What is Active-X

Active-X is a set of technologies from Microsoft that provides a framework for software components to enable interactive content to operate on the Internet and add functionality to software applications. These software components are also known as Active-X controls and allow websites, programs, applications and Microsoft Windows itself to perform any number of functions despite the programming language that was used to build them.

It was first unveiled in 1996 by Microsoft and is a core component of the Windows Operating System, but the technology is not directly tied to the OS. The technology which eventually became Active-X began as object linking and embedding (OLE). Simple functions like cut and paste between applications was made possible in earlier versions of Windows by OLE. Eventually OLE evolved into compound object module (COM) which is an advanced form of OLE. It is basically an individual module that any Windows application can access.

An example of a COM is the ability to insert and edit a Word document in Microsoft Excel without having to open the Word application to complete the task. Modules that run within larger applications like a spell checker in word are essentially Active-X controls also know as COMs. Since its introduction many Microsoft Applications have used Active-X controls to build their functionality. Windows Media Player, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Visual Studio and Internet Explorer all have features within their programming built by Active-X controls.

Active-X controls' real potential however is in it's ability to allow developer to create applications that work on the Internet itself through distribution by web browsers like Internet Explorer. With Active-X it is easy for developers to create interactive and innovative applications for the Internet because it is supported by a very large number of tools and different languages. This means that programmers do not have to start coding from scratch because there already are thousands of reusable Active-X controls available today.

Because of this web developers and programmers can quickly, efficiently and easily create interactive, unique websites enabling a more productive and pleasant user experience. Active-X includes both the server and client technologies needed to bring an application to full operation. An example of this is Active-X documents which is a core Active-X control technology that many applications use to enable non HTML documents like Microsoft Word files to be viewed on the Internet through a website. Today Active-X controls are used in a variety of applications and provide a wide range of online features.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Raymondy

Computer Maintenance Guidelines

You may not realize it, but your computer and your car have something in common: they both need regular maintenance. No, you don't need to change your computer's oil. But you should be updating your software, keeping your antivirus subscription up to date, and checking for spy ware. Read on to learn what you can do to help improve your computer's security.

Getting started

Here are some basics maintenance tasks you can do today to start improving your computer's security. Be sure you make these part of your ongoing maintenance as well.

* Sign up for software update e-mail notices. Many software companies will send you e-mail whenever a software update is available. This is particularly important for your operating system (e.g., Microsoft or Macintosh), your antivirus program, and your firewall. 
* Register your software. If you still have registration forms for existing software, send them in. And be sure to register new software in the future. This is another way for the software manufacturer to alert you when new updates are available. 
* Install software updates immediately. 
When you get an update notice, download the update immediately and install it. (Remember, downloading and installing are two separate tasks.) 
An ounce of prevention

A few simple steps will help you keep your files safe and clean.

* Step 1: Update your software 
* Step 2: Backup your files 
* Step 3: Use anti virus software and keep it updated 
* Step 4: Change your passwords

Developing ongoing maintenance practices

Now that you've done some ground work, it's time to start moving into longer term maintenance tasks. These are all tasks that you should do today (or as soon as possible) to get started. But for best results, make these a part of a regular maintenance schedule. I recommend setting aside time each week to help keep your computer secure.

* Back up your files. Backing up your files simply means creating a copy of your computer files that you can use in the event the originals are lost. (Accidents can happen.) To learn more read our tips for backing up information.

* Scan your files with up to date antivirus software. Use your antivirus scan tool regularly to search for potential computer viruses and worms. Also, check your antivirus program's user manual to see if you can schedule an automatic scan of your computer. To learn more, read our tips for reducing your virus risk.

* Change your passwords. Using the same password increases the odds that someone else will discover it. Change all of your passwords regularly to reduce your risk. Also, choose your passwords carefully. To learn more, read our tips for creating stronger passwords.

Making a schedule

One of the best ways to help protect your computer is to perform maintenance regularly. To help you keep track, I suggest making a regular "appointment" with your computer. Treat it like you would any other appointment. Record it in your datebook or online calendar, and if you cannot make it, reschedule. Remember, you are not only helping to improve your computer, you are also helping to protect your personal information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Suraj_Vibhute

Computer Problems. How Do You Avoid Them?

I see Danny Burke of PC Magic once a month to sort out any problems on my computer and to help me move ahead with an internet info product business.

Danny spends most of his week rescuing business owners who are having problems with their computers.

