Lots of Windows XP Tips

Lock XP Workstation (#1) :
You can lock your XP workstation with two clicks of the mouse. Create a new shortcut on your desktop using a right mouse click, and enter 'rundll32.exe user32.dll, LockWorkStation' in the location field. Give the shortcut a name you like. That's it -- just double click on it and your computer will be locked. And if that's not easy enough, Windows key + L will do the same.
Remove Windows XP system software (#2) :
XP hides some system software you might want to remove, such as Windows Messenger, but you can tickle it and make it disgorge everything. Using Notepad or Edit, edit the text file /windows/inf/sysoc.inf, search for the word 'hide' and remove it. You can then go to the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Windows Components and there will be your prey, exposed and vulnerable.
New commands (#3) :
For those skilled in the art of DOS batch files, XP has a number of interesting new commands. These include 'eventcreate' and 'eventtriggers' for creating and watching system events, 'typeperf' for monitoring performance of various subsystems, and 'schtasks' for handling scheduled tasks. As usual, typing the command name followed by /? will give a list of options -- they're all far too baroque to go into here.
Windows XP supports IPv6 (#4) :
XP has IP version 6 support -- the next generation of IP. Unfortunately this is more than your ISP has, so you can only experiment with this on your LAN. Type 'ipv6 install' into Run... (it's OK, it won't ruin your existing network setup) and then 'ipv6 /?' at the command line to find out more. If you don't know what IPv6 is, don't worry and don't bother.

Kill tasks from the command line (#5) :
You can at last get rid of tasks on the computer from the command line by using 'taskkill /pid' and the task number, or just 'tskill' and the process number. Find that out by typing 'tasklist', which will also tell you a lot about what's going on in your system.
Enable ClearType by default (#6) :
XP has ClearType -- Microsoft's anti-aliasing font display technology-- but doesn't have it enabled by default. It's well worth trying, especially if you were there for DOS and all those years of staring at a screen have given you the eyes of an astigmatic bat. To enable ClearType, right click on the desktop, select Properties, Appearance, Effects, select ClearType from the second drop-down menu and enable the selection. Expect best results on laptop displays. If you want to use ClearType on the Welcome login screen as well, set the registry entry

HKEY_USERS/.DEFAULT/ControlPanel/Desktop/FontSmoothingType to 2.

Run program as different user (#7) :
You can run a program as a different user without logging out and back in again. Right click the icon, select Run As... and enter the user name and password you want to use. This only applies for that run. The trick is particularly useful if you need to have administrative permissions to install a program, which many require. Note that you can have some fun by running programs multiple times on the same system as different users, but this can have unforeseen effects.
Speed up the Start Menu (#8) :
The Start Menu can be leisurely when it decides to appear, but you can speed things along by changing the registry entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop/MenuShowDelay from the default 400 to something a little snappier. Like 0.
Rename multiple files at once (#9) :
You can rename loads of files at once in Windows Explorer. Highlight a set of files in a window, then right click on one and rename it. All the other files will be renamed to that name, with individual numbers in brackets to distinguish them. Also, in a folder you can arrange icons in alphabetized groups by View, Arrange Icon By... Show In-Groups.
Show covert art in Media Player (#10) :
Windows Media Player will display the cover art for albums as it plays the tracks -- if it found the picture on the Internet when you copied the tracks from the CD. If it didn't, or if you have lots of pre-WMP music files, you can put your own copy of the cover art in the same directory as the tracks. Just call it folder.jpg and Windows Media Player will pick it up and display it.
Display Hibernate Option on the Shut Down dialog (#11) :
For some reason, Hibernate isn't available from the default Shut Down dialog. But you can enable it simply enough, by holding down the SHIFT key while the dialog is visible. Now you see it, now you don't!
Enable ClearType on the Welcome Screen! (#12) :
As laptop users and other LCD owners are quickly realizing, Microsoft's ClearType technology in Windows XP really makes a big difference for readability. But the this feature is enabled on a per-user basis in Windows XP, so you can't see the effect on the Welcome screen; it only appears after you logon.
But you can fix that. Fire up the Registry Editor and look for the following keys:

(default user) HKEY_USERS \ .Default \ Control Panel \ Desktop \
FontSmoothing (String Value)
HKEY_USERS \ .Default \ Control Panel \ Desktop \
FontSmoothingType (Hexadecimal DWORD Value)

