Four Things a Person Should Do If Their Computer is Operating Incorrectly

It is a terrible reality when someone has to have a Macbook repair or a Macbook screen repair. This type of service means a person has been having ongoing trouble with their computer and finally has to take it in for service. By doing this, the person is going to be without their computer for a couple days or possibly longer. Once someone has to go through the process of computer service or the hassle of having their computer act incorrectly, they will realize the importance of doing four things to guarantee the safety of their information. These four things are backing up their files, backing up their pictures, backing up their music and running regular sweeps of their entire system.

Personal and professional files that are stored on a computer are very important to the creator of the documents. They may be files of household information, address lists, recipes or creative documents. Whatever they are, if they are saved on the hard drive of a system, it is likely that the document holds a higher level of importance. These files should be periodically saved to a disc or a portable hard drive. These additional back up files should be kept in a safe place in case anything should happen to the hard drive. By doing this, the creator of the documents can rest assured that they will always have access to their documents.

Backing up personal photos is extremely important for most people today. With the increase of digital photography, many people have hundreds of pictures stored on their home computer hard drive. If something were to happen to that unit, all of the memories and photos would be destroyed. The photographer can use CDs or portable memory sticks to save all the photos they never want to live without. In addition, saving tons of pictures on the hard drive could possibly slow a system down considerably. By putting a copy of them on a disc, the original file on the system can be deleted. Thus, this will improve the speed and operation of a home computer.

Backing up music files is also another important thing for someone to do if their system is operating incorrectly. A person can burn CDs of selected songs or save music on portable memory stick as well. By doing this simple task, people will protect all of the music they have purchased through websites and iTunes. This purchase could amount to thousands of dollars that a person is protecting by doing the backup process. In addition having files on discs also makes it easier to share music with family and friends on their computer systems.

Running regular sweeps on a home computer is also extremely important to do if it is acting incorrectly. Sometimes this sweep will identify the information that is causing a the system trouble. When this happens the problem can be corrected much easier. Also, sweeps will locate possible viruses that can be detrimental to the operation of a computer hard drive. By doing regular sweeps a person has a better chance in preventing problems from occurring in the first place.

Optimize Your Computer - How to Fix Errors That Are Slowing Down Your Computer in No Time

Have you noticed that your PC starting to run slow? Does it suddenly freeze up when you open browsers or programs? Does the monitor suddenly turn black when you open some folders and end up restarting by itself.

You can solve this problem all on your own. You do not need to call a technician. With just a few simple steps, you can do this.

1. One of the biggest causes of a slow computer is having a virus on it. Most people view viruses as just destructive, but first they just slow your computer right down, as they alter and tamper with files, and then eventually do the real damage and stop your computer running properly at all and corrupt windows, until eventually windows fails to start.

Many people making the mistake of not updating their antivirus software or making sure it is enabled. Once you install it you needto run a full scan on your computer once a week and check to make sure it is enabled every day. Some malicious software will turn it off.

2. Once you have done this you need to run a check on windows to make sure there are no file errors. One of the biggest mistakes people make occurs right here and they do not know about it.

What happens is this, if you have a virus on your computer and you run this step first, it will think there is file corruption, when there is not and report vital windows files as unrecognised and try to repair them. Once this happens and you restart your computer windows will fail to start. Run the virus scan first.

To run this check you go to the windows start menu then to run and type in cmd. This will bring up a box. Type in there chkdsk /f. You will get a message asking if you want to run this on restart and type yes and then restart your PC.

3. The last and the most important step you need to take is to run a free registry scan. This will reveal all the problems that are slowing down your computer. If you are getting error messages you can fix them when you run a free registry scan. Fixing these errors just takes minutes and prevents any further problems with your PC and will make it run fast again.

How to Install SQL 2005 Express on Windows Vista

In operating systems before Windows Vista, Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express is easily installed. But Vista users have a problem with the installation if Internet Information Services (IIS) components are not installed. Installing SQL Server Express on your Vista machine requires enabling IIS as a prerequisite.