Last week I asked him for the advice he would give a business owner who was having trouble with his computer. This is the advice he gave me:

Keep things simple on your computer. Don’t use it for games etc. Just use it for business. Danny finds that half his customers have caused their own problems by the extras they have downloaded from the internet such as:

Additional toolbars for internet explorer. Unnecessary utilities like internet speed boosters which seldom work. Eye candy such as wall paper changers, animated cats etc

All most businesses need is

A base operating system
An email client
A web browser
An office suite
A firewall and anti-virus system

Don’t download any old stuff off the internet. The more stuff you put on your hard disk, the more likely it is that you will have problems. Microsoft cannot check all the different applications you might download for compatibility.

Your first graphics package and another graphics package might fight over the file extensions. Try to stick with one package. Similar problems occur with music and video players which should not be on a business system anyway unless you are in that field.

Don’t upgrade unless you could name three good reasons to upgrade. After Danny gave me this advice, I rather guiltily tried to upgrade my BT broadband service to the new combined BT Yahoo broadband service.

Sure enough as soon as I had installed the new service, things started to go wrong. Things that had worked before (like links in emails) no longer worked. I’m not blaming BT Yahoo. I just had too much stuff on my computer! When I uninstalled the new service everything started working again.

Danny comments: “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” When you upgrade, the file formats are sometimes different from the earlier versions of the software. This means you cannot go back to the earlier versions because they don’t recognise the new file format.

Do not assume that newer versions are better than the earlier versions. All you have done is make the software producer richer!

Have a firewall and virus checker and keep them up to date

Back up your data. 90% of companies who have a catastrophic data loss go bankrupt within two years. You should have two copies of important data and three copies of critical data stored in three different locations.

One copy should be in a fire safe off site. This should be standard practice. You cannot trust computers. Sooner or later they will get you! If you don’t back up, you are an idiot and deserve all you get!

Today I received this message from an ezine owner:

A lot of you sent me an ad this week, which I had saved on my hard drive and guess what?

My computer crashed and I lost every one.

I have a backup computer, but no ads.

Please re-send your ads so I can get them in the Friday edition.

Sorry for the trouble.

The ezine owner is obviously a nice person but he may lose customers who haven’t got the time to resend their ads. No one likes to repeat their efforts.

Maybe his computer crashed because he had broken not only the back up rule but some of the other rules.

As a general principle, use your machine and don’t tinker with it. Once it is working, leave it alone!

Leave it alone!!!

John Watson is an info publisher on the internet and a martial arts school owner. He taught Religious Studies and Life Skills to teenagers in London schools for about 33 years before retiring in 2000 A.D. His own e-books and those of the English multimillionaire and businessman, Stuart Goldsmith, can be found on his site at http://www.motivationtoday.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=John_Watson

Computer's Data Security: Necessity and Myth

There is no 100 % protection for your computer. But this doesn’t mean you cannot prevent you data to be unauthorized accessed.

Once I was chatting with my colleagues about the security issues and the ways the information can be protected. Our main goal was to understand if the Dekart family products can be used for assuring data access protection. We were talking about existing software, about the devices available for buyers and about the percentage of an assurance we can get from these tools available on the modern market so far. We also touched the other side of protection: it’s vulnerability. We came to the conclusion that it is not simple to get the information protected, as there are many well-established strategies and methods developers (to say nicely), whose target is to get to know what is valuable for you.

But anyway there are the directions we can work on in order to minimize the risks for unauthorized access to our data. Here are they.

1. If you want to protect your data it is important to assure the building (office, home), security access and protection. There are many security agencies available on the market, which can be of real help. They have different protection strategies and tools. But as this is not directly related to your computer we will let the specialists in the area to let us know about it and we will move forward.

2. Hardware protection. There are many tools available for computer protection, like physical computers locks, which may be locked through a hole in the desk/object, or can be locked to a mounting bracket affixed to the vertical surface. There are different kits, mostly consisting of security cables and locks. These anti-theft devices are designed for Notebook laptops and PCs, with special requirements adjusted for different models.

3. Computer data access limiting. There are tolls and software, which may be used for home and business computer access protection. The multifactor authentification (with password, pin code and biometric data) can be used with Dekart Logon software, which can be of real help for storing all passwords to Windows machines on one removable storage device and add the strong authentication and convenience to the standard Windows logon procedure.

4. Information encryption. While we were talking about these issues, we were able to note that there is a tool which can protect data, even if it is stolen, even if there will be the most brilliant software hackers working on getting to know it. It is amazing! We were surprised to get to know that any important data can be stored and encrypted with Dekart Private Disk, which an easy-to-use, reliable, user-friendly and smart program. It is of real help in creating encrypted disk partitions (drive letters) to keep private and confidential data secure. It uses 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard. So, here is a no risk solution to protect data!

