Free Computer Answers Online

Speed Up Your Computer by Defragging

2010-07-02T21:20:00.004-04:00

Running the Windows Defrag (defragmentation) program can help your computer to run smoother and faster. It puts all of the files back in order, kind of house cleaning for your computer.

First, you will want to delete all the unneeded files (Cookies, History, and Temporary Internet Files) prior to doing the defragmentation. No need to scan and defrag all those extra files. Shut down your screen saver temporarily as this can also freeze the defragging process.

Prior to running the Windows Defrag program you should shut down all running programs. If you find that all programs do not want to close you can do several things. You can press the following buttons all at the same time, Ctrl + Alt + Delete, and click Start Task Manager (Windows 7) or right-click on a blank area of taskbar and then left-click on Start Task Manager, see below.

Click on the Processes tab and then start, one by one, to close those things that are running. Click on one and then click the End Process button at the bottom right. (End Task for other versions of Windows)

If you find that defragging does not work then you will need to restart your computer in Safe Mode. Safe mode disables all programs from running. To do this follow these steps:

Restart your computer.
When you hear the first beep press the F8 key (top row of the keyboard) and continuing tapping every one second. You can count 1001, 1002, 1003, etc.
After a few seconds a menu will appear on the screen with options.
Use the down arrow key on your keyboard and move down the menu until Safe Mode (not with networking option) is selected.
Press Enter once.

Once your computer starts in Safe Mode you can start to run the defrag program. Don't be alarmed if icons on the desktop are missing or the screen looks large. It will all go back to normal when you restart your computer in normal mode after the defrag process.

The defrag process may takes hours so you might want to do it overnight. Just leave your computer on. Make sure you disable that screensaver so it can run uninterrupted.

Windows 7 Quirks

2010-04-15T01:44:00.002-04:00

Question: When my computer, installed with Windows 7, goes into sleep mode and I bring it back up everything is huge and magnified at least 3 to 5 times larger. The only way I can get rid of it is to restart my computer.

Answer: The easiest fix is not to reply on sleep or hibernation modes on Windows 7. If your goal is simply to save on electricity, tweak the power-saving mode which you can access through the Screen Saver settings screen (right-click on the desktop and then Personalize), or directly through Control Panel.

Question: I cannot send links I find through email. When I find a link I want to share I right-click on the link and but Send Link is grayed out.

Answer: It is most likely that you haven't setup your default email program. You will need to change this in your browser menu. In Firefox click on the Tools menu and then Applications, and then click mailto. You can have it Always Ask you or pick the Email client you want to use all of the time from the drop-down menu. If you are using Internet Explorer go to the Tools menu and then Internet Options. Click the Programs tab and then click Set Programs. Windows 7 Control Panel will open. Click Set Your Default Programs. Choose the email client you want to use and then set it as the default. If you are using an email program online such as Google or Yahoo you will need to download the toolbar for it to show up in this window. Otherwise setting it up this way will only work for Firefox.

How To Follow a Blog: Web Feeds

2010-04-02T23:39:00.003-04:00

I told you how you could follow a blog by using the Blogger but maybe you want to read what the blog is writing through a feed reader.

Web feeds enable you to keep track of frequently updated content on a blog such as news, blog posts, forums, or schedules without having to ever visit the blog in question. To access and manage these feeds you need something called a newsreader or feedreader. These can be stand-alone programs you install on your computer, web-based applications or can be built right into your browser.

Spotting a Web Feed

How do you find a blog's feed so you can add it to your Feedreader?

The symbol below is the most common icon used to let you know that you an click on it to access the blog's RSS feed. The icon is usually orange but sometimes you might see it in other colors if the blog owner wants to change it.

Another way to find the RSS icon is to visit that blog and then look for the icon either in the address bar or on the toolbar.

You will find the RSS icon on the toolbar in Internet Explorer. It looks like this:

You will find the RSS icon in the address bar in Firefox. It looks like this:

Click on that icon and the blog's feed page will load with the previous posts. You will be given the opportunity to subscribe to the feed using a feedreader. Click the default blog feedreader and a list will pop up to let you choose which reader you prefer. If you don't know which one to pick just choose the default option, which is usually the first one that shows up on the list.

Then click Subscribe Now.

Then just follow the instructions you are given. Each feedreader you chose will be slightly different so you will need to read what they tell you when you pick a certain feedreader.

Internet Hint, Tips, and Techniques: Better Browsing

2010-04-01T15:34:00.006-04:00

Here are some tips for becoming a better Internet browser. Browsing the Internet is just like window shopping at the mall. When you are window shopping you want comfortable shoes or your feet will get tired. Online you want a good browser so webpages load fast and there aren't problems and lock ups.

You should install several browsers on your computer. If you have a problem with a website you can just bring it up in the other browser. Two of the top browsers you should have installed are Firefox and Internet Explorer.

Download Firefox at www.firefox.com and Internet Explorer at www.microsoft.com

Getting the most out of your browsing experience

Searching:
Using the browser window to search. Both Internet Explorer and Firefox let you search right from your browser. You will see a search toolbar at the top right corner of your browser near the X box that you use to close your browser. Just click on that and type what you want to search and then press enter.

You can change which search engine is used when you use the search box by click the drop-down menu and picking a different search engine than the default one that is listed.

You can change which search engine appears as the default by click the "Change search defaults" on Internet Explorer or "Manage Search Engines" on Firefox.

The Power of Using Tabs

Tabs are a newer feature with browsers. A tab allows you to have multiple webpages open at the same time, using just one browser window.

To open a new tab click the File menu and then New Tab. Or, if you like using shortcut keyboard combinations then press the CTRL key down by tapping N for Internet Explorer or CRL + T for Firefox.

If you accidentally close a tab you can bring it back by going to the History menu and then finding it on the Recently Closed Tabs option.