1. Step 1

   Click on the "Start" button, select "Settings," then choose "Control Panel."

2. Step 2

   Double click the "Program and Features" icon in the "Control Panel." This opens a window with a list of installed programs.

3. Step 3

   Check all options under the "World Wide Web Services" directory.

4. Step 4

   Click "OK." After clicking the button, the features will install on your computer. This might take several minutes.

5. Step 5

   Double click the executable to install Microsoft SQL Express. SQL Server Express is a free program offered by Microsoft. The location of the executable is found at microsoft.com/Sqlserver/2005/en/us/express.aspx.

6. Step 6

   Click "OK" at the default screen. When the install application opens, the defaults are sufficient for most computer applications.

7. Step 7

   Click "Finish." After the program has installed, a summary is shown and it can be opened in Vista.

How to Enable CD and DVD Autorun in Microsoft Windows XP

First, click Start then My Computer then right click on the CD/DVD drive icon and click Properties in the drop down menu that appears.

Now select the AutoPlay tab.

Click the Select an item from the drop down list at the top and then for the Action to perform, select the action you wish to associate with autorun. Do this for each item in the drop down list at the top. Now click OK to save the new settings.

As an alternative approach to the procedure above, click Start then Run and type regedit in the Run box and then press Enter.

Next, in the registry editor, click to navigate to the HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Cdrom and then click on the Cdrom key.

Now, find the Autorun entry in the list of parameters to the right and double click on it and then change the value (it's a dword value) of "AutoRun" parameter from "0" to "1" and click Ok.

Now click the red "X" in the upper right corner of the registry editor to exit the editor and then reboot the computer.

Next, test the setting by placing a disk in the CD/DVD drive - it should autorun start after a few seconds.

How to Repair or Fix Windows Registry

Step 1, Go to www.download.com in search type "aso", download winaso registry optimizer. Run the installer with the default options. If you have the extra money I would purchase this program, as it is reasonable at around $30. If you don't want to buy it that's fine also, however you will be using it longer as it only fixes 10 errors at a time for free.

Step 2, Click on select the areas to be scanned. Select only the first checkbox, when that section is complete, the next. Omit this step if you have purchased the program. When the scan is done each time remove all errors, repeat till all are removed. After that do one more scan with all boxes selected, make sure all errors are removed.

Step 3, The next couple things you can do with this wonderful program are system optimizer, and registry defrag. They are both self-explainitory and will make your computer even faster. Thanks for reading hope this helped you, and please check out my other articles for more hot tips!

Verizon's big ad push for Android takes on iPhone

An aggressive TV ad campaign from Verizon Wireless is adding to the support building for a software package from Google Inc. that is shaping up to be the most formidable challenge yet to Apple Inc.'s iPhone.

The commercials for the "Droid" phone, being made by Motorola Inc., list features that the iPhone lacks, such as a physical keyboard and the ability to run applications simultaneously. It ends with the tag line "Everything iDon't. Droid does."

It's not the first ad from a wireless carrier to take aim at the iPhone's weaknesses. Notably, Sprint Nextel Corp.'s ads for the Samsung Instinct and the Palm Pre have compared these devices to the iPhone. But the Verizon ads come at a sensitive time for the iPhone, as user frustration with the network of the sole U.S. iPhone carrier, AT&T Inc., is growing.

Verizon Wireless gets high marks for its network quality, but it has lacked a "smart" phone that can match the iPhone's ease of use and breadth of third-party applications. The touch-screen BlackBerry Storm, which launched last year, is the closest Verizon has come, but the first Storm got lukewarm reviews and was plagued by software problems.

The Droid will run Google's Android software, which is gathering momentum as a platform for a range of manufacturers, in contrast to the Apple-only model of the iPhone.

T-Mobile USA and Sprint already have Android phones. With Verizon, the largest U.S. carrier, now on board, the free software package becomes more attractive to software developers who want to reach the widest possible audience for their applications. A wealth of applications, in turn, helps attract customers to a phone.