5. E-mail protection.

6. And the last important thing to note is don’t forget to assure that you have the same plans for the part of the world, as God has in terms of earth cracks, tsunami, etc.

Together with our colleagues we came to conclusion that there is no perfect security environment, although it is not wise at all to stay unaware of the risks existed and to minimize the solutions to this issue available. At least we were satisfied with Dekart Products we were testing, so we decided to get Dekart Private Disk and Dekart Logon.

This is not so difficult topic to understand. We just wanted to encourage you to think of solutions existed. Just look for the information and act!

(More on Dekart Logon http://www.dekart.com/products/authentication_access/logon/)
(More on Dekart Private Disk http://www.dekart.com/products/file_disk_encryption/private_disk/)

Ceban Liuba Born in 1974 in Ukraine (former USSR) Now lives in Moldova Since 1998 works on Internet Since 2004 works in the IT security Software Company as a Technical Writer

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Liuba_Ceban

How to Backup Your Computer Files

As I write this, it’s early December, and try as I might, I can’t remember what my new year’s resolution was last time around. One thing I can say with near hundred percent certainty is that whatever it was, I failed to keep it. Maybe you’re the same. Maybe you resolved to quit smoking, lose weight, or read more. We all make promises with ourselves, then fail to keep those promises. Worst of all, those promises might be exactly what we need most. Consider this: When was the last time you backed up your computer files? Last month? Last year? Never?

Let’s make a new year’s resolution together, you and I. Let’s promise to back up our computers. It’s important, I promise. Just yesterday the automatic backup feature in MS Word saved me about an hour’s work when my computer froze up. Given that I haven’t backed up my computer in almost a year, I can’t even imagine how much data I’d lose if I suffered a power surge or hard drive failure. It can happen to the best of us, and often does. Even high end hard drive manufacturers report an average failure rate of between five and eight per thousand every year. That may not sound like much, but let’s face it, somebody has to be those five to eight people. Feeling lucky? There are about 185 million household PCs in the U.S., according to Computer Industry Almanac, so that means about 150,000 hard drives fail each year. But even if your drive stays intact, about a tenth of all computers suffer minor data loss in any given year. A power surge, the magnets in your home stereo speakers, or even an accidental nudge can affect data storage. According to a report from the ONTRACK data recovery service, data loss can be caused by natural disasters (3% of cases), computer viruses (7%), software problems (14%), and plain old user error (a whopping 32%). Now, I’m sure you never hit a wrong keyboard button, but do you have a button on your computer that prevents a bolt of lightning? I didn’t think so.

WHEREAS our data is important, and disaster can befall even the most noble and undeserving of us, BE IT RESOLVED that you and I shall back up our computer files forthwith.

Amen, brothers and sisters. Now, where and how do we start?

STEP ONE: Choosing Favorites

Not all files are important enough to preserve for posterity. The most critical files on a computer are its operating system files. If you’re a good little consumer, you bought the operating system and kept those CDs handy and secure from data loss. If you’re not, then remind yourself to go stand in the corner later. The drones at Microsoft did not work for years just to watch you steal their work. It’s people like you that keep Bill Gates from buying his second planet. Now that you’ve been suitably chastised, either go buy a legal copy of the operating system, or include the necessary files in your “must back up” list.

The same principle goes for software applications. Maybe you bought an ad and spyware blocker you really like, but the company that coded it has since gone out of business (perhaps because other consumers weren’t as scrupulous as you). If so, include the files you need to run the app in your must list.

Now it’s time to look at the remaining files on your computer and prioritize. If you’re not a digital packrat like me, it may be possible to save everything. If so, congratulations. I don’t have ten gigabytes of portable media at my disposal, so when I back up my computer, I’ll be leaving a few gigs of MP3s and questionable Windows Media files at risk. One of the first things I will save is the folder I use to save my writing assignments, because that data represents money in my pocket. I’ll back up my email address book, plus my digital photography and fiction writing efforts. I can live without “Milkshake” (what was I thinking?), but the guitar piece my friend recorded and sent to me is going on the list. Your results may vary.

STEP TWO: In Which I Tell You Where You Can Put It

That’s right, this is the section in which I’ll tell you where to store your data. It’s not a good idea to put backup files on another drive on the same computer. That defeats the whole purpose. Duplicating your files on another computer in the same LAN is almost as risky, because computer viruses can spread as fast as an imaginary Anna Kournikova JPEG. You need to find a portable storage medium that can hold all the files on your must list. Your options include floppy diskettes, portable hard drives, optical drives, tape drives, and remote servers. We’ll look at each in turn.

