Remote Technical Support | Remote Desktop Support | Remote Computer Repair

Fix Your Slow Laptop With Remote Tech Support

2011-08-26T04:49:00.000-07:00

Laptops are very useful for the people who need mobile computing device on the go. If you use laptop and experience slow laptop performance it is annoying. Over time, laptops get sluggish. This is very common. Whether you are using a Lenovo laptop or a Dell laptop, you will experience slow laptop problem when it gets old. To fix this problem you can either get in touch with a Dell support or a Lenovo support provider or try some tricks on your own. In this article we will give you some important tips on how to fix slow laptop speed.

While troubleshooting slow laptop problem you should first identify which programs automatically start with the computer operating system. There are many programs that start with the windows which prolong the boot up time of the laptop. Many of these programs might also be completely unnecessary. Programs start with the Windows for the user's convenience. Through the msconfig command limit the number of start up programs. It is recommended only the important programs run on startup. By doing this you can avoid delays or slow speed.

You also need to check the processor use. Go the Windows Task Manager by clicking Shift, Ctrl, and Esc button together. And then click the Processes tab. Check which programs on your computer are using more processor power than its requirements. Sometimes, programs use more processing power due to problems like corrupted or missing key file. This might be problem of the particular software, not the laptop itself. For troubleshooting the problem, uninstall the program first and then reinstalling it. The problem will get resolved.

It is also required to check for incompatibility issues. This means the installed software and the computer hardware is not matching with each other. If this happens then it is required to check the individual hardware. For instance, if you install multimedia software like Adobe Illustrator or Flash or your laptop and there is not adequate RAM, you are likely to experience slow PC performance and even computer freeze.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5980307

Remote Computer Support

2011-08-21T22:19:00.000-07:00

For maintenance of your computer and its peripherals, remote computer support by internet and phone is a much better option than calling a technician home or taking your bulky machines to a repair shop. This is especially worth considering because of the variety of services along with even some very specialized technical support available after different companies competed for market share.

It would be well worth the time if you Googled out the top names for the words "computer support" and evaluated the websites for the kind of services they offer. This is true even for those folks who are not having any trouble with their PC or its peripherals like printer, scanner, MP3 player, etc. Any electronic equipment is bound to develop some problems or defects in its normal course of functioning and your computer being such a complex machine, this is all the more likely.

The websites that you see on the first page offer the remote technical support for computer and its peripherals. To make a choice about which service is to be preferred you can make an evaluation based on the following observations:

• How trustworthy are the technicians who offer the support?
• For how long have they been giving their technical assistance?
• Are they flexible in giving support through phone, internet chat or email?
• What about the certification of the technicians. Is it from a reputable company?
• What is the success rate of the company?
• What is the price charged for providing technical support?

The trust for any technicians should be judged by whether he has the certification from corporations like the leader of PC software industry i.e. Microsoft. The experience in giving technical support counts a lot, especially for those people looking for assistance on now much less prevalent operating system like Windows 2000 or Windows 98. The payment plan should not be so contrived that it takes away more than it delivers. The best plan would be if unlimited PC support is promised for a certain period of time for a reasonable sum like $100.

Another factor may be the success rate claimed by the company. It is not the best thing to take their word for it or the testimonials on their website, but that would have to be evaluated by taking the service once. The best way forward is to ask for assistance once and if you feel that the claims are not undeserving, take the annual offer. Otherwise do not.

All those people who might be feeling that their PC is performing too well to need such services think again. Either upgrade your personal skills to a reasonable level or allow the expert professionals to look after your PC. You may actually be mistaken when you think that your PC is running well. It might have started getting slow already and could do with some tune ups. Those who know about the PC will understand what is being alluded to. Others either take help or upgrade your own skills.

Article Source: http://goo.gl/4vQi4

Host Your Own Remote Support

2011-08-02T02:18:00.000-07:00

Microsoft Windows is the planet's most prolific personal computer operating system. Windows was first introduced in the 1980s with Windows 1. This was a response to a consumer demand for a graphical user interface; at that time, most work on PCs was done with text-based interfaces such as MS-DOS. Windows continued to evolve until being released as a fully-integrated operating system

in 1995. Today's most recent version is Windows 7. All Windows versions since Windows XP have included an option that allows users to offer or to receive remote assistance. This can allow others --- notably tech support personnel --- to directly solve problems on your computer themselves rather than merely describing solutions.

Instructions

Make sure that your counterpart has sent you a remote assistance request.

Open the "Start" menu.

Type "Remote Assistance" into the search box.

Select "Windows Remote Assistance."

Select "Help someone who has invited you."

Select "Use Easy Connect."

Read more: http://goo.gl/N0bRe

How to Start a Vista Remote Assistance Session

2011-07-22T22:39:00.000-07:00

Remote assistance is a Windows feature originally released as part of

Windows XP. The function allows an outside party to

directly access a computer remotely, provided electronic permission is

given by the owner of the computer being remotely accessed. This allows

technical support personnel to give help directly, instead of instructing the user in the steps necessary for computer repair. It also circumvents

the need for support professionals to travel to the computer's location when highly intricate system commands are necessary for repairs. Windows

Vista introduced a new system that makes remote assistance even easier.

Instructions

Open the "Start" menu; navigate to "All Programs," then "Maintenance" and click on

Remote Assistance. This will open the "Remote Assistance" window.

Select "Invite someone you trust to help you." This will bring you to the
next step.

Enter the necessary information in the slots provided.

Create a password for the session. Inform your counterpart of the password,

and ask them to begin the remote assistance session.

Wait for a pop-up box to appear; it will ask you for permission for the remote

assistance session to begin. Select the option that allows the session to begin.
This will start the remote assistance session.

Read more: http://goo.gl/ybmHG

Computer Support Services at a Glance

2011-07-18T00:11:00.000-07:00

If you are also a tech or computer enthusiast, you must have experienced technical problems at one point or other. And, it could be no surprise if you have spent hours or money over the phone with your friends to search for a way to resolve all those pesky problems. But have you ever thought of opting the most effective and affordable method for yourself. We are talking about online computer support services that are widely available on the Internet.

The article sheds light on kind of services available with computer support resources:

Fixing PC Errors: With online computer repair companies, you can now troubleshoot your PC errors without taking your system anywhere. The method is called remote desktop repair. Using a remote connection, computer service technicians access your computer with your permission. Using step by step approach, they diagnose your PC for errors and fix them thereby providing it with the necessary treatment.

Also known as onsite assistance, remote desktop repair allows you to have qualified technicians fix your computer from a remote location just as if they were actually in your home or office.

PC Optimization: Whether you want to tune up your PC for smart performance or want to control frequent attacks of irksome adware pop-ups, PC optimization services can certainly help.

Data Back Up Services: This I another service which is gaining in popularity with computer users especially small businesses and people who require dealing with a lot of data. Online computer support workers hold proficiency to recover data for all types of data storage device/media. They use the latest technology and resources to store your data and retrieve it for you when you need it.

Virus Removal: Virus can be the most horror able for computer users. The moment virus, spyware or any other computer malware attacks your precious system; it brings you nothing else but headaches. During such crisis, you can only trust expert's help. Online computer support companies offer PC security services for an effective virus and other malware removal.

Read more http://goo.gl/EFxdS

How Remote Tech Support Helps in Computer Repair

2011-07-09T03:41:00.000-07:00

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms in the country. Small firms also account for forty-three percent of the technical workforce, and employ engineers, computer programmers, and scientists. About fifty-two percent of the small businesses are home-based. As per the US Census Bureau data for 2009, more than 119 million households in the US have computers, and 68.7 percent of them use the Internet. For most of the small business owners, use of computers and the Internet is essential to increase their productivity. From flower shops to bowling alleys, all small establishments have increasingly adopted information technology to smoothen their operations, save money, and increase their profitability. Firms use computers to manage their business through effective communication and efficient data management. However, many of those firms suffer regular losses in productivity due to various software and hardware related problems that hamper their daily activities.

The computer related issues that small businesses face are similar to what the big corporations have to also deal with. According to a Forrester Research projection, growth in IT spending is expected to increase to 8.4% in 2010. For 2010, about forty percent of businesses reported an increased spending of five percent or more on IT security. But only a small percentage of the small businesses in the US employ in-house technical professionals for computer repair for resolving hardware and software issues. There has been an increase outsourcing technical support requirements to companies such as iYogi, which provide remote support for computer repair. For a small annual fee, iYogi offers unlimited remote technical support and computer repair services to their subscribers. iYogi technicians can be contacted at any hour of the day or night. By opting for remote tech support, small firms can save a lot of money. The cost advantage is indeed one of the major reasons why small firms in the US subscribe to remote technical support services.