The ads don't show the phone or reveal a price or a launch date more specific than "November." But the home page for the ad campaign, http://www.droiddoes.com, sends viewers to another site that has "Motorola" in the address. And two weeks ago Verizon Wireless CEO Lowell McAdam posed for an Associated Press photographer with an Android phone carrying the Motorola and Verizon brands.

(At the same event, the photographer captured what appeared to be a version of HTC Corp.'s Hero phone. It is expected to be the second Android phone Verizon Wireless releases. It's already available from Sprint and T-Mobile, and is more like the iPhone, lacking the slide-out keyboard of the Motorola model.)

McAdam said at the event that Verizon Wireless was putting "substantial resources" into developing and selling Android phones — an unusual initiative for a carrier that has previously relied mainly on manufacturers to supply it with competitive devices. It's not clear how much Verizon is spending on the Droid ad campaign, however.

The campaign is an important endorsement for Motorola, which started using the Android software as part of a turnaround effort. The cell phone maker is struggling to recover from a multiyear drop in sales. Motorola started selling its first Android phone, the Cliq, on Monday through T-Mobile USA. Motorola has previously made smart phones using Microsoft Corp.'s Windows Mobile software, but these haven't been big sellers.

Motorola shares rose 62 cents, or 7.9 percent, to $8.47 in Monday afternoon trading. Shares of Verizon Communications Inc., which owns Verizon Wireless along with Vodafone Group PLC of Britain, were unchanged at $28.90.

The heavy anti-iPhone message of the ads shouldn't be taken as a sign that Verizon Wireless won't eventually carry the iPhone. Having a viable alternative to the iPhone could strengthen Verizon's hand in negotiations with Apple.

The terms of the exclusivity agreement between Apple and AT&T are secret, but there has been speculation that it could end next year. However, the current version of the iPhone doesn't work fully on any national U.S. network expect AT&T's, so Apple would need to produce new versions of the phone for Verizon, T-Mobile or Sprint.

Sticking to one carrier doesn't appear to be Apple's long-term goal. In several countries, there are multiple iPhone carriers. Canada will soon have three, for example.

Spam Strangles YouTube

A prediction two years ago by IT security solutions firm Kaspersky Lab on the possible use of YouTube as a medium for disseminating spam has finally been fulfilled.

Kaspersky Lab reported it has detected the mass mailing of unsolicited messages that include links to video advertisements on the popular video hosting site.

However, this is the first time the company's specialists have detected a mass mailing specifically intended to make users view an advertising video.

Kaspersky Lab's Content Filtering Research group recorded a mass mailing that contained a link directing users to a video advert on YouTube. There were several message variations in the mass mailing, but they all included the same link to YouTube. (See also "Straight to the Spam Filter: Astonishing E-Mail Messages You'll Never Open.")

Due to its worldwide popularity, YouTube is a potentially attractive resource for distributing spam, Kaspersky Lab said.

"Naturally, this type of advertising is more interesting and gets more hits," said Darya Gudkova, head of content analysis and research at Kaspersky Lab. "Two years ago, spammers used the YouTube name and the promise of interesting videos to lure users to advertising sites. Now the links really do lead to this popular video hosting site which is being used to store unsolicited advertising content."

Yet Gudkova noted this is not the first time a creative approach has been used by spammers this year. Last April, messages were detected that contained nonstandard, complex images advertising spammer services. Noise techniques have also been applied to graphical files, causing problems for spam filters.

Kaspersky Lab reminded on how important it is for users to keep spam filters turned on in order to block unwanted or potentially hazardous correspondence. The spam filter training option in the company's products should also be utilized to constantly improve protection against all types of unsolicited mass mailings.