Hard diskettes, the old familiar 3.5” squares, hold up to 1.44 megabytes of data. They’re cheap, but 1.44 MB is less than two percent of the ten gigs of data on my hard drive. Even if each of those files were smaller than 1.44 MB (and each weren’t), I’m not keen on the idea of buying, labeling, and storing fifty diskettes. Next idea, please.

Most computer experts rely on removable hard drives for memory backups. The most popular of these drives are the Zip drive from Iomega and the ORB drive from Castlewood. They’re relatively inexpensive and hold up to two gigs of data. Basically, you’ll save your data on a Zip disk, then transfer it from the disk to the portable drive. The catch is that removable drives fail about as often as regular hard drives. They may even be more susceptible to damage from dust and rough handling. A sub-option here is to use a permanent hard drive as a removable drive. At up to two hundred gigs, conventional hard drives are bigger than removable drives, and prices have dropped enough in recent years to make this idea practical. Whatever kind of hard drive you decide to use, make sure to keep it isolated from dust, magnetic charges, and static electricity.

Optical drives use a laser to store information, rather than a magnet. Even if you’re not a tech junkie, that’s probably enough information to give you a clearer idea what we’re talking about: namely, CDs and DVDs. Less common are EO (erasable optical) and WORM (write once, read many) media; they’re less common because they cost over $1000 per drive. CDs, on the other hand, cost less than a buck and can hold up to 650 megabytes. DVDs hold up to five gigs and cost about fifteen dollars apiece. Most computers nowadays have either a CD or DVD writer (or both), but write times can be slow. My CD writer, for example, works best on the 300 kilobyte per second setting—if then. I’ll be using the remote server option. At $250 and up, tape drives are more expensive and slower than hard drives or optical media, hence less common, but also extremely reliable.

Remote servers are third party companies that store data online for a fee. This is a great option for broadband Internet users, especially people like me who don’t own a reliable data writer. SkyDesk runs http://www.Backup.com , Back-Up Solutions maintains http://www.BackUpHelp.com , and Iomega hosts iServer ( http://www.Iomega.com ). XDrive (http://www.xdrive.com ), once a free service, now charges ten bucks a month for up to five gigs of storage. Promotions and other rates change, so it’s a good idea to shop around before selecting a remote storage service.

STEP THREE: Git ’er Done

Now it’s time to put the files you want to save on the storage medium you’ve chosen. There are several ways to do this. Your CD writer, for example, may come with proprietary disk writing software. That application may even include a backup option. If it does, and you’re more familiar with that software than Windows features, then that’s the way to go. Otherwise, backup is still relatively easy on all MS operating systems since Windows 98. Windows 98, Windows ME, and Windows XP Professional include a built-in Backup utility. To run it, just click on Start, then Programs, then Accessories, then System Tools, then Backup. How easy was that? If you’re using the XP Home edition, you may need to add the utility manually. If so, insert the Windows XP CD into your disk drive and wait for the “Welcome to Microsoft Windows XP” screen. (You may need to double-click the CD icon in My Computer.) Then click on Perform Additional Tasks and Browse This CD. In Windows Explorer, double-click the ValueAdd folder, then Msft, then Ntbackup. Double-clicking on Ntbackup.msi will install the utility. Once it’s installed, you can also run the program by clicking Start and Run, then typing msbackup.exe (Windows 98 and Windows ME) or ntbackup.exe (Windows XP) in the Open field. Click OK, and you’ll be off to the races.

Incidentally, the Windows XP Backup utility also includes a bonus application called the Automated Recovery Wizard. This creates a bootable floppy that initiates backup if the hard drive must be replaced. Other options for “disaster recovery” include BackUp MyPC from Stomp (http://www.StompInc.com , $79) and Norton Ghost 9.0 from Symantec ( http://www.Norton.com , $69.95). Ghost actually allows users to duplicate the contents of their computer over the Internet. Both have earned stellar reviews from top PC magazines.

Don’t let another month go by without protecting the files you value most. My girlfriend justifies her messy car by saying she “lives out of it.” Well, I live out of my computer. It’s not just my office; it’s the home of cherished memories in the form of pictures, MP3, and other data files. I’m resolved to keep it safe.

Christian Carvajal is a contributing writer to http://www.all-cheap-laptops.com, a site providing tips and tutorials to individuals interested in buying and upgrading laptop computers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Christian_Carvajal

Steps to Microsoft Word Download

Microsoft Word is a high end and robust word processing system formulated by Microsoft Corporation. No matter which strata of the corporate world you belong to, you would definitely need to work on a word processor. It is not a difficult task to acquire the most demanded word processor. You can simply try Microsoft Word download as a standalone application or as a part of the Microsoft Office suite. Either a CD installation package can be bought from a store or it can be downloaded from the various internet websites and download centers. The most advisable place for downloading the application is definitely the Official Microsoft website.

