tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18751912367210961502024-02-19T10:50:43.762+05:30PC BeginnersBlog for Computer tips, tricks, tutorials and other such articles aimed to be written in such a way that is suitable for beginners as well.Viralhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12492050908479349480noreply@blogger.comBlogger84125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-71933727022386379552009-10-19T13:18:00.002+05:302009-10-19T13:21:21.102+05:30Wish you Happy Diwali & Prosperous New Year<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><b>Happy New Year to everyone! May the divine lights of Diwali vanquish all the darkness in your life, and may you begin a new era of continued progress.</b></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-9026185800381123622009-09-29T21:35:00.013+05:302009-09-30T21:57:06.166+05:30How to copy songs from Cassette Tape to PCRecenty, I have come across an excellent technique by which we can transfer the cassette audio to the computer, in MP3 format. Thus, the songs can then be burned on an Audio CD or copied to mobile phones. You can also use this technique to make a backup copy of the Audio. <div><br /></div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div>For this, the following link is the best resource that I found on the Net :</div><div><br /></div><a href="http://www.wikihow.com/Transfer-Cassette-Tape-to-Computer" target="_blank">How to Transfer Cassette Tape to Computer: 12 steps - wikiHow</a><div><br /></div><div>And here's how I could carry out the transfer :<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>1. First, you need a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">3.5mm double-ended audio cable</span>. </div><div><br /></div><div>2. Plug in one side of the cable into the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">cassette player's 'Headphone' jack</span> & the other into the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">PC's 'microphone' jack</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure that the volume of the cassette player is not too high, to avoid damage to the sound card.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Select the 'Line-in' option</span> in the Recording options of your PC. </div><div><br /></div><div>To do this :</div><div><br /></div><div>Double click on the sound icon in the taskbar (or go to Start --> Control Panel --> Sound & Audio Devices --> Advanced)</div><div><br /></div><div>Then go to Options --> Properties, select Recording (or you may first need to select the Input Mixer Device)</div><div><br /></div><div>Make sure that the Line-in device is checked, click on OK. Then, select the Line-in option.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Put the cassette</span> to copy <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">into the cassette player</span>. Fully rewind it so that you can copy the whole cassette.</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Then, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">open up an audio editing software</span> (I would recommend <a href="http://audacity.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">Audacity</a>)</div><div><br /></div><div>5. Press the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">'Record' button in the audio software</span> & then press the<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> 'Play' button in the cassette player</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div>6. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">That's it!</span> As the songs plays in the player, it gets recorded into the PC. After the cassette finishes playing, stop the recording process & save the recorded audio . Thus, the audio has been copied in digital format.</div><div><br /></div><div>(Note: If you are using Audacity, you will need the 'lame_enc.dll' file to save files in MP3. You can easily find & download the file by searching for it on the Net)</div><div><br /></div><div>You can then edit the Audio to save the songs individually, rather than having all the recorded songs of the cassette in one file. </div><div><br /></div><div>So, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Happy Recording!</span><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-51874324513746092172009-09-23T21:31:00.009+05:302009-09-28T14:31:15.526+05:30Donate Rice by improving your Vocabulary<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTg4bgbn3halwMUVGIVDZ93imldbhJCeuc4nmOQ0nGihzDGYSBGipkZ8mhtdb7RVtaARDim9o-SFHBogGiUPViTJ-A-KSeI59qcTuwRFVeu0Pz6-XbBPpTJeD_K5wsSMWC5W8xtH-_Lk/s1600-h/FreeRice.gif"></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_1-zfFlUns402aC8ERj2QvXATFJhpF4i5cjg-LFl93Z2I2uwC7mS4cQlCXOuAs6EOo9TR8wXEgNQm1p2P1PXUnI_c3PvhvXRFAgqIfTP3L1BYYYm2XWGdsdknhSVBlPhK7Crfi3s5fI/s1600-h/120_240_Freerice.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 120px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_1-zfFlUns402aC8ERj2QvXATFJhpF4i5cjg-LFl93Z2I2uwC7mS4cQlCXOuAs6EOo9TR8wXEgNQm1p2P1PXUnI_c3PvhvXRFAgqIfTP3L1BYYYm2XWGdsdknhSVBlPhK7Crfi3s5fI/s400/120_240_Freerice.jpg" border="0" alt="FreeRice banner" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386438166909149410" /></a><div>Today, I would like to mention a wonderful site that innovatively helps to carry out an excellent activity, donate rice to the needy people.</div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;">Freerice.com</span></span>, an initiative of the World Food Program, is the site that I am talking about. It is a vocabulary game. In it, you will be given a word, the meaning of which you have to guess out of the 4 given options. For every correct answer, 10 grains of rice are donated. And the more the correct answers given, the tougher the words become. Thus, it is quite an engaging game.<div><br /></div><div>It has recently added many more game types, added to the English meanings game, like simple Arithmetic, chemical symbols, find countries on the map, etc.</div><div><a name='more'></a></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPTg4bgbn3halwMUVGIVDZ93imldbhJCeuc4nmOQ0nGihzDGYSBGipkZ8mhtdb7RVtaARDim9o-SFHBogGiUPViTJ-A-KSeI59qcTuwRFVeu0Pz6-XbBPpTJeD_K5wsSMWC5W8xtH-_Lk/s400/FreeRice.gif" border="0" alt="Image of the FreeRice site" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5386439066853972434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 217px; " /></span></div></span></span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">How does it work?</span></div><div>The mechanism of this site is very simple. It earns the money to be donated by Ads. Whenever a new question loads up, a new Ad is shown below the question. Thus, Freerice effectively earns the money which it gives to the UN for fighting global hunger.</div><div><br /></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Just 10 grains of rice?</span></div><div>Yes, that's true. That's because the Ad Revenue too is limited. However, since it's a game, you are likely to answer several questions, & thus end up helping in donating lots of grains of rice. And, if you are looking to enhance your English vocabulary, your knowledge about the location of countries, or about chemical symbols, then it's a very good idea to use FreeRice as it will help the needy as well.</div></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-2713620495346245192009-09-11T22:10:00.002+05:302009-09-13T12:21:25.656+05:30Recovering permanently deleted files<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Permanently deleted data includes data deleted from the Recycle Bin & formatted data.<br /></span><br /></div>Have you ever faced a situation where you have accidentally deleted an important file from the Recycle Bin? It is generally considered that once this happens, it is impossible to recover it. But actually, such deleted files can be recovered, though the chances of it decreases as time passes. You will need a Data Recovery software for this purpose.<br /><a name='more'></a><br /><br />There are various such softwares like <a href="http://www.recuva.com/" target="_blank">Recuva</a>, <a href="http://www.snapfiles.com/get/pcinspector.html" target="_blank">PC Inspector File Recovery</a>, <a href="http://www.pandorarecovery.com/" target="_blank">Pandora File Recovery</a>, etc. available for this purpose. You can find many more such free softwares by searching for 'File Recovery freewares' on any search engine.<div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">How to use such softwares?</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div>Using such softwares is very easy.</div><div><br /></div><div></div><div></div><div></div><div>1. Firstly, you will be asked to select the drive from which the files are to be recovered.