Make sure both of these values are set to 2 and you'll have ClearType enabled on the Welcome screen and on each new user by default.
Change User Picture (#13) :
Click on the Icon at the top of the start menu. Select desired picture from resulting screen Windows 2000 style logon. To revert back to the Win2k style logon so you can log on as the administrator and other options, press ctrl+alt+delete twice at the logon screen. Change the location of the My Music or My Pictures folders:
In Windows 2000, Microsoft added the ability to right-click the My Documents folder and choose a new location for that folder in the shell. With Windows XP, Microsoft has elevated the My Music and My Pictures folders to the same "special shell folder" status of My Documents, but they never added a similar (and simple) method for changing those folder's locations. However, it is actually pretty easy to change the location of these folders, using the following method.
Open a My Computer window and navigate to the location where you'd like My Music (or My Pictures) to reside. Then, open the My Documents folder in a different window. Drag the My Music (or My Pictures) folder to the other window, and Windows XP will update all of the references to that folder to the new location, including the Start menu.
Protect Your Files From Unauthorized Users (#14) :
Other users with permission to delete a file (users with Modify or Full Control permission) can't use your encrypted files-but they can make them difficult for you to use. Any such user can rename your files, which can make them difficult to find, and can also delete your files. (Even if the user merely deletes them to the Recycle Bin and doesn't remove them altogether, the deleted files are unavailable to you because you don't have access to any other user's Recycle Bin.) Therefore, if you're concerned about protecting your files from other authorized users as well as from a thief who steals your computer, you should modify the NTFS permissions to prevent any type of modification by other users.
Shutdown Your System in a Hurry (#15) :
If you need to shut down in a hurry-or if a frozen application prevents you from shutting down in the normal ways-you can use the following procedure. Be aware, however, that you won't get an opportunity to save open documents. To perform an emergency shutdown, press Ctrl+Alt+Del to display Task Manager. Open the Shut down menu and hold down the Ctrl key as you click the Turn Off command. Poof! If your computer is part of a domain, the procedure is similar. Press Ctrl+Alt+Del and then hold down Ctrl when you click Shut Down. In this situation, you'll get a warning message pointing out-quite correctly-that this should be used only as a last resort.
Provide Personal Support (#16) :
It never fails: when friends, co-workers, or family members discover that you're a Windows expert, you get pressed into service as an unpaid support technician. If the party asking for help is running any edition of Windows XP and has an active Internet connection, your job is much easier. Have the other person send you a Remote Assistance request; when you accept the request, you connect directly to their computer and can edit Registry settings, fix file associations, set System options, and perform just about any other troubleshooting or repair task, just as if you were sitting at the other person's desk.
Quickly Fix Connectivity Problems (#17) :
Are you having trouble connecting to other computers on your local area network? If your network uses a hardware firewall that assigns IP addresses to each machine and you're certain you've configured all other components correctly, check to see whether the Internet Connection Firewall is enabled. That component can effectively block communication between PCs on the network.
Hack IE Title Bar (#18) :
This can be an impressive bit of personalization. Use your name or moniker to brand Internet Explorer. Go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ and left-click on Main to change the string "Window Title" to whatever you wish.
Unload DLLs (#19) :
To prevent Windows from caching DLLs after the program using them has closed, follow this procedure: Navigate to
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ then left-click on Explorer. Right-click (as above) and create the DWORD
AlwaysUnloadDLL with a value of 1. This requires a reboot to take effect. This will allow memory to be used more efficiently.
Registry Hacks (#20) :
Editing the Windows Registry, while much more common now than in years past, is still not to be entered into lightly. You can break Windows, cause boot failure. I know you're gonna do it anyway; why else would you be reading this. Just be careful, OK?
These are few because, for the most part WinXP can be customized through the interlace or with third-party freeware (as above).
All of the tips below require running regedit. To do so, hit 'Start/Run' then type 'regedit' and follow the instructions.
Naturally, I take no responsibility for any damage or loss of data incurred in the remote possibility that something goes terribly wrong.
The Ultimate Appearance Tweak (#21) :
Microsoft said: "You can connect up to 10 monitors to your Windows XP-based computer and display numerous programs or windows at one time. You can use your mouse to move items from one monitor to another. You can open a different file on each monitor. Or several. Or you can stretch one item across several monitors; so for example, you can see more columns in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, or the entire layout of a Web page, without scrolling." Consider it. Monitors and PCI video cards are pretty cheap now. Windows recognizes the addition & allows easy adjustments on the 'Display Properties/Settings' menu.
Save Streaming Media (#22) :
It's cool to listen to MP3s (or watch movies) over the Internet. Often, saving this media, however, seems impossible. Hey, if it plays on your computer, it's on your hard drive. Once the file is fully loaded and with folder view set to show hidden and systems folders, searches for the media (.mp3 or .mpg). There it is!
Securing the Paging File (#23) :
If you're truly concerned about the possibility of your computer falling into the wrong hands, you should be sure that you don't leave any tracks in the paging file. By default, when you shut down your system, the paging file remains intact. People who've access to your computer could conceivably look through the unencrypted paging file to find information they shouldn't have.
Assign a Keyboard Shortcut (#24) :
Click in the Shortcut Key field and press a keyboard combination that you want to use for launching or switching to this program. The shortcut key you assign must consist of one character key (a letter, number, or symbol) plus at least two of the following three keys: Ctrl, Alt, and Shift. (If you press a character key only, Windows automatically adds Ctrl+Alt.)
Shortcut keys work only when assigned to a program shortcut on the Start menu, the Programs menu, or the Desktop. The shortcuts you define will not work if it conflicts with a combination used in the program whose window has the focus.

Please remember, we cannot accept responsibility with what you decide to do with these tips. These tips act as a guide to tweaking and changing Windows XP from the default settings. If you are unsure about how to make these changes then don't meddle !

Password-Protect an Excel Spreadsheet?

ere I will provide you some tips regarding how to make excel sheet password protected.

Any time you call the SaveAs method you can include password-protection as an optional parameter. To demonstrate, here’s a script that creates a new worksheet, writes the current date and time in cell A1, and then saves the worksheet as C:\Scripts\Test.xls. On top of that, it password-protects the spreadsheet, giving it the password %reTG54w:

Quote:Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
objExcel.Visible = True
objExcel.DisplayAlerts = FALSE

Set objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Add
Set objWorksheet = objWorkbook.Worksheets(1)

objWorksheet.Cells(1, 1).Value = Now
objWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Scripts\Test.xls",,"%reTG54w"
objExcel.Quit

If you’ve done any scripting with Microsoft Excel, this is about as simple a script as you’ll ever write. The only “gotcha” to be aware of occurs in this line of code, where you actually save the file and password-protect it:

Quote:objWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Scripts\Test.xls",,"%reTG54w"

Admittedly, there’s nothing fancy about this line of code; you just have to make sure the password (%reTG54w) is the third parameter passed to the SaveAs method. The first parameter is, of course, the file name. The second parameter is the file format. Because we’re using the default format, we don’t need to set a value for the second parameter; however, we do need to include a placeholder for that parameter. That’s what the back-to-back commas (,,) are for: they simply indicate that the value for the second parameter would go here if we actually had a value for the second parameter. By including this placeholder, the password becomes the third parameter, which is exactly what we want.

After you run this script, try to open the file C:\Scripts\Test.xls; you’ll be prompted to enter the password before the file will actually be opened. Incidentally, this will happen even if you try opening the file using a script. (Sorry, but using a script won’t allow you to bypass the password protection.) But can’t you specify the password when you open the file? Of course you can; that’s what happens with this script:

Quote:Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
objExcel.Visible = True
objExcel.DisplayAlerts = FALSE

Set objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Scripts\Test.xls",,,," %reTG54w")

Note that when opening a spreadsheet the password has to be the fifth parameter; thus we have the file name, three placeholders, and then the password. This can be a little confusing, to say the least, but here’s a rule of thumb: just put in one more comma than you have placeholders. In this example, we have three placeholders, so we insert four commas. If we had nine placeholders, we’d insert ten commas. And so on.