Microsoft Word is the most comprehensive and advanced word editing tool which is widely used for creation of documents. It comes with highly advanced tools and wizards that make documentation an easy and effective job.

The latest versions come with a lot of new utilities that help to integrate the stuff with Microsoft SharePoint Server and also publish the documents on the internet and blogs etc. It also provides facility to create XML documents for enhanced delivery of solutions to create processes entailed with document management.

There are a lot of websites and portals available on the internet through which Microsoft Word download can be done, however there should be care taken against pirated versions.

Step 1: Before you actually start Microsoft Word download, it is important to determine which version is compatible for your operating system. You should also ensure that the computer you are using meets the minimum system requirement for the execution of MS word. This can be done through the official Microsoft website.

Step 2: The Microsoft website also has a provision for a test drive version of the Microsoft Word. On the Microsoft website you can download a test drive version for free. Click on the "Launch Test Drive" button and then simply follow the instructions that appear.

Step 3: To have a more enhanced experience before deciding to buy the full version of Microsoft Word you can try the 60 days trial version from the website. The trial version offers complete features so you can have great hands on experience.

Step 4: For a full version Word download, visit the official Microsoft website only. Do not rely on the various fake websites as they may offer a pirated version. On the official Microsoft Download center, select the option which best matches to your computer system architecture.
Step 5: By commencing the Word download process, choose the target folder where the installation file will be saved.

Step 6: Once the Microsoft Word download is complete navigate to the folder where the installer is saved and double click the installation file and then follow the steps that are prompted.
Once the installation is complete you can simply start working.

Have you checked out the wonderful website at which you can find some amazing deals on the top word processors? At this website, you can get amazing deals for Microsoft Word download, and make great savings on Word download.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Prashant_T_Verma

What is Information Technology?

Many definitions are expressed about IT. All of them are correct regardless of the differences among these definitions. The reason is that these definitions are coming from separate perspectives. We will review each bellow:

IT is a Strategy: Every organization along its life time is trying to reach its ideal goals. Therefore, organizations need to know their tools, resources, facilities, and their environment, well. By applying IT, organizations can achieve a recognition that is different by the recognition of traditional companies. Organizations can use this phenomenon to achieve a lot of the following goals:

1 - Access to larger markets.
2 - Provide more and better services.
3 - Collecting more and more useful information about customers.
4 - Better understanding of potential customers.
5 - Do things easier and faster.
6 - Reduce operational costs.
7 - Be more effective and better control.
8 - Can access resources within and outside the organization.

IT is a Thought: IT can be used as a thought in performing things better and more effective. When we identify our necessary tools and strategies, we have to use a thought to combine these two, for achieving more effective results. So, using the same tools in similar organizations can have different results.

IT is a Tool: Whatever that helps us to collect, circulate and transfer the information, regardless of time and physical status, is called IT.

If we look at information technology as a tool, it will includes the following:

1 - Computers.
2 - Computer Networks.
3 - Software applications.
4 - Telecom and communication equipment.
5 - Multimedia equipment.
6 - Wireless communication.
7 - Communications umbrella.

And with this definition it can be said that people use information technology.

IT is Innovation: Organizations need innovation to survive in today's competitive world. Without innovation, organizations will lose in the competition with their rivals. IT provides methods and tools for innovation. And when we look at IT as a tool we can say that IT is innovation.

Considering all the above cases, it can be said that, IT can be seen in all layers of an organization. And in today's world, we cannot imagine an organization without IT.

In addition, IT has been entered all the layers of human life. Our daily life is depended on features that have made it easier and faster to do things and save our valuable time, tools and strategies

So it can be said that today's world is the world of Information Technology.

By: Javad Kamiabi - Javad Kamiabi is student of master of e-commerce in the Shiraz University. At the present He is programmer and Website designer of a private company.
Visit His personal Website at: http://www.3CE.ir to contact him.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Javad_Kamiaby

Slow Windows Computer - Fix Your Slow PC Quickly in Two Steps

The windows operating system is the worlds most used operating system when it comes to computers. This operating system is susceptible to problems such as slowing down and crashing and a lot of these problems, in fact the majority of them can be traced back to the registry, causing a slow windows computer.

With that thought, you should know how to take care of your PC and make sure that it is running smoothly as possible, without any registry errors.