<span style=" line-height: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;font-family:'-webkit-monospace';font-size:12px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>2. Then, the software will scan the selected drive for deleted files. This will generally take some time.<span style=" line-height: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;font-family:'-webkit-monospace';font-size:12px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>3. You will then be shown a list of the deleted files of the drive, along with the directory from where the file was deleted & its recovery status.<span style=" line-height: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;font-family:'-webkit-monospace';font-size:12px;"><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><div></div><div>The Recovery status is an interesting part of information. As the name suggests, it shows the recovery status of any deleted file, ranging from Unrecoverable to Excellent. A file with Excellent recovery status is most likely to get recovered, while one with Unrecoverable status can not get recovered.<span style=" line-height: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;font-family:'-webkit-monospace';font-size:12px;"><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:inherit;"> </span></span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:inherit;">Note : You can also recover data from pen drives by using the softwares.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Important note</span> : If you have just accidentally deleted an important file, then you should try to recover it as soon as possible. This is because, as more & more time passes, the recovery possibility of files starts decreasing.<span style=" line-height: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;font-family:'-webkit-monospace';font-size:12px;"><br /></span><br />This is because, when a file is deleted, the space that it had occupied becomes free. Now, when a new file gets copied onto the drive, it uses some of the free space of the drive. By some chance, the new file may use the exact free space which was freed by the deleted file. In this case, the deleted file can become unrecoverable.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-5677715208850284142009-08-25T21:43:00.002+05:302009-08-27T21:54:14.217+05:30How to change the location of My Music, My Pictures, etc.Windows contains special folders like My Music, My Pictures, My Videos &<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxh_cI_suPQ-JNGdyWzr0WW-rA2OvdDsLb4fmM63lxcZHlbkEA6Z6JN4Y8T9BHM4Fk9W-m0WR96Xl1bAEjMVsbQDxZ-AKMZVc0VRrSy0PzaL4cGFQDqHJwzg3Ro6U5pTzLqEGmfulgFyc/s400/specialfolders.gif" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 127px; height: 96px;" border="0" alt="My Documents, Music & Pictures (Image)" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5367603857250018018" /> My Documents. These folders are default for their respective files. This means that :<div><br /><div><li>My Pictures is the default folder for saving digicam pictures, custom-created images, etc.<br /></li><li>My Music for music files, ripped audio CDs, etc.<br /></li><li>My Documents is a default folder for saving documents, spreadsheets & presentations. And, some softwares / games also use this folder for saving their settings.<br /></li></div><div><div><br /></div><div>These folders are located in the local drive (The drive on which Windows is installed) And, we cannot change its location directly, except that of My Documents. This can act as a dis-advantage in many cases. Fortunately, this location can be changed with a simple trick.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>This can be useful in many ways. Example. You may have a large music collection in a different location than the My Music folder. Then, you may wish to automatically rip Audio CDs to that different location rather than the My Music Folder. This can easily be done by changing the default location of the My Music folder to your particular folder. The same applies for Video, Picture or Document collections.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">So, for changing the location of a special folder</span>,</div><div><br /></div><div>For Windows XP :</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Download <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx">Tweak UI</a>, a Windows XP Power Toy.</div><div> After installing, open it from Start --> All Programs --> Powertoys for Windows XP --> TweakUI.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center; "><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LpKx3MQN1AUmWoq7JAfNWaBQZvkN5TcaA8l2uf7C6KWwqrwYzHeuofJiZpNWAIB-xI2P6O1-X7RvaxzMMwCiaHtB5f9S4c8IwKCjtFGLolydWH4I0SAh52W_SbT4wdsU9YbYj3X3q2M/s1600-h/tweakui.gif"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_LpKx3MQN1AUmWoq7JAfNWaBQZvkN5TcaA8l2uf7C6KWwqrwYzHeuofJiZpNWAIB-xI2P6O1-X7RvaxzMMwCiaHtB5f9S4c8IwKCjtFGLolydWH4I0SAh52W_SbT4wdsU9YbYj3X3q2M/s400/tweakui.gif" border="0" alt="Image of TweakUI tool, showing how to change the location of the 'My Videos' special folder" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352410648331105010" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 323px; " /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>2. Expand the My Computer tab & click on Special Folders.</div><div><br /></div><div>3. Select the special folder that you wish to change. </div><div><br /></div><div>(Note : Don't select the same location for two or more different special folders, & do not point a location to system folders like 'Fonts')</div><div><br /></div><div>4. Then, change the location to your preferred folder.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's it! Now, the folders will point to your chosen location.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-75911053718592960542009-08-17T12:42:00.013+05:302009-08-24T22:02:44.921+05:30Login to multiple IMs without any softwareInstant Messaging is an excellent feature of the Internet. Just by connecting to the Internet, people can chat, talk & even see each other, though they may be very far away physically. <div><br /></div><div>There are several comanies which provide this service to their users. However, with the exception of some services, to be able to chat, you need to install an application on the PC. (Ex. Windows Live Messenger by Live mail) In addition, this software only supports its respective chatting platform. Thus, to use different chatting platforms, one needs to install many different programs.<div><br /></div><div>All these problems can be solved by using <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Meebo or IMO.im</span>. Both of these are <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">online</span> applications that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">empower you to use multiple chatting platforms at once right from your web browser</span>, without the need of any software. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><a href="http://www.meebo.com/" target="_blank">Meebo</a></span></span> : </div><div><br /></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQZ-ySPyb-IWIoJVpUn8HvLnWO88qRGYKyypt1DvAIn7YkkWd5o5UiKV8a7AngW6yrixDfpwWgvswuaDzSjWa8WQdD_ypKhvwmgNpBW5Xwn0EL1Io1Pqbgr-4YSKdYtFqJsDNK1yIPWtQ/s400/meebo.gif" border="0" alt="Picture of Meebo.com" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372088836987025410" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 300px; " /></span></div></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:large;"><a href="https://imo.im/" target="_blank">Imo.im</a></span></span> : This tool has a special feature by which you can link all your accounts with one another, without the need to create an account with the tool.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMhnIC3F173M2qI_289-2Ydfoyoo1ksrLAHGe-kW35oI4lEtM4nFtsKrGuh8eGJKbEPc4f0eM_lawF-mIyMUAh1-7ne0YCInFzMfmJSP61RssjNEetiAAW1GbZDCau0lBrBbCiCBqSbM/s400/imoim.gif" border="0" alt="Picture of IMO.im" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5372827416676388434" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 324px; height: 350px; " /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238);"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Note : There are also many softwares for using multiple chatting platforms simultenously. But, this articles focusses only on the online applications.