Stay tuned for more great browsing ideas.

High Tech Savings on High Tech Stuff

2010-03-17T15:59:00.001-04:00

Are you in the market for a new PC? How about a new laptop or a smart phone? Keeping up with the latest technology can be expensive, but it can also be necessary since we use most of these high-tech gadgets for work or simply to survive. Who remembers how to find a destination with a paper map? For some of us, it is now like there was no world without GPS navigation systems. So, how do you get your hands on that new high-tech gizmo without breaking the bank? Simple, you do it using one of the most highly evolved technical entities on earth, the Internet.

Since the Internet was invented, we have shopped it. We shop for bargains on shoes, movie tickets, hotel rooms and white elephants. So, why not shop it for something you really need? Let’s use a PC for example. Suppose your old desktop computer has downloaded its last bit of software and its motherboard is about to give up the ghost. Where to you go to find a good personal computer that won’t cost you next month’s rent and car payment combined?

I’ve found a few websites that can answer that question. Which one you choose is going to depend on your situation and what sort of PC you’re in the market to buy. Listed in no particular order, the following sites provide ways to save when you’re buying a PC:

- www.techbargains.com is laden with deals on brand name electronics including desktops, laptops, keyboards, monitors and more. It is a retail site so you shop and buy on line.

- www.Dell.com/DaysofDeals is a site that sells, what else? Dell products. But they sell them at a significant savings over the cost of the same unit at local tech store.

- www.tigerdirect.com is yet another on-line retailer with great prices on tech products, and they also sell parts to repair your existing PC if you’ve got the skills to do the job.

- offers.com/Dell is a site that doesn’t sell you a computer, it offers you a discount or “dell coupons” on them. This sort of site is great when you want to visit the store and see the product before you buy it.

All of these web sites, plus the dozens of others I didn’t list, are a great place for you to shop for your new PC. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get a good quality, high-speed processor, a decent amount of memory and maybe even a few of the extras, all at a price that beats the big tech-gadget store by the mall. So, you choose what option works best for you. You can drive all over town chasing down a bargain, or you can use those last precious few moments of life left in your PC to find the perfect replacement, and at a great price, too. It seems like a great way to say good-bye to your old desktop and hello to that new one."

How Email Works

2010-03-10T00:30:00.008-05:00

E-Mail is short for "electronic mail" and is the most widely used tool on the Internet. It is, in fact, the universal medium. Almost everyone traveling on the Web has a private Inbox these days and most people who have an email address use it regularly to commute with others.

One of the few things that hasn't changed much on the Web (and probably won't change in the near future) is the simplicity of using email. Sending a message to someone is one of the easiest things you can do online. Replying to an email is even easier.

Let's explore the basics of how email works.

Electronic mail is a truly miraculous phenomenon. The speed at which a message travels from one part of the world to another - and the fact that it travels at all - is pretty amazing. You can send e-mail to a friend in England or China and often, within minutes, your message will arrive in their Inbox. If they are online when your message arrives, you could get a reply back before you have finished reading the next message in your Inbox.

E-mail works because certain things occur on the "client side" (our personal computer) and certain things happen on on the "server side" (your Internet provider's computer that handle email).

The magic on the server side is accomplished by the means of a UNIX software program called SENDMAIL. SENDMAIL sits on thousands of mail server computer around the world just waiting for incoming messages to arrive and then it springs into life. Incoming mail is scanned for address headers and tossed into the addressee's mailbox. It's kind of like a what the mailman does to letters that arrive at the post office.

With an outgoing message, SENDMAIL actually calls up the mail server at the destination site and the two computers "talk" back and forth using commands they understand. The outgoing server tells the incoming mail server who that mail is for. It is kind of like they are talking, just in computer language. Just think of your mailman putting mail in the right mailbox. He or she checks to make sure the name and address match up and then the mail gets put in the mailbox for the addressee on the letter or package.

Emails Lost in Cyberspace

Occasionally something goes wrong and a message vanishes into thin air - or so it seems. Of course, there is always a reason why it vanishes and the usual one is human error. Email must be addressed EXACTLY. A mistyped letter or number, even a misplaced dot, can send a message sailing off into oblivion. When that happens, your mail server will usually send you a "bounce" message back to your Inbox explaining that the message couldn't be delivered.

If you examine that message you will see an error and if you read the error closely you will find the answer to why that message didn't make it to the person you sent it to. Maybe that person's mailbox is full, or you didn't type the email address right so it tells you that email doesn't exist, or that person's email box got closed for some reason.

Another reason an email might not get to it's destination is the receiving mail server might have a problem. Maybe it is shut off so it doesn't respond when the email is sent and then the email gets sent back or just stays in kind of a standby until the computer is available. Maybe the receiving mail server isn't configured properly.

What can you do to keep email flowing smoothly and not bounce?

Address your email carefully. Always double check your typing, Just one misplaced letter or dot can cause a message to bounce. If you are careful and get it right the first time, you won't have to send it over again when that bounced message comes back to you.

The Basic Parts of an Email Message

A typical e-mail message consists of three parts:

the header
the title
the body

The Header

The header is found at top of the email message. If you examine a raw message you will find a lot of mysterious data at the top. Certain fields such as "To:" and "From:" are self-explanatory. Other fields are a bit more difficult to decipher.

The information contained in a message header is used by the SENDMAIL program to efficiently route mail across the Internet. Without these headers, it would not be possible for the tens of thousands of mil servers on the global computer network to keep track of the millions of message that are flying around at any given moment.

Every email message must have a header. Even a blank message with no body or signature will have a header.

Depending on what email software you use, your mail reader program may show just a few of the most essential headers such as "To," "From," "Date," and"Subject". If the message include a "Cc" header (which stands for "carbon copy"), this field will also be displayed. The rest of the headers aren't really important unless you are trying to track down a network mail glitch.

