Windows 7 Support Center

Windows 7 Coolest Features

2010-09-15T15:22:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 is an extremely high defined and high speed operating system with enhanced features and reliability. You can have an amazing experience of its features. This article highlights these features which Windows vista do not have unless you do not seek an expert vista help. So what is new in Windows 7 ?

Let’s see!!

1. Shake it off
Well have you ever accessed 40 outlook, 10 notepad and 3 PowerPoint at the same time? IN addition to this you can minimize them all and have the option to open the one you want. Also you can take the top of window and shake it off to move all the other open windows.

2. Jumplists
Jumplists are a new feature that gives you the option to view a list of recently accessed files by application, even when the application isn't open, by right-clicking on the application's icon in the taskbar.

Jump Lists takes you straight away to the documents and websites you open every day. It allows you to swiftly access your favorite playlist without opening your player. Jumplists can also be found into the Start Menu.

3. Easily adjust multiple displays
Do you instantly want to connect your computer to any other external monitors or projectors? Try Win + P, and duplicating your display to the other monitor takes a few moments. Win + P is ideal if you give a lot of presentations at work on your laptop.

4. Record problems
Another mesmerizing feature of Windows 7 is that you have the option to record a particular problem you are having with your system so you can look out for Windows 7 support with an expert. You simply need to Click 'Record'.

These screenshots (and comments, if any) are placed in a well-formatted HTML document that is saved in a zipped folder on your desktop –just fine to get attached to an email.

Internet Explorer 8 Problem in Windows 7

2010-09-01T14:01:00.000-07:00

The latest version of Internet Explorer offers greater security with many features including incognito surfing. However, there are reports that internet explorer proble m are very annoying and hangs frequently and takes much time to load. There has been complains that Internet Explorer 8 is very sluggish and makes download and upload very time taking especially on windows 7. This blog explains how to fix internet explorer problems.

But before this take into consideration that you have a good internet connection. Despite good internet connection you are facing internet explorer problem, then try the following:

Disable all add-ons
One of the main reason for slow internet explorer in Widows 7 could be its add-on. Though add-ons can boost your internet experience but sometimes they interfere or conflict with other software on your computer. Try setting Internet Explorer 8 without add-ons to see if the problem goes away.
Follow these steps for it:

Click the Start button Picture of the Start button
• Click All Programs
• Click Accessories
• Click System Tools and then click Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).
If disabling all add-ons solves the problem, then using Add-on Manager will allow you to figure out which add-on is causing the problem s you can disable all add-ons and then turn on add-ons only as you need them.

Reset Internet Explorer settings
If disabling add-ons doesn't work then you need windows 7 support to fix internet explorer problem. You can do this by resetting IE 8 back to its default settings. This removes all changes that have been made to Internet Explorer since it was installed.
Follow these instructions to reset IE8:
• Close all Internet Explorer or Windows Explorer windows.
• Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Internet Explorer.

• Click the Tools button, and then click Internet Options.
• Click the Advanced tab, and then click Reset.
• Click Reset.
• When you are done, click Close, and then click OK.
• Close Internet Explorer and reopen it for the changes to take effect.

Update Internet Explorer
Running Windows Update has also evolved to be very effective in fixing problems as it can often correct problems by enabling virus removal and replacing out-of-date files and fixing vulnerabilities.
Here’s how you can update it:
Open Internet Explorer by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button, and then clicking Internet Explorer.
Do one of the following:
• Click the Safety button, and then click Windows Update.
• Follow the instructions on the Windows Update page and it will get updated.

Note: If you cannot open Internet Explorer or if it opens briefly and then closes, the problem might be caused by low memory or corrupted or missing system files. Restart your computer to clear the memory and then open Internet Explorer by itself.

iPhone Won't Sync with Windows 7

2010-08-31T17:33:00.000-07:00

Annoyed iPhone users have reported major issues in getting their iPhone to sync with Windows 7 systems. Well it has been observed that mostly Windows 7 system with P55 chipset is facing such problem. There is some problem identifying iPhone (though not always) , but iTunes discovered that it can't connect to the unit because of an "unknown error" called 0xE8000065.
Moreover, the phone connects and everything seems fine, but iTunes can’t connect to it. You’re not alone. Many users have reported this problem. The problem seems because of faulty Intel P55 chipset, but not always.
Therefore, if you’ve recently upgraded or purchased a new machine with Windows 7 installed and you’re an iPhone user you might have encountered the annoying 0xE8000065 error when trying to sync your iPhone with iTunes then in that case you will require windows 7 support. This blog will help you in fixing this problem for most users.
Here’s the solution:

Solving the 0xE8000065 “unknown
error”.