<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-33919104640478509432009-08-06T21:28:00.007+05:302009-09-14T12:59:27.810+05:30Search multiple search engines at once<div>Everyone generally has a preferred search engine which is used to fulfill all one's search needs. But sometimes, when searching for rare topics, that one search engine may not give the required results. Thus, one then uses some other search engine for the search. This, in turn, gives several duplicate results & it too, may not give the required results.</div><br /><div>Thus, when searching for rare topics, it is advisable to <span style="font-weight: bold;">search multiple search engines at once</span>. There are many online tools available for this purpose, which are called <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Meta</span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"> search engines</span>. These tools search major search engines for your query & then present to you the results together, with the search rankings determined by the average rankings from the concerned search engines. These tools are listed & explained below :</div><div><br /></div><div><a name='more'></a><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><a href="http://www.url.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold;">URL.com</span></a> & <a href="http://www.scour.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Scour</span></a> : These are excellent tools. They not only show you the combined search results but also show you their ranking in the Google, Yahoo! & Bing search engines.</div><div><br /><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKlyvvLnEiwO2eqKm9RSVmiwes4wS22MuoCkMdJTmpAeZ3mY1eBKomOltyzYv08V-zYeOcrLIb2d6K80qe2RMzLlPJphGe8eG_8h4siTL9JPEb0B7bi1TZDDi6XRF5E9b_EUQUrxuBGI/s1600-h/url2.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><span style="font-size:medium;"><img alt="Image of 'URL.com' search engine" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366136660961485666" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrKlyvvLnEiwO2eqKm9RSVmiwes4wS22MuoCkMdJTmpAeZ3mY1eBKomOltyzYv08V-zYeOcrLIb2d6K80qe2RMzLlPJphGe8eG_8h4siTL9JPEb0B7bi1TZDDi6XRF5E9b_EUQUrxuBGI/s320/url2.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 198px; width: 320px;" /></span></a></td><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjtLvr_Sn6ykOimX_MGvdsEsHjoBJispxnhBuIfQ3oViEg1ppmwahpWbeKZIUnstoPVa1HuK6swp63WX7Nn_3CtR9KMO9W6BeRu79K-cgcE85-tUbFP0ud9KzzhE52YcM2piSdUXgP6E/s1600-h/scour2.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="Image of 'Scour' search engine" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366136657171277986" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjtLvr_Sn6ykOimX_MGvdsEsHjoBJispxnhBuIfQ3oViEg1ppmwahpWbeKZIUnstoPVa1HuK6swp63WX7Nn_3CtR9KMO9W6BeRu79K-cgcE85-tUbFP0ud9KzzhE52YcM2piSdUXgP6E/s320/scour2.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 301px; width: 320px;" /></a></td></tr><tr style="text-align: center;"><td>URL.com</td><td>Scour search</td></tr></tbody></table></div><div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.mamma.com/" target="_blank">Mamma Metasearch</a></span> & <span style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.dogpile.com/" target="_blank">Dogpile Web Search</a></span> : These tools use the search engines Google, Yahoo!, Bing & Ask for providing the search results.</div><div style="text-align: right;"></div><table><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnkY_IixVPhUuFKRGhN04Ge3aV-O8YAHBAPCDf0oZmH0LXYZnwyHihY5NPO8oy-xciTaFzdVQ34BxZANAkczQ67xxSoWTs6hzl7nu122p3N3U6D1X_jGmwUZDl5ofB8GFHA5jqRxbM4c/s1600-h/mamma.gif" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="Image of 'Mamma' search engine" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366012485419602338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcnkY_IixVPhUuFKRGhN04Ge3aV-O8YAHBAPCDf0oZmH0LXYZnwyHihY5NPO8oy-xciTaFzdVQ34BxZANAkczQ67xxSoWTs6hzl7nu122p3N3U6D1X_jGmwUZDl5ofB8GFHA5jqRxbM4c/s320/mamma.gif" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 232px; width: 320px;" /></a></td><td><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oTh9-yWPP9Gtt6jiK4fVcN2SCxlHVMThuWGLbmvsVMvZSUktS-XmkAqJtf6NzPbAQOUW7KkW8GH2U9tL7_pNatMrDhjl5jdzW-CEFPRo8fURqGbuISsxU8xk7CsN0scKATTyo-8sd6E/s1600-h/dogpile3.PNG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="Image of 'Dogpile' search engine" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5366012355394261490" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3oTh9-yWPP9Gtt6jiK4fVcN2SCxlHVMThuWGLbmvsVMvZSUktS-XmkAqJtf6NzPbAQOUW7KkW8GH2U9tL7_pNatMrDhjl5jdzW-CEFPRo8fURqGbuISsxU8xk7CsN0scKATTyo-8sd6E/s320/dogpile3.PNG" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; height: 241px; width: 320px;" /></a></td></tr><tr style="text-align: center;"><td>Mamma Search</td><td>Dogpile Web search</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br /><div>The search engines listed above are very similar to each other. Thus, you can use any search engine that you find suitable to you.</div><div></div><div>Happy Meta-Searching!</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-66855689063109635602009-06-17T14:25:00.003+05:302009-06-18T12:13:22.812+05:30How to reduce your Internet's data transferSometimes, when <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2009/05/monitor-internet-data-transfer.html">monitoring your Internet's data transfer</a>, you might notice that you have transferred a lot of data & that your download limit might finish very soon. Thus, you will need to reduce your rate of data transfer. Here are some tips to do so :<div><br /></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Turn off images :</span> </div><div>Images have a much higher size than regular text. Thus, the more the images loaded, the more is the data transferred. Thus, you ahould turn off image loading from your browser's settings.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Turn off other extras :</span> </div><div>Similarly to images, disabling extras like <span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">pop-ups, Java, Javascript,</span></span> etc. too helps in lowering data transfer. Note that some features in some sites may not work with Java / Javascript disabled. So, you can enable them temporarily if the features are important.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoXAMMsCiSO4Eofq4MBkAEWPuuF6VDc2ibf6Mx2bf3nOevz8jtnODaMThOBGbwN67bh1DtxejQjwD3Wc2RO_UK47lEDWsu9MooIyEVOt_fPa899Q1UYYyDETWbpAfUOh9ygsPOBsfbpfo/s400/google.gif" border="0" alt="The PC Beginners RSS feed in Google Reader" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348194768099529730" style="cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 315px; float:right; padding:2px; " /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Take advantage of RSS Feeds :</span> </div><span style="float:right;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The RSS feed of PC Beginners in Google Reader </span></span> <div>Many sites (like this one) offer RSS feeds of their content. If the sites that you visit contain RSS feeds, then subscribe to the required feed in a reader & then read the article from the reader. By doing this, only the article will be loaded excluding the other parts of the web-site. This will reduce </div><div>data transfer.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">How can one know whether a site contains feeds or not?</span></span><br /></div><div>Look for the RSS icon <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:x-small;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvnYEaxa3ANrw3nN4vCjZntYSSykwFW9RF1SQpYeXGEA1rcXSZXi1mr-M6uv-S5Y3kAGHLebAytLy1LPa1qYt8UFCqQuNbJ3_zdI1HBcBmiWhyphenhyphenDb71rYKwKGV24QAhQsNLlIGHs4AKLV0/s400/inline.png" border="0" alt="RSS logo" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5348194779864412946" style="width: 17px; height: 17px; " /> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;">in the web page. If the page contains RSS feeds, then the RSS logo icon will be usually present in it. You can subscribe to the feed by clicking on the icon.