But what if you decide later on to remove the password? No problem: simply open the file and set the value of the Password property to an empty string. Here’s a script that does just that: it opens the spreadsheet, removes the password, and then uses the SaveAs method to re-save the file. After running this script, try to open this spreadsheet from within Windows Explorer; you should be able to do so without being prompted for a password.

Quote:Set objExcel = CreateObject("Excel.Application")
objExcel.Visible = True
objExcel.DisplayAlerts = FALSE

Set objWorkbook = objExcel.Workbooks.Open("C:\Scripts\Test.xls",,,," %reTG54w")
Set objWorksheet = objWorkbook.Worksheets(1)

objWorkbook.Password = ""

objWorkbook.SaveAs "C:\Scripts\Test.xls"
objExcel.Quit

What if you didn’t want to remove the password, but merely wanted to change it? In that case, just set the Password property to the new password rather than to an empty string. And before you ask, yes, we could have used the Save method here rather than SaveAs. We stuck with SaveAs simply to be consistent with the previous script. We’re also aware that “Consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”

Make undeletable custom folders in Windows

Have you ever wanted to make a custom folder like My Computer and My documents, that can not be deleted nor can it be renamed other than removing the CLSID and the entries under namespace. You can easily create these type of files and place it in My Computer or Windows Desktop. To do so, go through this :-
Create the following series of keys and values in the Windows registry at

Quote:HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID

Create a new key called: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345} and set it Default to equal the name of the folder e.g. “My Folder”.

Create a new sub-key under the main key called "InProcServer32" (i.e. [HKEY_CLASSES...ABCD1DE12345}\InProcServer32]) and set (Default) to equal "shell32.dll", also create a new String value called "ThreadingModel" and set it to "Apartment".

Now create a set of sub-keys starting at the main key “Shell\Open My Menu\Command” (i.e.[HKEY_CLASSES...ABCD1DE12345}\Shell\Open My Folder\Command]) and set (Default) to equal the command to execute when clicked, in this case explorer, e.g. “explorer /root,c:\MyFolder”.

Create a set of sub-keys starting at the main key "ShellExPropertySheetHandlers{FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}" (i.e. [HKEY_CLASSES...ABCD1DE12345}ShellExPropertySheetHa ndlers{FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}])

Create a new sub-key under the main key called “ShellFolder” (i.e. [HKEY_CLASSES...ABCD1DE12345}\ShellFolder]) and create a new Binary value called “Attributes” and set it to “00 00 00 00″.

To place the folder (which is now a system folder) on the desktop add the following key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentV ersion
ExplorerDesktopNameSpace{FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}]

To also place it in My Computer create this key:
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentV ersion
ExplorerMyComputerNameSpace{FD4DF9E0-E3DE-11CE-BFCF-ABCD1DE12345}]

Thats it.

All About Data Recovery

All About Data Recovery

At some point in time, everyone who owns a computer will experience the trials and tribulations of hard drive failure. The reasons behind it vary, and could include everything from a human error to damages resulting from flood or water. Viruses can play a role as well, along with many other factors. For many years, the need to recover data that has been lost or destroyed has made data recovery such a very valuable asset.

Almost all hard drives can be recovered. Normally, if the drive is making a ticking or a scratching noise, you can use certain software programs to recover the data. Sometimes, due to age or bad parts, the aperture arm in the hard drive can fail, or the platters can become damaged and lose the data that they hold. If you can’t recover the information with software, you’ll need to send the hard drive off and have it either rebuilt or have technicians recover your data.

Data recovery is always an option, from hard drives that are 2 GB in size to the largest of over 300 GB or more of data. No matter what size hard drive you have, the data can generally be recovered. Keep in mind that if you’ve had a computer crash, you’ll need to send the hard drive off to have the data recovered by technicians.

One of the key benefits of data recovery is the fact that information can also be retrieved from the recycle bin as well. Partition recovery, and even information that has been lost somewhere on the disk can be retrieved as well. Even though it may seem like your data is gone forever - the technicians that specialize in data recovery can retrieve it.

From Windows to Mac, everything can be recovered. There are different filing structures and formats, including NTFS and FAT32. These are common Windows filing structures, and hold all of the information for your hard.

Those of you who have multiple hard drives in your computer, can rest assured that RAID configurations can also be recovered. If a single hard drive on the RAID configuration fails, the RAID setup will absorb the blow and there won’t be a loss of data. On the other hand, if the entire RAID configuration crashes, it will crash big time. Whenever this happens, you’ll need to send it off and have technicians restore both the RAID hardware and software.

Anytime your hard drive happens to crash or malfunction, data recovery is there to help you get back your files. Whether they are personally files or very important files that are need for business - you can put your trust in data recovery and know that you’ll get everything the back the way it was.

Backing It Up With A CD Rom

With the technical age upon us, computers are far more important now than they have ever been in the past. A lot is done on the computer these days, from paying bills to earning a living. Therefore, the data that you have on your computer is very important.

Among the data found on your computer, you may have precious pictures and memories that you wouldn’t dream of losing. No matter how sophisticated computers get, they will still crash, or encounter other problems that can result in a loss of data. For that reason, a backup of your data is very important.

While there are several ways that you can go about backing up your data, a CD Rom is by far the easiest and quickly becoming the most popular as well. Like other backup methods, the CD Rom does have it’s faults, although it has more pros to offer you than cons.

One of the best facts about CD Rom backups are the fact that your disc will be stored on CDs. The standard CD-R data disc can hold up to 700 MB of data, which is a lot of files. You can store pictures, documents, software, programs, and virtually anything else that you can think of to a CD - including entire folders that are full of files and data.

If you use CD-RW media, which are also known as re-writable discs, you’ll be able to continue adding data until the disc is full. You can also re-write over existing data on these discs as well, which makes them ideal for those who constantly update documents that they need to hold onto.

If you are using the standard CD-R data disks, you won’t be able to add more data to them. Once you have added the information to your disk, that’s it. This is a great choice if you want to keep the data as is, and know without a shadow of a doubt that it is going to be backed up whenever you need it.