The primary remedy to this problem has evolved, that it works fine in case USB power management has been disabled. This solution seems to be working for most people. On the other hand there is no need to troubleshoot vista for it as no problems have been reported in Windows vista in this case. However Windows 7 tries to control devices and “turn them off” when not used. This feature is not essential and it seems that Windows 7 P55 chipset drivers are defective so it won’t work anyway. Thus, the solution is simply to turn off that feature.

Disable USB Power Management in Windows 7

Just follow these steps:
• Disable USB Power Management in Windows 7
• First, click the start button, and type devmgmt.msc followed by the enter key.
• Under Universal Serial Bus Controllers, you will find one or more USB Root Hub devices.

You’ll need to follow these steps for each one listed
(unless you know the exact one your iPhone is connected to). Right click the USB Root Hub device and then click properties.

• Under the Advanced tab uncheck the box next to Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power. Click OK and close everything. Reboot your PC after this tweak and try again.

From what we’ve seen, this solves the 0xE8000065 “unknown error” on about 90% of the machines out there.

How to fix Network & Internet connection problems in Windows 7

2010-08-30T12:10:00.000-07:00

Well internet connection and network issues have become a very common problem users are facing these days. However there is no need to panic. This blog deals with windows 7 support relating to fixation of Network & Internet connection problems in Windows 7:

1. Well one of the important technique of getting rid to this problem is to use an in-built Windows 7 tool called IPconfig.It displays all current TCP/IP network configuration values and refreshes Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol DHCP and Domain Name System DNS settings. You can open this tool via the command line. This method is very helpful in case you have a weak or bad IP address.

Type cmd in start search and press Ctrl-Shift-Enter.
Type ipconfig /release to let go of the current IP address.
Next type ipconfig /renew to obtain a new IP address.
If you get an error Message When You Run the “Ipconfig /Renew” Command see KB810606.

NOTE: If you repeatedly face this problem, then you can have it renewed on every start-up, by creating the following .bat file and placing it in your startup folder.

Open notepad and type:

· ipconfig /release

· ipconfig /renew

· Save it as, say, iprenew.bat file.

2. Another reason for having internet explorer problems concerning it’s connectivity could b

e a corrupted DNS cache. Refreshing or flushing it out is a convenient solution to this problem. Follow these steps to get rid of this issue in Windows 7:

Start > All Programs > Accessories > Command Prompt. Right click on it and ‘Run As Administrator’. Type the following and hit enter:

Ipconfig /flushdns

A confirmation dialog will appear on the screen:

“Windows IP Configuration. Successfully flushed

the DNS Resolver Cache.”

Next type ipconfig /registerdns and hit Enter.

This registers any DNS records that you or some programs may have recorded in your Hosts file. Moreover typing ipconfig /help will show the complete syntax for this command.

3. Another important method of fixing internet connection problem in Windows 7 is to use the the Network & Internet Diagnostic & Repair Tool of Windows 7. It will help you in identify the potential issues preventing network connectivity, and it automatically takes suitable steps toward correcting them. If a computer on the network loses Internet connectivity, you can graphically see which connection is down and then use Network Diagnostics to help determine the cause of the problem and find possible solutions.

To access it, open Control Panel > Network & Sharing Center. In the lower part, click on Troubleshoot Problems. From the window which opens, you can select Internet Connections or any other issue you want to troubleshoot and repair.

How to overcome Windows 7 Hang problem

2010-07-28T16:53:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 hangs or becoming impassive is a frequent issue Microsoft users have discovered when using this latest operating system. This hanging problem is random. Operating system hangs on the welcome screen just after login. It can also hang during shutdown. The programs you opened can stop responding including your mouse and keyboard. This is somewhat annoying especially if you are working on some important issue. There are in fact various causes responsible for this trouble, and following are the main reasons why Windows 7 hangs along with their related fixes:

Viruses and Spyware: Malicious files may be thrashing your system. These malware alter your files and hamper your computer's performance causing Windows 7 to finally hang. Keep your virus definitions always updated. Always scrutinize your computer to detect these bugs and spyware then remove them.

Too many programs running at once: This will use more virtual RAM (Random Access Memory) than your system can handle. Don't open a lot of applications simultaneously. Reduce the number of software and websites currently running. If you work heavily on various applications, then upgrade your RAM to at least double what you are using now.

