Windows XP performance tweaking guide: Registry and Software tweaks

By Apostol Lucian

1. Stop ‘last access update’

Whenever you access a folder on a NTFS drive, Windows XP updates that folder and all subfolders with a time stamp with the date of last access. Sometimes, this can slower windows performance.

To change this, open REGEDIT ( Start -> Run -> ‘regedit’ ) and navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINES\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

Create a new DWORD value ( right click -> new -> DDWORD Value ) called ‘NtfsDisableLastAccessUpdate’ and set the value to ‘1’

2. Disable unnecessary naming convention

For each file created, windows xp use one additional name for MSDOS compatibility: 8 character name followed by a “.”, then 3 characters for the extension.
If you don’t intend to use DOS only software, this is waste of memory.

To change this, open REGEDIT
Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\FileSystem

Change the value of the NtfsDisable8dot3NameCreation key to ‘1’

3. Prevent windows to move operating data on virtual memory

By default, windows xp do periodically checks to move its essential driver and kernel files to the virtual memory ( page file ). This obviously slower performances.
This should be done only if the system is low on physical Memory.

Open REGEDIT.
Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management.
Select the DisablePagingExecutive value to ‘1’

4. Disable Performance counters

Windows XP has a performance monitor utility, to track several areas of your PC, including CPU and hard drive. Whenever you do something on your PC, these performance counters tracks everything. These processes from the background makes main processes to run slower.

To change this, you need to download Extensible Performance Counter List utility

First download and install the utility, then run the Exctrlst.exe utility, found in ‘c:\program files\resource kit\’

Select each line in the ‘Extensible performance counters’ window and clear the ‘performance counters enabled’ button below. You must do this separately for each counter.

5. Remove page file from system drive

The operating system can use virtual memory when there is more data that can be stored on physical memory. The Virtual memory is on hard drive, this means is slower than standard memory. What we can do to improve performance is to remove the page file from the drive where operating system is installed on, and put it on other drive.

To do this, right click on “my computer” and select “Properties”, Select the ‘advanced’ tab.
Under ‘performance’ choose the ’settings’ button.
Select the ‘advanced’ tab again and under ‘virtual memory’ select ‘change.’

You will get a list with all drives, with page file allocated on each.

6. Create a permanent Page file.

Follow the instructions from the previous tip and select the same value for minimum and maximum size. This prevents operating system to resize page file.

7. Optimize your page file size

By default, windows xp select the page file to 150% of physical memory, but if you have more than 512 physical memory, it’s hard to believe that your operating system will need that amount of virtual memory. Change your page file to the same value as your physical memory is ( RAM ), but, if you have less than 512, leave it at 150%.
You can do this using the steps at previous tip.

8. Defrag page file with PageDefrag utility

We all know that defragmentint hard drive is a good idea, but windows xp defragmentation utility can’t defragment files that are already in use, for example page file ( virtual memory ). For this you can use a freeware tool called Page Defrag
This tool is simply to use, just select all files you want to defragment and press Start.

9. Set priority for important programs

If you are using more applications at the same time, but you focus on a single application, you can change the priority for that application to boost its performances. By default, all applications are set to normal priority level. To change this, press CTR+ALT+Del to open Task Manager and select the application you want to rise the priority. On the right-click menu select Go To Process. Press right click on the process and select Set Priority. You will have many proority levels.
The higher you set priority above normal, the more CPU time the program will steal from other applications when you are multitasking.

10. Check your hard drives with scandisk

Defragmenting hard drive can improve performances, but it can’t touch bad sectors or lost clusters.

Because of this, it is a good idea to run XP’s built in error checking utility on your drives once in a while. This utility will scan your disks for errors and optionally attempt to correct them.

Open ‘my computer.’

Right click the hard disk you wish to check and select ‘properties.’

Choose the ‘tools’ tab and under ‘error checking’ select the ‘check now…’ button.

Check both options. You will need to restart the computer to do the full disk check.

Your disk will be fully checked for errors upon reboot, but be aware that this can take quite a while.

11. Make Windows to unload DLL files after closing a program

“DLL” stand for Dynamic Link Library. DLLs are files that containt data and functions needed by windows. Every piece of windows will require some libraries, and will link to them. For faster access, windows cache the libraries into memory, but after the program that uses them is closed, the memory is not cleared. The following registry tweak will make windows to remove DLL’s from memory if they are not used.

To do this run REGEDIT.

Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer.

Create a new key named ‘AlwaysUnloadDLL’ and set the default value to equal ‘1’.

12. Thaw your desktop

Probably you have experienced at least once “Desktop Freezing”. You tell windows to do something and everything will move very slow. When this is happening, means that windows need a refresh. Press CTR+ALT+DEL to open task manager. Select “Processes” tab, and find “explorer.exe”, select it and press end process. Without closing task manager, select “New Task” from “File” menu, and there type “explorer.exe”. The desktop will load again, without closing any application.

13. Speed up mouse movement

Windows applies an acceleration to the mouse by default. This means when you move the mouse, the pointer will start slowly and accelerates with continual movement. In games you will probably need better speed.

To remove mouse acceleration: open up REGEDIT and navigate to
‘hkey_current_user\control panel\mouse’

Change the value of ’smoothmouseXcurve’ to the following:

00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
00,a0,00,00,00,00,00,00
00,40,01,00,00,00,00,00
00,80,02,00,00,00,00,00
00,00,05,00,00,00,00,00

Then change the value of ‘SmoothMouseYCurve’ to the following:

00,00,00,00,00,00,00,00
66,a6,02,00,00,00,00,00
cd,4c,05,00,00,00,00,00
a0,99,0a,00,00,00,00,00
38,33,15,00,00,00,00,00

14. Disable the themes service

If you are not a fan of the appearance of Windows XP, there is an easy way to turn it off and go back to the more sober and traditional Windows style. Simply disable the ‘themes’ service to restore a classic windows desktop appearance.

To do this, right click on ‘my computer’ and select ‘manage.’

In the computer management windows, expand ’services and applications’ and select ’services.’

In the right hand window, highlight the ‘themes’ service. Right click it and select ‘properties.’

In the ’startup type’ dropdown box, select ‘disabled.’

15. Remove the desktop picture

If you need to have a picture on the desktop, don’t do this, but if you choose performance against appearance, you can remove desktop picture which slows windows start-up.

Right click on an open area of the desktop and select ‘properties.’

Select the ‘desktop’ tab and in the ‘background’ window, highlight ‘none.’ Press ‘ok.’

Think we’re just pulling your leg? Nope, every computer in the PCstats labs that gets tested goes through this same step before we run a single benchmark.

16. Change to the NTFS file system

If you are using Windows XP, is a good idea to change the filesystem for your partitions to NTFS. It will improve security and data security, but also it can improve speed of your system.

If you are using two operating systems, and one of them is Windows 9x/Me or other OS which can’t read NTFS, don’t change it, else, you don’t have any reason to keep your partition to FAT32.

Right click on ‘my computer’ and select ‘manage’

From the computer management window, expand storage and select ‘disk management.’

Using the ‘file system’ column of the upper pane of this window, you can easily check what file system each of your logical drives is using. Make a note of this information.

Now open a command prompt window by going to ’start\run’ and typing ‘cmd’

To convert a disk to NTFS, type ‘convert (drive letter): /fs:ntfs’

So for example, if you were going to convert your C: drive, you would type ‘Convert c: /fs:ntfs’ at the prompt.

17. Perform a manual Application and Boot file Defrag

Windows XP has a feature to defragment application and operating system boot time by moving important files to the edges of hard drive for faster disk access.

Depending on your system, this can give a slight performance boost to data access from the affected drive.

Open command prompt (’start/run’ and type ‘cmd’).

Type ‘defrag (drive letter): -b’

The process may take a few minutes to complete.

18. Disable the hibernation feature

Windows XP’s hibernation option allows a computer to copy its current memory contents to the hard drive before shutdown, allowing the system to resume operations exactly where it left off when it was powered down. To do this, it reserves space on the hard drive equal to the amount of physical memory present. If you do not plan to use the hibernation feature, you should ensure that it is disabled, or you are wasting disk space.

To disable hibernation:

Go to ’start/control panel/performance and maintenance/power options.’

Go to the ‘hibernate’ tab and uncheck the ‘enable hibernation’ check box.