</span></div><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">I will write more points in this article once I find them. </span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-26750016380375524272009-06-11T21:28:00.007+05:302009-06-18T12:11:12.863+05:30ISP Internet Plans explained<div>With the increasing demand for the Internet, several ISPs (<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">I</span>nternet <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">S</span>ervice <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">P</span>rovider<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">s</span>) have entered the competition. All of them provide a choice of a variety of plans/schemes to the consumers. The plans differ from each other in many ways. So, below is the explanation of the various properties of ISP plans :</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Speed</span> : The speed of the data transfer is an important feature of all ISP plans. Obviously, the higher the speed, the faster is the Internet. One thing that is important to know with regard to the Internet speed is the <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/03/difference-between-kilobytes-kilobits.html">difference between Kilobits & Kilobytes</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Download limit</span> : ISP plans usually have a download limit applied of a specific amount ex. 500 MB, 5 GB, etc. If the limit is exceeded within the period of the plan, then you are charged extra or the plan expires early. </div><div><br /></div><div>One thing to note is that this limit is not just limited to actual downloads. Even the data transferred while surfing web sites is included in it. This is because, to view a web site, the browser needs to 'download' its images & data temporarily. Similarly, the data transferred in chatting, playing videos, etc. is also included. Thus, it is actually the 'data transfer' limit rather than the 'download' limit.</div><div><br /></div><div>Related : <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2009/05/monitor-internet-data-transfer.html">How to monitor data transfer</a>.</div><div> <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-to-reduce-your-internets-data.html">How to reduce data transfer</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Note : These two properties (speed & download limit) are generally available complementarily to each other. For ex. The plan having a higher speed will have a lower download limit & vice versa. So, you will need to make a choice between the two. If you download a lot of data of a big size, then it is advisable to select a plan with a higher download limit. Otherwise, a faster plan would be better.</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Night plans</span> : Some ISPs offer night plans. In such plans, you are offered higher speeds & download limits between certain night hours. Ex. 10pm & 8am, etc. Use such plans only if you are absolutely sure to use it in the given time.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's it! Good luck in selecting an Internet plan perfectly suitable for you.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-23533829338090910532009-06-11T21:28:00.001+05:302009-06-10T21:56:25.817+05:30How to stay safe from your Internet's download limit<div style="text-align: center;">The monthly download limit is an important property of ISP plans. Usually, a data transfer (download) limit is applied & if more data is transferred than it, extra proportionate charges are charged. But, manually keeping a check on the amount of data transferred is a tedious task. So, given below is information on tools that will help you to analyze your data transfer easily & effectively :<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRb6io4EerzoI5kfhkKhLvZf3UHzzlRL2wOqEK1sPaBoLaD3MiEXdGRwneCzpVp4iEnlU_ol8DCqUEpzeFK0j_91wu2tVLzdVinT5JCoAyCtUtjAFM5q8G16QYsYgiRd8EHBCX541WNeU/s400/netmetmo.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:right;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 113px; height: 150px; float:right" border="0" alt="NetMeter monitor" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344848280494745826" /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.metal-machine.de/readerror/index.php?page=10">NetMeter</a></span> : This is one of the best tools available for monitoring data transfer. It carries out its task very effectively. It runs in the</div><div>background & monitors the data download & upload. Then, you can easily view the amount of data transferred & other such information from the Reports & Totals option (contained in the the right-click context menu of NetMeter's monitor or its taskbar icon). You can also view the daily, weekly & monthly reports from this option.</div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoNnWLwVcPFmFGnGz4bFMbFbo_aC65n14DTewaPvGQArL6giOgmJ2o0-fiqB6EPclYTrHR4AEpnzH4j5Lr_XAaLLkU1Fr0i2eyd81hboAbBXTzbEJrPLKoFaunTDWZdGIVYph6QwCFMo/s1600-h/netmtot.gif" style="text-decoration: none;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwoNnWLwVcPFmFGnGz4bFMbFbo_aC65n14DTewaPvGQArL6giOgmJ2o0-fiqB6EPclYTrHR4AEpnzH4j5Lr_XAaLLkU1Fr0i2eyd81hboAbBXTzbEJrPLKoFaunTDWZdGIVYph6QwCFMo/s400/netmtot.gif" border="0" alt="NetMeter Analysis" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5344848276927250930" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 350px; " /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">NetMeter --> Totals & Reports option</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">Should I set NetMeter to run on Start-up?</span></div><div style="text-align: left;">Yes, if you use an Internet connection that is always on, ie., which does not require you to start an extra application like a dialer. However, if you have a connection that starts with a dialer, you can disable this option & then start NetMeter everytime you connect to the Internet. If you forget things often, then it's recommended to let it run automatically on Start-up.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">I will post about more such powerful, free tools for monitoring data transfer once I find them.</span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-66109782165161369122009-06-04T23:48:00.001+05:302009-06-04T23:50:16.436+05:30How to speed up your PC<div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">1. Remove spywares & viruses </span>: </div><div><br /></div><div>Viruses & spywares are one of the major & most common reasons of PC slowdown. This is because, they use up the majority of the available memory for their unethical activities. And, the remaining memory is shared by the other programs. Thus, as the programs have to suffice with low memory, slowdown is caused. Therefore, removal of spywares & viruses is the first step towards a speedy PC.</div><div><br /></div><div>Related : <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/10/howto-stay-safe-viruses.html">How to stay safe from Viruses</a></div><div><a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/11/how-to-remove-tough-viruses.html">How to remove tough Viruses</a><br /></div><div><a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/02/spyware.html">How to scan for & immunize against spywares with Spybot S&D</a></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">2. Clean & defragment :</span></div><div><br /></div><div> In course of time, the PC gets filled up with lots of junk files, gets fragmented & takes a lot of time to carry out simple tasks. Thus, for fixing this problem, you will need to clean & defragment your PC.</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.ccleaner.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://static.piriform.com/cc/link3.gif" border="0" alt="CCleaner - Freeware Windows Optimization" style="float:right" /></a></div><div>i) Cleaning up the junk files is a very easy task these days thanks to free, simple & powerful utilities like <a href="http://www.ccleaner.com/" target="_blank">CCleaner</a> & <a href="http://www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html" target="_blank">Advanced SystemCare Free</a>. Using these tools, you simply need to select the junk items to remove, start the cleaning process & within </div><div>a couple of minutes, your PC will be clean! You can clean several junk items like temporary Windows files, obsolete registry entries, browser data, etc. using these softwares.</div><br /><div>ii) As data moves from one place to another in a PC, it becomes fragmented, as a whole. This also acts as a reason for slowdown. Thus, it is important that you regularly defragment your PC drives for a quick PC. There are several utilities like <a href="http://www.auslogics.com/en/software/disk-defrag/download" target="_blank">Auslogics Disk Defrag</a>, <a href="http://www.iobit.com/iobitsmartdefrag.html" target="_blank">Smart Defrag</a><a href="http://www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html" target="_blank">,</a> etc. For this purpose. You can occasionally defragment the Windows Registry as well.