Corrupt Windows Registry: The registry contains data and settings Windows 7 references during various operations. This database ultimately becomes chaotic because of redundant and outdated entries leaving it degraded. It is advised to clean your Windows registry to erase those unnecessary entries. To clean the registry manually is not possible though because the registry is considered as the brain of your computer and is complicated to a great extent. A minor alteration or mistake in an entry can cause major harm in your operating system. Diagnosing your system with a registry cleaner is the best solution to solve registry problems.

Speed Up Windows 7 in Few Simple Ways

2010-05-05T02:20:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 is still a pretty new operating system on the market, and all the kinks and new features are being worked out. But on question that always comes up with the OS are there speeds. Wondering just how to speed up the Windows 7 operating system? And want to do it without spending money, well there are certain things you can do to speed up the new operating system.

The first thing is of course, make sure your system can handle the minimum requirements for Windows 7. Most systems can handle it, however, it is always good to double check and have all your necessary equipment to run the OS smoothly. Here are the core requirements for running the new Windows 7 operating systems.

o 1GHz processor (32- or 64-bit)
o 1GB of main memory
o 16GB of available disk space
o Support for DX9 graphics with 128MB of memory (for the Aero interface)
o A DVD-R/W drive

Many people are just upgrading form Windows XP or Windows Vista, and if your computer was running great on those systems, especially Vista. Then upgrading Windows 7 shouldn't be any problems with your system. Just make sure you back everything up before you do the upgrade.

With this new operating system, it is designed to run efficiently, and run smooth without consuming much of the physical RAM. However, if for some reason you are still running Windows 2000 or early, then it is guarantee that you are going to have problems upgrading to the new Windows 7. If this is your situation, then look at the list of requirements listed above, and try to upgrade your computers equipment to meet those settings, before you upgrade to Windows 7.

After you have done the upgrade and your OS is still running slow, or you just want it to be as fast as it can be. Or if you're like me, you just enjoy customizing every aspect of your computing experiences, to your own personal settings. There are some things you can do to make it run faster and smoother.

The first thing is to cut down on making your computer work harder. Many times, computers run programs in the background. Which means, programs the computer is running, without you opening them, or needing them open.

The number one cause for this, is when you install things. Many times the software will ask you if you want the program to run when the windows is starting up. Always say no to this, because it eats up the computer resources.

You can always change the settings, if you change your mind and want it to run at start up. In order to check to see how many programs your computer is running, just right click the start bar, then select "Task Manger" down in the bottom left hand corner, you will see a number. That is how many programs your computer running. The lower the number, the more recourses you have free on your computer, which means the faster your computer will perform.

Just as a side note, there are some programs, that windows must have running, and if you try to end them. Windows will not allow you to do it. However, if you find programs that you want to be closed, and not to start up during start up. Then there is a simple procedure you need to perform.

Go to your start menu, and click on the item called "Run". After you do that, a little box should appear, and an area where you can type in a command. Type in this command "msconfig" and a second program will appear. You should see this one has many tabs, find the one that says "Start Up".

Then all you have to do is, uncheck the programs you don't want to have running in the background. After you have unselected the programs, click apply and then ok. The computer will prompt you to restart the computer, so the changes take effect. To reverse the process, just do the same thing, but check the programs you want to be running.

You should notice a big difference in the way your computer is running after that. Especially, if you are running a bunch of programs.

The second thing you should do, is the Windows registry. Now, I would touch the registry if you don't know what you are doing, because if you mess up the registry of windows. You run the risk of messing up the entire system. And will have to delete and start all over. With this method, there isn't any internal cleaning tool, so you will have to do this manually. What we will be doing is cleaning up the errors and corrupted files in the registry.

Over time this will build up, and is a natural effect of running your computer. Programs will just randomly create errors. And over time, this can create an congestion in your registry. So if this is still a new installation on your system. I wouldn't worry about his all too much right now. However, if you have been running Windows 7 for some time now, then it may be good to clean out your register.

While it will take more time, and advance knowledge of how the register works, this will increase the speed in which your computer process info. There are programs you can purchase, that will do this job for you in only minutes. If you have done the first thing mentioned in this article, and you haven't seen an increase in speed, then purchasing a good registry cleaner is the next step.

Upgrading to Windows 7, is the easy part. Customizing it to run efficiently as you can on your system is where it gets fun. Just remember if your system ever starts to slow down, check to see how many programs it is running in the background. Reduce that number as much as possible, then clean out the register with a good register cleaner, and you computer should be up to speed, so to speak.

How to Recover Deleted Files in Windows 7

2010-05-04T02:40:00.000-07:00

When you delete a file, you'd better be sure that you really want it gone--if you make a mistake, it's a hassle to get it back. This is especially true on newer systems, but data recovery is almost always possible on deleted files due to the way that Windows is set up. And yes, this applies to Windows 7, too.

