lose some readers along the way. When people visit your blog through a link they will just read the name of the blog. Should they decide to revisit the site a couple of days later they will just type that name followed by a dot com. If they do not find your blog once they hit enter they will just go somewhere else.
Read More
How to choose a blog name
1) It must describe your blog: it is probable that lots of people will see a link to your blog before having the chance to actually read it (in search engines, for instance). Guess what, if just by looking at the name they can figure what the blog is about they will be more likely to visit it.
2) It must be easy to remember: suppose your blog talks about cycling, fitness and health advice in general. Naming it “The Cycling, Fitness and General Health Advice Blog” would offer quite an exhaustive description of the blog, but would it also be easy to remember? Stick with simple names.
3) It must be equal to the domain name: this rule is often ignored by people, probably because finding a suitable domain that has not been registered yet is a difficult task. Still if your domain name does not match the blog name you will probably lose some readers along the way. When people visit your blog through a link they will just read the name of the blog. Should they decide to revisit the site a couple of days later they will just type that name followed by a dot com. If they do not find your blog once they hit enter they will just go somewhere else.
1
able
1) Go OOP
If you have not yet entered the realm of Object Oriented Programming, then you are at a disadvantage, and you are falling behind fast.
OOP is essentially a method of programming with the use of classes, or Objects, which tie like things together, remove the need for repetition of code and perform the basic tasks of production very simply. Objects are essentially classes that collect a bunch of functions together and wrap them in a wrapper that can be reused over and over again without the need to rewrite functionality or procedures every time you need to do something.
Procedural Programming works by following a routine from the top to the bottom of each page as the server reads every file on your server. With OOP, there could be one or two objects being instantiated, which, in turn could instantiate a few, a hundred or a thousand other objects which could all perform certain tasks depending on variables passed into the objects. OOP is faster, simpler, easier to debug, uses less server resources, less code, is faster loading and more logical to work with once you figure out the basic principles. Go OOP - It changed my development style forever.
2) Stay Away from Anything Ending With _once()
We all know that include() simply gives us a warning if it fails, while require() kills the script with a fatal error when it fails. What we don't forget is that include_once() and require_once() is extremely hard on server resources. There is nothing we can do about it, it's how PHP is set up. Just remember that these things kill your server resources, specially on a huge framework, and if you plan your code properly you won't even need it anyway.
3) Develop With Error Reporting On
The very first thing you do when starting a new project is to turn error reporting to E_ALL, and you should only turn it off ten seconds before going to production mode. I do this with every project that I build and there is nothing better than running a project in full production mode and not even getting one error. Besides that, with error reporting on, you pick up any small errors that will eventually grow up to bite you in the... well, you get my point.
4) Use A Framework If You Need One
Ok, so Rasmus Lerdorf says you shouldn't use a framework because he could quite conclusively prove that a framework is much slower than normal PHP code when it came to printing a simple "Hello World" application. Two things to mention here though: you are not Rasmus Lerdorf and I bet you won't be building a "Hello World" application every time you program something. Frameworks that help you do the tedious things can help, although you will have to learn how the frameworks function first in order to make things simple, but that's the only real trade-off. Plus you stand less chance of writing bad code when someone else has written most of it for you, but let's pretend I didn't say that.
5) Use PHP's Inbuilt Functions
Ok, you want to count the amount of keys in an array? You can loop through the array and simply increment a value for each iteration, right? Or you can just use the built in PHP function count(), which does just what it should. PHP has many built-in functions that can do what you need them to, so check out the manual to make sure you are doing it in the best way possible.
6) Protect Your Database
The best and safest way is to use mysql_real_escape_string() for all database before it is added to the database. This function makes all strings safe in terms of quotes and other functions that can harm your database or contain malicious code, so use it to be sure you have taken the first step against protection of your data. Another thing you can do is validate all POST and GET strings, never use $_REQUEST, and make sure all form submitted data is of the right type and value before adding it to a database query.
7) Use POST Not GET
Ok, this isn't always possible, but when its really not necessary, don't use GET, use POST. The reason is simple - GET is simple to emulate, all I need to do is add something to my address bar and I can hack your project. Obviously GET is the easy way to do pagination and permalinks, but when using form submission especially, stay with POST, it's safer.
8) Draw Before You Code
A good practice to get into is to wireframe your projects, even if you are just scribbling a few notes on a piece of paper. It is very important to actually give the mechanics of you application some thought before sitting down to start coding, because in the process of planning it you will actually iron out the difficulties in your head and avoid the major headache that comes with the facepalm when you realize that everything you just did is either wrong, not needed, or just silly.