19. Disable automatic sensing on network cards

This tweak may help your performance by reducing occasional ’slowdown’ periods of heavy CPU access for no apparent reason. By default, Windows XP automatically assesses the speed of your network card(s) and sets them accordingly. Apparently this process occurs at regular intervals, which can cause your system to slow occasionally. To remedy this, you can manually set the ‘media type’ of your network card to the correct value.

Right click on ‘my computer’ and select the ‘hardware’ tab.

Open ‘device manager.’

Find and highlight your network card(s). Right click it and Hit ‘properties.’

Go to the ‘advanced’ tab and highlight ‘media type.’ In the ‘value’ drop down box, select the correct speed for your network card. Press ‘ok.’

20. Use the prefetch switch to load applications faster

Windows XP’s media player has a little extra command included in its shortcut, the ‘/prefetch:1? switch. This helps the application load slightly faster. You can try out this possible performance boost on other programs by editing the shortcuts to the program in question.

To see an example, right click on windows media player shortcut and select Properties.

It should look like this: “C:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe” /prefetch:1

Right click the shortcut and hit ‘properties.’

In the ‘target’ box, put ‘/prefetch:1’ at the end of the line.

Press ‘ok.’

Note that this may cause loading errors in some programs. If it does not work, simply remove the /prefetch:1 entry from the shortcut.

21. Set DMA mode for all drives.

When Windows XP is installed, hard disks and CD drives may occasionally be set to the PIO mode for transferring data, which is slower than the default DMA (Direct Memory Access) mode used by all modern drives. A quick check of your drive settings can find and correct this error, allowing your drives to perform at their maximum.

To check and correct your hard drive and CD drive transfer settings right click ‘my computer’ and select properties, then the ‘hardware tab’ then the ‘device manager’ button.

Expand ‘IDE ATA\ATAPI controllers’ highlight ‘primary IDE channel’ and hit the ‘properties’ button.

Go to the ‘advanced settings’ tab, and ensure that the transfer mode is set to ‘DMA if available.’

Repeat the above steps for the secondary IDE channel.

22. Do a Windows repair install

If you have serious problems with XP performance, or you get errors, some system files can be damaged.

A repair installation re-writes all essential Windows XP system files and re-detects all hardware without affecting the registry, current desktop settings or user data stored on the hard drive. This is the only way short of a full installation that can recover from errors caused by installing a different motherboard in an XP system, for example.

To perform a repair installation:

Boot the system from your XP CD.

Choose the ‘press enter to set up Windows XP now’ option.

Press F8 to skip through the EULA (though if you haven’t read it before, you should now. See our legal article for details as to why.

Now press R to begin a repair installation.

Your system will go through the entire XP install process, but will not attempt to replace any of your existing data. It will simply reinstall the vital system files, fixing any that are corrupted or missing.

23. Stop hard disks spinning down

By default, windows xp spins down the hard drive after 20 minutes of inactivity to save power. This case cause serious delays if you want to use computer after this amount of time.

To disable hard disks spinning go to ’start/control panel/performance and maintenance/power options.’

Set the ‘turn off hard disks’ drop down box to ‘never.’ Click ‘ok.’

24. Reduce recycling bin reserved space

By default, Windows XP reserves 10 percent of each hard drive to store deleted files in the recycling bin. This is a bit excessive. Actually it’s a lot excessive, unless you habitually delete files a gigabyte in size or more. Fortunately, there is an easy way to reduce the amount of hard disk space that is reserved for the recycling bins on each drive.

Right click on the recycling bin and select ‘properties.’

Choose the ‘global’ tab.

The slider shows the percentage of each drive that is reserved by the recycling bin. Reduce this to a more appropriate amount, like 2-3% or more depending on the size of your drives. The larger the drives, the smaller the number you should use. If you wish to configure each drive independently, check the ‘configure drives independently’ button and adjust the slider to the desired amount in each of your hard disk’s tabs. The advantage to doing things this way instead of using the ‘global’ setting is that you can see the actual amount of space on each drive that is being reserved.

Note that files larger than the recycling bin’s capacity on a given drive are deleted for good. Windows XP will warn you when this condition occurs.

25. Enable write caching on hard disks

Enabling hard drive write caching will make transferring of data between hard drives and memory more efficient. If you have a hot-swappable drive rack, or if you expect your PC to be shut down incorrectly, don’t enable it.

To enable write caching right click on my computer and select ‘properties.’

Select the hardware tab, then ‘device manager.’ From the device manager window, expand ‘disk drives’ and highlight your hard disk. Select ‘properties’ then the ‘policies’ tab.

Check the ‘enable write caching on the disk’ box.

Repeat the above steps for all hard drives in your system.

26. Defragment your hard disk(s)

Probably you heard this many times, and if you don’t like to do things that you only hear, i will explain what is happening when you defragment your drives.

When an operating system writes data onto a hard drive, it will generally attempt to place the data on the drive as sequentially as possible, in order to facilitate faster retrieval of the information. Over the operational life of the drive, various factors can cause data to become scattered, or fragmented, over the surface of the drive.

This does not mean it cannot be read, since the file system retains a table which links each cluster (the smallest unit of storage available on a hard drive) of data with the other clusters on the disk that contain data for a particular file.

Fragmentation does slow down drive access considerably though, since the drive has to constantly seek for a new disk location to piece a file it is reading together from the fragmented clusters, rather than just being able to grab it off the disk in one continuous stream of data. Factors that can cause fragmentation include incomplete uninstalls of software, system crashes while the disk is in use, improper shutdown of the operating system, etc.

Defragmentation is the process of reassembling the data on the disk into coherent and sequential order, making disk access easier and faster. If your drive has gone a long while without being defragmented, you may find that this process restores a lot of zip to your Windows install. All recent versions of Windows include a built-in defragmentation utility.

To access this utility in Windows XP, go to ’start\programs\accessories\system tools\disk defragmenter.’

To begin with, you need to analyze your hard disk(s) to see if defragmentation is needed. Select a drive and hit the ‘analyze’ button. This could take a little while depending on the amount of data on the drive.

Once the analysis is finished, you will have a graphical representation of your disk’s level of fragmentation. See the pic below for an example of a highly fragmented drive (red indicates fragmented files).

Windows will also inform you if it recommends defragmenting the drive. You must have 15% of the drive free in order to fully defragment it. Anything less will result in only a partial re-ordering of the files. You may need to delete a few things to obtain this free space.

To defragment the drive, select it and hit the ‘defragment’ button. Note that depending on the size of the drive and the level of fragmentation, this can take a long time. It’s a good thing to leave overnight, since you should not run anything else while doing the defrag.

27. Turn off the indexing service

Windows XP have a feature to index all the files and directories on your PC. This tool helps when you search for a file on your computer, but if you don’t use search a lot you can disable it to improve performance.

To turn off file indexing go to Control Panel\Add/Remove Programs\Windows Components. and uncheck ‘Indexing Service.’

Article Source: Main Articles

Software guide and tweaks - Find IP address

Increasing Notebook Battery Power

Author: Roberto Sedycias

Depending upon the model, a notebook battery usually lasts from 1 to 8 hours. However, with efficient battery usage, an hour or two of battery power can significantly be increased. You can save battery power by using the built-in battery saving modes and by following good notebook battery-saving practices.

Built-in battery-saving modes are Stand By and Hibernate. In the Stand By mode, open applications are stored in the RAM, the hard disks power down, the monitor switches off, but the processor goes on running. When you again perform some activity of the mouse or the keyboard, then the hard disk powers up, the monitor switches on, and the data from the RAM is activated, restoring your notebook exactly the way you left it.

The Hibernation mode is used when the notebook is left unattended for a long time. The open applications are stored on the hard disk, which subsequently powers down, the monitor turns off, and the processor turns off going in for hibernation. On soft rebooting like a restart or wake up on LAN, the processor turns on, the laptop wakes up, and the same exact settings are restored. Both these modes should be used to conserve battery power. You can preset your preferences in the settings of your notebook, so that in case you doze off, or leave the device for a coffee or a snack, the notebook automatically goes into any one of these power saving modes.

Following battery-saving practices can also save notebook battery power. You should always adjust the monitor controls to suit the room lighting conditions. Dimming the contrast and brightness saves battery power besides providing relief to your eyes. Auto-save and auto-update features of applications start in the background without your knowledge and these should be disabled. External devices consume a lot of battery power, hence the usage of external mice, monitors, keyboards, optical drives, videocam, digital cameras, or any other device connected to the PC Card slot, VGA/ FireWire/ USB port should be avoided.