The Title

How many times have you received an e-mail message that didn't have a title? This is not a good idea. Always, always, always, include a title for your email message. Not only is it rude it looks like you have no clue how to send an email message properly. Another thing it does it make your email look suspicious to the mail server. Some mail servers won't let you send an email message without a title and others will just consider your email message as spam and the person may never get it.

The Body

The body of an e-mail message contains the actual message. This is where you will write your message to the person you are sending your email to. Only text characters can be written here. However, if you have your email message setup in a program like Microsoft Outlook you can insert pictures in the body of the email. Some networks limit the length of your message so you will also want to keep that in consideration when writing your email.

Now that you know how email message work, what role mail servers play in sending and receiving email messages, what the main parts of an email messages are, go ahead and send out your email messages with confidence knowing that as long as you type the email address of the recipient properly your email message will arrive at it's Inbox destination.

10 Most Popular Uses of the Internet

2010-03-09T17:53:00.008-05:00

If you are new to the Internet or just have trouble figuring out just what you would use the Internet for besides sending emails here is a nice list of some things you can use the Internet for.

The main attraction of the Internet is access to information. If you are looking for information on just about anything under the sun, you will probably find it somewhere online. Finding a specific tidbit of information can be rather daunting at times because there are literally millions of places and documents to search. In a future lesson we will explore practical tips and shortcuts that you can use to navigate the Web and locate precisely the data that you are looking for, but for now let's just explore some of the things you can use the Web for.

What Can I Use the Internet For?

(1) Electronic Mail or Email

By far the most common activity on the Web today, for at least 95% of the online population, is sending and receiving e-mail message. Some 1 billion e-mail messages cross the Internet every day.

(2) Using the Web for Research

Once an obscure chore delegated to librarians and spies, doing research on the Internet, is the Number Two pastime today. Universities, libraries, museums, government agencies, foreign countries, corporations, major newspapers and magazines, even private citizens and hobbyists offer millions of online documents on anything that you could possibly want to know. It has been said that whole storehouse of man's knowledge accumulated since the dawn of recorded history is stored on the Internet.

(3) Downloading Files

Hundreds of online libraries such as the famous SimTel repository offer easy access to tens of thousands of files that you can download free for the asking. You can get valuable free software for your computer, free virus programs, fonts and clip art for your documents, brochures, blogs, and websites, great literature classics, the latest issue of your favorite newspaper or magazine, an online course, music sound bytes and famous voices from the past, radio broadcasts, film clips and much more. Today, you can connect to hundreds of major online libraries at universities and other locations around the world and select from millions of files for free. You could literally spend the rest of your life downloading files and never even scratch the surface of what it out there online.

(4) Discussion Groups

You will find discussion groups and message boards, such as found on Yahoo and Big Boards, on just about everything from astrology to zoology, and the conversation ranges from light to scholarly. Many people join discussion groups and message boards to exchange tips and gain practical knowledge. In groups with a political or social theme, heated debate is the main attraction. Some groups carry nothing but "online personals" thousand every week from people seeking soul mates or simply someone to talk to.

(5) Interactive Games

If you yearn for a simple game of chess against a mindless computer you can probably find it somewhere online. But a new generation of interactive games with stunning multimedia graphics and sounds is now the rage. Old-fashioned text adventures have been replaced by animated real time movies, black and white board games are giving way to extravagant 3-D graphics and virtual reality games that allow interaction not only with the computer but other players in distant parts of the world. Millions of people are spending hours playing online games on their computers at home (and probably many hours at the office as well).

(6) Education and Self-Improvement

Online courses and workshops are now surfacing on the Internet. Some universities have offered "electronic correspondence courses" for years, but in many case you must live nearby and make an appearance on campus from time to time. But as the Internet grows this is almost becoming a thing of the past as instructors now interact with students through live chat, messages boards, and email. Many times these online courses are offered free-of-charge.

(7) Friendship and Dating

There are lots of local, national, and even worldwide discussion groups for people that want to meet penpals, new friends, or make romantic connections. Online matchmaker programs and websites offering electronic personals match up perspective couples through color photographs, videos, and personality profiles. The quest for friendship and romance is as old as civilization itself and will undoubtedly remain a Top Ten attraction as long as computers have electricity and people roam the Earth.

(8) Electronic Newspapers and Magazines

Hundreds of magazines and newspapers have gone online and many are free to read. It is now possible to browse the pages of USA Today in living color and not pay a dime. The San Francisco Chronicle, the London Times, and even periodicals in really far away places like Zambia Post and the St. Petersburg (Russia) Times offer up-to-the-minute news and graphics in a variety of languages.

Some publications provide samples of late breaking news, weather and sports, reaching millions of potential news subscribers around the glove while others serve up complete editions, well as archives of back issues. Often the back issues are how they make their money because they will give you current information for free but once it is archived you pay a fee to access it.

(9) Job Hunting

Looking for a job? The Internet is the best place to find one. You can use your computer to search for new jobs, submit resumes, and even investigate living conditions across the country. Travel arrangements can be booked conveniently through your computer and it is even possible to check out your local schools, rent a house or apartment, and set yourself in a new job somewhere across country all from your computer.

Many jobs have gone online now so finding a job is not always just using sites like CareerBuilder.com or Monster.com to find that new job in your local area or across country. Now you can set up your own Virtual Assistance company by simply posting your credentials at Guru.com or become a freelance writer, without even much experience, by posting on Freelancer.com. The Internet has made new job opportunities and staying at home to work much easier.

(10) Shopping

I am not sure if shopping should even be put way back at number 10 because it has become so popular. As people get busier in their lives they turn to the Internet to shop. You don't have to leave home and often you can find a bargain with free shipping. You can also find lots of websites out there like Retailmenot.com that provide discount coupons to help you save money while shopping online. Websites like Alice.com will let you do your grocery shopping online and also provide instant online coupons. So, you really never have to leave home to do your shopping every again if you didn't want to.