As time goes by your PC begins to work slowly and loading up files usually takes longer and longer. One of the best possible ways to stop all this is with a registry cleaner.
Your computer slows down for other reasons too and before you tackle windows registry errors you need to address this first.

#1 There is limited space on your hard drive. Now you may be wondering what this has to do with your computer running slow but as disk space decreases it gets increasingly difficult for windows to find files as there are too many to search through as program files are not installed in order, but anywhere there is space on the disk.

The solution here is to remove as many programs, images, documents and data as you possible can. Then use the windows disk clean up tool, in system tools, to remove or compress all the other files that windows does not need or no longer uses.

Once you have done this you can organize and restructure the contents of the disk drive with the windows disk defragment tool, also in system tools. will make your computer much faster as everything is easier for windows to find and closer together and prevent a slow windows computer.

#2 Since the registry is like the central nervous system of the entire computer, it is where most of the settings are stored. When these settings become corrupt or filled with errors windows will be unable to use what is related to these settings.

This may be information to run programs or for desktop settings and once this happens the only solution is to run a free registry scan to discover the problems.

If you do not run a windows registry scan eventually the errors will worsen and your computer will break down as far as windows is concerned. That is why you see a blue screen of death and other errors.

You can fix this though if you first of all run a free registry scan to uncover the problems then run the cleaning tool. The registry cleaning tool scans and then deletes or repairs the invalid files that have accumulated over time. Do this and right away you will have a faster windows computer without any errors.

If you have a slow PC here is the best solution for a Slow windows Computer this will make your computer run faster, just click here
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brad_Armstrong

How to Erase the Windows Temporary Files Folder Manually

How to Erase the Windows Temporary Files Folder Manually

The temporary storage of files and other programs are kept in the Windows Temporary folder. It is a collection of the temporary files of programs that you have previously installed (even includes those files that are no longer used in your program) temporary files from the web pages you had surfed before, and others. The stored files and programs sometimes create trouble in storing if you prolong the storage and never mind to perform the maintenance. These files are sometimes a threat to the privacy of the user by the other users of the computer.

The temp files can either be deleted manually or using reliable special software. Some may either be deleted or cleared while some others take several tries to be completely clean. Most common reasons for these non-terminations of the files are due to irregularities in the shutdown procedure in your computer, troubles in the restart execution, and virus related problems. However, the market today provides much special software duly recommended countering the said. An example to this is the Winclear, developed to completely delete the existing files, programs, applications and activities that automatically save into your computer.

To manually operate the erasure of the Windows temporary Files Folder, a simple procedure must be followed below.

For Windows XP/2000/ME/NT/98/95, seven (7) steps must be done.

- First, click the 'Start' menu.
- Look for the 'Search' on the list and click it.
- Hit the 'For Files and folders' on the panel provided in the Search option.
- Choose the 'All files and folders', after.
- Write on the file search '*.tmp' to reveal the 'tmp' file extension.
- Then, press 'Search Now'.
- Results will then be viewed in the right panel allowing you to choose what delete in the tmp files.
- After deciding what to clear, press 'Delete' in your keyboard.

Always remember that all temporary files begin in '.tmp' extension, but may begin in (~). Although, it must also be bear in mind that some may also begin with other extensions. The problem arises here. When you are not able to identify the temp file in manually clearing the files, you will definitely not be able remove it from your computer. Thus, it is advice to delete the temp files by directly entering in the temporary files directory, which is a tough job to do, or using any reliable and highly recognized special software available in the market.

Clearing Files Folder? Do Not Pay For any program that claims to erase your browser history until you read this. erase browser history
Article Source: http://www.ezinearticles.com/?expert=Nathan_Cris_Smith

PC Repair - At My Home Or Should I Take It In?

PC Repair - At My Home Or Should I Take It In?

When your home PC has decided to opt for early retirement it is usually a madly infuriating situation. You may spend hours trying to figure out what you did wrong. Was it the kick for shutting down without asking? Was it the right jab for asking if you want to shut down when you've just told it to? It was probably neither but inevitably it's time to call in the experts. The question is who and how?

Usually the key questions is whether to call the PC doctor round or whether to unplug everything and take it back to it's birthplace or some other computer hospital on the high street.

Many people think of the PC in much the same way as the family car. They have a garage that they trust and similarly they have a PC shop they trust. But your car is mobile and if the garage hasn't repaired the problem you will know right away. Not so with PC's.