Increase the RAM memory, if an extra slot is available, as this puts fewer burdens on the hard disk, which consumes a lot of battery power. Avoid multimedia games while you are running your notebook on battery power. Similarly, avoid music or movies. Copy the CD/DVD on the hard disk and play it from there, instead of the optical drive. Disable WiFi and Bluetooth. Built-in wireless cards should also be disabled. Decrease or set to mute the notebook speaker volume. Turn off all preprogrammed scheduled tasks. All unused open applications should be closed. The general guideline is that when your notebook is on battery power, you should perform only such operations, which are the need of the hour. Rest of the applications can be performed, when your notebook is connected to the mains.

Keeping good care of the battery also prolongs its life. To maximize performance of nickel-metal hydride batteries, they have to be completely drained off before they are recharged. However, lithium-ion batteries do not need cycling/ conditioning, and they do not suffer from memory effects. Hence, they need not be fully drained off before recharging. When the notebook is not in use for an extended period, the battery pack should be removed to avoid battery leakage. Before removing the battery pack, you should charge it fully and then remove it, as all kinds of batteries should always be stored in a fully charged state. Do not store your battery pack along with metal parts, as this will short-circuit your battery.

Utilizing the built-in battery saving options and other means, you can significantly add one to three hours more in the total capacity of your notebook battery. Sometimes, in critical situations, like an important meeting, this extra hour of notebook battery power can help you clinch your desired deal.

This article is under GNU FDL license and can be distributed without any previous authorization from the author. However the author's name and all the URLs (links) mentioned in the article and biography must be kept.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/hardware-articles/increasing-notebook-battery-power-227151.html

About the Author:

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

Cleaning Your Desktop

By Kay Brenner

Ah, the desktop. It's just as important to keep your desktop clean on your Windows PC as it is to keep your real desktop clutter free, so that you may work at optimal performance. It will help your computer speed up as well. Having to render all those icons on the desktop all the time can really slow things down.

Did you know you can actually remove all the icons from your desktop? If you create a new folder in the middle of the desktop then you move all your icons to the left or right side of the desktop, then you can select everything and drag it all off of the desktop by dragging the new folder to the left or right along with all the other items selected. This is the crude way to remove everything, because technically it's still all on your desktop but it's just not visible.

Another way to get rid of most of the main icons is to put them all in one folder on the desktop. Just name it “Desktop Stuff”. Then you magically have a clean desktop and all the stuff that's normally on your desktop is in one folder right there. It will speed up your computer slightly, but you do have to double click one extra time, it seems like a good trade off though.

If you simply must keep many of the things on your desktop, there are several tools to help you organize all the essential items that you can't live without on the desktop. First, you can access all the options by right clicking on the desktop. If you go to the View menu you can choose between different sizes of icons. If you put them on Large that might help you realize how cluttered or clean your desktop is. From the View menu you can also align your icons to a grid, or have Windows “auto arrange” your icons. If you like that make circles with and stuff with your icons then you will probably want to stay away from aligning them to a grid.

If you do have them set to auto arrange. You can then sort them by their name, size of the files, or other options like that. Really, the best way to go is to just make one folder and throw all of that junk that's been piling up on your desktop straight to the desktop master folder. Just imagine your real desktop having one folder where you could have all your family photos and memorabilia right there in one folder instead of all taking up space and collecting dust!

Just by following these simple steps, you can improve the performance on your PC, especially when loading demanding applications such as games or word processor for example. If you have a large number of files you could create different directories such as ‘pictures,’ ‘music’ or ‘video’ for example. I even suggest a scrapbook folder for files you are not sure about how to classify.

About the Author: Kay Brenner is a Clean PC consultant who specializes in restoring your slow PC, saving you time and money wrestling with a sick computer. To reclaim your dream machine you first bought and download a free PC Health Check, visit http://www.pcdocpro.com

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=195617&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Speed up computer by Cleaning Registry

Windows Registry

Registry is the most sensitive and critical element of the Microsoft operating system. It is a file that is maintained by the system to store information about the hardware and software configurations, computer settings and network settings of a computer. Windows uses registry information to perform every operation.

When you install new software (even if you install a ActiveX component from the Internet) or make any changes to the configuration (add new hardware or modify appearance of your desktop) the changes are recorded in the registry. Over time Windows registry becomes saturated with redundant files and broken links that cause errors and even system crashes. When you delete a file or uninstall a program, the registry keeps a reference of that deleted file and does not remove it and an invalid data or error stays in the registry. As the registry gets filled with these invalid data and errors, your computer system will become sluggish and can cause severe system complications resulting in system crash, hang and malfunction.

Registry structure is such that when you remove unused and incorrect data, holes are created in the registry tree. Having holes or empty spaces in the registry tree slows down your computers performance and might create operational errors.

Cleaning Registry

Cleaning garbage from your registry makes it better since it removes unused and incorrect data that causes registry pollution, computer errors and a slowdown in performance. Cleaning programs can help you wipe out private information from your computer, conceal the web sites you have been visiting, or just clean up no-longer-necessary files from your disk. Cleaning registry regularly will keep the registry trim and up to date. Running a cleaning registry and registry repair software on a regular basis will boost your system performance, remove hidden errors and bugs and prevent system crashes. Registry clean software is an effective way of keeping your PC registry free from unwanted and outdated entries, spyware and adware. Make sure your system has a clean registry and your windows operating system operates under a clean registry, as it is the most important component on your pc.

Tips To Avoiding A Computer Virus

Tips To Avoiding A Computer Virus

By Scott Miller

Although numerous in their design, computer viruses can basically be broken down into two categories. These include a virus that can either be destructive or simply annoying. In order to combat both, software developers have created anti-virus software that is designed to detect and remove certain types of computer viruses, along with worms, spyware, adware and identity theft.

With modern technology having turned toward computers and the internet, computer viruses are more problematic than ever. While anti-virus software is important, the best approach to fighting against a computer virus is knowing how to avoid one. Here are a few tips:

Never download an e-mail file from anyone that you do not know. Whether it be a document, photo or other program, simply close the e-mail without downloading it’s contents.

When visiting websites, carefully select reputable companies when downloading files. This may include e-books, freeware, software, photos and other programs. If you are not familiar with the company or the website, there is no way to know what you will be accessing and how damaging it may be to your computer system.

If you choose to download either an e-mail or internet file, use your anti-virus software to check the file prior to opening it on your computer.

Always keep your anti-virus software updated with the latest information and upgrades from the manufacturer. When it is time to replace your software because it is outdated, don’t wait. New computer viruses are created often and no system is truly safe without some type of updated detection software.

As mentioned earlier, a computer virus can be either damaging to your computer system or may be nothing more than an annoyance. An example of a destructive virus would be one that destroys your hard drive files, prevents your computer from continuing to operate or may cause you to have to re-install the computer’s configuration using the Restore CD that accompanied your purchase. An annoying virus may cause your computer to operate slower than usual or may prevent certain files from working properly.

In some cases, software manufacturers create programs that have ‘bugs’ within the program. This is often called a virus, but should not be considered in the same manner as a typical computer virus. The reason is because a software manufacturer does not create these ‘bugs’ to intentionally hinder their customers and will generally work to replace the faulty program. In addition, a software glitch will not prevent your entire computer from operating or delete all of your files from the hard drive.

Common sense, along with an anti-virus program, will go a long way in both detecting and avoiding a computer virus. Without these important elements, your entire computer system and the information on it are at risk of infection.

About the Author: The author is a regular contributor to Adware Cop where more information about adware and viruses is available.

Source: www.isnare.com

What Is The Difference Between A Worm, Virus And Trojan Horse?

By Anne-Marie Ronsen

Tips and recommendations for protecting your PC...

Most of us don't make a real difference between worm, virus and Trojan Horse or refer to a worm or Trojan Horse as a virus.

All of us know all are malicious programs that can cause very serious damage to PC. Exist differences among the three, and knowing those differences can help you to better protect your computer from their often damaging effects.

A computer virus is a program or piece of code that is loaded onto your computer without your knowledge and runs against your wishes. Some viruses cause only mildly annoying effects while others can damage your hardware, software or files. Almost all viruses are attached to an executable file, which means the virus may exist on your computer but it cannot infect your computer unless you run or open the malicious program. A virus cannot be spread without a human action, (such as running an infected program) to keep it going. People continue the spread of a computer virus, mostly unknowingly, by sharing infecting files or sending e-mails with viruses as attachments in the e-mail.