While this is a list of the top ten things to use the Internet for, it is by no means conclusive. The Internet is growing everyday as people come up with new ways to use it and as new technologies are being developed. We didn't even cover photo sharing, using social media, live chat, or banking online and all of those things are valid ways of using the Internet. This list is just to give you a taste of the potential the Internet has an give you some ideas of things you can use the Internet for. Now go explore!

5 Computer Magazines Everyone Should Subscribe To

2010-03-09T15:36:00.001-05:00

If you are a computer wizard, you already know more about this than the rest of the world. You can probably write interesting articles for a computer magazine. Even then, there are magazines you should still have magazine subscriptions for, if you want to stay updated on things that are going on in the wired world.

Perhaps the most well known tech magazine that focuses largely on the computer is the Wired. It provides an in depth view of technology and how it affects our lifestyle, culture, communications and life in general. While doing that, it also provides some delicious tidbits about tricks and tips you can learn about hardwire and software. It also, generally, includes top quality reviews of devices and products that can be very useful if you are in the market for them. If there is a review about a product in Wired, you can be sure it will be the final word on that product.

Another well known magazine is PC World. You can use this to learn everything about software and hardware. It will give you advice on learning digital photography. You can use its tips to learn the functions of various software. You can learn about top software in a niche area. It will train you in networking basics, and even provide high value tips on detecting if someone is stealing your bandwidth. It will have comparisons of antivirus product rankings and news. It will cover interesting and important sites on the net, and much more.

If you are a gamer, you will definitely find Playstation interesting and educational. Playstation is not an authorized magazine from Sony, which is good, because it provides unbiased news and views on the game station that an authorized version might not have done. It discusses major new products from both Playstation and Playstation 2.

For the gamer, there’s also the Electronic Gaming Monthly. This is a major gaming magazine that gives you the latest on games like those available on PlayStation, Nintendo 64, Game Gear, SuperNES, Saturn, GameBoy, Jaguar, Genesis and Neo-Geo video game systems. It will give you latest offers, news and reviews, and its online version will also give you a forum where you can listen to what others have to say on the games, in real time.

Finally, for those looking to buy things computer related, there is the Computer Shopper Magazine. It is regarded as a must have for those of you looking to buy things techie, whether you are a novice or an expert. It will give you thousands of direct deals from manufacturer of hardware and software, including printers and peripherals. It will offer product indexes for the year, varieties of comparison and review material, not to mention a host of buying tips and advice, and how to hack your newly acquired device to do something on it that it was never meant to accomplish. If you are into tech stuff, this is a magazine you sure don’t want to miss.

How to Securely Connect to a Public Wireless Network

2009-09-25T20:23:00.003-04:00

Wireless hotspots are getting much more popular. There are locations in Starbucks, Panera Bread, Wal-Mart and more. You can connect to a public access point to get a fast Internet connection while you are away from home. Sometimes the access is free and other times you have to pay a fee. Many hotels, airports and stores provide hotspots.

Most public hotspots and wireless access points don't require password and don't use any encryption or security. This means your data is unprotected an easily available to a reasonable knowledgeable hacker.

Whether you are connecting to a wireless access point at a friend's house, a business location, restaurant, hotel or library, you should always take precautions because you never know who else is on the network and what they are doing. Here are a few ways you can protect your data and your computer while connecting to a public wireless network.

Keep your computer up-to-date

Before connecting to a wireless hotspot, make sure your operating system, anti-virus software, and firewall have all of the latest updates.

Use a Firewall

A firewall will prevent others from connecting to your computer when they are connecting to a wireless hotspot. If you are using Windows you can use the built-in Windows Personal Firewall. Otherwise you should consider downloading and installing a Firewall program. Comodo is a free firewall you can download.

Check Your Wireless Hotspot Access Point

Just because you are at a trusted location and use their access point or wireless hotspot doesn't mean that a hacker located near that location can't set up an access point and hope users accidentally connect to their access point instead of the one at the location you visited. Make sure you know the exact name of the hotspot you are supposed to be connected to and ask if you don't know it.

When you are connected to a wireless hotspot, anyone can be snooping around the Internet for open computer. If they are able to access your computer they can read your emails, know what website you visit and see your password and confidential information. If you take a few precautions ahead of time you will be safe and secure your computer from spying eyes.

How to Use Search Engines

2009-09-20T21:00:00.002-04:00

The Internet is a vast and growing place that can sometimes we overwhelming. Where do I start? What do I use it for? I will try to give you some ideas of what you can do once you have access to the Internet. This lesson will be on search engines - what they are and how to use them.

Using Search Engines

What is a search engine?

A search engine is a website that collects information from all over the Internet including information from:

websites
blogs
images
videos

What are some search engine I can use?

Search engines are changing continually as people add things to the Web. Each search engine gives you slightly different results by typing in the exact same words or questions. Everyone seems to have their favorite. Some popular search engines include:

Google.com
Yahoo.com
Bing.com
MSN.com
AOL.com
Ask.com
Dogpile.com
Altavista.com

What do you use a search engine for?

You use a search engine to find stuff like:

answers to questions
find breaking news
to solve a problem
look up a medical condition
find people
find phone numbers
find addresses
find directions
buy airline tickets
find where to buy something
look for free stuff

The list can go on and on but basically a search engine helps you find the answer to a question you have. The list above is just to give you an idea of what you could use a search engine for. The possibilities are endless.

How do search engines work?

Each search engine works differently to give you the answer to what you asked it. Most of them scan the internet and look for the words you searched to return the answer to you in the form of a list of websites and blogs to go to. Google counts the number of times that each website is linked tofrom other websites , then ranks the search results based on how popular it thinks a site is. If a site is popular by a lot of people on a specific topic it most likely will have the answer to your question so it will be at the top of the results you see.