A subscriber of iYogi, when faced with any software or hardware problem, can call them on their toll free number. To carry out computer repair, iYogi technicians request for remote access of the problematic machine. Once the permission is granted and depending on the gravity of the problem, technicians can repair the computer within a few minutes. Small firms can also get other peripheral devices like printer, mobile, and digital camera issues resolved with the help of remote technical support. The future prospects of remote tech support service firms look bright as more and more small business owners feel the need to secure their IT interests in a cost-effective manner.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5522228

Know About Online Pc Support

2011-07-04T23:02:00.000-07:00

Online pc support technicians are experts in their profession field and do more than just fixing the problem. Online pc support technicians prepare a great report helping them to relate and fix the problem according to the User's Emergency. And additionally they provide more information about the technology, i.e., updates and tips for the user to avoid similar problems in future, apart from just fixing the actual problem.

Online PC support ensures comfort to the users with doorstep support, whose key reason is the advancing technology.

Three different types of Online PC support are:

Telephonic support: Telephoning the PC support technician for help.

Chat Support: Chatting with the Online PC support technician for help.

Email support: Emailing the Online PC support technician for help.

Before purchase of a new hardware it is advisable to take suggestions from the online pc support technicians. Online support technicians effectively provide any information with reference to hardware sales and new technology.

Computers are penetrating deep in the life of common man and are used roughly and extensively everywhere. And tend to face technical problems at one point or the other. These problems are much time taking, if we spend hours over the phone to deal with the same with the help of friends. So search and get immediate underway named online PC support to find a way that might resolve the annoying problems.

Online PC support allows online technicians to access your computer with the help of remote connection after acquiring proper permissions and spots errors in your PC and fixes them in the usual way by giving the needed treatment.

PC Support technicians offer a wide range of solutions starting from PC optimizing to anti virus support and also rectifies multiple software issues.

Online chat software being a part of online support ensures live chat providing complete help desk solution to interact with our customers or visitor’s in real time. Online chat provides real time live communication between online customers and company representatives to fix the problems in minutes.

Ultimately over all system support and other related services are of high importance today, as a result, online pc support is gaining its share of importance from the popularity by providing secure online remote tech support for our customers, so just sit back and relax as our technicians will solve just about any type of computer problem you may have.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com/Article/Know-About-Online-PC-Support/1851471

What’s the problem with Remote Technical Support from India?

2011-06-28T23:05:00.000-07:00

What’s the problem with Remote Technical Support from India?

After close to 8 years in the ITES/BPO industry in india, a small initiative called TechNation (India) was formed, to provide remote technical support, remote online training, online PC repair, web content and article writing and a host of other services.

This article is all about what prompted an employee to break off and start something like this? This is an academic discussion.

In their efforts to survive, the MNCs (Multi-National Companies) started looking for ways and means to survive and cut costs and off-shoring was the answer to many of them. Most of these companies have huge, plush offices in India, which is good but what they do inside these offices is not. They do not realize that what they do not only affects the careers of those who work for them, it also affects the quality of service that is provided to their customers, who pay for these services with their hard-earned money.

This is what they do:
Hire untrained, incompetent staff and put them on the job to “just answer the calls & transfer them to on-site support”.
Do not provide adequate training to their staff because they “do not have sufficient bandwidth” to provide training. The result: pathetic customer service or tech support.
Do not hire sufficient numbers of staff as promised to their customers, just to cut costs. (Of course their clients are shown big numbers – from other teams, who go about their jobs as soon as the client visit is over!) The result – you have an under-sized team answering back to back calls with no time to even get a 10 minute break, during a 9 hour shift! When someone works in such conditions, they get frustrated and angry and this is shown to the customers.
Offer jobs with great designations and high salaries. But the actual job is a far cry away from the designations. For example, a guy providing front-line desktop tech support goes by the designation of “system adminstrator” or “senior system administrator”!
While on one hand there are those who work with no time even for a small break, there are others who go to work and spend the day waching movies and playing indoor games – because there’s no work to do. But of course, they got their salaries on time!This was even at a time when people in other parts of the world were losing their jobs and were struggling to to make ends meet.

Having said that, I must add, there are still some companies who give great importance to delivering quality services. But sadly, such companies are too few. There are a number of well trained, highly skilled and highly educated people in India, but if they land up in a company that does not have the right approach, they end up messing up their careers. I can only hope that more and more of these companies start giving important to quality and right practices and start providing high-quality services to their customers. After all, it is only the customer who keeps the company alive! Just because you are a “big” company does not mean you can provide bad service or treat your customers like dirt.

TechNation (India) is an initiative to prove that you do not need to be a “big” company to leverage knowledge, adopt best practices & of course, provide good services.

Source:- onlinetechnicalsupport.biz

Remote Tech Support: The Power Behind the Scenes

2011-06-23T04:15:00.000-07:00

If you’re a small business looking for computer technical support, your first thought is probably to find a company that offers on-site service. Think twice, though. If a technician has to come out, it means you’ll wait. And you’ll also pay for travel time. Remote support from a service provider – a good one – may be a better bet. Faster service, better technicians, lower fees. And most IT problems don’t require an on-site visit.

When vetting remote service providers, ask what kind of tools they use to manage their agents and the interaction between you and the agent. If the company uses market-leading GoToAssist from Citrix Corp ., a hosted service that lets agents log on to your system remotely to trouble shoot, you’re probably on to a good thing. And if you’re a slightly bigger small business setting up its own internal remote help desk, GoToAssist should definitely be on your list of tools to consider using.

The fact that PlumChoice Online PC Services has used GoToAssist since launching five years ago is a good indicator of the product’s strength. PlumChoice is one of the premiere providers of remote technical support to consumers, home office users and small businesses. “The Citrix tool has been a cornerstone of our business,” said Ted Werth, the company's founder and CEO.

Silent Collaboration
The latest version of GoToAssist, 8.0, which PlumChoice began using in January as a beta tester (it was launched in April), adds crucial new functionality, including a silent collaboration feature. It allows an agent to call a more knowledgeable technician into a support session to help solve a problem. The two agents converse using instant messaging-style chat. The customer is unaware of this side conversation.

PlumChoice, a leading provider of remote technical support, relies on GoToAssist 8.0 to get the job done.

It reduces the need to escalate calls, which is time consuming and irritates customers, and increases the first-time fix rate – the percentage of first calls to a contact center that result in complete resolution of a customer’s problem. This is a key metric for technical support services and help desks because solving problems on the first call drives up customer satisfaction and reduces costly call-backs. The new GoToAssist contributed to PlumChoice increasing its first-time fix rate to 94 percent this year, up from 80 percent last year.

There is no question about PlumChoice’s success and its stature in the industry. It has 100,000 customers, served by a staff of 200 agents. Some of those customers come to PlumChoice on their own. The company’s Web site offers “retail” remote support products, such as monthly PC support, PC Tuneup, PC Optimization and Spyware and Virus Removal, as well as help setting up consumer technology products such as MP3 players and digital cameras.

Many of PlumChoice’s customers are customers of big software, Internet service and retail partners that co-market its services. Partners include CA(Computer Associates), a major software and IT services company, retailer Circuit City and ISPs Earthlink and Comcast.

SMB Support Services
PlumChoice also offers small business technical support – subscription remote support services, a security package, online backup – as well as remote training, including instruction on using new features and functions in Windows Vista and Microsoft Office. “The use of Citrix has been critical for us in building solutions for small businesses,” Werth says. Having an agent/trainer logged in to the customer’s system makes training, in particular, much more effective, said Rich Surace, PlumChoice vice president of operations.

GoToAssist, a software as a service (SaaS) offering, provides all the back-end functionality for managing technicians online, including adding new agents when call traffic dictates, monitoring activity levels, listening to agents’ sessions, capturing performance metrics and even correlating customer satisfaction survey results to individual agents and types of calls. GoToAssist initiates random customer survey sessions immediately after calls, with Citrix collating and reporting the results.

The product functions in many ways like a call center automatic call distributor (ACD), but offers some sophisticated routing and work scheduling options that no ACD can provide. Small business customers especially frequently ask PlumChoice to respond to a number of issues or to perform a number of services on one call. GoToAssist allows the company to split the work among multiple agents. The first agent might respond to a technical problem, while PlumChoice re-routes another task – running a virus scan on the customer’s system, for example – to a different agent to be worked on concurrently.