A worm is a program or algorithm that replicates itself. A worm has the capability to travel without any help from a person from PC to PC and have ability to replicate itself on your system, so rather than your computer sending out a single worm, it could send out hundreds or thousands of copies of itself, creating a huge devastating effect.

A Trojan Horse is a destructive program that "working" as a benign application ( (like changing your desktop, adding silly active desktop icons) or can cause serious damage by deleting files and destroying information on your system. Trojans are also known to create a back door on your computer that gives malicious users access to your system, possibly allowing confidential or personal information to be compromised. Trojans do not reproduce by infecting other files nor do they self-replicate.

Added into the mix, we also have what is called a blended threat. Blended threats combine the characteristics of viruses, worms, Trojan Horses, and malicious code with server and Internet vulnerabilities. By using multiple methods and techniques, blended threats can rapidly spread and cause widespread damage. Characteristics of blended threats include: causes harm, propagates by multiple methods, attacks from multiple points, and exploits vulnerabilities. This combination of method and techniques means blended threats can spread quickly and cause widespread damage. Characteristics of blended threats include: causes harm, propagates by multiple methods, attacks from multiple points and exploits vulnerabilities. They are considered to be the worst risk to security since the inception of viruses, as most blended threats require no human intervention to propagate.

Therefore is very important to protect your PC with a good anti-virus software installed on your system with the latest fixes for new viruses, worms, and Trojan horses.

Additionally, you want to make sure your anti-virus program has the ability to scan e-mail and files as they are downloaded from the Internet. This will help prevent malicious programs from even reaching your computer. You should also install a a system that prevents unauthorized use and access to your computer (firewall as well). A good software firewall will protect your computer from outside attempts to control or gain access your computer, and usually provides additional protection against the most common Trojan programs or e-mail worms.

About the Author: Anne-Marie Ronsen is the author of many wealth and self development. Download FREE e-books and software from http://www.e-bestsellers.com, http://www.PLRbestsellers.com or http://www.UniversalPublishingltd.com … You will learn about the best tips and recommendations to improve your health, weight and wealth.

Source: www.isnare.com
Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=185987&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Windows Vista tips for users

Windows Vista has been on the market for more than 18 months now and we are seeing the adoption rate by our clients increase.

While XP can still be purchased on business-class computers through system builders like Dell and HP, retail stores such as Best Buy and Office Depot no longer offer systems with the beloved and stable Windows XP operating system.

For those of you who have already made the move to Vista, and those of you who are considering it, either by choice or by force, I have listed below seven tips that Microsoft has released to its certified partners, relating to security and protection, as well as searching and organizing on Vista.

All of your computer's security needs are now bundled in one easy-to-find, easy-to-monitor location. The Windows security center helps make your PC more secure by alerting you when your security software is out of date or when your security settings should be strengthened.

One of the key tools in the security center is Windows Defender. It works with Internet Explorer 7 to help protect your computer against pop-ups, slow performance, and security threats caused by spyware and other unwanted software, often defined as malware.

BitLocker drive encryption protects the information stored on your computer from hackers or thieves who might obtain access to your machine. It is a full disk encryption feature included with Microsoft's Windows Vista, designed to protect data by providing encryption for entire volumes.

The new backup and restore functionality in Windows Vista makes it easier to keep your data and computer safe from user error, hardware failure, and any other issue that could result in data loss. The Windows backup and restore center gives you one place to manage all backup and restore features.

Looking for specific applications, Web sites and e-mails is faster than ever with the streamlined Windows Vista start menu. To find a specific application or file, click the Windows key on the keyboard (or open the Start menu) and enter the file name in the Instant Search field. As you type, Windows Vista dynamically searches filenames, metadata, and the full text of all files and displays the choices by file type.

Every explorer window in Windows Vista contains an integrated instant search field in which you can enter a word, part of a word, or a phrase. Try filtering by type using the search pane and selecting "documents." Next, choose to see your files in another way, via the new stack view. Select the author column header control drop-down menu, and choose the option to "stack by author." Explore all the documents by a particular author by double-clicking on an author's stack. Now, save that search as a new search folder. Choose the option "save search" found on the top command bar and name and save your search folder. In the future, to re-run it, simply select the "searches" folder link on the left side navigation pane, and double click on your search folder.

Windows aero offers you a premium user experience. The glass windows create an open, energizing environment, and enable you to better focus on your content, rather than on the surrounding interface.

David Spire is the business technology adviser with US Computer Group in Bradenton. He can be reached at 721-6423. david.spire@uscomputer group.com

Computer tips for parents of teens

Reinforce the public nature of the Internet and let your adolescent know you will supervise online activity. Adolescents are more likely follow the rules when you let them know you will be watching out for them.

. Limit the amount of time spent online

. Use filtering software

. Monitor increased independence.

Even though adolescents may appear as though they can "handle" certain situations, they actually require and unconsciously seek adult guidance and supervision

Explain where it is appropriate for your adolescent to have privacy: confiding in close friends face-to-face, writing in a paper journal, in his/her bedroom, etc. Reinforce that there is no privacy on the Internet

. Know their passwords, screen names, and the friends they are communicating with online

. Monitor the use of webcams and mobile phones, as well as the posting and exchanging pictures/video online

. Explain that once a picture is sent online they lose control of what is done with it (it may never be completely removed from the Internet)

. Teach them that it is illegal for people to manufacture, possess or distribute naked or sexually explicit pictures of children under 18 years of age. Explain that they need to tell a trusted adult if they are presented with this situation

. Teach them that it is illegal for adults to offer them gifts or money in exchange for sexual activity

. Discuss dignity and self-respect and how it can be preserved or destroyed by messages sent online and offline

. Discuss the difference between healthy and unhealthy relationships

. Explain that they should never meet in person someone they first meet online without a parent or guardian

. Discuss online and offline high-risk behavior and create "what if" scenarios together to help your adolescent recognize dangerous situations and practice responses

. Encourage open communication and be aware of your adolescent's sensitivity to social judgment. S/he may be hesitant to share personal experiences

. Monitor and verify any job offers made, and accompany the youth to interviews

Source: Canadian Centre for Child Protection

Cisco And CompTIA Practice Questions: Etherchannels, The OSI Model

Here are some questions on static routing, the OSI model, IP version 6, and other topics to help prepare you for CCNA, CCENT, and CCNP certification exam success! Network+ candidates, I didn’t leave you out!

CCNA Certification:

What character or combination of characters indicates a statically configured default route?

Answer: An "S*" next to a route indicates that it is a default static route. If there were no asterisk, the route type indicated would be a static route – but not a default static route.

CCENT Certification / Network+ Certification Question:

Which one of the following networking terms is not associated with the same OSI layer as the others?

A. router

B. packet

C. TCP

D. IP

Answer: C. TCP runs at the Transport layer of the OSI model. The other three terms are associated with the Network layer. The Network layer is sometimes referred to as the “routing layer”.

CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam:

If an IPv6 address begins with "FF", what kind of address is it?

A. broadcast

B. unicast

C. anycast

D. multicast

Answer: D. Any IPv6 address beginning with "FF" is a multicast. IPv6 does not use broadcasts.

CCNP Certification / BCMSN Exam:

You've configured an Etherchannel and note that the trunk has gone down. You check the interfaces on one switch and note that two are "err-disabled". The corresponding ports on the other switch are not. What should you do?

A. Nothing - that's the normal and desired behavior.

B. Shut and reopen the err-disabled interfaces.

C. Shut and reopen the non-err-disabled interfaces.

D. Use the err-abled command on the err-disabled interfaces.

Answer: B. After finishing the config, shut and reopen the err-disabled interfaces. If the configuration is correct, that will do the trick. This is common when you configure all of the ports on one switch and then start configuring the other switch, rather than going back and forth between the appropriate ports on the switches.

See you soon with more CCNA, Network+, CCNP, and CCENT questions!

Cisco CCNA, CCENT, CCNP, And CompTIA Questions: HSRP, OSPF Cost, Route Summarization

Let's test your knowledge of important CCNA, CCENT, CCNP, and Network+ exam topics!

CCNA Certification:

The term used for an OSPF path metric is ____________ .

Extra credit: What formula does OSPF use to calculate that metric?

Answer: OSPF's metric is referred to as cost, and the calculation is 100,000,000 / interface speed in bps.