With the prices of CD burners and CDs being so cheap these days, anyone can afford them. They don’t cost near as much as they did years ago, which is why they are so popular when it comes to backing up your data. If you own a newer computer, chances are that a CD burner was included with it. If you have an older computer, you can buy a CD burner and some discs for a little of nothing.

The best thing about backing up data with CDs is the fact that they are more reliable than floppy discs, easier to access than an online backup, and they will last you a lifetime. If you have important data that needs to be backed up, you can rest assured that a CD-Rom is an excellent way to back up your information.

Backup Data On Your Laptop

If you were to look at past statistics regarding the information that has been lost in regards to laptop computers, you would find yourself amazed. Even though this information can be astounding, many of us still don’t take the time to back up the information on our laptops.

To put it in simple terms, nothing in the computer industry is fool proof. Hard drives can crash, the laptop can get stolen, or it can even be dropped and rendered useless. To ensure that we are never left without our precious data, we should always create a backup of our information.

There is no mistaken the fact that over a million laptops have been stolen over the years in the United States alone. Anytime a laptop is stolen, chances are that it won’t be recovered. If the information wasn’t backed up, then the owner will be left with no laptop - but more importantly - no backed up data either.

Just like you can with desktop computers, you can also create a backup of the data on your laptop as well. You can use online services, back it up remotely, or use several other methods to ensure that you keep all of your data. Preserving your data is something you should really look into, especially if you have business material on your laptop.

The best way to go about backing up your data and files is to burn them to a data CD. Data CDs can hold up to 700 MB (Mega Bytes) of data, which means a lot of files. To back things up this way, all you need is a CD/RW burner in your laptop, which most of the newer ones come with.

The only drawback to laptops is the fact that they don’t offer near as much storage or security measures as a desktop PC. Desktop computers have a lot more power, and they can also do things (including backups) in a fraction of the time.

The laptop computer was designed for on the go use, which is the main reason why people don’t really think about backing up their data. When the thought finally does come to mind, it is normally too late to do anything about it.

As mentioned above, the easiest and quickest way to backup your laptop data is to use an online backup service. Depending on your connection to the Internet, it can take anywhere from several minutes to several hours. Although it may take you a little bit of time, you’ll have the satisfaction in knowing that your data is there if something should happen.

Whether it’s for your business or personal use, you can’t go wrong backing up your data. You should always create a backup of your data at least once a month, even more than that if you have a lot of important information that you add to your laptop on a frequent basis.

Backup Data Properly

Computer data can be very important to us, especially those of us who make a living on the computer. Over the last several years, the computer has grown on all of us, making our lives so much easier. For that very reason, it’s easy to tell that if we lost our computer data, it would completely destroy a majority of us.

Losing data can be an overwhelming thought to say the least. Computers store data, although machines have been known to fail. Even though the computer has become a lot more reliable over the years, it is virtually impossible to prevent computers from losing data.

You don’t need to take this lying down through, as you can indeed fight back. The ideal way to ensure that you never lose your precious data, is to back it up and keep backing it up. You should back up your computer data at least once a week, with once per day being the recommended way to do it.

In the past, and even some today, the floppy disc is the main method used to back up computer data. Even though they store a small amount of data, they are easy to access, easy to use, and nearly every computer has one.

Those of you who are looking to take things to the next level should look into backing up your entire hard drive. Backing up your entire hard drive is something that everyone should do, as it is indeed one of the best and most reliable ways to backup your computer.

When you create a backup of your entire hard drive, it will copy all of your information, so if something happens you’ll always have your data. Doing a full backup of your hard drive is great, although it can be very time consuming. To make matters worse, it is recommended that you create a backup at least once a week. On the other hand, if what you have on your computer is very important, you’ll find it more than worth the effort and time needed to back things up.

Another way you can back up your data, programs, and files, is to burn them directly to a data CD or DVD. This way, you can select which files or folders you want to keep. If you use CD/RW or DVD/RW disks, you can continue to add information to them when you create a backup. If you don’t use the RW (re-writable) media, then you won’t be able to go back and add more information to the disc.

Burning data directly to discs are the method of backup that most people are using these days, although backing up the entire hard drive is the preferred way of backing up your data. If you plan to use discs, you’ll need either a CD or DVD burner, which you can get for a great price these days. The discs are cheap as well, which only makes this method of backing things up that much better.

Whether it’s for your business or for personal reasons, you can’t go wrong backing up your data. You should always strive to back things up properly, as this will ensure that the data will always be there when you need it. This way, if you computer happens to crash or you lose everything on your hard drive, you’ll always have your backup files to go back to. This in itself can save you a lot of time, effort, and quite possibly even money - just for the simple fact that the files are all but a copy away to restore.

Computer Diagnostics

The diagnostics that are associated with computers can help to identify any problem or failure that computers show when they are having problems. Diagnostics are used to test out the computer system, which includes both the BIOS and memory, software, and even the hardware that is attached to the computer.

The most common types of problems will occur when your computer is down to very low resources, which can either be a low amount of RAM, or a low disk space. These conditions are very common, and generally result in your computer running very slow. This can easily be fixed, all you have to do is defrag your hard drive, and get rid of some programs and files that you no longer use or need.

Almost all types of computer diagnostic software can find and fix just about any problem that you are having. It normally starts off with a BIOS examination, and goes on from there. PC diagnostics
software can determine a lot from the BIOS, from the common settings to those that have a major impact on both boot up and performance.

No matter what you do, you should never modify or tamper with the BIOS settings, as it can lead to serious problems. If you do plan to modify or mess with your BIOS, you should always create a backup first, just in case something goes wrong. The BIOS settings can be very tricky, although they are responsible for a lot to do with your computer. If you have never been in the BIOS before, you really shouldn’t be modifying anything inside of it.

Depending on the diagnostics program that you are using, there will be several different features available. Right now, two of the most popular are Norton Systemworks and PC Doctor. Both of these programs offer full diagnostics software, good for fixing just about any software related computer program you can imagine.