The customer isn’t aware of this task sharing. It just means the work gets done faster. The second (or third) task could even be routed to an agent outside the country. While some PlumChoice employees work in a central facility, many are virtual agents, working from home. GoToAssist makes it easy to manage this kind of work flow, Surace said.

Another key differentiator is that the Citrix product records every customer support session, both the audio portion and the “video” – the screens the agent and customer went through together. “That’s crucial,” said Surace. “We need to be able to go back and see what was done on each session.”

Remote but Secure
The product also lets agents log on to a customer’s computer remotely over the Internet to trouble shot and make changes. Remote connectivity is available with other products and services, including Windows operating systems, but GoToAssist makes it seamless and transparent – and more palatable – to customers, Werth said. For one thing, they don’t have to download and install software on their system as some other remote connectivity products require.

“One of the main concerns customers have before they let somebody log on to their system is obviously security,” Werth said. “The strong encryption that GoToAssist uses gives our customers peace of mind that nobody [on the Internet] can [intercept and] eavesdrop on their session. The customer also has the ability to boot our agent off the system at any time. That gives them additional peace of mind because they know they’re in control.”

The new silent collaboration feature in GoToAssist 8.0 is a huge benefit to a tech support operation as customer satisfaction-centered as his, Werth said. PlumChoice agents can call for assistance if they run into problems they can’t solve – if they encounter an unfamiliar virus or trojan on a customer’s system while helping them with a simple task such as setting up a new MP3 player, for example. But the company also uses the feature proactively. If a session goes beyond a certain time threshold, a possible indication the agent is having problems, a supervisor will come on the call – unknown to the customer – and provide mentoring.

“GoToAssist has really helped us both grow our business and manage the quality of the service we provide,” Werth said.

Best in Class
When PlumChoice went looking for a tool to build its business around five years ago, there weren’t many options available. There were products such as pcAnywhere, still available from Symantec , that allow a technician to log on to a customer’s system remotely, but they were all single-point-to-single-point solutions and provided only the remote connectivity. GoToAssist manages many simultaneous remote sessions for subscribers like PlumChoice and does it seamlessly, Surace said. Plus it provides all the back-end contact center management functions.

The fact that GoToAssist is a hosted service, that PlumChoice doesn’t have to manage software or install servers was another major plus. The company first implemented the solution when it was owned and marketed by Expertcity Inc., which Citrix acquired in 2003. Since then, PlumChoice and the Citrix product have evolved together. “They have always taken our feedback and often acted on it,” Surace said. “Version 8.0 is pretty much a [collaborative] effort [between PlumChoice and Citrix].”

The icing on the cake? The GoToAssist service is ultra-reliable – rock solid, in fact, Surace said. “I think it’s been down once in the four or five years we’ve been using it. And that was for ten minutes. When you can rely on a product 24 by seven, that’s huge.”

Source :-smallbusinesscomputing.com

Remote Tech Support - Long Distance Healing

2011-06-06T00:32:00.000-07:00

What do you when your PC is out of its warranty period? Where do you resort when you have no technicians around to help you fix your computer?

There are a lot of solutions to that but the most popular is the Remote Tech Support Services. These are people who fix your computer problems off-site. It means that instead of them repairing your computer, it is actually you. All you need to do is call their technical support contact number and relay all the issues concerning your computer to them. Some remote tech support services are through email and chat as well.

Some people would ask if this kind of procedure is useful and not serve as a hassle to the computer user. In my opinion it is not. I myself have worked in the past as a technical support representative and later on promoted as a helpdesk support. There are times that people would call at midnight or the wee hours in the morning where one could not avail the services of a technician personally. You might be in the middle of something important when your internet connection got cut. It is not enough to use the Windows Help to assist you in troubleshooting your computer on your own.

On the technical support's side, they have tools such as a simulator to be able to see exactly what is happening when you do the instructions given to you. They also have softwares that can access your computer remotely and be able to see what you are doing on your own screens. This is very useful since as you are doing your own troubleshooting with the guide of the technician, you will be as well learning how to repair your PC on your own in case the same problem happens again.

On the other hand, in case the problem is out of the technical support's scope of work, you will still be opted to consult the manufacturer side to be able to know and dig deeper into the PC's problem. This is normal for internet connectivity issues. At first, you call your internet service provider and later on, you will find out that the root of the problem is with the PC itself. Some people find this frustrating since it is very difficult to reach a support representative right away. But it is not the case at all times, there are tech support companies who provide high touch customer experience where you can speak to a live person in less than 60 seconds every time you call them.

In any case, whenever you feel like you are in need of a remote support to help you, keep in mind that it is very important that you take notes of every little step that you do. Again, this will help in providing you with a crash course in fixing your computer. As the saying goes, two birds in one shot. You get to fix your computer and you acquire self-education.

Source: http://goo.gl/j9RfA

Why to Choose Online Tech Support to Resolve Network Problems

2011-05-27T03:30:00.000-07:00

For a business environment, computer network is a very important part. Through this network, all the computers are connected in an office. In present days, we also connect our laptops and desktops at home through Home Network. Now, whether it is a small business or a home network, you need technical support to resolve the network issue. There are many online computer services companies that assist the computer users to fix the problem. They have team of expert engineers who are experienced enough to deal with network issues and resolve it in minimum time. Fixing the disturbed connections, checking the security over networks and implementation of the wireless networks are some of their common tasks.

In today's business domain communication has become very fast an almost everything is performed online. So, if there is any technological problem, you should also deal with it technologically. Choose a remote PC support company and fix computer problem.

Since network is a very important part of a computer environment, you should check whether that particular service provider is available 24/7 or not. In addition, it is always suggested to go for a company that promises to work under such tight schedule. Most of the companies don't like to go for any commitment. So, talk to them before taking final call.

To resolve network related issues you can go for online tech support as they are reliable. Renowned service providers know that their service delivery standard plays the most important role for goodwill. So they try their best to satisfy the need of the customers. Some of the companies don't even charge fees before fixing the issues.

Another key reason to go for remote tech support is their cost effective nature. Online technical support is very much cost effective as compared to physical tech support. Alongside, it is efficient and speedy.

The time factor is another key draw of online tech support. It is time saving for both the client and the service provider. If the problem occurs, you just need to dial the number of the service provider. Most of the companies also offer live chat and email facility. So, even at late at night if any network issue crops up, you don't need to go out and look for a certified technician. Online services are far more quickly and you can fix problems of your home or office network successfully.

When it comes to choose an online tech support service provider, you need to consider a number of things. Whether the service is reliable, speedy, easily handled or not. Is the service available 24/7? You certainly go for the service provider that is well equipped with qualified engineers, and has an excellent blend of skills and expertise.

Source: http://goo.gl/Db2mQ

How to Speed Up a Laptop - A Tech Support Guidance

2011-05-23T02:46:00.000-07:00

It has been said that, laptop computers are hard to repair or upgrade. The compact structures of laptop computers make users ask for technical support to perform the task. However, the system offers compactness coupled with various other lucrative features, including mobility. And that is the reason why it has become a must-have computing device for professionals. Not only professionals, but the laptop has rather become a preferred choice for any computer user.

It is true that laptop repairing process is comparatively difficult than desktop computers. It requires specialized knowledge and expertise to deal with laptops. Most branded laptops come up with warranty for spares and other computer repair and tech support services. However, it is always essential to be a sensible user of the device to maintain its health for long. One most common complaint for laptops is, they seem to run slower within a year or so. And definitely give out poor performance as compared to the desktop computers. So, how to deal with the matter?

Let me tell you one fact here. It is better not to expect your laptop to run as fast as your desktop does. The overall laptop performance is slower than that of desktops unless you spend a considerable amount on your desktop replacement. Portability and other facilities are fine but the functional speed also matters. Therefore, online technical support companies are offering specialized support to help users boost up their laptop functionalities.

Adding more RAM always improves the speed of computer systems significantly. Free help desk services for computer repair and maintenance provide assistance to add up more RAM to your operating system. If you use laptop to work with a large database, it is essential for you to increase your system RAM memory so that it can hold up the files efficiently. If you have chosen to use a RAM drive, make sure that you save work to the disk frequently. This practice will help you bypass sudden hassles related to data loss.

Computer repair specialists also direct laptop users to replace hard drive with higher rpm units. In fact, this is probably the most effective and sensible investment to speed up a computing device. There is just one screw to remove. The process is very easy and users can perform the task without a physical involvement of tech support vendors. The restoration of system software and settings is also easy but you need to be careful while following the technician's guidance. It is always important to back up essential data every time before making such changes on your computers.