Cisco CCENT / CompTIA Network+ Question:

Which of the following do TCP and UDP headers have in common?

A. sequence number

B. source port

C. source IP address

D. window

E. destination port

F. destination IP address

G. ACK bit

H. reset bit

Answer: B, E. In addition to the source port and destination port numbers, the UDP and TCP headers also have a checksum field in common.



CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam:

In ISIS, what is the most efficient point of a network at which to perform route summarization?

A. An L1 router.

B. An L2 router.

C. An L1/L2 router.

D. A DIS router.

Answer: C. L1/L2 routers are area boundary routers in ISIS, and this is the most efficient point at which to configure route summarization



CCNP Certification / BCMSN Exam:

Short answer: An HSRP router is the primary router and it has a priority of 100. Another router comes online in the same group and it has a priority of 107. Does the new router become the primary? If so, why? If not, what additional configuration is needed to make it the primary?

Answer. By default, the new router with the higher priority will not become the primary router. To allow a router with a higher priority to take over the role of HSRP primary from an existing and normally functioning primary, the preempt option must be configured on the router with the higher priority.

Let's use a two-router HSRP deployment as an example. R2 is the standby, R3 is the primary ("active"), and both have an HSRP priority of 100. Raising R2's priority to 150 does not automatically make it the primary, as shown below.


R2(config)#interface ethernet0

R2(config-if)#standby 5 priority 150


R2#show standby

Ethernet0 - Group 5

Local state is Standby, priority 150

Hellotime 4 sec, holdtime 12 sec Next hello sent in 0.896

Virtual IP address is 172.12.23.10 configured

Active router is 172.12.23.3, priority 100 expires in 8.072

Standby router is local 1 state changes, last state change 00:14:24


R2 now has a higher priority, but R3 is still the active router. R2 will not take over as the HSRP primary until R3 goes down - OR the preempt option is configured on R2.


R2(config-if)#standby 5 priority 150 preempt


1d11h: %STANDBY-6-STATECHANGE: Ethernet0 Group 5 state Standby -> Active


R2#show standby


Ethernet0 - Group 5

Local state is Active, priority 150, may preempt

Hellotime 4 sec, holdtime 12 sec Next hello sent in 1.844

Virtual IP address is 172.12.23.10 configured

Active router is local

Standby router is 172.12.23.3 expires in 10.204

Virtual mac address is 0000.0c07.ac05 2 state changes, last state change 00:00:13

That's enough for today! Look for more free Cisco and CompTIA certification exam questions on this website soon! A+ certification and Microsoft Vista certification practice questions are on the way as well!
by: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

Cisco CCNA, CCENT, And CCNP Home Lab Study: The DTE/DCE Cable

More Cisco CCNA, CCENT, and CCNP candidates than ever before are putting together their own home labs for their certification exam study, and that's a great trend - there's nothing like learning on the real thing!

Part of putting a home lab together is getting the right cables and understanding their usage. In this new Cisco home lab series, we'll take a look at the different cable types and how each fits into your home lab. The first cable type we'll look at is the multi-purpose DTE/DCE cable.

When I say "multi-purpose", I mean that while the cable will always perform the same task, it can be used in several different points in your home lab network. If you're going to have a frame relay switch - and you should get one if at all possible, since having your own frame relay cloud is a tremendous boost to your home lab studies and your exam score - you're going to need a DTE/DCE cable.

You can also use a DTE/DCE cable to directly connect two Cisco router serial interfaces and configure HDLC (the default) or PPP encapsulation over that point-to-point link.

Most of today's DTE/DCE cables have "DTE" clearly stamped on one end of the cable - actually, "DTE" is probably embedded into the connector itself. Naturally, the other end will have "DCE" clearly indicated. It's the DCE end that will connect to your frame relay switch. If you're going to use a direct connection to run PPP or HDLC, it almost doesn't matter which end of the cable is connected to a given router.

Keyword: "almost". You must use the clockrate command on the DCE end of the connection in order to bring the line protocol up.

If you're not sure which end of your DTE/DCE cable is connected to a given serial interface, just use the show controller serial command to get that information. Most of the output of that command isn't comprehensible, but what we need is right on top:

R3#show controller serial 1
HD unit 1, idb = 0x11B4DC, driver structure at 0x121868
buffer size 1524 HD unit 1, V.35 DCE cable

Naturally, if it's the DTE end, you'll see "DTE" there. And if you don't have anything connected to that interface, you'll see "no cable".

Whether you have your own frame relay switch or not, you'll want to pick up some DTE/DCE cables for direct connections between your Cisco home lab router's serial interfaces. Just don't forget to put the clockrate command on the DCE end of the cable! And if you're not familiar with a frame relay switch, check this same website soon for a tutorial that will show you how to set one up.

Just about any Cisco router can serve as a home lab frame relay switch, and once you've got it configured, you're in good shape - but it can be a little maddening to get it up and running in the first place. I'll show you how to avoid that aggravation in the next installment of this Cisco home lab tutorial series!

by: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

CCNA, CCENT, Network+, And Security+ Practice Questions: TCP, UDP, Smurf Attacks, And More!

Let’s test your knowledge of UDP, TCP, smurf attacks, EIGRP, and more with these questions designed to help you prepare for success on your CCENT, CCNA, CCNP, Network+, and Security+ certification exams!

CCENT Certification / Network+ Certification:

Which of the following protocols runs on both UDP and TCP?

A. DHCP

B. SNMP

C. DNS

D. ARP

E. Inverse ARP

Answer: C. DNS runs on port 53, both on TCP and UDP.

Security+ Certification:

Briefly define the term "smurf attack". (Not too briefly, though!)

Answer: Basically, a smurf attack involves sends ICMP Echo packets (pings) with the intended victim's IP address specified as the source of the Echo packets. This transmission takes the form of a directed broadcast, which means that quite a few hosts can receive it - and then respond with ICMP Echo Replies, which will all be sent to the intended victim.

CCNA Exam:

R1 and R3 are directly connected at their respective Serial1 interfaces via a DTE/DCE cable. What command will tell you whether the interface is connected to the DTE or DCE end of the cable?

Answer: Run show controller serial 1 on either router - the DTE / DCE information is near the top of the output.

CCNP Certification / BSCI Exam:

DUAL has discovered four possible paths to a remote network, with the following metrics: PathA, 1500. PathB, 1500. PathC, 2600. PathD, 3100. What command will allow EIGRP to use the first three paths without using the fourth?

Answer: variance 2 would do the job. Any path with a metric of 3000 or lower will be utilized; setting it to 3 would bring PathD into the equation.

CCNP Certification / BCMSN Exam:

What is the main purpose of IEEE 802.3ac?

Answer: The IEEE 802.3ac standard allows the maximum frame length to be extended to 1522 bytes, which means the dot1q 4-byte header doesn't cause problems in transmission.

CCNP Certification / ONT Exam:

Which queueing strategy gives priority to interactive, low-bandwidth communications by default?

Answer: Weighted Fair Queueing (WFQ) gives priority to interactive, low-bandwidth conversations, and then splits the remaining bandwidth fairly among the remaining conversations.

Look for a new set of Cisco and CompTIA certification exam questions soon!

by: Chris Bryant, CCIE #12933

Cashing in by Blogging

Believe it or not, but it’s actually possible to make money from blogging. One teenager has, in fact, earned $5,000 a month just from making posts on his blog! Of course, not every blogger is this lucky. It does take some skill, and some luck to make money from blogging. What it also takes is some knowledge of how exactly to generate income just by posting blogs. In this newsletter, we will go over three specific methods of making money on your blog: Adsense, Pay Per Lead, and Affiliate Links.

So how exactly do I make money on my blog?

You do it by working with another company that wants to use your blog as a form of advertising. It sounds like selling out, right? Not exactly. The advertising can be as in your face or subtle as you want. And it can still make you money, provided you have enough visitors to your blog.

What is Adsense?

Adsense is a program offered by Google. The program, if installed, will display ads provided by Google.

How do I get Adsense?

You’ll need to go to Google.com, first. At the bottom of the screen is a link for “Advertising Programs”. Click on that. Then click on the link for “Adsense”. Scroll down on the page that comes up and click “Click Here To Apply!” You then fill out the form with information about yourself. After 12-48 hours, Google will notify you via email whether or not your site has been accepted. When you’ve been accepted, set up your ads by doing either of the following:

1. If your blog is hosted on Blogger.com, you can set up your AdSense ads by going to your profile, selecting settings>template>add an element. Then select AdSense and login with your account info. Next, you’ll configure your ads and save the template. That’s it.