Searching with Keywords

What is a keyword? A keyword is any word or phrase (group of words) you type into the search engine. For example, maybe you want to find out about hampsters so you type hampsters in the search engine. Of course, you are going to a million sites about hampsters. If you narrow your search down by adding other words to create a keyword phrase you will have better results. Maybe you want to find out about "what do hampsters like to eat" and if you type that entire phrase into a search engine you will have better luck at finding what you are looking for. The search engine will scan the entire web and find websites and blogs that have information that is contained in your keyword phrase.

Using a search engine is the best way to find what you are looking for on the web. You may not know the website address of the site that will have the answer to your question so you ask the search engine the question and it gives you the answer. Then it is your job to check out the websites or blogs it gives you to see if they contain the actual answer you are looking for.

How to Fix Basic Computer Problems

2009-09-15T03:54:00.005-04:00

Here are some practical and simple steps you can use to fix many of the most common computer problems. You might be able to fix your computer error in just 15 minutes with some of these recommendations.

Computers are used everyday in our day to day lives but like any machine they need regular maintenance, upgrade, troubleshooting and some tender loving care at times. Many tasks required to fix computer problems and prevent various computer errors are actually very simple.

In the majority of cases, errors exist in .EXE, .DLL and driver files. This takes place often due to invalid or corrupt entries in the registry caused by the installation of programs, moving things around, deleting files, and general everyday use. These files are very important as they create entries in the registry which are also used to operate the system. When the registry becomes unstable or damaged it will significantly slow down the computer and will create random responses and errors.

Run Defragmenter: The first thing you can do is to run a disk defragmenter program. This task leads to the disorganization of the disk content, whereby the parts of the many files on the hard disk, are stored closer to each other and contiguously. A disk defragmenter use compaction to create large areas of free space on the hard drive and this means that the computer can find information faster with less errors overall.

Registry Scan: In order to fix computer errors in the registry you should run a registry scan because this enables unwanted data to be detected and subsequently deleted. This type of program can be done easily using any popular registry fixing software that is often free to download and use on your computer. You can choose from a variety of software that can complete many registry maintenance activities and remove malevolent software such as viruses and spyware. In addition, many of these same computer programs will also backup, scan and fix the registry and finally defragment the computer.

Remove Spyware and Viruses: Spyware and viruses create most of the computer problems we see today. Computer viruses can also reduce your computer's response time and it make it run slower. This is different that software (spyware) that is programmed to copy malicious code onto the computer in order to steal confidential data. Often this code is later transmitted to an outside computer through the internet for other malicious uses. Fixing computer errors requires a common sense approach, which means updating any anti-spyware and antivirus tools on a regular basis. Just using them once and never updating them will solve your problem today but may not protect you in the future.

Fixing the Boot Sector: Software that isn't working properly or optimized can also damage your computer hard drive's boot sectors, and this can prevent the system from booting up properly or at all. In order to fix computer errors, which relate to booting, it is advisable to use the relevant operating system booting CD usually provided with your computer.

Upgrade Your RAM: Insufficient memory is another source of errors, which can lead to various computer problems. Some of these problems result in system crashes, blue screens, system hangs, a sudden restart of the computer or even software programs that crash. Fixing computer errors that relate to memory can often be achieved with freeware, which help resolve RAM and related issues. These sofware can greatly increase computer speed and response time and are also very easy to use. Completing a computer memory test is also highly advisable in that event. You may also need to buy new RAM or upgrade your RAM to make your computer faster and run more error-free.

Computer Repair Options

2009-07-22T20:55:00.004-04:00

When it comes to computer repair you have many different options. Many people feel more comfortable taking their computer to a trusted store they know such as Best Buy which offers the Geek Squad and their in-store and at-home services. While at first this may seem like a good option here are a few things you may not know.

A Computer repairs spot like the Geek Squad do not always require computer repair certifications or pre-training. You would think they would require this for all of their computer repair techs but that is not always the case. The field agents that come out to your home are supposed to be certified.

The other download side is the cost. The in-store prices are not bad but the wait time can be a little long. Also if you are looking to have a tech come out to your house be prepared to spend almost $200 just to have them knock on your door. This cost can be quite high.

Another option is to go with a smaller, local computer repair company. Look online, in your phone book, local newspaper, or local magazine to find hometown computer shops. Going this route is nice because if you have an issue you can actually speak with the same person who repaired your computer and usually deal with the same person each time.

Your third option is one that many people do not even know about. Hire a company to repair your computer online. Things like virus and spyware removal, networking and all those other blue screen errors can be resolved right online.

For instance this Computer Repair site can remotely access your computer with special software and resolve just about any issue. There is no waiting in line and you can chat live with a repair tech. No waiting days for a personal tech or hauling your computer across town just to wait a week for the repair. You can also save a lot of money because you are not paying for the overhead a store has to pay to maintain their physical store It is worth bookmarking because some day you will may just need them and at least this is a third option that is worth a second look.

How to Make Your Computer Run Faster

2009-07-22T02:27:00.005-04:00

Your initial few days spent with your new desktop computer started so well. Your computer used to start Windows a super fast and run smoothly. Now it’s grinding to a halt! Software take much longer to run. You frequently want to know Why is my computer running so slow? You are tempted to buy a new computer but this isn't the right answer. Aside from the added expense, there is no real need to do this and you can save your hard earned money.

Thankfully there is a way around this. This website describes what an annoying slow desktop computer is like and explains how to resolve the issues simply and cheaply. It’s definitely worth a look. Visit www.whyismycomputerrunningslow.org

There are a bunch of steps you can take to improve the speed of your desktop computer

A frequent cause of a very slow personal computer is lack of hard disk space. You are able to easily find more disk space by deleting unwanted files. Another method would be to run registry cleaners software. These are now inexpensive and can prove very cost effective.