Defragmentation and system memory cleanup also increase PC performance significantly. In fact, remote tech support specialists always suggest users to keep their system free from unwanted clutter. Remote PC repair companies offer some free software utilities that work to keep your system clean and updated through periodic system scan.

Source: http://goo.gl/7sGhI

How to Access a Remote PC Server?

2011-03-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

In the business world, computers are an absolutely vital component. Data are stored upon them, they are used for communications and they are used for business-related applications. Business often requires much travel on the part of employees, and users sometimes require access to data and to applications stored on a home computer. Fortunately, remote PC access can allow access to a user's home computer from anywhere in the world.

# Step 1: Log in to your computer's administrator account. If there is only one user account on the computer, by default it is the administrator account.

# Step 2: Navigate to Access Remote PC. This is the website for a remote PC access program. You may download a free trial version.

# Step 3: Click on the download link to download the install file.

# Step 4: Open the install program.

# Step 5: Install the program, following the installation instructions. During the install process, you will be prompted to create a username and password. This will be the username and password you need in order to remotely access this computer. Each computer you install this program on will require its own separate username and password.

# Step 6: Follow the user manual as to how to complete setting up the program and how to use it. See the References section of this article for the complete user manual.

# Step 7: Follow Steps 2-6 for any computer you will be using in order to access another computer; both the accessing and the accessed computer must have this program installed.

How to Access a Remote PC?

2011-03-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

If you have ever arrived home only to realize that you forgot an important document at work, then you know why remote access is so critical. Fortunately, there is a way to connect to your work computer from home. The computer you are trying to access must have Windows XP Professional. Providing it does, here is how you can access the files on your work computer.

# Step 1: Check and make sure that you are signed in as an administrator on computer you are trying to access from your home computer.

# Step 2: Right click on "Start," then "Control Panel" and finally "Performance and Maintenance." This should be at the bottom left hand side of the screen under "Pick a Category."

# Step 3: This will bring up a new screen that has two groups of options, "Pick a Task" or "Pick a Control Panel Icon." Click on "System" at the bottom left hand side underneath the "Pick a Control Panel" Icon.

# Step 4: This brings up a window called "System Properties," next click on the "Remote" tab. Select "Allow users" to connect remotely to the computer, and then select "Allow Remote Assistance Invitations to be Sent From This Computer." Click "OK."

# Step 5: Go back to the "Control Panel" and select "Security Center." When you get there, click on "Manage Security Settings For Windows Firewall." If the "Don't Allow Exceptions box" is selected, deselect it, otherwise your remote access will not go through.

# Step 6: Select the "Exceptions" tab and make sure that the "Remote Desktop" box is selected. If it is not, then select it. Click "OK," and then you can shut down the "Windows Security Center." You've just set up your host computer to allow remote access.

# Step 7: Return to the "Control Panel" and click on "Performance and Maintenance," and then select the "Computer Name" tab; this will tell you the name of your host computer.

# Step 8: Make sure your host computer is connected to your corporate network that has Internet access, is locked and is running.

How to Use Remote Desktop in Mac OS X?

2011-03-15T00:47:00.000-07:00

One of the best uses of remote desktop is in a computer lab, classroom and even at work. Remote desktop allows the teacher or administrator to monitor what happens at the individual workstations. It saves the teacher from going around the classroom to check each student's progress, while the administrator will be able to check whether an employee is doing something on his workstation the company prohibits or forbids. It also allows for instant communication between the administrator computer and the remote workstation. This can be done on PCs running on Windows OS and on Macs running on OS X.

# Step 1: Download the latest Apple Remote Desktop software if you haven't done so. First, install the Client package on the workstations you want to administer (client computer). Follow the on-screen instructions of the installer package.

# Step 2: Open "System Preferences" and click on "Apple Remote Desktop." Make sure the option for "Start Apple Remote Desktop client at system startup" is enabled. Then, set access privileges on each client computer by going to the "System Preferences," "Sharing or Remote Desktop," and then choosing "Apple Remote Desktop."

# Step 3: Go to your administrator computer and install the Administrator package and follow the on-screen instructions.

# Step 4: Go to the "Applications" folder and open the Apple Remote Desktop program. Enter the serial number that came with your software. It is found on the Apple Remote Desktop welcome document. Then, click "Continue." You'll be asked to enter a Remote Desktop password, so be sure you take note of this. Click "Done." The main application window appears.

# Step 5: View a list of the client computers that you've set up on the network at the main window. You need to authenticate the users that appear on your master list before you can administer the client desktop. You can also arrange your list into groups to make it easier for you to administer.

Five Best Remote Desktop Tools

2011-03-08T23:25:00.000-08:00

Whether you want quick access to your home computer from anywhere in the world or you're the go-to IT person for your friends and family, remote desktop applications are a godsend. Even better: They're easier than ever to set up. With the right remote desktop tool, you can access your home computer as though you're sitting right in front of it— no matter where you are, no matter what you're doing. Earlier this week we asked you to share your favorite remote desktop tools, and today we're back with the top five answers. Keep reading for a closer look at each solution, then cast your vote for the remote desktop solution you like best.

LogMeIn (Windows/Mac)
LogMeIn was one of the first popular remote desktop solutions aimed squarely at consumers, offering a quick, no-hassle set up to remotely control your computer from the comfort of any web browser. LogMeIn comes in a variety of flavors, but the two that are designed to satisfy your remote desktop needs are LogMeIn Pro and LogMeIn Free. A Pro account adds more features to the service, including drag-and-drop file transfer, file sync, and meeting tools. LogMeIn Pro isn't exactly cheap, at $13/month or $70/year, and while a Pro account offers more features than a free account, many users are still perfectly happy with LogMeIn Free.

TightVNC (Windows/Linux)
TightVNC is a cross-platform, open-source remote desktop application. With TightVNC, you need to set up a VNC server on the computer you wish to access remotely; you can then remotely access that computer from anywhere else with any VNC viewer. We've already detailed how to set up TightVNC on your home computer, and if you'd prefer controlling TightVNC from a web browser to carrying a VNC client with you, you can also control TightVNC from the web.

TeamViewer (Windows/Mac)
TeamViewer—like LogMeIn—offers free and paid accounts for remote controlling any PC. Unlike LogMeIn, TeamViewer is free for all non-commercial users. It doesn't offer browser-based remote control, instead using small utilities to connect between computers. TeamViewer is even available as a portable application you can carry around on your thumb drive. Whether you want to set up personal remote computing or you're pull frequent tech support duty, TeamViewer has a lot to offer.

Windows Remote Desktop Connection (Windows)
Windows Remote Desktop—the default remote desktop app that comes bundled with Windows—is still more than enough for most Windows users looking for full-featured remote desktop control. If you've never happened upon the Remote Desktop Connection application buried in the Accessories folder of your Start menu, now might be a good time to try it out. Just be sure you've enabled remote desktop access.

UltraVNC (Windows)
UltraVNC is an open-source, Windows-only remote desktop application. UltraVNC supports a hefty feature set, including text chat, file transfer support, and support for optional plug-ins. Although UltraVNC only runs on Windows, you can still access your computer from any operating system using your web browser. Now that you've seen the best, it's time to vote for your favorite: This week's honorable mentions go out to CrossLoop and mRemote. Whether or not your beloved remote desktop app made the top five, let's hear more about it in the comments.

What is Remote Desktop Support?

2011-03-08T02:08:00.000-08:00

Many ads on TV and radio offer services that give you remote access to your home or office PC from any computer in the world. These are all paid services, yet a remote desktop connection (RDC) is actually free. It is built into Microsoft Windows XP (and later versions) as part of the standard operating system.

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What is RDC?
A remote desktop connection allows you to access and use your computer from a remote location. When RDC is correctly configured, you can log into your computer (with the correct user name and password) to remotely run it as if you were sitting back at your home or office.

How does RDC work?
With remote desktop connection, the host computer (your computer back at home or the office) responds to a remote-access request from your client (the computer you are logged into wherever you are). Via high-speed Internet access, your host computer sends all display (and some audio) information to the client. The client only has to process the limited display information, while data processing, program execution and file storage are handled by the host computer.

Saving time
Before a trip, it's common to take time to copy important files and work projects to a flash disc or laptop. But one of the benefits of RDC is that your data is always there for you. There is no need to consider what computer documents to bring. RDC also eliminates the need to compare multiple versions of the same files because the file is only in one place: on your primary computer.