Once you run the program, you’ll be able to select the diagnostic test that you are planning to run. Some offer you a full system scan, which will scan your entire computer and then display any problems that you having. After displaying any problems, the software will normally give you an option to go ahead and fix it. As long as the problem is nothing serious, the diagnostic software can generally fix it.

The more complicated problems, such as hardware failures or hard drive crashes, are a totally different story. They will require a technician who is very experienced, that can rebuild the hardware. Diagnostic software can report hardware problems to you, although most of the time it is unable to fix it.

There are other computer diagnostic software that you run after starting the computer or rebooting, that will check everything from BIOS. These types are great, although the types such as Norton and PC Doctor are by far superior. They offer far more features, including defragment, cache cleaner, and the option to delete your temporary Internet files. These features are great to have, especially if you aren’t the technical type.

For more reasons than one, computer diagnostic software is the ideal way to find and prevent problems with your computer. Norton Systemworks offers you Ghost as well, which is the perfect way to back up your data. You can back up certain files, or just go ahead and back up your entire hard drive. Systemworks and Ghost are very easy to use, even if you are completely new to computers. For everything they offer you - computer diagnostic programs are the ideal way to prevent problems before they happen.

Cooling Your Hard Drive

For several different reasons, storage is a very important part of a computer. These days, computers do far more than they ever have in the past. From businesses to family photo’s, storage is the ideal way to keep documents on your computer. The most popular method of storage is the hard disk drive, which we all count on for keeping our data safe.

Even though the hard drive stores data, it isn’t perfect by any means. Hard drive failure is very common with all computers, with no real way to prevent it. Although there are several different reasons why a hard drive can fail, the most common is overheating. Viruses and crashes are common as well, along with theft and accidental deletion.

With the older style and mechanics of hard drives, the RPM speed was low, meaning that the drives wouldn’t overheat. The hard drives we use now days, have speeds between 7,200 and 10,000 RPM, meaning that they can get quite hot when they start working. Computers of this day and age come with fans to cool everything down, with most hard drives including temperature sensors as well, so you can keep track of just how hot your hard drive becomes.

With hard drives today, overheating is a very common problem. The faster hard drives come with speeds of 10,000 RPM, which can make the temperature soar above 70 degrees F, really heating things up inside the drive. The mechanics on the inside are built to withstand the heat, although if things become too hot, you’ll encounter problems. If a drive becomes too hot and ends up losing the data, it may be next to impossible to retrieve the information - no matter how good your data recovery specialists may be.

One area that suffers from the drive overheating is the platters, which are magnetic media. Platters are what carry the data throughout the hard drive. Platters are constructed from optical glass, aluminum, or ceramic and normally coated with a layer of magnetic material. Once the hard drive begins to heat up, the platters will start to expand, which changes their size. When this happens, the magnetic surface on the platters will get destroyed, which results in a loss of data. If the physical area of the platters are damaged, it will result in unreadable sectors.

Other areas of the hard drive that can be damaged due to overheating are the read and write heads, head actuator, and the controller chip. Hard drives are very sophisticated pieces of hardware, and can’t handle overheating. The read and write heads are a common example, as they can easily render the drive useless if they become damaged. If they get too hot, they don’t make any contact with media, which pretty much stops the flow of transfer from information to the computer.

To prevent your hard drive from overheating, you should always make sure that it is cooled properly and well ventilated. You can always get additional fans and coolers, which will improve both ventilation and the flow of air in your computer. You can buy fans and coolers at very affordable prices, which makes them an ideal investment for keeping your hard drive or hard drives cool.

You can also get software that monitors the temperature of your hard drive as well. Whether it’s software, or additional fans, you should always ensure that your hard drives are kept cool. By keeping them cool, you’ll greatly reduce the amount of crashes. You’ll also increase the stability of your hard drive as well, which will make your entire computer perform much better.

Data Recovery Procedures

No matter who you are, where you work, or what type of computer you use - your computer data is always as risk. With viruses, power surges, thunderstorms, natural disasters, human mistakes, and hackers around, the threats are always real. To be on the safe side, you’ll need to back up your files and keep doing it on a regular basis. In the event of your hard drive failing, you’ll need data recovery - which is the only option available.

Before you travel down that long road of data recovery, there are some things to keep in mind. If you are using your computer and a program starts to act funny, you should shut things down immediately. You may also hear some very odd sounds as well, which is the first sign that your hard driving is working overtime. If you shut your computer down immediately at this point, you may prevent data loss from happening. If you don’t shut your computer down and allow the failing hard drive to continue running, it is only a matter of time before it destroys itself - which will ultimately result in the loss of data.

If this happens, and you lose all of your data, you should never try to fix the hard drive yourself unless you know exactly what to do. At this stage, professional data recovery services aren’t just a luxury - they are something you must have. The process for data recovery is time consuming, and requires both tools and a clean work environment. Trying to repair a hard drive on your own is very challenging, and could end up making matters far worse if you don’t know what you are doing.

Even though there are software out there for data recovery, you shouldn’t use them unless you know what you are doing. With most hard drive problems being very intricate, software can do more harm than good. Even though companies may claim that their software will fix the problem and, retrieve your data, you should always use caution and simply avoid the use of do it yourself software.

To be on the safe side with your hard drive and retrieve the data that you lost, you should always turn to a local data recovery service. This way, you’ll know that your hard drive is in good hands and it will be fixed the right way. Professional services can fix nearly any hard drive problem, and recover any type of data. In some cases, your hard drive may be beyond repair, even for professional data recovery specialists. If this happens, you should be prepared to buy a new hard drive - and count your blessings that you thought to back up your data in advance.

Dealing With The Loss Of Data

Data loss is something that can be very traumatic. Whether it’s a business with important files and documents, or an individual with precious pictures and videos, losing data can be a very traumatic and stressful situation. If you’ve never experienced hard drive failure or losing data before, it can indeed be a situation where you find yourself wondering what to do.

No matter what you happens, you shouldn’t stress out or let the situation get the best of you. Although computers are great to have and hard drives work very well for storage, they are both machinery and are bound to fail at some point in time. No matter how sophisticated hard drives get, they will never be able to completely avoid crashes or failure.