9) Understand Your Project
An artist cannot draw something that he has not seen before. A singer cannot sing a song that he has not heard before. You cannot code a project that you do not fully understand. If you do not understand exactly what it needs to do, and how it needs to it, you cannot build it.
10) Code Code Code
If I could get one thing through to anyone reading this, this is it. You cannot become a good developer by reading. You cannot become a good developer by watching someone develop. The one and only tried and trusted method, is to actually write code. But - and here is the trick - build real things! Do not go and code something that you have no interest in, or will never use. Build what you like, and you will be excited and interested by it, and you will learn. Then, make it awesome, build upon it, and make it better.
Read More
Top 10 PHP Tips for Web Developers
If you have not yet entered the realm of Object Oriented Programming, then you are at a disadvantage, and you are falling behind fast.
OOP is essentially a method of programming with the use of classes, or Objects, which tie like things together, remove the need for repetition of code and perform the basic tasks of production very simply. Objects are essentially classes that collect a bunch of functions together and wrap them in a wrapper that can be reused over and over again without the need to rewrite functionality or procedures every time you need to do something.
Procedural Programming works by following a routine from the top to the bottom of each page as the server reads every file on your server. With OOP, there could be one or two objects being instantiated, which, in turn could instantiate a few, a hundred or a thousand other objects which could all perform certain tasks depending on variables passed into the objects. OOP is faster, simpler, easier to debug, uses less server resources, less code, is faster loading and more logical to work with once you figure out the basic principles. Go OOP - It changed my development style forever.
2) Stay Away from Anything Ending With _once()
We all know that include() simply gives us a warning if it fails, while require() kills the script with a fatal error when it fails. What we don't forget is that include_once() and require_once() is extremely hard on server resources. There is nothing we can do about it, it's how PHP is set up. Just remember that these things kill your server resources, specially on a huge framework, and if you plan your code properly you won't even need it anyway.
3) Develop With Error Reporting On
The very first thing you do when starting a new project is to turn error reporting to E_ALL, and you should only turn it off ten seconds before going to production mode. I do this with every project that I build and there is nothing better than running a project in full production mode and not even getting one error. Besides that, with error reporting on, you pick up any small errors that will eventually grow up to bite you in the... well, you get my point.
4) Use A Framework If You Need One
Ok, so Rasmus Lerdorf says you shouldn't use a framework because he could quite conclusively prove that a framework is much slower than normal PHP code when it came to printing a simple "Hello World" application. Two things to mention here though: you are not Rasmus Lerdorf and I bet you won't be building a "Hello World" application every time you program something. Frameworks that help you do the tedious things can help, although you will have to learn how the frameworks function first in order to make things simple, but that's the only real trade-off. Plus you stand less chance of writing bad code when someone else has written most of it for you, but let's pretend I didn't say that.
5) Use PHP's Inbuilt Functions
Ok, you want to count the amount of keys in an array? You can loop through the array and simply increment a value for each iteration, right? Or you can just use the built in PHP function count(), which does just what it should. PHP has many built-in functions that can do what you need them to, so check out the manual to make sure you are doing it in the best way possible.
6) Protect Your Database
The best and safest way is to use mysql_real_escape_string() for all database before it is added to the database. This function makes all strings safe in terms of quotes and other functions that can harm your database or contain malicious code, so use it to be sure you have taken the first step against protection of your data. Another thing you can do is validate all POST and GET strings, never use $_REQUEST, and make sure all form submitted data is of the right type and value before adding it to a database query.
7) Use POST Not GET
Ok, this isn't always possible, but when its really not necessary, don't use GET, use POST. The reason is simple - GET is simple to emulate, all I need to do is add something to my address bar and I can hack your project. Obviously GET is the easy way to do pagination and permalinks, but when using form submission especially, stay with POST, it's safer.
8) Draw Before You Code
A good practice to get into is to wireframe your projects, even if you are just scribbling a few notes on a piece of paper. It is very important to actually give the mechanics of you application some thought before sitting down to start coding, because in the process of planning it you will actually iron out the difficulties in your head and avoid the major headache that comes with the facepalm when you realize that everything you just did is either wrong, not needed, or just silly.
9) Understand Your Project
An artist cannot draw something that he has not seen before. A singer cannot sing a song that he has not heard before. You cannot code a project that you do not fully understand. If you do not understand exactly what it needs to do, and how it needs to it, you cannot build it.
10) Code Code Code
If I could get one thing through to anyone reading this, this is it. You cannot become a good developer by reading. You cannot become a good developer by watching someone develop. The one and only tried and trusted method, is to actually write code. But - and here is the trick - build real things! Do not go and code something that you have no interest in, or will never use. Build what you like, and you will be excited and interested by it, and you will learn. Then, make it awesome, build upon it, and make it better.