Data security
Your data is secure on you primary computer. With remote desktop connection, you work on the files that are stored securely on the host computer. Losing files, flash discs and even laptops is no longer a problem.

Requirements
You need to configure remote desktop connection on the host and install the RDC client software if it's not already available. The RDC client is preinstalled on Windows XP and later versions of Windows. And you must know the Internet protocol (IP) address of your remote computer. The IP address is a number that identifies your computer on the Internet. If your host computer's IP address is provided by your Internet provider, you can ask your provider for this information. High-speed Internet access on both the client and host computer is ideal. Slower connects will work but will not offer ease of use and quick response times.

Limitations
Audio output is generally directed from the host computer, but some file types such as MIDIs will not play. This means that your Windows theme sounds will not play. Many robust audiovisual editing applications such as Windows Movie Maker will not run over a remote connection. If your host computer is not running a server operating system, only one user can access the computer at any time.

Apple Tops PC Customer Service Rankings

2010-10-06T03:40:00.000-07:00

When it comes to customer service, PC manufacturers aren’t held with quite the same contempt as cable companies, health insurers and Internet service providers –- but they don’t have much to brag about, either.

Forrester Research’s 2008 customer experience index, a survey of some 4,500 consumers, ranked the PC makers slightly above companies in those other industries but below such perennial headaches as the wireless companies, airlines and credit card issuers.

Today, the research firm broke out its specific on PC makers, and the news was good for Apple and bad for everyone else.

Apple notched an 80 percent, or “good” rating, in Forrester’s customer experience index, which is an average of responses on topics like whether companies meet customer needs and make products that are easy and enjoyable to use.

Gateway scored a 66; Hewlett-Packard, a 64; and Compaq (a brand owned by H.P.), a 63 — scores that Forrester considers “poor” rankings in the customer experience index.

Dell got a miserly 58 percent, a “very poor” rating.

Bruce Temkin, vice president at Forrester, said the PC industry indeed bombed in the survey, but the low ratings were Mostly driven by consumer's views about Microsoft's Windows ecosystem.

“This is a wake-up call to Microsoft. They have to do a much better job of working with retailers and orchestrating the experiences that all their partners have. They need to do a better job of merchandising with Wal-Mart and Best Buy and invest heavily in retail touch points,” Mr. Temkin said.

Microsoft, in fact, is exploring the idea of opening its own stores precisely for this reason.

As for Dell’s poor rating, Mr. Temkin says the PC maker is going through an identity crisis. “You know, they pushed the envelope on supply chain efficiencies and they lost track of their customer along the way. I see them trying to attack their service interactions and take care of their quality problems,” he said.

Source :- bits.blogs.nytimes.com

“Here you have” Email Virus - W32/VBMania@MM

2010-09-13T22:06:00.001-07:00

A new version of "I love you" virus/worm called "Here you have" Virus came ou. All it does when ran is distribute itself using your addressbook. Many big corporations were hit, and antivirus software had to release an emergency updates.

Clean “Here you have” Email Virus

US-CERT have issued alerts of a worm spreading through email with the subject "Here you have" and being identified as the W32/VBMania@mm or “VBMania” worm. The virus has been spreading primarily via email, asking recipients to click on a link masked as a PDF file that actually links to malware being hosted on an external server. In a sample, an emailed contained a link to “PDF_Document21_025542010_pdf.scr’” which directed users to malware hosted on the domain “members.multimania.co.uk”. The virus had been spreading rapidly but researchers are saying that volume has dropped significantly once the site hosting the malware was shut down. When a user clicks on the link, their computer instantly downloads and launches the malware.

The worm also attempts to spread from computer to computer over local networks. So, disable network sharing and/or disconnect infected computers from the local network and Internet and block outbound traffic to the domains/ IP addresses contained in the malicious e-mail to prevent users connecting to distribution sites to download.

Stinger utility is used to detect and remove this threat. Stinger is a stand-alone utility used to detect and remove specific viruses. It is not a substitute for full anti-virus protection, but a tool to assist administrators and users when dealing with an infected system.

Remove Svchost.exe Malicious Virus

2010-09-08T04:11:00.000-07:00

Generic Host Process for Win32 Services or svchost.exe is a legal and essential component of Windows which is used to host services which run from dynamic-link libraries (DLLs). Multiple instances of Svchost.exe can run at the same time. So it is not a problem in most cases if you see five or six or even more copies of svchost.exe running in your services because they host different groups of DLLs.

Steps to remove malicious Svchost.exe Virus:

1) Scan your PC for the following viruses: CashToolbar Downloader-MY, System1060, CoolWebSearch Svchost32, ADCLICK-AG, ADCLICK-AX, ADUYO-A, AGENT-V, AGOBOT-KL, AUTOTROJ-C.

2) Go to Windows Automatic Updates properties (right-click on My Computer, then click on Properties and switch to Automatic Updates tab).

3) Choose "Turn Off Automatic Updates", click OK and reboot your PC.

4) Manually update Windows using "Windows Update" shortcut in the start menu.

5) Turn automatic updates on.

6) If your problem is not solved on this step, uninstall old Hewlett-Packard printer and scanner drivers (if any) and download new drivers from the manufactures web site.

7) If your problem is not solved on this step, use the following command to show all svchost.exe instances and associated services or libraries: tasklist /svc /fi "imagename eq svchost.exe"

This is good and effective way of Generic Host Process or svchosts.exe repair.

New Updates for Google Image Search

2010-07-20T20:25:00.001-07:00

Google declared number of updates to the design and presentation of the image search section on its Web site. Google also said it would begin offering advertising with images on these pages. Company has given a major overhaul to the layout of its Images search engine's results page and introduced a new advertising format specific for this service. Google Images, whose index includes 10 billion photos, will now feature what the company calls a "dense tiled layout," designed to simplify the procedure of reviewing many images.

Now, a designer could show an ad with a picture of a new trench coat whenever somebody searched for pictures of coats, or a ski resort could show a picture of its mountain that would show up when people search for images of winter vacation spots. The site will also feature an instant scrolling feature that lets users sift through an endless stream of photos rather than continually clicking to load a new page of images. Google built its image search engine in 2001. People use it to answer different questions that are more easily explained with a picture.

The new advertising format, called Image Search Ads, lets advertisers include a thumbnail image along with the ad's text. Aside from the thumbnail image, Image Search Ads work like Google's pay-per-click (PPC) ads, the text ads that run along Google search results and in partner Web sites.

How to Uninstall G DATA Antivirus

2010-07-13T20:05:00.001-07:00

G DATA Antivirus is protection software for your home computer. However, if the corrupt virus signatures possibly have caused it not to upgrade properly, it won’t work regularly and needs to be reinstalled, or probably corrupt files are causing 100% CPU usage, you had to uninstall G Data Antivirus.

Removing G Data Antivirus:
The normal method of uninstalling G DATA Antivirus from PC is from Windows Add/Remove Programs, but sometimes the removal process would hang and you may be unable to remove this program from your computer, because some registry entries and traces may still be left in your computer. In this case, if you wish to completely remove this antivirus, you have to delete all those sticky registry entries, processes, services, as well as related folders and files.

Removing all instances of this antivirus program manually can be extremely difficult and there is a risk of damaging Windows if not done properly. Then you can try using a good removal tool to help you remove this program automatically in seconds. It works in a very simple manner. Aside from working to remove G DATA Antivirus, it can also get rid of other unwanted programs from your computer.

Quickly Install Internet Explorer 8 on PC

2010-07-05T20:33:00.000-07:00

Installing IE 8 on computer is very simple. Follow the given steps securely and you will be ready to run Internet Explorer 8.

Installation Process:
1. Search IE 8 on Internet and Click on button for "Download Internet Explorer 8”.
2. Select the respective country from the menu.
3. Select operating system in second step. A pop-up window will open and then save the file. Microsoft Internet Explorer 8 will save to your selected folder.
4. Double click the IE8 file saved on folder and select "Run" in the "Open File - Security Warning" window.
5. Now select "Continue" button if a window named "User Account Control" pops up.
6. Continue clicking "Next" on the "Welcome to Internet Explorer 8" window. You may either follow the steps in the wizard or click "Ask me Later" to confirm your personalized settings at a later time.
7. At last press the "e" icon on your desktop to open new IE8 browser.