In most cases, your data can be recovered, which is always good news. When your hard drive first crashes or you notice that your data is missing, you should immediately take it to a local specialist. The specialist will be able to evaluate your hard drive, find out what the problem is, and then tell you. The evaluation process could take anywhere from 1 day to a couple of weeks, so you should always prepare yourself for anything.

Once the hard drive has been evaluated, they will go over pricing with you and tell you what options you have. At this point, you can decide if you want to go with their offer, or how you want to proceed. Keep in mind that this can be very costly, although at this point it may very well be the only chance you have for recovering your data.

The smartest way to avoid data recovery altogether, is to create a backup of your files and keep backing them up. Companies and those who do their work with computers should always back things up at least once a day. This way, if your hard drive happens to crash or you lose all of your data, you’ll have the back up files safe and sound. Then, when you take your hard drive to a specialist to be recovered, you’ll have the files to keep on working. Also, at this point, you can choose whether or not you want to have the hard drive recovered, or just scrap it and get a new one - as you’ll have all the files backed up and ready to use.

In the event of data loss or hard drive failure, you should always remain calm and know that there are options out there to help you recover your data. If you’ve been backing up your information, you won’t need to worry near as much. From backing up your data to data recovery specialists - you’ll have the options you need to keep your sanity and recover your lost data.

How To Back Up Files Correctly

Digital
Photo Recovery

Digital photographs are something that are important to all of us. Most of the pictures we take happen once in a lifetime, which is why they are so very important. From your child’s first steps to pictures of your family, photographs are very important. As important as they are, nothing is worse than losing them. This can be very traumatic and frustrating, especially knowing that you’ll never to capture the picture again.

Even though it may appear that the camera malfunctioned, all hope isn’t completely lost. There are ways that you can recover your digital photographs, even though you may not be aware of it. Most digital camera’s for instance, use smart cards that will store the information. To be on the safe side, you should always safe your photographs to your card, and transfer them to your computer the first chance you get - then back them up to a CD or DVD.

Sometimes, when you have your photographs on your computer, you may move them to the recycle bin and not even realize it. You can always correct this, by right mouse clicking the recycle bin then choosing to open it up. If the pictures are there, simply drag them to your desktop or right click them and choose restore. This will put them back in the location they were in before they were moved to the recycle bin.

There are other instances where your photographs aren’t this easy to recover. If the card in your camera has become corrupted or if your camera has experienced hardware problems, then it won’t be so easy to recover your pictures. If this is the case, you should always look towards software or professional repairmen. There is software out there that is designed for most types of digital camera problems, and it can normally recover your pictures in the case of malfunction.

Most services and software can recover almost all files that you have on your camera, from JPEG pictures to video files. Most people transfer their pictures to their computer as soon as they can, which can be recovered using data recovery methods. On the other hand, those who don’t, will need a professional to take a look at the camera. If you don’t waste any time and seek a professional immediately, your pictures can normally be recovered.

Digital cameras are something that most of us own these days, as they take professional quality photos. Anytime that it appears you have lost your pictures, you can turn to software and professional recovery services to get your pictures back. Your digital photographs are very important, which is why you’ll want to take care of them. Mistakes and disasters do happen though - which is why there are recovery services.

External Hard Drive Recovery

You can store your computer data in several different ways. Data can be stored on removable disks, hard drives, CDs, DVDs, and other types of media. Even though there are several ways that you can store your data, at some point in time the electronic or mechanical device is bound to break down, resulting in a loss of data. Even though the device may work good for years, it can always break down when you least expect it, with no way to avoid it.

Hard drives are the most common way to store data, although they are mechanical devices and can break down or crash at any time. When they crash, you’ll normally lose all of your data, which can put you in quite a bind. To be on the safe side and keep yourself protected, you should always have a backup plan, such as an external hard drive.

An external hard drive is very handy to have around. You can store any type of file on it, including music and pictures. Most people use them for videos, as they can store a lot of videos. You can get them in many different sizes, going as high as 500 GB. If you have a lot of video on your computer that is taking up a lot of much needed space, you can easily transfer it to an external hard drive and free up some of your space.

On the data recovery side of things, external hard drives are a great solution. You can back up your entire hard drive on them, even a mirror image. Most external drives are FireWire or USB compatible and will work with most computers. To use an external drive all you need to do is connect it to your computer. Then, using the software that came with the device, you can begin to transfer your data and files.

If you have a big hard drive, you’ll want to get a bigger external hard drive. If you are transferring your entire internal hard drive to the external drive, it may take you a few minutes. You can also add files and such along the way as well, if you get newer files to add. Backing up your entire hard drive to an external drive is a very smart idea, especially if your area gets a lot of electrical storms.

Once you have backed up all of your data to an external hard drive, you can rest assured that your information will be there when you need it. External drives don’t crash, for the simple fact that they aren’t in use until you need them. They will last you many years as well, which makes them great for pictures and other precious files. If you own a business, you may find them to the best way to store your business documents and other files that relate to your company.

All in all, external hard drives are the perfect way to create a back up of your data. Once you have your data backed up, you’ll be ready for anything that happens to your internal hard drive. In the event of a crash, you can use your external hard drive and transfer the data back to your hard drive, and be back up and running in no time at all. External hard drives take all of the guess work out of the data recovery process - and may also save you the trouble of having to send your hard drive off to be repaired.

Help With Data Recovery

If you’ve had something bad happen to your hard drive and find yourself looking for data recovery help, your probably in a hurry, not wanted to listen to hype or schemes. Many individuals who have experienced the loss of their data cannot wait, and need to have their data now. Businesses on the other hand, need to have their data up and working so that they can continue to carry out their normal day to day operations.

Anytime you experience problems with your hard drive, you can count on data recovery to recover your data. There are a few options available, the first being recovery specialists that can actually come to you. They will look at your computer and your hard drive, and first determine what caused the hard drive to malfunction. Data recovery specialists are highly skilled computer technicians, and know the hard drive inside and out.

Good specialists are those who can be there anytime you call. You don’t want someone who isn’t reliable, especially if you are looking to establish a relationship. If the technician is able to be there immediately, he or she is showing that they are dependable. In the event of data loss or hard drive failure, you’ll want someone who doesn’t waste any time at all.