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>You should clean & defragment your PC regularly twice a month to maintain its efficiency & quickness. </div><div><br /></div><div> Related : <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/03/keep-your-registry-defragmented.html">Keep your registry defragmented</a><br /></div><div><a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/03/using-auslogics-disk-defrag.html">How to use AusLogics Disk Defrag</a><br /></div><div><a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/02/disk-defragmentation.html">The need for Disk defragmentation</a><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">3. Disable unnecessary Windows services : </span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Windows provides a variety of services to us. However, many of these services are not at all useful for most types of users. These services use up extra memory, causing slowdowns for other programs. Thus, disabling some of these services will help in quickening up the PC. The following services can be safely disabled :</div><div><br /></div><div><div>ClipBook</div><div>Remote Registry <br /></div><div>Telnet<br /></div><div>NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing</div><div>Alerter<br /></div><div>Error Reporting Service</div><div>Messenger</div><div>Print Spooler <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(if you don't use a Printer)</span><br /></div></div><div><br /></div><div>To disable the services, go to Start --> Run --> services.msc. Then, right-click on the concerned service, click on Properties & change the Start-up Type to Disabled.</div><div><br /></div><div>For information on why the given services should be disabled, check the main article on <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2009/05/disable-windows-services.html">disabling unnecessary Windows services</a>.</div><div><hr /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Decrease the programs on Start-up :</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div>The Startup list is a list of the applications that start along with Windows. Many applications put itself on the Startup list by default. The more the programs on it, more programs will run, which will slow up the PC. So, it is recommended to reduce the number of programs on the Startup list to speed up the PC. You can do so from the Startup tab of the 'Msconfig' utility (Open it from Start --> Run --> msconfig)<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/03/free-up-your-startup-programs.html">Click here for the detailed instructions.</a></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">[Older PCs] Turn off visual effects :</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div>One of the various features that Microsoft® Windows XP & Vista has over the previous versions is its display effects. For example, the colorful start menu, shadow effects, etc. It definitely adds up to the display value of the OSes. But for slow computers, the effects lead to slower PC performance. Therefore, it is highly recommended to turn off all the visual effects if you are using an older PC. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can disable the extra effects from Start --> Right-click on My Computer --> Properties --> Advanced --> Settings (1st). </div><div><br /></div><div>[<a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/03/turn-off-visual-effects-to-boost-your.html">Detailed Instructions</a>]<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><hr /></div><div><br /></div><div>So, good luck in speeding up your PC!</div><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-83192131467659003592009-05-22T22:06:00.001+05:302009-05-23T12:21:24.562+05:30Disable unnecessary Windows services<div style="text-align: center;">The Windows operating system provides a host of services which help us in several ways. But, the more the services enabled, the slower the PC becomes. And, there are various services which are not at all useful for most types of users. These services should be disabled so that the PC doesn't unnecessarily consume extra memory & become slow. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>So, first of all, here is how you can disable a particular service :</div><div><br /></div><div>1. Open '<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">services.msc</span>' from <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Start </span>--><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"> Run</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtbdHXtEIBKnnZYv9NjQwTloNKWXTvLpk8PqVO8yvIgcXeVgYed4sLj4XVaRDQnAVfYssUqaPCokqExiw7juebw_cHwN78GY3-kMGhvD36Bekyo9edgn2bro9byNMMG1NiIMI1fvZMtdU/s400/Services.GIF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338688745790613026" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 196px; " /></span></div><div><br /></div><div>2. From the list present in the application, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">right-click on the service</span> you wish to disable & click on <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Properties</span>.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujU8-39wTS0e0ae4-MDE_nwUaq4R3BPu6f7SryM2QFZfcdq3fy4olZZh3Ls9YxK1DxBN71Z7m0ZE6ue9IhxzMxhxVTYhdPCOgVnNBz6jD28dUgrpYgJbDHGhXp-079i5ctLedhDIvP2o/s1600-h/Prop+--+Disable+--+Ok.GIF"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjujU8-39wTS0e0ae4-MDE_nwUaq4R3BPu6f7SryM2QFZfcdq3fy4olZZh3Ls9YxK1DxBN71Z7m0ZE6ue9IhxzMxhxVTYhdPCOgVnNBz6jD28dUgrpYgJbDHGhXp-079i5ctLedhDIvP2o/s400/Prop+--+Disable+--+Ok.GIF" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5338688742852914450" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 368px; height: 400px; " /></a></div><div><br /></div><div>3. Now, in <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">startup typ</span>e, you can select <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Disable</span> to disable the service or <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Manual</span> to forbid the service from automatically starting.</div><div><br /></div><div>And now, given below is a list of services that can be disabled (with reasons) :<br /></div><div><br /></div><div> --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Note : The 4 services given below are useful if the PC is accessed remotely, ie., from another PC. And usually, the majority of users never use Remote access. If you are one of them, then you can disable the 4 services :-</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">ClipBook</span> : This service helps to share information with Remote computers. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Remote Registry</span> : Enables remote users to modify registry settings on your computer. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Telnet</span> : This service is used to facilitate remote users in opening programs on your PC.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing </span>: This service enables us to view our desktop remotely using NetMeeting. </div><div>------------------------------------------------------------------------</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">These services can be disabled too :</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Alerter </span>: This service helps in giving administrative alerts to the user. However, it can be used by hackers to harm the PC. Thus, it should be disabled. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It is disabled by default in XP SP2 & is not present in Vista</span></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Error Reporting Service</span> : This service helps in reporting errors to Microsoft. However, if you don't wish to report errors, you can disable this service.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Messenger : </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">This service is used for communication within a network. It too, can be misused by hackers. Thus, it should be disabled. <span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-size:13px;">It is disabled by default in XP SP2 & is not present in Vista</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Print Spooler</span> : It loads files to memory for later printing. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">If you do not use a printer, disable this service.</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-74863548532125857902009-05-14T23:40:00.000+05:302009-05-14T11:39:07.999+05:30How to remove tough VirusesEarlier, I had published an article on <a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/10/howto-stay-safe-viruses.html">staying safe from Viruses</a>. But even while following all precautions, a Virus may still enter your PC. Fortunately, almost all the viruses will get repaired or deleted by scanning your PC with a good anti-virus software. But, there are certain viruses that cannot be removed by an anti-virus software. So, to remove such tough viruses, one can :<br /><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">(Note : The anti-virus will give you the name of the virus, the name of the infected file & its directory when it informs you of its inability to remove the virus.) </span></div><div><br /></div><div>1. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Scan the infected file with other anti-virus softwares :</span></div><div>Note down the name & directory of the infected file. Then, scan that particular file/directory with another anti-virus program. This should most probably remove the virus. If not, then,</div><div> </div><div>2. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Search for the virus' removal tool :</span></div><div>There are many such viruses which the anti-virus programs cannot remove. For some of these viruses, specially designed removal tools are created & are available in various places on the Web. </div><div><br /></div><div>To search for a removal tool, </div><div><br /></div><div>1) Open your favourite search engine & search for the tool by using the following syntax : " 'Virus Name' removal tool" (without quotes) where 'Virus name' be replaced by the name of the virus. <br /></div><div><br /></div><div>ii) Then, from the list of search results, visit a result that you find more relevant. </div><div><br /></div><div>iii) The resulting page will provide a download of the removal tool. Thus, downlad the removal tool & follow its instructions properly to remove the virus.</div><div><br /></div><div>If you cannot find a tool, then</div><div><br /></div><div>3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">Revert your PC to a previous date :</span><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Note : To use this technique, you will need to know the date when the virus infected the PC.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><br /></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Note 2 : This option can only be used if the PC has System Restore enabled. And further, system restore is only available in Windows ME, XP & Vista.</span><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:medium;"><br /></span></div><div>By using the System Restore feature, you can revert your PC to a previous date. This will turn the PC into exactly how it was on a previous date, which will obviously remove the virus, undo all installations, data changes, etc. done between the current & reverting date. Thus, before reverting, make sure that you save all your important changed data to an external medium like CD, Pen drive, etc.<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Then, to revert your PC to a previous date :</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">1. Start System Restore. (From Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> System Restore <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">)</span></span></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">2. Select the option 'Restore my computer to a previous time (XP) / Choose a different restore point (Vista) & click on Next.</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=""><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">3. Then, select the date to which you wish to revert your PC. (The date selected should be the earliest date before the date when the virus infected the PC) </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">4. After this process, the virus should get removed.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Thus, these are some ways by which a tough virus can be removed. Good luck in the removal of your PC's virus!</span></div></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-15771927756965671132009-05-04T22:19:00.000+05:302009-05-05T11:59:40.321+05:30Introducing Cell Phone BeginnersHello, everyone! Today, I would like to unveil my 2nd blog, named <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://cpbeginners.blogspot.com">Cell Phone Beginners</a>. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="">As the name suggests, I will be writing articles for the Cell phone, aiming to write them in such a way, that even beginners can understand them. And, it's articles are going to start from tomorrow itself!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-77440510920522901392009-05-03T22:07:00.005+05:302009-05-06T12:57:56.092+05:30How to find Software help effectivelyThere are many instances when working with a software that one does not know how to perform a particular function or does not possess the required knowledge. In such cases, one needs help. Here is what you should do for effectively finding help :<div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">1. Check the Help file :</span> Most softwares come with a help file built in. This file tends to fully cover all aspects of the software. Thus, it is likely that all your help needs will be fulfilled by it. </div><div><br /></div><div>You can access this file by pressing the F1 key or going to Help --> Contents. After opening the file, you can either go through its different sections or search for a term from the search tab, to get the information you need.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">2. Online help :</span> Some companies offer online help for their products. Thus, you can visit the product's web site (You can find the web page address from Help --> About). Then, you can search for the required information in a way similar to how you find help from the help file.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">3. Search :</span> You can also seek the info by searching for it on the Net. There are many reliable info sources online which can guide & inform you.</div><div><br /></div><div>You can use the syntax "how to *** using 'software'" or "what is *** in 'software'" (without the quotes) where *** stands for the required info & 'software' stands for the name of the concerned software.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold; ">4. Ask :</span> You can ask for the required info in sites like <a href="http://answers.yahoo.com/">Yahoo! Answers</a>, <a href="http://wiki.answers.com/">Wiki Answers, etc</a>. or in blogs (like this one) By this way, you will most probably get your answer. And, there's also the traditional way of asking an expert PC friend for the information!</div><div><br /></div><div>Thus, these are the ways by which you can get help for a software effectively.</div><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-77581394653399995072008-10-29T11:31:00.014+05:302009-06-29T21:20:40.010+05:30How to stay safe from VirusesViruses are one of the most common problems for the PC users. They are very troublesome since they can result in slowdowns, instability, crashes, data loss, etc. So, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">here are some basic tips on being secure from viruses</span> :<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">1.</span> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Use a good anti-virus software</span> : This is the preliminary step towards a virus-free PC. <a href="http://free.avg.com/" target="_blank">AVG</a> & <a href="http://www.avast.com/" target="_blank">Avast! Home Edition</a> are powerful free anti-virus programs. Both of them provide excellent virus protection for the PC user.<br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">Note : DO NOT use more than 1 anti-virus at the same time. Since anti-viruses offer real-time protection, using more than 1 anti-virus will cause conflicts between them, resulting in crashes. slowdowns & loss of efficiency</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2. Keep your Virus definitions updated before a scan</span> : Virus definitions contain information on viruses for the anti-virus software, including removal details. Since several new viruses are created daily, these definitions are regularly updated by the anti-virus companies. If you scan your PC using old definitions, new viruses will not be detected. Thus, we should <span>keep our virus definitions updated before scanning the PC.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">3. Scan your PC regularly</span> : As a general rule, you should scan your PC once a month (with updated virus definitions, of course) to ensure that you are protected from virus infections.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">4. Scan removable media before use </span>: Removable media (Pen Drives, CDs, DVDs, Floppies, etc.) are very useful as they facilitate easy moving of data between different PCs. But sometimes, an infected file may get copied onto the removable media. This infection can then spread to the other PCs where it is inserted. Thus, one should always scan any new removable media before copying any of its files to our PC .