2. If you are self-hosting your blog, you’ll have to set up AdSense in more of a manual way. You’ll create your ads(which can be as small or as tall as you want) and then copy the HTML/Javascript code Google gives you. Then you’ll paste it into your blog(on the left, right, or top of the screen).

For the first few days, the ads displayed by Google will be Public Service Announcements. After the ads have been up a few days, though, the ads will switch to ads that are relevant to your blog.

How does Adsense work?

Every time a visitor clicks an Adsense ad, you get a little bit of money(usually around 30-60 cents). The amount you get for each ad clicked depends on the number of unique visitors you receive on your blog. The more visitors, the more money that can be earned.

Google will then send a check or pay you through Paypal once you’ve made at least $100 from the ads.

It is important to remember that Google will penalize you if you click your own ads, or if you ask visitors specifically to click ads. So don’t do that!

Pay Per Click

Pay Per Click is basically just like AdSense, except you don’t just work with Google—you work with multiple companies. BidVertiser is one such company you can sign up with to do Pay Per Click advertising.

How do I get Pay Per Click

You sign up with a site like Bidvertiser and then follow their instructions to set up the Pay Per Click ads on your site.

How does Pay Per Click work?

It works by paying you money each time someone clicks an ad that you display. You won’t get paid for multiple clicks from the same user in the same visitor, nor will you get paid for someone simply visiting your site. You only get paid for legitimate clicks.

Affiliate Links

Affiliate links are basically links which people pay you for. Companies will actually pay owners of popular blogs to post links on their blog. You can do as much Affiliate linking as you want.

How do I get Affiliate Links?

You can get Affiliate links by searching for “Affiliate Link Programs” on the internet. Once you find an Affiliate link program that looks good to you, sign up for it. Then you can follow their instructions for putting the link(s) on your blog.

How do Affiliate Links work?

Like the other two methods mentioned above, Affiliate links work by paying you money each time they are clicked. You get paid for each click per unique visitor.

So that’s it. There’s three legitimate ways to make money from blogging. It is important to keep in mind that the amount of money you are able to make depends on how many visitors your blog draws. If you draw a lot, you’ll make a lot. If not, the money you earn will be modest. But it’s still extra money, so why not do it?

Making money using Adsense, Pay Per Click or Affiliate Link programs is easy and effective. Start monetizing your blog today!

How to Clean Disc Drives

When your CD or DVD (disc) drive starts giving you problems, your first thought may be to replace it or take it to the repair shop, but a good cleaning may be all it needs.

Below are three methods to clean the disc drive. The easiest method is the least effective. The hardest method is the most effective. Since the hardest method takes some time to do, I recommend that you start with the easiest method. If it solves your problems, congratulations. If not, try the next method.

The Cleaner Disc method - this, the easiest method, uses a special cleaner disc which can be purchased in computer stores. The disc usually comes with a little bottle of cleaner solution. Apply a few drops of the solution to the disc and insert it in the disc drawer (be sure to read and follow the instructions that come with the cleaner disc). The drive will turn the disc and clean the lens. Unfortunately, this only works adequately about half the time.

The Cleaning Stick method - this is what I do in desperation when the cleaner disc does not work and I don't want to disassemble the drive. Since all that is needed (at least in my mind this is true) is a little more pressure applied to the lens, I start out in search of a thin, flexible stick of some type which is at least six inches long. It should not have sharp or rough edges that would scratch the lens. Next, get a soft, thin cloth and put water or rubbing alcohol in the middle of it. Place one end of the stick under the wet part of the cloth and slide it into the opened disc drawer. The goal is to rub the wet cloth on the lens to clean it. Do not apply so much pressure that you will scratch and ruin the lens. Also try blowing into the disc drive to remove any dirt that may have accommulated in it. If you do not succeed at this, proceed to the next method.

The Disassembly method - this method should work but it requires you to disassemble the drive. So if you are not comfortable with taking the drive apart, please take it to a computer repair shop and let them do it.

Take the cover off your computer, unplug the cords from the back of the disc drive, remove any screws holding it in, and slide it out (you may need to remove the face plate on the end of the drawer to get the drive out). Remove the screws in the drive housing and take the cover off. The bottom side of the drive is a circuit board, so if that is what you see when you take the cover off, figure out how to access the other side. On the correct side, you should see a lens that runs on a track (there is no harm in moving the lens along the track but do not touch the lens itself). Use a wet, soft cloth to clean the lens.

Sometimes a disc drive malfunctions because there is too much dust or debris in it, so be sure to clean out the inside with either compressed air, a soft cloth, or a cotton swab. Reassemble the disc drive, put it back in the computer case, and cross your fingers. Hopefully, it will work when you turn on the computer.

If these methods work, you just saved yourself some money. If not, you needed a better disc drive anyway.

How to Clean the Registry

In the beginning Windows' registry consisted of two files totalling around 5mb in size. Today it consists of at least 12 files with the Software file itself being 30mb or bigger in size. As the size of the registry has exploded, so has the trash and clutter in it. It may seem like a daunting task, but cleaning the registry properly can fix system problems, speed your computer up, and make it run more efficiently.

I have spent many years developing and refining thousands of procedures to do just that. I could share these methods of hunting down the trash with you and let you find them and delete them by hand, but if you were to sit down at your computer right now and work nonstop, you would still be busy with them a week from now when the next issue of Ray's Computer Tips arrives. By then your registry would have new clutter and you would have to start all over again.

To make registry cleaning easier on everyone, I wrote a program called RegVac Registry Cleaner (http://regvac.com/regvac.htm) to perform those procedures. It has been so successful that several companies have asked me to model their registry cleaners after RegVac and even more have copied processes that first debutted in RegVac.

The first place RegVac cleans is the HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT section (the Classes Vac in RegVac does this). This section contains settings for the classes of Windows. Think of a huge box full of snakes and you will get an idea of how complicated and interwoven it is. It is so complicated that many registry cleaners bypass it or simply perform surface scans of it. RegVac uses over a hundred processes to follow each tentacle of each class deep into this area and make sure that they abide by the rules.

Next RegVac validates the entries in 22 lists with 7 different methods (the FilesList Vac does this). This is a minor part of RegVac but the bulk of most other registry cleaners even though they usually do not clean all 22 lists.

Another part of RegVac, the Software Vac, which is unique to RegVac, finds old software sections in the registry and provides a way to remove that software's entire branch. Other registry cleaners only remove a few entries in this area often leaving huge portions of the registry that do nothing but take up space and get in the way.

Even more trash can be discovered in hundreds of stashes used to store data you will never use. Most registry cleaners do not even touch these. The Stash Vac lists these stashes and lets you go through and select which ones to empty out. Please use caution when using the Stash Vac because some of the items listed there may be important. For example, one folder in the Stash Vac lists places where data for international keyboards are stored. You probably will never use the data for Bulgarian keyboards, so you can remove it, but if you live in the US you may experience problems after removing the United States 101 keyboard. The items that you can safely remove are usually obvious.

Last but not least, when cleaning the registry, you should look for broken links to files on the computer (this is what the Bad Link Vac does). If a file is referenced in the registry but it does not exist on your hard drive, that is a good indicator that something is wrong. Many programmers start out writing a registry cleaner thinking all it has to do is check for these broken links and remove them. In fact, that is all many registry cleaners do.

Even though that is all they do, they often don't do it correctly. If you check the results of such scans, you will find out that many of the broken links are really good links. I spent several months refining this part of RegVac so that as far as I know it is 100% accurate. Despite this, please realize that some software enter broken links in the registry and require them to be there in order for them to run. RegVac skips the ones it knows about, but you still need to be careful with this part of RegVac.

RegVac has six more tools that clean even more areas: the Add/Remove Editor, the System Config Utility, the OpenWith Editor, the AutoComplete Editor, the Junk Keys Editor, and Registry Backup, Pack, and Restore.

Many of you already use RegVac but if you don't, you can downloaded a free 30 day trial of RegVac at http://regvac.com/regvacz.exe. For more information about RegVac Registry Cleaner go to http://regvac.com/regvac.htm. If you like RegVac, you can purchase it for only $29.95. All future updates are free.

Keep the Windows registry clean and running smoothly with RegVac Registry Cleaner.