Another option available to you is software programs. These programs are great to use, although they must be used before you problem. You can’t use them after the disaster has happened, as there is nothing there to install it to. If you install the program before hand and keep it installed, it can help you after the disaster. Most programs keep your previous data and information on file, so just in case something does happen to your hard drive, it will be available

In the event of a hard drive failure, virus, or natural disaster, there are options that you can use to recover your data. The most popular are data recovery technicians and data recovery software. For businesses and corporations, technicians are the preferred way to go. Technicians can recover your files, even rebuild your hard drive if they need to. In the event of a hardware problem, the software won’t be able to do much for you.

Anytime you need help with data recovery, you should always look towards a specialist to help you. They can fix most problems, and more importantly - restore your precious data. No matter where you live, there should be specialists close by who are always on call. Most charge very reasonable prices, and will come to you in the event of an emergency. When you compare specialists to software - the specialists are by far the best option for helping you with your data recovery.

How To Back Up Files Correctly

Throughout the world of computers, it’s simply amazing just how many people are scared to death of losing their data. Most of those who are scared, don’t give a second thought to backing up their data. Even though the thought may be the same, most people are worried more about losing their data than actually backing it up - which can prove to be a downfall in the face of disaster.

The process of backing up files is done by using servers, floppy disks, CD, DVD, external hard drives, or other methods to keep the data protected. This way, when something happens to your hard drive and you lose your information, you’ll have the information backed up so that you can easily access it again. Data that is important, such as tax files or business records should always be backed up, to ensure that nothing happens to it.

If you are using Windows as your operating system, it will be a lot easier to back up your files. Windows XP has a back up facility in it, so that it can make things a lot easier when you create your backups. If data that is stored on hard drives with XP becomes lost, Windows will immediately fetch the file from another drive or area where it has been stored as a back up. This is a very useful technique, although it still has to be practiced to ensure that you understand how it works. Although it may be very useful, it isn’t as safe as other options.

In order to back up your data and programs in a safe and efficient manner, you’ll need to use some of the more reliable methods, such as external hard drives or servers. Offsite backups are great as well, as the data you backup isn’t left around your office, it is instead entrusted with a company who will ensure that it stays protected.

No matter which method or methods you have decided to use for backing up your data, you’ll be happy to know that they are all easy to use. CD and DVD backups are easy to create, all you need is the software installed on your computer to create the backups with. Servers are easy to use as well, all you have to do is upload your data to a server, then log into the server anytime you need to have access to the data.

All in all, creating backups of your data and information is the perfect way to ensure that you always have it in the event of a disaster. Disasters can happen at any time, which is why you should always back up your data anytime you have something new or something that you haven’t backed up yet.

Importance Of Recovery Planning

Disasters are common in the world today, from nature to car wrecks. In the computer industry, disasters aren’t any different. They can come in the form of an office fire, computer crashes, hard drive failure, missing IT documents, stolen hardware, and many other forms. Disasters can be very traumatic and stressful, although there are actions that you can take.

Even though disasters can occur at any time, recovery planning doesn’t cross the mind of business owners or individuals. Most just carry out their normal day to day routines, never aware of what could result from a disaster. Then, when disaster does strike, most tend to freak out and wonder just what they can do to fix the situation at hand.

If you are prepared for a disaster or hard drive failure, then your business will be able to deal with anything that happens. The first step in planning and preparing for disaster is to analyze your business or operations. You should determine how often your systems go down, and how you can manage operations without the equipment. You should also find out how long it would take you to fix the equipment, and what your business can do to make ends meet when the equipment is unavailable.

Something else you’ll need to do is identify the risks of possible disaster. This can include computer failure, loss of power, hardware problems, etc. You should always include the causes as well as the solution in your plans. If your office suffers from disaster and cannot be used for a period of time, you should always have another location that you can go to continue your business.

In the event of disaster, you should always have a dedicated team that will work on fixing any problems. This team should be responsible for your recovery plan and hold regular meetings to make sure that everything is accurate. Then, if disaster should strike, your team should be well enough prepared to take care of anything that comes your way.

On a frequent basis, you should create backups of your IT systems and test the backups that you have created. Always make sure that the backups you made are in a safe place, and out of the way of harm. You should also check with your disaster recovery team as well, and make sure that they have the location of your backups noted in their recovery plans.

One of the most important aspects of recovery and disaster planning is to keep an up to date inventory on all of your equipment and material. You should always stay on top of this, to make sure that you can easily identify what you have and how to go about replacing equipment whenever something happens. If you keep a record of your suppliers and their phone numbers, you can have them with you for easy access in the event of an emergency.

Even though it may be easier to document all of your recover plans on your computer, you should also record them on paper as well. Disasters can render your computers useless, which would it very hard to access plans that are stored on your IT systems. If you have them noted on paper as well, you can access them without any problems.

Above everything else, you should always think about the possible disasters that can occur at any time and how to be prepared for them. If you think about things and plan things out before hand, you’ll find that you can handle any type of disaster. This way - a disaster doesn’t have to stop you from carrying out your normal day to day operations.

Knowing Your Data Is Safe

All companies of today make great use of the technology available to them and rely on their data. Most businesses however, don’t have the budget to invest in network storage or large servers, which is what the bigger companies use to transfer information and create a backup of the information they rely on to carry out their operations.

Smaller businesses have a limited budget. When most encounter a disaster they never seem to recover, normally going out of business. Past disasters such as 9/11 or the dreaded hurricane have showed the importance of backups and disaster planning. Companies that thought things out and protected their data survived these disasters, while those that didn’t went out of business.

There are several ways that you can protect your data and keep it safe. One of the most popular and easiest ways to protect your data is with a server. Servers are great for both large and small businesses, and protection the data for your business. They can tend to get expensive though, with the most popular server, Microsoft, starting out around $3,000.

Unlike other options, servers provide you with a safe and secure system to store all of your corporate data. You can set the permission of your files to prevent any unauthorized access, to keep your files safe. When using servers, most of the loss comes from either accidental deletion or employees that are upset with corporate management and decide to get into the server and erase files.