New Internet Explorer 9

2010-06-28T19:50:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has sneaked out a new demo version of its forthcoming Web browser to highlight its vision of the next-gen Internet. To show that Microsoft is being a good Internet citizen and offering compatibility for all, its latest preview version of Internet Explorer 9 shows off some smart features. Not only will it be an all-singing HTML5-compatible browser but it will accelerate video and other media to offer a full-on broadband Web experience.

While that all sounds great, the arguments start when you see that Microsoft is tying in IE9 deeper into Windows than any previous version. This integration provides the acceleration and jazzy features that make it stand out from a platform-agnostic browser. However, only Windows users will see the full benefit of an IE9 coded site, everyone else will just default back to a — presumably — slower compatible mode.

Using the HTML 5 canvas, video and audio tags, some smart results can be created. Demos on the IE9 Test Drive site include an asteroid field, fish tank and others, all running smoothly. Canvas creates a simplified way of defining a space for 2D visuals, so it will be fun for games and impressive animations, without the need for Flash or other plug-ins. IE9 can turn Web pages into something that looks more like a desktop app with font smoothing and other effects among benefits for general users.

Major Threats to Internet Security

2010-06-20T21:13:00.000-07:00

Thе Internet іѕ a very scary рlасе. If уου don’t hаνе internet security software, уου аrе playing a risky game. Thаt’s a very simple аnd direct statement bυt a powerful one. I аm sure mοѕt PC users hаνе hаd ѕοmе form οf malware οn thе PC. Wе аll hаνе bееn thе victim οf a virus, spyware, adware, phishing οr spam mail. All thеѕе hаνе thе potential tο cause crippling dаmаgе tο уουr PC, threaten уουr privacy οr expose tο уουr personal information. Here аrе thе top five threats tο уουr internet security.

1. Spyware: Spyware іѕ аn аll inclusive term thаt includes mοѕt malware such аѕ Trojans, adware, pop up ads, modified cookies, keyloggers etc. Spyware іѕ usually engineered tο watch уουr online activity аnd uncover security errors. Thіѕ іѕ usually thе first step іn setting уου up fοr ѕοmе time information theft. Hackers hаνе developed sophisticated tools such аѕ keyloggers thаt саn record еνеrу key уου type. A qυісk tip іѕ tο avoid free anti-spyware. Spyware works bу exposing flaws іn уουr internet security. Sο search fοr thе anti-spyware program wіth a major magazine endorsement.

2. Identity Theft: Hackers саn steal уουr information bу a variety οf methods. Once thіѕ information іѕ gained, іt wіll bе used tο mаkе online рυrсhаѕеѕ using уουr credit card data, divert paychecks аnd сrеаtе fаlѕе documents. Usually thе top internet security software comes wіth ѕοmе protection against thіѕ problem. An internet security suite mау bе уουr best bet tο protect уουr online information. Another key factor tο search fοr іѕ a major secure payment processor logos аnd information.

3. Spam Mail: Spam Mail itself іѕ nοt dаngеrουѕ. Spam mail саn hаνе malicious links thаt саn dο everything frοm cause уουr PC tο bе infected bу a virus, introduce spyware, аnd attract more spam. A gοοd internet spam filter іѕ usually a gοοd option. Using internet security software аnd ѕοmе common sense wіll hеlр уου avoid bе inundated wіth spam mail.

4. Phishing Mail: Thіѕ method hаѕ become one οf thе more рοрυlаr ways tο stealing vital information such аѕ user names аnd password. Thіѕ works bу sending messages tο уουr email account pretending tο bе trusted sites such аѕ eBay, Paypal οr уουr bank. Thе links redirect уου tο a fаkе site thаt mimics thе trusted site. Yου type іn уουr personal information аnd hacker using іt tο mаkе online transactions wіth уουr info οr уουr money. Thіѕ іѕ real threat tο уου internet security. Thе best way tο avoid thіѕ іѕ tο update уουr web browser wіth phishing detection.

5. Yοu!: Thаt’s rіght maybe thе factor thе poses thе bіggеѕt threat tο уουr internet security. Social engineering such аѕ clicking οn obvious spam mail links, downloading freeware аnd sharing files іѕ a very dаngеrουѕ practice οn thе net. Bу јuѕt investing іn thе best software аnd updating regularly, сουld save уου frοm frustration аnd identity theft. Thіѕ іѕ thе one category whеrе thе bargain bin ѕhουld bе avoided. Alѕο, never download anything thаt іѕ sent tο уουr mail unless уου hаνе scanned іt fοr spyware аnd viruses. Hοwеνеr, іn thе age οf digital sharing people οftеn buck internet security bу trading pictures, movies аnd files without hesitaion.

Microsoft Windows 7 SP1 about to release

2010-06-08T20:35:00.001-07:00

At the company’s dubiously timed Tech-Ed conference, Microsoft has declared that SP1 is on the way for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.

In fact, the service pack will be here before the close of July.

Windows Server 2008 R2 users will find new virtualization tools in SP1, to help them prepare for cloud computing, Microsoft says.

“Remote FX provides rich 3-D graphical experience for remote users, and Dynamic Memory enables more control to adjust memory usage without sacrificing performance,” the company stated in a press release.

Windows 7 users will only benefit from a series of virus fix, although many of these have already been delivered via Windows Update anyway, so the tweaks made will only be very minor.

In fact, the biggest problem the service pack is set to solve will be the reticence of some businesses to adopt a Microsoft operating system until the first service pack is released.

The theory being that all the big bugs will be ironed out by then, and the OS can be considered safe. Except Windows 7 was released in a stable state – something companies aren’t used to Microsoft managing.

These businesses will likely be upgrading from XP, as Vista was about as popular as a horny dog at a Miss Lovely Legs competition.

Test Your Anti Spyware Tool with Spycar

2010-06-01T00:54:00.000-07:00

Are you completely sure that your anti-spyware tool protects your computer from spyware? If no, then you should test your anti spyware with Spycar. It can help you determine whether the anti-spyware software running on your system can actually identify and block the latest spyware.

Spycar prepares a series of tests in the form of links associated to Windows executables that represent different types of spyware actionss. After the tests, Spycar provides a downloadable file called TowTruck 1.0 which measures how your anti-spyware tool acted on the changes initiated by the links. Towtruck will then evaluate whether the spyware-like behavior was blocked or permitted by your spyware tool. You can then use TowTruck to revert the changes done by Spycar and bring back your system to its previous state.
Features:
• Free and easy to use
• Step-by-step instructions are provided
• Evaluate spyware tools capabilities
• Helps you determine if your system is spyware-free
• Provides safe tests to check your anti-spyware tool

Rouge Antivirus imitates BitDefender

2010-05-27T00:16:00.000-07:00

BitDefender has recently found a new rogue antivirus software that was tricking users by installing it and posing as a BitDefender PC security product. Moreover the name wasd ByteDefender quite similar to BitDefender, this malicious software acts like a fully-fledged rogue antivirus with a twist.

Unlike other rogue antivirus applications, the ByteDefender sibling does not rely on the classic drive-by method used by most products of its kind, but rather allied on the popularity of the BitDefender products and their distinct visual identity to lure users into voluntarily downloading it. The website distributing it is located at hxxp://www.bytedefender.in (URL specifically invalidated to avoid accidental infection) and abusively built using the BitDefender layout. The domain name has been registered in Ukraine. Even the boxshots have been crafted in such a manner to trick the user into thinking that they are installing the genuine security product.

The infection scenario is simple, yet efficient: the user searching for a BitDefender software type genuine address and he/she might gets redirected to the malicious software’s webpage. As they have web page similar to webpage structure of original website, the user might download and install this rogue antivirus.
Once installed in the copmuter, this piece of scareware would start showing fake infection alerts in an attempt to pursue the user to purchase the “full version” and get rid of the mentioned fake threats.

Interesting enough, the payment processor for the ByteDefender Rogue antivirus is the trustworthy company Plimus, who has suspended sales on grounds of user abuse.

“Cyber-criminals have no boundaries when it comes to distributing and marketing their rogue computer security software. Sensational events, Trojanized applications or websites and watchfully forged –moreover they are useless – ‘security products’ are only a few of the multitude of methods to capitalize on unwary users”, said Catalin Cosoi, senior Researcher at BitDefender Company.

How to avoid Malware Attack?

2010-05-06T21:03:00.000-07:00

Symantec a leading Antivirus and Antispyware company reported that there are more than 12000 malware detected every day. What actually malware means? Malware is a short name for malicious software they are designed to infiltrate your PC without your consent.