Sony PSP GO: What You Need To Know

The Sony PSP Go launched on Thursday, and judging by the early reviews opinions are mixed. On the one hand, you have a slick, more portable device with a crisp screen and new game formats. But legacy PSP owners will be dogged with some crossover issues, and most Sony PSP Go content is available through only one retail source. PC World's Matt Peckham will be handing down his own impressions of the device soon, but here are some early impressions to whet your appetite:

PSP Go

The PSP Go is a sleek-looking device, which is 16 percent lighter and 35 percent smaller than its predecessor, the PSP 3000. The screen has shrunk to 3.8 inches from 4.3 inches. The Go supports Bluetooth but, most importantly, the UMD drive is gone. That means all content, including games, must be saved to the device's 16GB internal memory or a Memory Stick Micro (M2) card. The Go retails for $250, and it looks like a 16GB Memory Stick Micro card will set you back somewhere between $60 and $80.

All About Sony

If you own a big collection of UMD games for the PSP, you'll probably want to hold onto your old machine. All of those games are now stuck on your old PSP. Sony has not created a way for the old games to be read and transferred to the new UMDless PSP Go, according to Ars Technica.

On the one hand, that's to be expected when a new system comes along. But really, the PSP Go is just a refreshed system; nothing is very new about it. It has no jump ahead in graphics, no new gaming capabilities, and no substantial new features other than Bluetooth connectivity. So why not create a mechanism to transfer games?

Games aren't the only legacy problem, either. The PSP Go now has a proprietary mini-USB cable, which means any old cable just won't do. The new cable is included with the device, of course, but if you lose or break that cable a new one will set you back at least fifteen bucks. That may not be the biggest deal in the world, but it's just one more hassle that doesn't need to be there. Then there's the memory stick. The Pro duo format is gone, so transferring your old data from a legacy PSP to the new Go has to be done through a PC or PS3. Again not a big deal, but it is another hassle.

Go Games

Instead of buying games from your local video game shop, all PSP Go games must be purchased online from Sony's PlayStation Store. Early reviews are complaining about the download speeds when you buy a new game from Sony. The average time seems to be at least an hour if not two to download a title directly to the Go. The problem may be the fact that the PSP Go's wireless connectivity is 802.11b. Why Sony didn't go with faster choices like 802.11g or the newly approved 802.11n connectivity is puzzling. Another downside: no background downloads. If you're downloading a game to the Go, the device will be busy for a few hours. The alternative is to download games to your PC or PS3 and then transfer them later on.

PSP Go Feel

Reviews are mixed about how the PSP Go feels in your hands. Both CNET and Ars Technica are complaining about the positioning of the controls, but reviewers for London's Guardian and Times both love the new placement. The new analog stick is reportedly more accurate, but it is smaller and early impressions say it takes some time to get used to.

Overall, people like the new device, but some significant problems like slow download times and a closed system could be problematic for the new system. What do you say? Are you picking up a new PSP Go to call your very own?

If you can't get enough PSP Go information, check out PC World's Game On blog for posts about PSP Go games, movie transfers from Blu-Ray discs, unboxing and more.

Firefox Foils Microsoft's Security Hole

If you use Firefox, you may have already seen a pop-up from your browser alerting you that it is blocking the Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant and Windows Presentation Foundation add-ons. It's for good reason.

As of today, Mozilla's browser will automatically disable Microsoft's addon and plugin because of a gaping security hole that allows for drive-by-download attacks. The flaw lies in the Windows Presentation Foundation plug-in that is installed by the .NET add-on.

According to a Microsoft Security Research & Defense blog post, anyone who has applied the MS09-054 security patch (available via Windows Update) is safe from a potential attack against ths flaw, regardless of whether the attack comes via IE or the WPF plug-in. But since Microsoft automatically installed the add-on earlier this year without asking the user's permission, Redmond should be red-faced after this fiasco.

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How Chrome users can scrub Yahoo logo off Flickr

Those of you who hate the recent arrival of Yahoo's logo on Flickr now have an easy way to erase it--and get a number of useful features--as long as you're using an edgy version of Chrome.

Chrome extensions let people customize the browser's behavior, and the Fittr Flickr extension from Gmail programmer Dan Pupius whips Yahoo's photo-sharing site into shape. Some people use extensions for using Delicious bookmarks, banishing ads, and filling out forms, but this is my favorite Chrome extension so far. You can also download Fittr from Download.com.