My parents recently took their PC to a repair shop. Unfortunately I wasn't in the country at the time to fix it for them. After 2 weeks the PC was ready along with the $150 bill for replacing the motherboard. When they took it home and assembled it they were quite dismayed to find it still didn't work. After a one day of swapping connectors and calling back to the repairers they got it working. This seems all too common a problem. Many times the fault is incorrectly diagnosed at the shop because the PC fixer only receives the dead box. Changes are made to settings and outputs that are not explained to the customer. When the customer puts it all back together at home all those wires look so similar and they end up in the wrong slot. Next, the PC goes back to the shop where the PC fixer and the customer have an argument regarding the "working" properties of the PC.

In contrast if you call a PC doctor to your house you can talk them through the problem. More importantly they can talk you through the solution and there is no disconnecting of wires and getting covered in dust. The only down side is in trusting a stranger in your home. Luckily almost all PC geeks don't have a dishonest bone in their body and they make enough money to ever be involved in any scams. Most people can judge character over the phone. Ask your friends who they would recommend. Be sure to get an estimate of the total cost for the job within the first 10 minutes of the PC doctor arriving at your house. If they won't commit show them the door.

Speed wise it's almost always quicker to get someone in. Many would argue that the repair shop will be quicker as it stocks the parts. If new parts are required there are so many variables these days that the repair shop is likely to order them in just like the roving PC doctor. Also, the price of parts is changing on a daily basis. It's in no one's interest to carry a large stock of parts.

Furthermore when the PC repair shop tells you that you are "top priority" be under no illusion that this really means "in the pile with everything else". The great benefit of calling someone in is that you know they are working flat out on your problem. You can watch them. If for some weird reason they don't like to be watched then show them the door. The whole point is that you can see what is going on.

How do I know all this? I've worked on both sides of the fence. I currently work as a roving PC doctor in Vancouver, BC but have worked part time in PC repair shops. For the reasons outlined above I wanted to work at people's homes. It's a great feeling when you can walk into someone's home, look at a problem that been driving someone nuts and have it fixed in 20 minutes.

Not all problems are fixable in 20 minutes. I know I might be biased but at least if you have someone round to your house they can show you exactly why it will take longer. If it's at the shop who knows how long the work took and if they used some old parts they had lying around! Happy computing!

Rory Cain is an engineer currently specialising in computer repair in Vancouver BC.

http://www.VanPCRepair.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rory_Cain

Why You Should Build Your Next Computer

How is it possible? How can you make a better computer than the companies that have been selling the computers that you have been buying for the last number of years?

It almost sounds like it doesn't make sense, but after you read this article you'll know it's the truth.

I have taught a number of different people with different age groups, and different education how they can build their own computer. If you know how to use one, your knowledge on building is not that far off.

The first thing you need to do when deciding to build a computer is to decide on which computer components you are going to use. This is the toughest part, I assure you. Picking is not as easy as it sounds, you will need to get benchmarks of the key components, namely the cpu, hard drive, and the video card. Then you will also need to check the reviews on all of the parts to save you from buying a "lemon" computer part. Finally you check the price. With those 3 factors considered, it becomes more about the parts presenting themselves to you, rather then you having to choose. If you have 2 that are very very close, the deciding factor for me then comes down to features, you'll simply choose the component that has more to offer.

Now that you have all your computer parts, it is time to put the whole thing together. People often perceive this to be the most difficult part, however, to me it is the most fun an easiest. It's like playing with a glorified lego kit. If you can use a screwdriver and are able to plug things in, you're good to go.

So that's it right. Not so fast, we need to do 2 more things before your new computer system will be able to surf and boot up.

Next we need to configure the BIOS. If you're new and don't know what the BIOS is, it is simply a piece of software that comes with your motherboard that tells the motherboard what to do in order to communicate with the parts you have attached to it. These days, most of this happens on it's own. For the first time you do this, it will take about 15 minutes. For those experienced with working with the BIOS this takes a whopping 20 seconds.

Finally, now that all your computer hardware is setup in the case, you have your BIOS all setup up, lets go ahead and drop the Windows setup disk into the drive and restart the computer. It won't take long and Windows setup will start. Here all you need to do is answer the questions one at a time until you have gone through the initial set of questions. Once this is finished Windows will install, taking about 30 to 45 minutes. At this point you will be asked some more questions, when that is done, you'll be at the desktop of your new computer.

It really is that simple.

After reading the first step, I'm sure it already makes sense to you why a home built computer is better. How many computer companies do you think spend the time researching every single component that goes into a computer system, checking the benchmark, and then comparing price to ensure you are getting the best possible piece? This step will make or break your system, if you follow it, the end result will make you really pleased.