The best-known types of malware, viruses and worms, are known for the manner in which they spread, rather than any other particular behavior. The term computer virus is used for a program that has infected some executable software and that causes that software, when run, to spread the virus to other executable software. Viruses may also contain a payload that performs other actions, often malicious. A worm, on the other hand, is a program that actively transmits itself over a network to infect other computers. It too may carry a payload.

How do they infringe even though we have a firewall? The question is still unanswered. Is there any solution for this fatal ruthless infringement? Some would say that keep your anti-virus software updated and do a system run now and then, scan the external hardrive before using it and keep a back up of all the important information you have in your system. The saddest part is that, there are some malware that could even affect the anti-virus application.
One way to keep a check on malware is by changing the extension of the executable file of the antivirus software. But we have to make sure that the program runs with no problems what so ever. Expert technocrats suggest that one can change the extension of the executable to .com from .exe. One can also check the “hide the known extension file types” in the folder option under tools in Microsoft Windows Operating System. Although this is not the only solution to all the malware attacks one can try to keep a check on such nasty malwares.

Full 64-bit support: For Windows 7

2009-10-25T22:37:00.000-07:00

Microsoft’s upcoming Windows 7 with 64-bit version runs beautifully with 4GB of RAM, enabling you to manage tons of applications with zero slowdown. This new version of Windows 7 also makes your system more futureproof, allowing you to take your system to 8GB, 32GB or even a terabyte, before too long.64 bitHowever, hardware is the biggest issue. You cannot work with your 64-bit OS, if a gadget doesn’t have 64-bit drivers, as 32-bit drivers aren’t supported.

There are some software problems too. For example, sometimes Google’s Chrome may not operate efficiently with Windows 7 64-bit. Although Adobe Flash doesn’t run with 64-bit browsers, it can be operated with the regular 32-bit browser.

Using a 64 bit OS for a 64 bit processer can address far more than 4GB of memory, which is suitable for avid gamers, CAD, video editors and huge multi-taskers. While any 32 bit software will still be restricted to 4GB memory, a 64 bit CPU, OS and applications will take full advantage of the additional RAM.

However, if you possess a 64 bit capable CPU but use older hardware, then staying with a 32 bit version for the time being will be safer to ensure that you don’t require extra upgrades.

But if you have the latest hardware and drivers, it may be beneficial to step up to a 64 bit OS. For a user working regularly with 64 bit optimised resource hungry applications – like video editing, CAD and image packages – it would be especially advantageous to be able to work with more than 4GB of RAM along with the other improvements.

64-bit computing will soon be a common standard, as all hardware from the last couple of years has been customized accordingly. However, there is still a strong case for some users to stick with 32 bit Windows for the time being until a complete upgrade cycle has passed for the majority of users.
it's all about Windows 7 features .

ReadyBoost: A way to speed up Windows 7

2009-10-21T00:41:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has included an enhanced version of ReadyBoost on Windows 7, a new feature that speeds up your computer even in a low memory situation by using flash memory, in its latest operating system Windows 7, scheduled to be launched on October 22.
ReadyBoost, which also comes with Vista, make use of a USB flash drive or card as memory and it works with most of the flash storage devices.
In Windows 7, it can handle more flash memory and even multiple devices up to eight, for a maximum 256GB of additional memory. When you plug a ReadyBoost-compatible storage device into your system, the AutoPlay dialog box offers you the option to speed up your computer using ReadyBoost. If you select this option, you can choose how much memory on the device to use for this purpose.

When you set up a device to work with ReadyBoost, Windows shows you the space recommended for an optimal performance. For ReadyBoost to effectively speed up your computer, the flash drive or memory card should have at least 1GB of available space. If enough space is not available for ReadyBoost, you’ll see a message asking you to free some space on the device if you want to use it to speed up your system. You can enable or disable ReadyBoost for a specific flash drive or other removable storage device.

Follow the given guidelines to enable this feature in Windows 7 :

STEP1: Connect a flash drive or flash memory card into your computer.

STEP2: Click Speed up my system, in the Autoplay dialog box, under General options.

STEP3: In the Properties dialog box, click the ReadyBoost tab, and then do one of the following:

To turn ReadyBoost off, click Do not use this device.

To use the maximum available space on the flash drive or memory card for ReadyBoost, click Dedicate this device to ReadyBoost. Windows will leave any files already stored on the device, but it will use the rest to boost your system speed.

To use less than the maximum available space on the device for ReadyBoost, click Use this device, and then move the slider to choose the amount of available space on the device you want to use.

STEP4: Click OK.

How to Speed Up Vista Boot Performance

2009-09-12T21:50:00.000-07:00

Windows Vista is the most advanced operating system offered by the software giant, Microsoft. The abundance of new and improved features and processes makes it the most sought after operating system. If you are one of those who have installed Windows Vista on your computer, you should ensure proper maintenance for smooth functioning of your computer.

Many a times, you must have experienced extremely slow computer performance and blamed it on your Vista operating system. However, this is not the case. It is not your Vista operating system that causes your system to run slow; it is problems with the Vista's registry that is the culprit.

Therefore, you should make sure that it is regularly cleaned for optimum system performance. The most affordable and efficient way to improve Vista performance is by installing a good registry cleaner on your system.

The Windows Vista registry does not have its own internal cleaning tool. Therefore, as you keep on installing and uninstalling software programs and hardware, your computer's registry keeps on accumulating junk and redundant information. This causes your computer to run slow in booting process and occasionally freeze or crash. This is where a good cleaner comes to speed up vista boot and other problems

Superior cleaning software programs scan and repair all the errors in the Vista registry and thereby free the registry of any issues. Therefore, cleaners improve Vista performance by clearing up the congestion in the Vista's registry. These cleaners also remove invalid DLL entries that help you to improve Vista performance. In addition, these cleaners provide you with the flexibility to defragment your system regularly so that your system gives optimum performance.

Therefore, it is suggested that you immediately install one of the affordable and efficient cleaners on your system. A good cleaner can be scheduled to regularly scan your Vista registry and identify potential errors. Registry cleaners provide you with updated information on the scan results, the errors detected, and the repairs made.

You also have the option to set the cleaning software to automatically repair these errors or just report these errors so that you decide how to conduct the repair. For your ease and convenience, these cleaners also have the ability to create backups of any repairs that are made so that you can recover any changes. Therefore, if you want to improve Vista performance and ensure smooth running of your computer it is important that you install a good cleaner on your computer.

Tired of slowing PC performance? Do you want to repair and improve Vista performance in cheap and fast way? You can scan the registry error in your computer for free and fix them with the best registry cleaner on the market. After scanning and fixing your PC, you will be surprise how fast your computer is.

Windows 7 is much batter than windows Vista

2009-09-12T03:29:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 will be Vista, but much better, recently said Microsoft director Steve Ballmer. The last few days, what pieces of leaked information about new features in the next version of Windows. According to Ballmer, the user interface of Windows 7 already brighter than that of Vista. It is he indeed a major software launch instead of just a refresher of Vista: "It is much more than a minor release." He also says that Windows 7 will be compatible with Vista.

Meanwhile, though some information leaked about the pre-beta build of Windows 7, Microsoft shows the Professional Developers Conference (PDC) in Los Angeles. It would be a recent M3 (Milestone 3) build, completed on October. From an older M3 build came in September details and screenshots online. At that time was that the new operating system-in-progress still seemed very much like Vista.

Here are some new features in Windows, based on previously known information and tips from anonymous sources.

> Device Stage: a central location that provides a convenient user interaction with peripherals such as printers, cameras, mobile phones and media players. These devices serve Device Stage or support. Microsoft defines the function as follows: "Device Stage is a new way for consumers to manage, explore, sync, print or other common, machine-related tasks."

> Action Center: a self-diagnostic function that helps users to troubleshoot their Windows 7 systems to solve.

> Streamon: one way audio and video content on PCs and devices to manage.

> A new animation framework for personalized animations.

> New taskbar and Power Shell integration.

> Multitouch and gesture recognition.

> Improved Bluetooth support (it is not clear whether this goes beyond the new level of support that Vista Service Pack 2 will add)

> More Ribbons: As revealed in the previously leaked M3 build, Microsoft adds ribbon-UI to the applets that are part of Windows.

Microsoft PDC will also show a number of other functions that have not been incorporated into the pre-beta that is provided to participants. The company already working on new internal builds.

The best free software for a basic use of your PC

2009-09-09T02:22:00.000-07:00

If you want to install software on your computer, you can opt for the well-known commercial software you pay for. But this way, the total cost for your computer an expensive picture. However, there are free software packages available that are not paying for the packages need to be doing and you can offer a real alternative. Here is an overview of such an effective free software for basic use of your computer.