How to Clean a Printer

Does your printer have frequent paper jams? Does it put ink where ink shouldn't be? Is the outside of your printer dirty or covered with smudges? If so, it is time to clean your printer.

First, there are some general rules that apply to cleaning just about any electrical device. It is best to turn off the printer before cleaning it. Do not spray water or cleaner on or in the printer. Instead wet the rag with it and clean the printer with the rag.

Different types of printers require different cleaning methods. So if you can get your hands on cleaning instructions for your make and model of printer, do so and follow them. Unfortunately, many manufacturers only make that kind of information available to their licensed technicians. In that case, you are stuck with these instructions, so read on.

Open up your printer and take a look.

If you have an ink jet printer and there is an ink mess inside, clean it up with wet paper towels.

If you have a printer that uses toner either vacuum or blow it out. Some toner, especially color toner, can be harmful to you, so only use a vacuum with a micro-toner filter or blow and run. Figure out where the drum is (it is shiny and larger in diameter than the rollers) and do not touch or scratch it. If you do, the scratches will turn up as marks on every paper that you print and will require that you replace the drum (not a cheap option) to fix it.

Examine the path that the paper takes through the printer. Clean all of the rollers (but on a toner printer, not the drum or rollers near the drum and watch out for the rollers after the drum because they may be hot). It may take some disassembly and/or contorting of your arm to get to some of the rollers. Access is not always easy. The most important rollers to clean are the ones which pick up the paper from the paper bin and transfer it into the printer. If these rollers are dirty or bad, they will cause consistent paper jams.

The rollers are made of either hard plastic or rubber. All of the rollers can be cleaned with water or rubbing alcohol. If the rubber rollers have deposits that you can't get off, you can use harsher cleaners but be careful because those cleaners can damage the plastic rollers and parts.

To clean a roller, wipe across the roller with a wet rag, rotate the roller, and wipe again. Do this until you have worked your way all the way around the roller. Look at the rag. If it has been blackened by the roller, move to a clean part of the rag and clean the roller again.

Once everything is clean on the inside, close it up and clean the outside. Wipe off the case and each of the buttons or knobs. If there are staples or paper clips sitting on it or wedged in the cracks, remove them and throw them away.

Other areas of the printer can be cleaned but to do so, you will have to either get training and special tools or leave it to a trained professional.

by: Ray Geide

How to clean your Mother Board

By: Ray Geide

If you have not done the inspection mentioned in the previous article - How to Clean your Case, now is the time to do so. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there clusters of dust there? Is there grime caked on to it? If so, the inside needs to be cleaned. If the fan blades are clean but it has been several years since you have cleaned the motherboard or if the computer is around cigarette smoke, it probably should be cleaned anyway. Dust and particles in the air (like cigarette smoke) can build up on the circuitry of the motherboard and cause it to heat up and/or corrode.

The first thing that you need to do is unplug your computer. Then open up the case to get access to the motherboard. Cases open differently. If you don't know how to open your case, look on the back of your computer along the edge for some screws. These screws may hold on side panels or an upside down U shaped panel that covers the sides and top. Removing the screws will allow you to take off the cover. Other cases have the screws on the front of the computer. To get access to these screws, you must first remove the front panel by pressing a hidden latch. The cover is there to give easy access to the inside of your computer, so if you look hard enough, you should be able to figure out how to remove it.

Remember that if you touch anything on the motherboard, you should be grounded by either touching the metal frame of the computer with your other hand or by wearing a special grounding device.

The goal of cleaning the motherboard is to remove all dust and debris from the motherboard and all components inside of the case. This can be done using one of three methods.

The preferred method is to use a can of compressed air to blow it out. Always hold the can in an up-right position to prevent the propellent chemicals which can damage or corrode components from coming out. Dust and dirt should be blown away from the motherboard and out of the case.

Another way to remove dust is to use a vacuum. The common advice is to only use a battery operated vacuum because an AC powered vacuum causes static and static can ruin the motherboard. I have used an AC powered vacuum (before I knew that it was not recommended) to clean my motherboard many times and it has never caused any problems, but I may have just been lucky. When using the vacuum, keep the nozzle a couple of inches away from the motherboard or any other components so that it does not come in contact with them and so that any small parts are not sucked into the vacuum.

If you do not have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, you can use a dry cloth and brush to clean the motherboard. Be careful not to dislodge or break anything using this method.

While cleaning the motherboard, be careful not to unplug any cables or connections or to dislodge any loose components, such as, jumpers.

Methodically clean the whole inside of the case going over all of the motherboard from one end to the other and all other components. Don't forget to clean the fans and heat sinks. Do not open up the power supply box or stick anything in it beyond the fan. If you do, you could get a shocking surprise and ruin your computer.

If your computer does not work when you put it back together, something was obviously dislodged during the cleaning. Open the case back up and push all connections and cards into their slots. Look for anything that may have become disconnected.

Cleaning the motherboard is probably the most dangerous form of cleaning but it is necessary to prevent an early death of your computer.

How To clean your Case

There is nothing wrong with leaving spills, dirt, and stains on your computer case. After all isn't that what the case is for, to protect the electronic components inside from spills and dirt? This is true, but there are still parts of the case that need to be cleaned and checked if you want your computer to live a long and prosperous life.

Unless you like looking at dirt everytime you look at your computer, you should go ahead and clean those spills, stains, and dust off of the case. You can do this with just about any cloth and cleaner. Do not use highly abrasive cleaners that might ruin or mar the surface and do not use solvents on plastic. A wet sponge will even work. Just make sure that the cleaner or any liquid does not seep into the inside through cracks and vents. If there is any possibility that you are going to get that messy, turn off and unplug the computer first and wait to turn it back on until any liquid has had a chance to fully dry.

After you have wiped off the outside, it is time for a little inspection. Look at the blades of the fan in the back of the computer. Also look at any vents. Is there dust there? Is there a lot of dust and grime caked on to it? If so, that is an indicator that the inside also needs to be cleaned (I will tell you how to do that in next week's article - How to Clean your Motherboard).

Some clean environments never have to have the inside cleaned. Some need it cleaned monthly. When I lived in Russia, even though I didn't notice it, the air was not clean. The fan on the computer would cake up with dirt and grime after about a month of use. And so I would have to clean the fan, vents, and inside monthly. If I had let it go for several months without cleaning, the fan would have stopped working and the computer would have overheated. Where I now live in the US, the air is clean and I have gone years without having to clean it. Again, the indicator of this is the blades of the fan and the vents. If they are dirty, they need to be cleaned.

You can do some of the cleaning from the outside. First, turn off the computer. Then get out the vacuum sweeper and using the hose, vacuum out the vents and the fan(s). If you have compressed air (you can purchase compressed air from your computer store), you may want to blow air in through the vents (or intake fan if you have one) to loosen the dust and suck it out using the vacuum. If there is still dust or dirt in the vents or on the blades of the fan, you can use a Q-tip to clean them.

If you do not have a vaccum, you can use compressed air alone. Always use short bursts to avoid moisture buildup. Start with the computer off and blow into every hole and vent. Then turn the computer on and blow everything except for the exhaust fan once again.

With the case clean, your computer will look nicer and with the fan and vents cleaned out it will breathe easier and run cooler.

How to Clean your Keyboard-Part 2

When it comes to cleaning your keyboard there are many methods that can be used, some harder and more effective than others.

The easiest method is the Shake Method. It is so easy that you can do it right now. Pick up your keyboard, turn it over being careful not to press any keys, and shake it. See all of that stuff fall out? It is dirtier than you thought, isn't it? You can use one of the following methods to clean it further.

The Blow Method - You can buy cans of pressurized air at the computer department or computer store which are made especially for cleaning your computer. They usually have either a hose and nozzle or a tube extending from the nozzle. Hold the keyboard up vertically (that means that end of the keyboard is up and the other end is down), aim towards the keys and press the button. Keep blowing until all of the debris is blown out. Be sure to get around and in between all of the keys. This can be done with the computer on, but it is better if it is off so that you do not have to worry about pressing the keys and coming up with a page of aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa's.

The Vacuum Method - This is just like the Blow Method except that a vacuum is used instead of a can of pressurized air. It is quite simple. Just turn the vacuum on, pull out the hose, and run the nozzle over the keys. Before doing this make sure your keyboard does not have any loose pop off keys that could be sucked into the vacuum.

The Cotton Ball Method - This can be done in addition to the above methods and in lieu of the following methods. Take a cotton ball or cloth and wet it with rubbing alcohol. It should not be so wet that the alcohol runs down into the cracks of the keyboard. Wipe the tops and sides of the keys.