0
able
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com
CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.
It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
Read More
10 reasons why Computer crash U must Know
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( www.nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( www.symantec.com).
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from www.jv16.org
Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com or www.coolit.com
CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.
It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut will cause any unsaved data to be lost.
0
able
Many of you get your mobile phone wet by one way or another. You worry as you mistakenly drop your mobile phone in water. It can also get wet if you are out in a heavy rain. However, there is no need to panic. It is possible to save your wet mobile phone by quickly repairing it. In order to save your mobile phone from water damage, you can consider these easy and simple solutions:
Act rapidly :
The first thing you have to do in order to save your wet mobile phone is to act rapidly. Quickly remove all the detachable parts as well as covers possible such as the back cover, battery, the SIM card, memory card etc. Next, take a piece of cloth or a tissue paper to wipe the excess water you are able to notice within the mobile phone. Make sure that you dry it completely. If you don' t do this, the water inside the mobile phone will begin to evaporate and gather in places which will be difficult to reach.
This will save your wet mobile phone and it will start working if it was under water for just a little while.
Using a hair dryer :
Take a hairdryer and begin drying the mobile phone while giving more consideration to the place where the battery is located. The battery housing usually consists of tiny holes to let in air (so giving more space for water) inside the mobile phone.
Make sure that you are not holding the hairdryer very near to the mobile phone. Keeping it too close to the mobile phone may harm the electrical mechanism of the mobile phone. Keep on drying the mobile phone from a safe distance for about twenty to thirty minutes.
Drying for a long time:
Take off the covers as well as battery from the mobile phone. Put the phone in a dry as well as warm place to let the water inside the phone evaporate gradually from the little holes in the mobile phone.
NOTE:: This procedure is followed by every mobile repair shop to tackle the problem of mobile droped in the water. So , intead of paying them , just try this method once and it will surely work.
Read More
Repair your Mobile Phone dropped in water ? No need to go to any nearby store
Act rapidly :
The first thing you have to do in order to save your wet mobile phone is to act rapidly. Quickly remove all the detachable parts as well as covers possible such as the back cover, battery, the SIM card, memory card etc. Next, take a piece of cloth or a tissue paper to wipe the excess water you are able to notice within the mobile phone. Make sure that you dry it completely. If you don' t do this, the water inside the mobile phone will begin to evaporate and gather in places which will be difficult to reach.
This will save your wet mobile phone and it will start working if it was under water for just a little while.
Using a hair dryer :
Take a hairdryer and begin drying the mobile phone while giving more consideration to the place where the battery is located. The battery housing usually consists of tiny holes to let in air (so giving more space for water) inside the mobile phone.
Make sure that you are not holding the hairdryer very near to the mobile phone. Keeping it too close to the mobile phone may harm the electrical mechanism of the mobile phone. Keep on drying the mobile phone from a safe distance for about twenty to thirty minutes.
Drying for a long time:
Take off the covers as well as battery from the mobile phone. Put the phone in a dry as well as warm place to let the water inside the phone evaporate gradually from the little holes in the mobile phone.
NOTE:: This procedure is followed by every mobile repair shop to tackle the problem of mobile droped in the water. So , intead of paying them , just try this method once and it will surely work.
2
able
This will help you to unlock your nokia phone if you forget your security code by giving you a MASTER CODE .
1. You can get “Nokia MASTER CODE” for your phone using ur
phone’s IMEI.
2. Visit http://www.nokialockcode.com/calculate.php
3. Enter your IMEI number and click on calculate button.
4.After getting your phone’s master code use it in the place of security code.
For other phones like Samsung , LG, motorola , siemens and so on.
1. First of all for you is to download a 150kb “MASTER CODE UNLOCKER” to your computer and then you can get the master code which you can use it to unlock phone.
2. Download software from here.
3. Download and extract from Winzip or Winrar
4. Then install it on desktop and Open the installed file.
5. select your phone and enjoy unlocking.
Read More
How To Unlock Any Mobile Phone Security Code
1. You can get “Nokia MASTER CODE” for your phone using ur
phone’s IMEI.
2. Visit http://www.nokialockcode.com/calculate.php
3. Enter your IMEI number and click on calculate button.
4.After getting your phone’s master code use it in the place of security code.
For other phones like Samsung , LG, motorola , siemens and so on.
1. First of all for you is to download a 150kb “MASTER CODE UNLOCKER” to your computer and then you can get the master code which you can use it to unlock phone.
2. Download software from here.
3. Download and extract from Winzip or Winrar
4. Then install it on desktop and Open the installed file.
5. select your phone and enjoy unlocking.
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