It’s also worth trying is to run a disk defragmenter on your personal computer. This could help to make it run much faster by removing leftover .tmp and log files.

After running a personal computer for a number of months you have probably installed many applications that you never use anymore. These pieces of software should be deleted with the aid of Control Panel Add/Remove programs feature. You never want to remove them any other way.

Another reason for a very slow computer is the increasing amount of spyware or viruses found on your desktop computer. The best way to remove these is to install and run an anti-spyware software program such as Ad-Aware from Lavasoft. Lots of people found this will fix their slow computer problems.

Some people discovered that by simply deleting the contents of their recycle bin it made their computer run much faster.

So, without purchasing a new computer you now have some simple steps you can take to clean up your computer and make it run faster. Just like cleaning your house and getting rid of things you don't need to give yourself more space; so your computer needs to be cleaned up from time to time to make it run smoother and faster.

How to Enable Javascript in your Browser

2009-04-27T02:41:00.003-04:00

Many websites and blogs today need JavaScript to run applications, drop-down menus, and more. That means your browser has to have JavaScript enabled to view and sometimes even load those websites and blogs that require JavaScript.

The easiest way to get the latest plug-ins or JavaScript enhanced browser is to download the updates for your current browser. To make sure you have Javacript enabled do this check:

If your Web browser does not have JavaScript enabled, follow these simple instructions to activate:

If you are using Internet Explorer:

From the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
Select the Security tab.
Click Custom Level.
Scroll down to Active scripting.
Click Enable (or Prompt).
Click OK.
Click OK.

If you are using FireFox:

From the Tools menu, click Options.
Click on the Content icon.
Check the box next to Enable JavaScript.
Click OK.
Click OK.

Google PageRank Updated Today

2008-12-31T17:39:00.002-05:00

Google updated it's Pagerank or PR rating for blogs and websites today. I was very happy with the results. This blog is fairly new and is now ranked with a 2. Previously it was unranked. My main website, www.thecomputerladyonline.com went from a PR3 to a PR4 today. The highest PR you can get is a 10. The higher your number the more likely your blog or website will be found through search engines for the keywords you are targeting.

The highest Pagerank you can get is a 10. It goes from unranked, 0 and then the scale is 1 to 10. So, a 3 or 4 is pretty good for getting search engine traffic.

What is Pagerank and why do you want it?

Here is a great explanation from the WebWorkshop.net:

PageRank is a numeric value that represents how important a page is on the web. Google figures that when one page links to another page, it is effectively casting a vote for the other page. The more votes that are cast for a page, the more important the page must be. Also, the importance of the page that is casting the vote determines how important the vote itself is. Google calculates a page's importance from the votes cast for it. How important each vote is is taken into account when a page's PageRank is calculated.

PageRank is Google's way of deciding a page's importance. It matters because it is one of the factors that determines a page's ranking in the search results. It isn't the only factor that Google uses to rank pages, but it is an important one.

Not all links are counted by Google. For instance, they filter out links from known link farms. Some links can cause a site to be penalized by Google. They rightly figure that webmasters cannot control which sites link to their sites, but they can control which sites they link out to. For this reason, links into a site cannot harm the site, but links from a site can be harmful if they link to penalized sites. So be careful which sites you link to. If a site has PR0, it is usually a penalty, and it would be unwise to link to it.

If you want to read the rest of the article about pagerank click on the link. They go into great technical detail about how Google calculates PR.

I have been testing, testing, and retesting my favorite Google Guru, Grizzly, from his make money site and I have also been teaching some of the tricks I have been learning on my main blogging site, Business Blogging Guide. If you are really into blogging and want to learn more about design, advertising, making money blogging, and how to write posts then visit the Business Blogging Guide and sign up for the feed.

Today my testing came to a good conclusion and I would say I passed the test with an A+.

Several of my new sites now have PR on them that were previously unranked a month ago. One site which is a month and a half old went from not being ranked at all to having a PR4. The Business Blogging Guide actually jumped way up from a PR2 to a PR4 so I am super happy about that.

And, on the flip side, 2 of the sites that I would consider social in nature did not jump in rank. I have not been very good at targeting keywords for those sites but that will change in 2009 as I have graduated from Kindergarten blogging and am now moving up to first grade!

A great little tool for checking your sites PR is the PRChecker. You can check any site. PR is for blogs and websites as well. If you have a PR3 or higher you might want to consider adding their free badge to your site. Advertisers love PR3 or higher sites.

5 Mistakes to Avoid When Creating a Blog

2008-12-29T14:14:00.004-05:00

Guest post by Kim McDougal, creator Ordinary Recipes Made Gourmet ordinaryrecipesmadegourmet.com

Kim McDougal is a fellow designer and someone I socialize with on Twitter. She has a wonderful food and recipe blog that you should check out as well. This article is about some of the things you should avoid when you create a blog. This article is Kim's opinion and insight from her years of working with websites and blogs.

#5: Don't switch blogging platforms in midstream

Decide which one you're using: Wordpress, Blogger, or any other and stick to it. Too many changes will further complicate your site and prolong launching it. Plus, you should like the way it looks so that you'll enjoy the experience of blogging. I have created sites that I later on hated and it was hard to work on them.. Choose wisely what platform you like and it easiest for you to work with.

#4: Don't build pages off your template too fast

Once you've decided on blogging platform, choose the template by which all your pages will look like and take your time building this one file first even if it takes you a month before you know whether or not you like it. Because once you build other pages to your site too quickly, making changes will become cumbersome, tedious, and just plain stressful.

#3: Don't fill up your template with a bunch of ads

You're building a community and people are more likely to buy from you once they know you better and that they can trust you.