When using a server, your data will be stored in one central location, and not spread around over different computers in your network. Servers are very user friendly, and keep your files neat and tidy - in one location. This way you don’t have to go looking all over the place for your data, you can look in the server and find everything you need.

Another way to keep your data safe is with CDs, DVDs, and even external hard drives. If you are using any of these methods, you should always do a backup of your information at the end of every day. With disasters being completely unpredictable, backing things up every day will ensure that you are protected if something should occur.

If you are backing things up to CD or DVD media, you should always put the discs in a safe and secure location, preferably a fireproof safe. This way, if the office should catch on fire, you’ll have your backup discs protected. You should always add your new backups to the safe at the end of every working day, so you’ll have them tomorrow if you need them.

You can also store your data and information offsite as well. This is a highly recommended option, as you pay a flat monthly fee and a company stores your information. Most have secure vaults and servers for your data, which ensures protection from unauthorized accidents or hazards. You don’t need to worry about your data when using these services, as they will do the protection for you.

No matter which method you use for protecting your information, you should always make sure that you have a plan. Corporate data is very important and essential to success, which is why you should look into immediately if you don’t have a plan already. If you know your data is safe and protected from hazards and unauthorized access - you’ll have the peace of mind in knowing that your data will be there each and every time you need it.

Losing Your Mind With Data Recovery

For nearly all computer users, losing data can be a very traumatic experience. If you use your computer for a business or for other important matters, it can be very stressful and very traumatic to lose everything you have worked months, and possibly even years to build.

Even though you may back up your data on a periodic basis, you’ll still need to check the backup to make sure that everything works. Nothing can be worse than backing something up, only to find months later that something went wrong.

No matter who you are, or what business you work for, data loss can happen. Computers are great, although they aren’t perfect. Over time, your hard drive can crash or malfunction, which will result in the loss of everything you have stored on your computer.

Whenever this happens to you, it’s always a good thing there’s data recovery. Without data recovery, it wouldn’t be possible to retrieve files, recover information, or simply get back to the data you spent years building.

To recover your data, you’ll need to send it off to a company that specializes in data recovery. They will need to run some tests on it and see what shape it is in, how bad it is damaged, and just what needs to be done to recover your data.

This process will normally take around a week or so, all depending on the problem. It can be quite expensive as well, depending on where you send it. Keep in mind though - the more experience the data recovery technicians have, the higher the price will be.

Those that are more expensive are great if you have the money to spare, for the simple fact that they are experts and are more apt at saving your data and information. The cheaper data recovery companies are great as well, although larger companies and those with extremely important data will want to put their trust in the best that money can buy.

With most cases, companies can rebuild the hard drive, providing the drive isn’t totally corrupted. In cases where the hard drive is totally gone, it will need to be rebuilt, which can take quite a bit of time. No matter what the situation may be, data recovery experts can normally find a solution to recover your data.

At some point in time, everyone will experience some type of hard drive crash or malfunction that will result in the loss of data. When this happens to you, you shouldn’t get all shook up or alarmed, you should instead make sure that you are prepared to always expect the unexpected.

Even though your data can normally be recovered, you should still back up everything on a weekly basis just to be on the safe side. This way, when your hard drive is sent off to be repaired, you’ll have the information you need backed up to keep on going as normal.

To be on the safe side, you should keep your most important documents and files stored on a CD, by using a CD burner and CD-R media. This is by far the cheapest and easiest way to back up your data, and it will keep you more than prepared for when your hard drive malfunctions and crashes when you least expect it.

If you prepare yourself by backing up your data, a hard drive malfunction won’t be as traumatic on you. You should always be prepared, and ready just in case something happens. Computers are the wave of the future - although they aren’t perfect by any means.

Not Too Late For Data Recovery

As most of us already know, recovering data that is lost or damaged is known as data recovery. Data recovery can save a majority of your data information, in the form of hard drives, zip disks, CDs, DVDs, and other means of storage. Data recovery is very common these days, as it can help you get back on track after your hard drive crash or other means of destruction to your data.

On the professional side of things, there are a lot of companies out there who excel in data recovery. They have technicians who are experts in recovering your data, and spend a majority of their time working on hard drives. Recovering the information from a hard drive can be a very time consuming process, all depending on just how bad the drive has been damaged. If the hard drive is damaged physical or the sectors have been damaged, some of the data that was stored on it may be lost forever.

If you take immediate action and seek a repair service for your hard drive, you just may be able to save everything. In the result of a crash, virus, accidental deletion, or other disaster, you shouldn’t waste any time at all. You should always look into a company, preferably local, that can help you with your hard drive. The company will first do an evaluation on the hard drive, then contact you and discuss what options you have available with you.

To safely and efficiently recover your data using software, companies have a few choices they can use. Below, you’ll find some software examples that companies use to recover lost data on hard drives.

FIRE recovery
FIRE is a bootable program that can immediately take action with data recovery. It can also assist with virus scans, incident response, and forensic analysis. FIRE is a very common program, widely used by data recovery specialists around the world.

LDE recovery
Known as Linux Disc Editor, the LDE method of recovery was originally created for recovering lost files in Linux. It is an older method of software and data recovery, which proved to be very beneficial to those who used Linux.

NT recovery
The software for NT data recovery provides the proper read access for hard drives that are set up with NTFS in the Windows or MS DOS environment. This software is among the most popular for data recovery technicians, allowing them to copy files from NTFS to FAT volumes.

The above examples are all but a few among the software recovery methods. Software recovery can work with most hard drives, if they aren’t too badly damaged. If the hard drive has been damaged by flood, fire, or other physical damage, it will probably need to be rebuilt. Again, if you don’t waste in time seeking a technician, you may be able to get everything fixed. Rebuilding the hard drive will take quite a bit of time, as the technician will have to go through every inch of the drive and replace the parts that have been damaged.

As important as your data is, it’s always in your best interest to get on the ball and don’t let any time be wasted. Time is always of the essence, especially when it comes to recovering all of your data and information. Time will always prove to be the ultimate and deciding factor with your information - which is why you shouldn’t let one precious second be wasted whenever something happens to your hard drive.