The operating system of your PC
There are some good alternatives on the market for Windows, the most obvious system to replace. One of the packages that you can install Linux. The advantage is that you do not have much IT knowledge in order to get started. The Linux software gives you a good basis for an effective way with your computer to go.

Anti-virus program
Once you have installed the operating system, you should immediately start an anti-virus program. The classical free anti-virus program is AVG, which is a good protection against unwanted viruses. Research has shown that AVG is good enough for a good security against infection with viruses.

It is a free anti-virus program that rarely or never should be paying for the anti-virus programs.
Another anti-virus program that is reasonably effective against danger, is Avast.

Anti-spyware on your computer
In addition to protection against viruses, we advise against spyware for your PC to cope with. Spyware can gather information from your computer, allowing people with wrong intentions could be possession of information. Examples of free anti-spyware programs are Ad-ware, Spybot and Anti-Malware.

Cleaning your PC
For cleaning of your PC is an excellent and free program called CCleaner that is where the C stands for "crap" or "waste". CCleaner delete cookies from your computer, as well as temporary files and websites you've visited recently. You can also delete the locations of the programs you have downloaded. Moreover, you CCleaner to empty the recycle bin and any errors to detect. Another possibility in this area is the Free Internet Window Washer. It is one of these programs to use your computer to clean.

Word processing and document management
If you need text processing and spreadsheets to use, Open Office is the ideal solution. OpenOffice is both business and private use. It is an international package of documents you can store and manage. Open Office also offers the possibility for HTML editing and vector graphics.

How to Configure IP Address on Windows XP?

2009-09-08T02:48:00.000-07:00

By using ipconfig, you can see the IP address of your PC in Windows XP. This IP address is configured by any person. If you want to use Internet, you must have to configure IP address. Moreover, if you want to share some files or want to copy some files from other PC into your office or campus LAN, you must have to configure the IP address. It’s a very easy way. In this page, you will find the ways to configure the IP address in Windows XP. Just keep reading…

IP address can be configured by two ways. The are:

* Manually configuration
* Dynamic configuration

Manual Configuration

In manual configuration, you have to assign all the IP address manually. To configure IP address manually, follow the following steps:

* Click on Start menu.
* Now go to Control Panel.
* From the control Panel, go to Network Connections.

From the Network Connections window, you will see Local Area Connection. Double click on that icon or click right mouse and go to the properties. Now, you will see the following figure and click on Properties of that window.

After clicking Properties options, another Local Area Connection Properties window will be opened.

Form the Local Area Connection Properties window select Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) and double click on it.

After double clicking, you will find Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties.

Now, select Use the following IP address and put the IP address, Subnet mask and Default gateway which will be provided by the Internet connection provider or the IP address of your office or campus LAN. For example, my PC is connected to my campus LAN. The IP may be 192.168.10.10, Subnet mask may be 255.255.255.0 and Default gateway may be 192.168.10.1.

Now put Preferred DNS server and Alternate DNS server address by selecting Use the following DNS server addresses option. For example, Preferred DNS server address is 111.22.33.44 and Alternate DNS server address is 111.22.33.45. So, put the in the address field.

* At last, click on OK and finished configuring the IP address.

After doing all these steps, check whether you successfully configured the IP address. For this, go to Start, then click on Run, type cmd and hit Enter. Now a black window will be open and write ipconfig /all and hit Enter. Now check whether all the IP related information matches properly. If not, please correct them by configuring the above steps again.

So, by following the above steps you can configure IP address manually.
Dynamic configuration

Dyanamic configuration is very easy to configure. Remember, dynamic configuration is only possible if you have a DHCP server. If there is a DHCP server, IP address can be configured dynamically by following the steps:

* Click on Start menu.
* Now go to Control Panel.
* From the control Panel, go to Network Connections.
* Double click on Local Area Connection and select Properties and then double click on Internet Protocol (TCP/IP).

Form the Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) Properties window, select Obtain an IP address automatically. Later select Obtain DNS server address automatically.

At last, click on OK and finished configuring your computer’s IP address.

By following the above steps, you can easily configure IP address dynamically.

Reduce your disk space with windows xp file compression

2009-09-04T02:54:00.000-07:00

File compression reduces the amount of disk space that is required to store files and increases the amount of information that can be placed on a single volume. This is useful on a volume that is running low on available disk space. Windows XP Professional supports file compression on NTFS volumes only.

You can enable compression for an entire NTFS volume, for one or more folders, or for individual files. Each file and folder has its own compression attribute that you can control on an individual basis. Windows provides compression entirely through NTFS, and after a file or folder is compressed, that compression is transparent to applications and users. The NTFS compression filter automatically decompresses files into memory when you open them and compresses any files again when they are saved to the disk. To enable compression of a volume, folder, or file on an NTFS partition, follow these steps:

1. In Windows Explorer, right-click the volume, folder, or file that you want to compress and select the Properties option from the action menu.

2. In the Properties dialog box for the volume, folder, or file, on the General tab, click Advanced.

3. In the Advanced Attributes dialog box, select the Compress Contents To Save Disk Space option and click OK.

4. If you have selected a folder that contains files and subfolders, you will be prompted to apply compression—either to the folder only or to the files and subfolders, Select the appropriate response and click OK.

Installing Hardware in Windows XP

2009-09-03T02:53:00.000-07:00

It is easier to install hardware in Windows XP than it is in any previous version of Windows. Support for Plug and Play devices that largely configure themselves and the inclusion of more hardware drivers than ever before with Windows XP means that users are more comfortable installing hardware themselves. However, there are still many details that you must get right, and often users will call on you to help a user
install and configure new hardware.

To install any new hardware, you must perform the following general steps:

1. Connect the device to the computer. Sometimes, this means opening the computer case and adding new memory or an expansion card. Other times, it simply mean plugging a new device into an external port and turning the device on.

2. Install the device drivers and other software in Windows so that the operating system can recognize and communicate with the device. Windows XP may already have the necessary drivers, or you may need to supply them.

3. Test the new device to make sure that it works properly and that it does not interfere with other devices on the computer.

The vast majority of devices that you encounter in windows xp are likely to be Plug and Play devices, which makes job a lot easier. However, if you have computers with older devices or older computers that have been upgraded to Windows XP, you may run into non-Plug and Play devices that require a little more effort to install than simply connecting the device.

You can use the Add Hardware Wizard to install and configure non-Plug and Play devices and Plug and Play devices that have been recently connected to the system (but for whatever reason were not detected automatically). You can also use the Add Hardware Wizard to access Windows XP troubleshooting tools for all installed hardware.

Adding a Device by using the Add Hardware Wizard

To install a new device by using the Add Hardware Wizard, follow these steps:

1. From the Start menu, select Control Panel.

2. In the Control Panel window, select Printers And Other Hardware.

3. In the Printers And Other Hardware window, in the See Also list, select Add Hardware to start the Add Hardware Wizard. After reading the Welcome To The Add Hardware Wizard page, click Next.

4. The wizard searches the system for new devices and then asks whether the new hardware is attached to the computer,Select Yes, I Have Already Connected The Hardware, and then click Next.

Optimise Your Desktop Environment for Performance Boost

2009-09-02T02:52:00.000-07:00

If you think your desktop looks pretty then you’re probably using too much your RAM and Processor just to “draw” that shiny, transparent and generally sexy desktop.

If you’re serious about running your computer at maximum speed then you need to choose a very plain, low resource intensive desktop environment. The following steps below will show you how to accomplish this in Windows XP and in Windows Vista.

On Windows XP:

1. Right Click “My Computer”
2. Click Properties
3. Click the Advanced Tab
4. Under Performance click Settings
5. Click the radio button “Adjust For Best Performance”
6. Click Apply
7. Your screen will go gray for a few seconds while your desktop is being optimized for the best possible performance.
8. When the optimization has been completed click Ok.

How to optimise the Windows Vista desktop environment:

1. Right Click “Computer”.
2. Click Properties.
3. On the top left of the screen click “Advanced System Settings”.
4. Under performance click settings.
5. Click the radio button “Adjust For Best Performance”
6. Click Apply
7. Your screen will go gray for a few seconds while your desktop is being optimised for the best possible performance.
8. When the optimization has been completed click Ok.
9. You Desktop will now look like:

How to Configure IP Address on Windows XP?

2009-09-01T02:48:00.001-07:00