#2: Don't even bother to design your blog until you know your audience

Before you decide on a blog, do you have something to say? Are you passionate about something or good at something that you can share? You need readers to make your blog successful. And it must be an interactive site so that your readers can respond back. Good content is important to what your audience is interested in and you need be sure you have plenty and you won't run out. New and fresh content should be posted frequently to keep your audience coming back.

#1: Creating your blog with the wrong domainname

It's ESSENTIAL to decide on the correct first so that all #2 - #5 will work, but also so that all the SEO, link exchanges, directory portals you do will have this name. And whatever your blog is about should be in your domain name. Nothing's worse than creating a site based on either a subdomain or some other domain name, but it isn't relevant. You don't want to buy the domain once you've already established your blog to have transfer all your files over and then go back through Search engine submissions to wait more months for the spiders to crawl your site again.

Remove Label Number Count in Blogger

2008-12-23T11:50:00.001-05:00

How To Remove the Label Number Count in Blogger

By default, the Labels (or your post categories as I like to call it) will have an automatic count of the number of posts next to each label or topic. You can remove the numbers so you only see the post categories.

To remove label number counts in Blogger follow the step-by-step instructions:

1. Before you do anything please backup your template first.

How to back up your template:
Login to your dashboard.
Click the Layout tab.
Click Edit HTML
Click Download Full Template.
Save the .XML file to your computer.

2. While you are still in the Edit HTML view click in the checkbox next to Expand Widget Templates.
3. Do a search by either going to the Edit menu and then Find or pressing CTRL + F on your keyboard at the same time.

4. Search for (<data:label.count/>)

5. When you find it delete JUST that section.

6. If you like click Preview to see what changes before saving them.

7. When you are satisfied with the look click Save Template.

8. Preview your blog and you will notice that the number count has been removed from Labels.

Create a Static Blog Homepage

2008-12-22T09:22:00.002-05:00

A reader sent me a question by email asking how they could make the homepage on their blog static. Basically, they want the same information to show on the homepage no matter how many posts they create.

Creating a Static Homepage with Blogger

I have not see a true static page hack for the Blogger blog system but it could be out there. If someone knows of one please email me at thecomputerlady@snet.net and I will include it in these instructions and give you credit for it.

You can "cheat" the Blogger system by posting what you want to show up on the homepage with a date far into the future. Then all of the new posts your create will appear just under this post.

How to "cheat" the Blogger system to create a static homepage:

1. Create the post you want to show on the homepage. If you have already created the post open it up in Edit mode and then click Post Options at the bottom of the window.

2. Change the date to a date somewhere far into the future like 01/01/50.

3. Click Publish Post.

4. View your blog. You will see that the post is now at the top of the homepage.

WordPress Instructions for creating a static homepage:

If you are using the WordPress blog system the functionality has already been added for you.

1. Create a new page. Put what you want to show on the homepage.

2. Save the page. It really doesn't matter what name you give it.

3. Click Settings and then Reading from the left toolbar.

4. Click next to A static page.

5. Pick the new page you just created from the drop-down list next to Front page.

6. Click OK.

How to Add an Image or Picture to An Email

2008-12-22T02:04:00.015-05:00

How can you insert a picture into a new email message? It depends on the program you are using. It is slightly different for each program but you can find the basic menus you need to insert the picture on all programs.

Note: If you are using Gmail you cannot insert a .gif picture directly into a message but you can insert a .jpg or .png into an email message. The only way to add a gif to Gmail is to either attach it or put it as a picture in your Signature.

How do I insert a picture into an email message?

For many free email programs like Gmail and Yahoo there is not a menu you can use to insert a picture directly into an email message. You have to attach the picture instead.

How to Attach a picture to an email message:

Create a new email by clicking Compose Mail or something similar depending on your program.
Click Attach File.
Locate the file stored on your computer and click on it.
Click Open.
Wait until the file is loaded. You should see an indicator showing you that the file is attached.
Now you can create your email and the picture or other file will be sent along with your message.

Step 2

How to add a picture or graphic into an Outlook email message:

Create a new email message.
Click the Insert menu at the top of the screen.
Click Picture.
Locate the picture from your computer by clicking the Browse button.
Click on the filename of the picture.
Click Open.
Click OK.

Inserting a picture or other image directly into an email will only work if the email is setup for HTML format. It will not work if you are using Plain Text.

To check the Format click the Format menu and then see what the checkmark is next to - HTML or Plain Text.

How to Create a $10 Lightbox

2008-12-14T13:46:00.003-05:00

I learned how to create a $10 lightbox at home using simple supplies like a cardboard box, tape, white tissue paper and posterboard from the Strobist blog.

If you are selling products online through an auction site, Etsy, or on your own website you want your photographs to be clear to help the person viewing them feel like they are standing right in front of that product. If you have a recipe blog or website you want your photos to be mouth watering and enticing.

With a cardboard box, some white tissue paper, and posterboard you can get professional-looking macro shots.

Supplies you need:

12 x 12 x 12 cardboard box with no writing inside
white tissue paper, preferably flat with no wrinkles
white posterboard
black posterboard

Instructions:

Cut out 3 sides of the box to create windows
Totally cut out the bottom. Tape the bottom of the box securely into place before making your cuts
Leave two of the top flaps on for light control as shown, and remove the other two
Cut pieces of white tissue or tracing paper to fit the open windows on the three sides
Tape paper over the windows on the outside

These instructions were composed from reading the Strobist blog by David Hobby. Please visit his blog to learn more about using proper lighting techniques with your lightbox to take awesome photos.

How To Create an Animated Gif

2008-12-12T19:30:00.008-05:00

Animated Gifs are all over the Web these days. You can easily create one to use as a moving graphic on your website or blog or even as an Avatar. You can create a moving advertisement by making an animated gif too. However, not all moving or animated pictures you see on the Web are animated gifs.

An animated gif has a file extension of .gif.