<br /><br /><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-15436318579421012242008-10-16T22:39:00.010+05:302008-10-20T22:25:59.085+05:30Why uninstall is better than deleteMany beginners are confused between the difference in deleting & un-installing a program. Sometimes, they simply delete the entire folder in which the software is located to remove the software. This is wrong. The reason is explained below :-<br /><br />When a software is <span style="font-weight: bold;">installed</span>, the following things are added to your system :<br /><ul><li>The main folder, with the software files.</li><li>Entries in the Windows Registry, related to the particular software.</li><li>Some softwares also store settings in My Documents or files in the System folders.</li></ul>Now, the most natural way to remove the software is by un-installing it, since it removes all the items installed. Simply deleting the main software folder will result in the registry entries & other things remaining intact. These broken items (they are termed as broken since these become useless without the main software) clutter up your PC resulting in slowdown & wastage of space. Several broken items can hamper the PC performance drastically.<br /><br />That is why, we should un-install the software to remove it.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-26159564777211621172008-09-29T11:42:00.022+05:302009-03-18T20:39:30.000+05:30How to write special symbols like ©, ∆, ™, ¼, etc.There are several symbols like ±, ∑, ∏, ≠, ® which are unavailable on the keyboard. But, we may need to type such letters sometimes. Fortunately, Windows bundles a software for this purpose, which is very easy to use.<br /><br />So, to insert special characters :<br /><br />1. Click on Start --> All Programs --> Accessories --> System Tools --> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Character Map</span>.<br />OR Open 'charmap' (without the quotes) from Start --> Run.<br /><br /><table class="MsoTableGrid" style="border: medium none ; border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr style=""><td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; text-align: right;" valign="top" width="319"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FtdrEf7Oq3qeOlyfLKnUiWfaORA0_-aMvB581WEbYbl0nlOe9RtOSZb2qRum-Yud0Ja153oAOqghxQLZMDcEKygCn8WbCgBD2ii_j3iHjp7Mj6nNI0WYMpTBMffUMdCMeyDBWpMR0Us/s1600-h/1-1.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 209px; height: 148px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FtdrEf7Oq3qeOlyfLKnUiWfaORA0_-aMvB581WEbYbl0nlOe9RtOSZb2qRum-Yud0Ja153oAOqghxQLZMDcEKygCn8WbCgBD2ii_j3iHjp7Mj6nNI0WYMpTBMffUMdCMeyDBWpMR0Us/s320/1-1.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252209979827755138" border="0" /></a></td> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBO4PTw3aJ6fa3TO9QXeJvdE5WOLo_d4jSM-AxJwkCnfqbAWAXVoHw0fZmCEoK-GcNpiu9OcRxOOJVR5pfkKOoznU0qgyz_H5RbIM5hXwd9fOFQE-RYSLrKTor9dIMiGva9TO2Y992NE8/s1600-h/1-2.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 184px; height: 110px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBO4PTw3aJ6fa3TO9QXeJvdE5WOLo_d4jSM-AxJwkCnfqbAWAXVoHw0fZmCEoK-GcNpiu9OcRxOOJVR5pfkKOoznU0qgyz_H5RbIM5hXwd9fOFQE-RYSLrKTor9dIMiGva9TO2Y992NE8/s320/1-2.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252210380542206594" border="0" /></a></p><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: 0px;" border="0"><tbody></tbody></table></td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8FtdrEf7Oq3qeOlyfLKnUiWfaORA0_-aMvB581WEbYbl0nlOe9RtOSZb2qRum-Yud0Ja153oAOqghxQLZMDcEKygCn8WbCgBD2ii_j3iHjp7Mj6nNI0WYMpTBMffUMdCMeyDBWpMR0Us/s1600-h/1-1.PNG"></a><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">Accessories <span style="font-family:Wingdings;"><span style="">--> </span></span>System Tools --> Character Map</p></td> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Start --> Run --> 'Charmap'</div></td> </tr> </tbody></table><br /><br /><br /><table border="0"><tbody></tbody></table><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: 0px;" border="0"><tbody></tbody></table><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: auto; margin-right: 0px;" border="0"><tbody></tbody></table><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p></p> <div style="text-align: center;"> </div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgill7T30LmidOLYmfEz6xb-qu5ry0LKBkkZqtuHtL7uhI6D4M_XtdwBNKDvYobZzc5SkIhfDELQ0hgTncjlDQuJo3ArGrmEmWK3gjuLJgj5ursopy7quq_vbpkHv1TgOsu-nm4Ps_cUu0/s1600-h/1-3.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgill7T30LmidOLYmfEz6xb-qu5ry0LKBkkZqtuHtL7uhI6D4M_XtdwBNKDvYobZzc5SkIhfDELQ0hgTncjlDQuJo3ArGrmEmWK3gjuLJgj5ursopy7quq_vbpkHv1TgOsu-nm4Ps_cUu0/s320/1-3.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5252210761989560450" border="0" /></a>2. Now, select the special symbol that you want. Alternatively, you can search for a particular symbol from the search tab in advanced view. You can even specify the character set to use (including Greek, Arabic, etc.)<br /><br />3. Click on Select, copy the character, & paste it where you need it.<br /><br />Or, if you wish to use these characters frequently, you can note down the shortcut key (as shown in the above picture as a red rectangle) for the concerned special character & use it whenever needed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-38177754202343233972008-09-27T14:19:00.011+05:302009-03-18T21:02:32.938+05:30Converting complex units into easy-to-understand objects<a href="http://ultimateunitconverter.com/" target="_blank">Ultimate unit Converter</a> is a unique site which converts complex technical units into sensible easy-to-understand units.<br /><br />For ex. entering 1 hectare will give you results like 2 hockey fields, etc. in the Real Objects category. Therefore, we can easily assume the approximate measures of difficult units, due to the usage of commonly-seen units. It is a must-see site for all Internet surfers.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-22008324059281854202008-09-20T20:53:00.007+05:302009-05-18T21:41:16.406+05:30How to brighten a dark pictureHave you ever captured a very dark picture in your digital camera by mistake? You would obviously have wanted to make it more life-like & visible by adding lightning to it. And luckily, you can do so very easily.<br /><br />There are several tools available for this purpose. I personally use Picasa. Here's a quick walkthrough on adding lightning to a dark picture through Picasa :<br /><br />1. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Open</span> the file from within Picasa.<br /><br />2. Click on "<span style="font-weight: bold;">I'm feeling Lucky</span>".<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ3GIP7K6yIdUG20_0mXLDuc8Q8TuO3cVwYG1SN2G6kX5w41Rob4SCOBP_4pYJJiOdBISmcqsFlAGJd_H0cTbUQPcOElmSwourVZnFX7zeE4vxO8dcqPqSs5siozrUB1xrOssikp9WsU/s1600-h/1.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieJ3GIP7K6yIdUG20_0mXLDuc8Q8TuO3cVwYG1SN2G6kX5w41Rob4SCOBP_4pYJJiOdBISmcqsFlAGJd_H0cTbUQPcOElmSwourVZnFX7zeE4vxO8dcqPqSs5siozrUB1xrOssikp9WsU/s320/1.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254305805997145218" border="0" /></a><br /><br />3. You will now see the improved version of the picture.<br /><br />4. To save it, click on <span style="font-weight: bold;">Back</span> & then click on <span style="font-weight: bold;">Save Changes</span>. This will also back up the original picture.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2iL4GDsFbhsoH7G5XHzGMvqPGoUI_rGKrejKrsR1FoCNpuQL1ppUJS8EgSwK9uqiSZcTCg8uXpvLBFxBxekHkg7_mQsSzjJZtpOe-dSoW5EnXAgyI_AcEZn2mcNmQo_2EbKt5yRZvbk/s1600-h/2.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjd2iL4GDsFbhsoH7G5XHzGMvqPGoUI_rGKrejKrsR1FoCNpuQL1ppUJS8EgSwK9uqiSZcTCg8uXpvLBFxBxekHkg7_mQsSzjJZtpOe-dSoW5EnXAgyI_AcEZn2mcNmQo_2EbKt5yRZvbk/s320/2.PNG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254303251357428642" border="0" /></a><br /><br />5. So, there you have it! Your dark picture has been changed into a better picture with lightning, with the added benefit of undoing the change whenever. (due to the back-up)<br /><br />Picasa offers other useful functions too, like redeye reduction, picture straightening, cutting (cropping), etc.<br /><br /><br /><table class="MsoTableGrid" style="border: medium none ; border-collapse: collapse;" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr style=""><td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt; text-align: right;" valign="top" width="319"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFM8q-PFafdq1Qb2ztt7K9ZpOXjoaPZI-bcvg9NvgG-Qoq1kw2h9-EpCyjAbDcXtSOX4V3JvW6Dynv9cPbv8lIQnvoG2v9oU0dpZtig7tJ71G-Bjv0V5WgjbE46bHBqRMGPlhkGPEqO4/s1600-h/1.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEFM8q-PFafdq1Qb2ztt7K9ZpOXjoaPZI-bcvg9NvgG-Qoq1kw2h9-EpCyjAbDcXtSOX4V3JvW6Dynv9cPbv8lIQnvoG2v9oU0dpZtig7tJ71G-Bjv0V5WgjbE46bHBqRMGPlhkGPEqO4/s320/1.