I am a computer builder, a computer tech, the computer guy, mister technology, whatever you like to call me. I enjoy working with computers, and have for years. I have taught people how to build computers, how to service their own, and would encourage you to do the same.

Despite what people believe, this is something I really believe anyone can do for themselves, if you require help to get yourself started, feel free to visit my website at http://www.build-my-home-computer.com for a complete step by step with pictures, and links, to guide you through every step.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dave_Wiebe

Computer Mouse Problems - General Rules For Repairing Them

As the computer mouse is frequently moved from place to place, drop and drag, there are often kinds of foreign matter like dust, dirt, debris or grease and so on built up in it, which would probably cause problems with the mouse rubber balls, tracks and rollers. Sometimes an unfavorable mouse pad, hardware conflicts and driver configuration problems also would make your mouse movement slow, erratically leaping or even corrupted.

You can follow the general rules as below to troubleshoot your mouse problems:

Above all, you should check whether the mouse itself is dirty, if so then clean the mouse as per your mouse maker's instructions. Though this tip can not cure all your mouse problems, it is the easiest part to set about checking the malfunction. Sometimes a clean mouse or clean mouse pad actually let your glitches disappear. By doing so, you also can see if any part in the mouse is damaged.

Let's get into some specifics.

1. Carefully take the ball apart from the mouse and clean the ball.

2. Use a can of compressed air to blow out the dust inside the mouse, and clean the rollers.

Note that when you clean the mouse, do not put chemicals, wood alcohol or harsh cleaners into a mouse or on a ball. They may damage the mouse.

3. Replace the broken part if there is.

4. After the ball and the rollers are completely dry, reassemble the mouse and test it.

5. Clean the desktop as well as the mouse pad according to the type of its surface, and test the mouse on it. If the dilemma still can not be cured, try it on another surface or on a blank piece of paper.

Note that if the surface is fabric, try rubbing gently with a moist washcloth or rag and a bit of shampoo; if it is plastic, use any mild spray household cleaner and a cloth or sponge.

Second, check if the mouse to computer connections is loose.

For example, is the mouse cable securely plugged into the computer? If not, plug it in steadily.

Is it a USB mouse? If so, unplug it and then plug it in again.

Third, if your mouse does not response, try to restart the computer, when the PC is turned on, the mouse may not have loaded.

Fourth, reinstall, roll back, update or replace your mouse driver for it's possible that it has gotten corrupted. In case there may be more than one mouse, you need to uninstall the one that is not used. But on a notebook, don't remove the touch pad if you never use it.

To update, roll back or uninstall your mouse driver in Windows XP, you can go into Start - Control Panel - System - Hardware - Device Manager, double click Mice and other pointing devices, right-click the pointing device in the list and select Driver, and then you will see the options you want to choose.

However, usually the Windows driver can not always satisfy your high demanding, so you can try some driver manager tool like Driver Checker to help you install the most suitable mouse driver. Once you install one, you will never be disappointed at it, and you will find out more unexpected advantages.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Molly_Smith

Benefits of Wireless Computer Headsets

Benefits of Wireless Computer Headsets

Wireless computer headsets have replaced a significant portion of the wired headsets today. Many people prefer using them because of the flexibility they bring into one's life. One is no longer rooted to a chair while talking or listening if they use a wireless headset.

In fact, using a wireless computer headset has a significant number of benefits. The major ones are listed below.


Mobility: Using a wireless computer headset adds mobility to life. You would keep using the headset while you move around instead of sitting on your "computer chair".
Flexibility: The mobility factor adds flexibility to your life. You can now stretch your legs, or even lie down on the bed, while you talk to your client over Skype. Your client will not even know about it. I have read people doing this often enough - they talk to people while not even being physically present near the computer, using wireless computer headsets. You choose whether you want to be in front of your computer or not while you keep using it. This is flexibility at its best.
Ease of real-life multi-tasking: Now that you no longer are confined to the computer chair, you can in fact do other works while you still use your wireless headset. This may be cooking, cleaning and arranging your papers - absolutely anything. Thus, with a wireless computer headset, you get to do multiple things in parallel in your daily life.
Noise cancellation: The best wireless headsets can cancel noises. They would smartly accept the desired sound and reject the unwanted ones.
Decor: Many of the wireless headsets look good. And the fact that you eliminate a few wires makes it even better.

Thus, using a wireless computer headset provides one with a good set of benefits, which makes these headsets attractive options.

Sometimes you need a bit more than just a wireless headset mic to get the result you're looking for. For conversations and gaming people use a wireless computer headset to get great mic quality with no audio feedback.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Neil_Ankrom