You can easily create an animated gif for free online without even downloading or installing software. Some tools online are complicated and require a lot of knowledge and some are simple to use.

This lesson is going to teach you how to make a very simple animated gif using Gifsun.org

Step 1:

You will need to have the pictures you want to use already on your computer somewhere. If you find pictures you want to use online you need to save them to your computer first.

It helps if the pictures are all the same size. The graphics I am using are 150 x 150 pixels.

I am using 3 graphics. You can use more or less but you need at least 2 to create animation.

Step 2:

Go to www.gifsun.org

Step 3:

Click the Browse button and locate your first graphic from your computer. Continue adding graphics until you have all that you want to use to make your animated gif.

You will see a list of the graphics you are adding appear at the bottom left.

Step 4:

From the width size drop-down list pick the size you want your finished gif to be.

Step 5:

Choose the delay speed from the drop-down list.

Step 6:

Choose No effect or a flip effect.

Step 7:

Click Upload to see the preview of your finished animated gif.

Step 8:

Click the HTML link if you want to copy the HTML code to your website or blog. You will have to register for a free account or your graphic will be deleted in 3 days to use this option.

To save the graphic to your computer so you can upload it to your website or blog just right-click on it and left-click Save Image As.

The graphic will have a weird name but you can give it a new name. Just make sure you include .gif on the end. I named my graphic santa.gif

How to Follow a Blog in Blogger

2008-12-10T20:22:00.004-05:00

Blogger has a feature that allows you to follow any blog whether they use Blogger, Word Press, Typepad or another blog service.

I like the "following" feature because I can view updates from all of the blogs I read on the Blogger Dashboard where I view and work on my own personal blogs. You can use this feature even if you use Word Press, Typepad or another service. You will need to go to www.blogger.com and sign up but the account is free.

How to follow a blog in blogger:

Step 1: Go to www.blogger.com and log into your account.

Step 2: Scroll to the bottom of the page until you see the Reading Section. Click Add.

Step 4: Type the URL (the blog address) of the blog you want to add and click Next.

Step 5: Click either to follow publicly or anonymously. If you follow publicly other people will see your profile pic and know you follow that blog. If you follow anonymously the public will not know if you follow that blog or not. Click Follow.

Now if you click on the blog name from the list on the left-hand side of the screen you will see the individual posts from that blog on the right-hand side of the screen.

I have about 20 or 30 blogs on my list and this makes it super easy and convenient to follow all of them and read their daily updates.

How to Solve Problems Printing Online Discount Coupons

2008-12-10T18:01:00.001-05:00

Many of the printable discount coupons that you see on the Internet are Bricks coupons. Maybe you won a coupon from an online instant win game or sweepstakes and need to be able to print it out now. You can tell if the coupons are generated from the Brickers service if you see bricks.coupons.com in the address.

Sometimes there are errors and the coupons won't print. The screen comes up blank and the words, Please Wait... or something similar shows up on the screen.

If you can print successfully without errors then you don't need to change anything. This article is to help those who come up with errors or cannot print coupons online.

Here are some simple things you can do to fix that problem:

First you want to make sure the coupon printer plug-in is installed. When you click a link to print the coupon you will get a screen that looks similar to this. If the plug-in is installed the Print Now button will be at the bottom. If it is not installed the button will probably say something like Install Plug-in.

Second, if you get one of those messages simple change 2 characters in the URL in the Address bar to make it work.

Here is an example of a Bricks URL:

http://bricks.coupons.com/Start.asp?tqnm=ri3peuo59687503&bt=wg&o=53740&ci=1&c=GM&p=TyQrvJAY

Do you see the wg in bold in the URL above. Simply change whatever shows up in the URL you are given to the follow depending on your browser:

Firefox: change to wg
Internet Explorer: change to wi
Safari: change to vi

Now this is not an exact science so you will need to experiment to find out which code works for you. But changing the 2-digit characters in the URL will make them print.

Try it and see if it works. If you have other suggestions or find something else that works for you let me know.

How to Backup Your Internet Explorer Favorites

2008-12-07T08:45:00.001-05:00

So you have a lot of websites you have saved as Favorites in Internet Explorer and you want to know how to back them up?

If you are upgrading your browser, setting up a new computer, or just want a backup of your favorites follow these simple steps to backup your Favorites in Internet Explorer.

Step 1: Open Internet Explorer, click on the File menu and click Import and Export.

Step 2: When the Import/Export Wizard appears click Next.

Step 3: Click on Export Favorites and click Next.

Step 4: Your Favorites list will appear. Click Next.

Step 5: Locate where you would like to save your Favorite file and click Save. The Wizard will automatically give your Favorites the filename of bookmark.htm.

Step 6: When the next screen comes up click Finish. It could take from 30 seconds to a minute for this screen to come up depending on how large your Favorites list is.

Now you have a backup copy of your Internet Explorer Favorites. You can use this bookmark.htm file to copy your Favorites to a new computer, put on a thumb or flash drive to take with you to a friends house or import into another browser.

Would you like to download this lesson plan in PDF format? Click Here

How to Convert Word to PDF

2008-12-06T03:00:00.001-05:00

Here are step-by-step instructions for converting any word processing document into a PDF file. I use Microsoft Word but you can use these instructions for just about any word processing program you have installed.

Step 1: You will need to make sure you have the free Adobe Acrobat Reader program installed on your computer. If you don't have it installed you can download it for free on the Adobe website.

Step 2: Open your word processing document.

Step 3: From the File menu click Print.

Step 4: Pick the Adobe PDF Printer from the drop-down list and click OK.

Step 5: Decide where you want to save your PDF file and click Save.

Step 6: Wait while your document is being converted into a PDF file.

Step 7: The new PDF document will open on the screen.

That's it! Wasn't that simple?

Do you want to download this lesson plan in PDF format? Click here