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254302605108135730" border="0" /></a></td> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMBWw8dcsk79_uQA-JoDEw8Nz7R558FKCXCLEP8GwIpA1CYPRGC5KWw2yNWQeWRC8CpdpJfvyXWKpLqDanNPIlTZlRl3IFHmcMnaOgRTnkYzvMcokvylvfsrXikUMQjjnBLfj8avMA70/s1600-h/2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 226px; height: 242px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFMBWw8dcsk79_uQA-JoDEw8Nz7R558FKCXCLEP8GwIpA1CYPRGC5KWw2yNWQeWRC8CpdpJfvyXWKpLqDanNPIlTZlRl3IFHmcMnaOgRTnkYzvMcokvylvfsrXikUMQjjnBLfj8avMA70/s320/2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5254302889617942578" border="0" /></a></p><table style="text-align: left; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: auto;" border="0"><tbody></tbody></table></td> </tr> <tr style=""> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal; text-align: center;">Original Picture<br /></p></td> <td style="padding: 0in 5.4pt; width: 239.4pt;" valign="top" width="319"> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; line-height: normal;"><o:p> </o:p></p><br /><div style="text-align: center;">The improved picture<br /></div></td></tr></tbody></table>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-46244168998411094472008-09-18T12:55:00.008+05:302008-11-14T12:22:19.843+05:30How to change your CursorThere are several sites on the Web offering various varieties of cursors for the desktop. After downloading any cursor, you will obviously want to change your cursor to the new one. So, here are the instructions on changing your cursor :<br /><br /><br />For Windows XP :<br /><br />1. Click on <span style="font-weight: bold;">Start</span> --> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Control Panel</span><br /><br />2. Open <span style="font-weight: bold;">Mouse</span> (in Classic view) or Printers & other Hardware --> Mouse (in Category view)<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLmPVBcnb55l4UoqXRDuAvPOHsmrFsxR4Uubg2VWHpRbQabcZT7b4KjcgwiAHBjExnsxja_0KXl9Sv_EKXm3TvBoWbSi_6IlvBqasENJIJy7pNSTnJ91v5z9bI1mhro8LFicI66OsnhI/s320/1.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnLmPVBcnb55l4UoqXRDuAvPOHsmrFsxR4Uubg2VWHpRbQabcZT7b4KjcgwiAHBjExnsxja_0KXl9Sv_EKXm3TvBoWbSi_6IlvBqasENJIJy7pNSTnJ91v5z9bI1mhro8LFicI66OsnhI/s320/1.PNG" alt="Control Panel -- Mouse" border="0" /> </a></div><br />3. Click on the <span style="font-weight: bold;">Pointers</span> Tab<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcs1K9ZVKoUaUwvBSjaH44cFg_sN3ievKz_PCIkHdv7kHgRuYnwUxhr7gz6oEEVXAOo02Q59Owp5qgH2Wd4PJukxzLknNGT0AsXtqYEbCx_aOgvUK8XMfJoRLOBp3Cro8EpWTO372p_8/s1600-h/2.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 217px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrcs1K9ZVKoUaUwvBSjaH44cFg_sN3ievKz_PCIkHdv7kHgRuYnwUxhr7gz6oEEVXAOo02Q59Owp5qgH2Wd4PJukxzLknNGT0AsXtqYEbCx_aOgvUK8XMfJoRLOBp3Cro8EpWTO372p_8/s400/2.PNG" alt="Control Panel -- Mouse -- Pointers" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247381562075940722" border="0" /></a>(<span style="font-size:78%;">Click on the image to maximise it)<br /></span></div><br />4. Click on a <span style="font-weight: bold;">type of cursor</span> function<br />5. <span style="font-weight: bold;">Browse</span> --> <span style="font-weight: bold;">Select</span> the particular cursor --> <span style="font-weight: bold;">OK</span>.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNoCUfymnuV_kWqmRQeMGSXYBtkIAbDvOfFK3oLHAZJYwulCjy8HcNx01i4oRcOS7Y-Qn-CnSKKUhVfH5VzUhJWtJ6eI8kfHx3b-qISyweTLZezuf_Ump2oK9qNbq2KE13qtSQ51EDgQ/s1600-h/3.PNG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMNoCUfymnuV_kWqmRQeMGSXYBtkIAbDvOfFK3oLHAZJYwulCjy8HcNx01i4oRcOS7Y-Qn-CnSKKUhVfH5VzUhJWtJ6eI8kfHx3b-qISyweTLZezuf_Ump2oK9qNbq2KE13qtSQ51EDgQ/s320/3.PNG" alt="Control Panel -- Mouse -- Pointers -- Browse" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248029353367440082" border="0" /></a><br />So, this is how you can change your cursor.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-22287731908770985572008-08-26T13:13:00.008+05:302008-08-31T15:35:15.968+05:30Optimize the PC using Advanced Windows Care<span style="font-weight: bold;">Why should I use <a href="http://www.iobit.com/advancedwindowscareper.html" target="_blank">Advanced Windows Care 2</a> to optimize my PC?</span><br />As I had written before in a previous article, the PC tends to gradually slow down & become less efficient. This is caused due to several factors like spywares, obsolete registry entries, junk files, etc. Now, fixing all these problems individually is a very cumbersome task. That's why you should use tools like AWC2, as it can repair the PC for multiple problems quickly.<br /><br />It can search & repair your PC for :<br /><br /><ul><li>Spywares</li><li>Un-immunized spywares </li><li>Obsolete registry entries</li><li>Unoptimized System Configurations</li><li>Unneeded Startup items</li><li>Surfing history/Internet Cache (Temporary Internet files)</li><li>Junk files</li></ul><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How can I use the utility?</span><br /><br />The user interface of AWC2 is very simple. Clicking on the Scan button starts the scanning process of AWC2, which shouldn't take more than 5 minutes. Then, click on the Repair button to repair all the problems found.<br /><br />Note :<br /><br />1- Before repairing a particular item, AWC2 makes a back-up of the system, which facilitates easy recovery in case something goes wrong.<br />2- Also, you can view the un-optimized items separately before the repair if you wish to. You can also instruct the software to de-list certain items, if you want.<br /><br />Thus, it is highly recommended to use this tool regularly due to its simplicity & powerful features. Use it every fortnight to ensure that your PC remains nice & clean.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-51228145516810273212008-08-25T12:18:00.002+05:302008-08-25T12:34:51.647+05:30Contact Me form addedA brand new '<a href="http://pcbeginners.blogspot.com/2008/02/contact-me.html">Contact Me</a>' form, powered by Zoho Creator has been added to PC Beginners. Now, you can contact me anytime if you have any query regarding PCs or you wish to share your feedback with me. You can find the Contact Me link at the bottom of every page in PC Beginners.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-15592558012693741302008-08-07T21:02:00.002+05:302008-08-24T14:19:07.790+05:30Comment on any articleI would like to announce that comments have now been enabled in all the articles of PC Beginners. Therefore, if you wish to know more information related to a particular article or are confused with a certain term used in the article, you can easily comment on the article, by using the comment form located below the article. After entering your comment, it will be moderated by me & then, it will appear below the article. I will try to reply to your comment as soon as possible.<br /><br />So, start commenting!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1875191236721096150.post-87068662408558762352008-08-07T13:48:00.005+05:302008-08-24T13:19:25.183+05:30Optimizing the Windows Registry<span style="font-weight: bold;">Why is the Windows Registry so important?</span><br /><br />The Windows Registry is a very important part of Windows as several programs, Windows Components, etc. use it to store its important settings. Also, the Registry is accessed by the programs extensively too. Therefore, it is very essential to optimize it to maintain its performance. An un-optimized registry can reduce the PC performance.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How does it get cluttered?</span><br /><br />With time, the Registry gets cluttered up due to various reasons. Some programs, when uninstalled, are not able to delete its entries present in the Registry. Moreover, the Registry might become cluttered due to broken start menu items, spyware, etc.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">How can I fix these problems?</span><br /><br />Fixing these problems is very easy with the current generation of Registry care softwares. I would recommend the usage of <a href="http://www.glarysoft.com/rr.html" target="_blank">Glary Registry Repair</a>. It has a very easy to use user interface. You can quickly scan the Registry for several problems & repair them. Before making any repairs, it automatically makes a back-up of the Registry so that you can undo the changes safely. The help file provided by the software explains its usage very effectively.<br /><br />Alternatively, you can also use <a href="http://www.ccleaner.com/" target="_blank">CCleaner</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0