The Dishwasher Method - I hesitate to tell about this method because there is the possibility that it could fry your keyboard. When I had less experience with computers, I dunked my keyboard in a sink full of water to clean it. It did work afterwards, so I don't doubt those who say this method will not mess up your keyboard, but if it does, don't complain to me. I warned you. If your keyboard is not the standard membrane type of keyboard or if it is on a laptop, do not even think of trying this.

This is how you do it. Unplug the keyboard and place it face down in an empty dishwasher. Do not disassemble the keyboard and do not put it in a dishwasher that has dirty dishes in it. Some say to add soap, some say not to. Run the dishwasher through a regular cycle. Take the keyboard out, shake the water out, and stand it on end until it is completely dry (this may take several days). If it does not work after doing this, it may not be dry. Let it stand another week and try it again. If it still does not work, I warned you.

The Disassembly Method - This is the most thorough method, but it should not be done on laptop keyboards or non-standard non-membrane keyboards.

Turn off the computer and unplug the keyboard. Turn the keyboard upside down. You may want to get two books or short boards to place the keyboard on. Position them so that they hold up the keyboard on the edges when it is turned over. This should leave the keys dangling and not touching the books or the floor. This is especially needed when the keyboard's back is off; otherwise the keys will be lifted out of their position by the floor (or whatever surface it is laying on).

Get a screwdriver and remove all of the screws from the back of the keyboard. Lay the keyboard down on the books and carefully remove the back.

Take everything apart and clean thoroughly. It is better to take the keys out one at a time and clean them so that you do not put them back in the wrong place. Wipe each one down with a wet cloth and then with a dry cloth. Any keys that may be hard to put back in, can be cleaned in place without removing them. Wipe around the keys as they sit in place and blow any debris out with your lungs (using compressed air or a vacuum may upset the keys). If you are really brave, you can remove all of the keys at once and give the frame a good wipe down too.

Do a once over and make sure that you have cleaned everything. Then reassemble it all.

Don't forget the keyboard's cable. Wrap a wet cloth around it and wipe it down. It may have an accumulation of grime that needs to be scrubbed off. Also if any of the letters on the keys have rubbed off, you can use a fine point permanent marker to draw the letter back on the key.

Use these cleaning methods and your keyboard will last a long time and be something you can be proud of.

How to Clean your Mouse

If your mouse is working sluggishly or not at all, don't go out and buy another cheap mouse. The cause is probably just a dirty mouse. A quick cleaning could fix the problem.

First, you need to identify which kind of mouse you have. If you turn your mouse over and part of a ball is showing, you have a ball mouse. If you see a lens, you have an optical or laser mouse. Each type of mouse requires a different type of cleaning.

The optical or laser mouse does not need to be cleaned near as often as the ball mouse, but it and the surface it runs on can still get dirty. If you do not clean the surface that the mouse moves on, it will soon turn black. So about once a month or so, wipe the surface off with a wet rag. The lens probably never will get dirty, but if it does, take a soft cloth, cotton swab, or q-tip wetted with window cleaner or alcohol and clean the lens.

The ball mouse may need cleaning quite often, so you should get well acquainted with the following cleaning procedure. The dirtier the ball mouse gets, the harder it is to get it to move the cursor on the screen smoothly. If you have to move the mouse across the mouse pad several times to get the cursor to move halfway across the screen, it needs to be cleaned.

The mouse does not need to be disconnected to clean it, but you should close all of the programs that are running, so that you don't accidentally click on something and mess it up. If you do decide to disconnect the mouse, be sure to turn off the computer first. The mouse cord should never be unplugged from the computer while it is running. Doing so could ruin your motherboard.

Turn the ball mouse over and find the cover that holds the ball in. Look for arrows on the cover to show which way it needs to be turned. Place two fingers on the cover and push in the direction of the arrows. Once the cover has been turned about an inch, cover it with your hand and turn the mouse back over to the upright position. The ball and cover should fall into your hand. If it doesn't, shake the mouse gently.

Wipe the ball off with a wet rag.

Now look in the ball well and find the three rollers. Start by cutting across the buildup on the rollers with your fingernail (a knife or steel dental pick may also be used gently), then turn the roller and remove the buildup as you go along. If you do this correctly, you will end up with one curled strip of buildup for each roller. Make sure to remove the buildup from the well. If it falls inside somewhere, blow and gently shake it until it comes out.

Take a wet rag and clean each of the rollers by wiping across it, then turning it and wiping again. Continue until the entire roller is cleaned. Put the ball back in the ball well and lock the cover back in place.

If the mouse still has problems once it is assembled, try cleaning it again. If that doesn't work, you may need to buy a new mouse.

It is a good idea to regularly clean the surface that the mouse is on because the cleaner the surface, the less dirt will get inside the mouse and the less often you will have to clean it.

If your mouse is shared by many people (especially if one of them is sick), you may want to disinfect the top of the mouse between users.

Follow these instructions and your mouse will be up and darting again in no time.

By : Ray Geide

How to Clean your Keyboard- Part 1

I know most of you will not heed this advice, but KEYBOARDS CAN MAKE YOU SICK (how's that for tactfulness?). Germs live on your hands and fingers. When you type, many of them jump on to the keyboard. When someone else types on your keyboard, those germs transfer to their fingers. Or when you later type on the same keyboard, those germs reconquer your fingers. Regularly disinfecting the keyboard can prevent this.

To disinfect the keyboard, turn off the computer. Then spray disinfectant on a cloth. Be sure to use disinfectant and not just any type of cleaner because not all cleaners disinfect. Also do not spray the disinfectent directly on the keys. Spray it on the cloth. Wipe down the top and sides of the keys. Give the keys a few minutes to dry off before turning the computer back on.

Now that you know how to do it, you should make it a regular practice to disinfect the keyboard. It's one step towards a healthier you.

So you have your keyboard disinfected and life is great. Then your child spills koolaide all over it. What do you do? There are certain steps that you should take when something, like pop, beer, wine, coffee, milk, or kool-aide, is spilled on the keyboard.

The first thing to do is immediately unplug the keyboard from the back of the computer and turn the keyboard over so that its keys are down. This will allow the liquid to drain out. You will probably want to put a cloth under the keyboard or at least make sure that the surface you have put it on is washable.

Then use the mouse to shut down Windows and turn off the computer (this is important because later you will have to plug the keyboard back into the computer and you should never plug any device into a computer while it is on).

While the keyboard is upside down use a cloth to dry as much of the liquid off as you can. If you have a can of compressed air or a vacuum, while the keyboard is upside down blow or vacuum it out. Then let the keyboard set upside down for at least a night so that it can adequately dry out.

If the liquid that spilled on it was sticky, you may want to follow the extensive cleaning procedure explained in the next article, How to Clean your Keyboard - Part 2.

Liquid spilled on a laptop keyboard can easily reach the hard drive, so turn it over immediately and leave it in that position until it dries.

Keyboards are quite resilient and so it should work when you turn it on again. But if not, another attribute of keyboards is that they are cheap and so it won't cost too much to buy another one.

With these pointers in mind and a quick reaction, you just may save your keyboard from total destruction the next time it gets coated with coffee.

SEO and Keyword Research

SEO or Search Engine Optimization of a website must always start with a proper keyword research. Keyword here refers to the words or phrases that a web searcher types into Google or any other search engine box. What has to be researched here? Well keyword research is defined as the act of determining those keywords/phrases by which people search for a topic of interest on the Internet. SEO professionals have to thus develop the art of choosing the apt keyword that will be used by the potential customer and then optimize the website/ webpage for such a search. When a particular keyword is used to search our website must be ranked high on the SERP (search engine results page).

Keyword research is a technique that one can master by experience. There are many free and paid keyword research tools available online that can be used. Here are some important points during keyword research that must be kept in mind:

- Get familiar with the target audience
- Select keywords that have high search volume
- Familiarize with the specific industry terms
- General terms are more competitive
- Low volume but very specific keyword can get quality traffic
- Reach a balance with regards to volume and quality
- Better to focus on the specific long tail keyword (those with more than three words)

There are many types of keyword research tools like keyword suggestion tools, keyword valuation tool, keyword density analysis tool, keyword editing tools, keyword modifiers etc. These tools can help one to choose the right keyword and then to decide on which to target and finalize depending on the competition.