The Yahoo logo is ugly but not too bothersome in my eyes. Instead, what I like best about Fittr Flickr is its keyboard navigation options. Once the extension is installed, you can type "?" to see the options, but the two I now use a lot are "." and "," to navigate forward and backward through a person's photostream. Typing "s" will star a photo as a favorite, and in a nice Google touch harkening to the vi text editor, "/" will put your cursor in the search field.

To use Chrome extensions, though, you must be using the developer preview version of the browser, since extensions are something of a work in progress. (Click to download for Windows or Mac OS X.) I've had to restart Chrome sometimes to enable the last two extensions I tried out.

Another nice feature for pixel-peepers such as myself is the addition of an EXIF button below the photo that reveals camera, lens, and exposure details without navigating away from the photo. Nearby are direct links to the small, medium, and large version of the photos.

There are some other nice tidbits, too, involving viewing photos against a black background, comments, and other matters.

Yahoo has to make Flickr appeal to a large swath of people, most of whom probably don't care about these options. But for me, they unlock some of Flickr's potential.

Firefox users who want similar technology can try Dustin Diaz's Quickr Flickr script, which requires the Greasemonkey add-on for Firefox to be installed before the script can be added. Greasemonkey fans also can use a number of scripts that will un-Yahoo the logo.

Amazon, Wal-Mart battling over book pricing

Wal-Mart Stores has waged an online book pricing war against Amazon.com, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday morning.

Wal-Mart sent the first salvo over Amazon's bow on Thursday when the retail giant announced that it would sell ten highly anticipated books for $10 on Walmart.com. Wal-Mart said Stephen King's upcoming hardcover "Under the Dome" and Sarah Palin's "Going Rogue" will be included in that grouping. Wal-Mart's prices include free shipping.

Not to be outdone, Amazon reduced prices to match Wal-Mart's pricing on all 10 titles. That was quickly followed by Wal-Mart's decision to reduce the prices on those books again to $9 late Thursday night. In response, Amazon reduced the prices of all ten titles to $9, as well. The company also reduced the books' Kindle pricing to $9. That's where the prices stand on both sites as of this writing.

Verizon Tweets a Tip about Palm Pre

Contrary to a previous report that Verizon had scrapped plans to carry the Palm Pre because of poor sales on Sprint, the carrier announced it will have the WebOS smartphone "early next year."

The news comes directly from one of the most credible sources of corporate information these days: Twitter. See the ‘tweetversation' below:

lanvuch: @VZWoffers, are u guys ever gonna get the Palm Pre/Pixi?

VZWoffers: @lanvuch We will be carrying the Palm Pre smartphone early next year.

Verizon could not be reached to confirm the tweet -- but launching the Pre early next year aligns with two previous reports from The Wall Street Journal and Verizon COO Dennis Strigl.

Although seeing a launch date for the Pre from an official Verizon source is exciting news. I'm more interested in seeing Verizon's response (if there is one) to lanvuch's next question:

lanvuch: @VZWoffers, how about the iphone? will u be offering it soon?

Facebook Climbs in UK Web Hit Parade

Social networking site Facebook accounted for 15 percent of all U.K. Internet page views in September, says Hitwise.

According to research by the Web analytics firm, the social network was the second most visited site by U.K. users, the first being search engine Google.

Hitwise also said that Facebook received more page views than Google, eBay and YouTube combined.

"During September Facebook was the second most visited website in the UK after Google, but because users view a much larger number of pages per visit, Facebook is the clear leader in terms of page views," said Robin Goad, director of research.

Internet visits to Facebook in September were 82 percent up on the same period last year, and Hitwise said it is the most popular social networking site with Brits. Hitwise said Facebook accounts for almost half (49 percent) of all web visits to social networking sites.

"Although it has fallen somewhat off the media radar in favor of Twitter recently, Facebook remains far and away the most popular social networking website in the UK," added Goad.