Here's a look at how deleted files can be recovered in Windows 7.

1. Data recovery software. The biggest impetus to deleted file recovery in Windows 7 is the lack of software designed specifically to recover files in the operating system. That's not to say that there isn't any data recovery software for the OS, just that it's not designed exactly for Windows 7's environment.

That's good news. Most data recovery programs that work for Windows XP and Windows Vista are compatible with 7. You basically have your pick; some of the most common programs, like OnTrack's data recovery tool or Datarecovery.com's software will work well with deleted files in 7.

2. Data recovery companies. You can also send your drive to a data recovery company, as they're usually able to easily retrieve deleted files. Unfortunately, "easy" doesn't translate to "free." Data recovery companies will charge an average of about $400 to recover deleted files. It's worth the money if your files are especially important, and if you don't feel comfortable handling the file recovery on your own. Shop around, and look for consumer reviews.

3. Important steps to avoid data loss. You might wonder what happens when a file is deleted in 7, and even if you've never wondered that, too bad, because I'm on a roll and I'm going to explain it. The operating system deletes references to the file, and marks the space that the file occupied as "available." When new programs are installed, or new files are written, the deleted file is overwritten. Once something's overwritten, data recovery becomes difficult if not impossible. More bad news: as long as your computer is on, it's writing files somewhere. There's simply a ton of stuff going on in Windows 7, and you can't stop it from writing tiny, tiny bits of information.

For this reason, if you accidentally delete a file in Windows 7, it's absolutely important to shut down the computer ASAP. Access the data from another computer; if you need help with this, refer to the documentation with your recovery software. You really can't install the data recovery software onto the same drive, or you'll permanently overwrite your files. Good luck.

You can also avail online tech support services to make the process smoother. Have you had issues with deleted files in Windows 7? Post in our comments section below.

How to fix printer issues in Windows 7.

2010-05-03T02:47:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 is an exciting, awesome operating system. Less exciting is all the tiny things you'll need to do to get it running flawlessly--finding drivers, installing your favorite programs, etc.

Printers can be an especially big pain when you're working with a new OS. Here's a quick troubleshooting guide to help you out if you're having printer issues in Windows 7.

1. Check that you're using the right printer driver. All printers require a specific matched printer driver in order to operate correctly. Make sure that your Windows 7 computer has the correct driver for the printer that's hooked up to it. To do this, go to Start, Control Panel, and view your printers. The name of the installed printer should match the name of the printer that you're using. If it doesn't, or if you haven't installed a driver, visit the website manufacturer of your printer. Their "support" section will often have the latest drivers. Some printer manufacturers haven't made drivers for Windows 7 yet for all of their products. If this is the case, you should be able to use Windows Vista drivers, as they're very similar.

2. Install all Windows 7 updates. The updates in Windows 7 contain a lot of bug fixes, and they can help to get a printer working, especially if you're using a network attached printer. Run Windows 7 Update regularly. Remember to completely restart after installing any updates, as this gives Windows 7 a chance to apply the changes. For the best results, install all of the recommended and optional updates that Windows 7 offers you.

3. Check your printer manufacturer's website for tips. If you're still having trouble, look for a support forum for the printer you've purchased. These are usually easy to find on the manufacturer's website. Post about your problem, and be sure to include as much information as possible. You should be especially sure to note that you're using Windows 7, the model of your printer (exact), and anything that you've tried to do to fix the problem.

4. Don't neglect the obvious stuff. Most printer problems are actually very, very simple. Check all connections to make sure that you're actually connecting to your printer. Restart the printer, and if it's on a network, check to see that Windows 7's firewall isn't inhibiting your computer's ability to communicate with the printer.

For more assistance you can get online tech support services any time. Do you have any other tips for fixing printer problems in Windows 7? Post in our comments section below.

How to Make Windows 7 Boot Faster !

2010-04-21T03:50:00.000-07:00

Does your Windows 7 boot slow? Wondering how to make Windows 7 boot faster without paying much? Maybe I can help you!

As a latest operating system, Win 7 Integrated more services and applications than any others in the past. With many programs run at startup, Windows 7 will boot slow as a tortoise. These programs not only occupy vast hard drive space, but also lengthen the boot up time greatly. So, more and more users want to know how to make Windows 7 boot faster now.

Of course, you can buy a new computer to make windows 7 faster quickly. But it will cost you much. And no matter how fast a new PC might be, it will get slower over time. So it doesn't mean that you don't need to optimize it again.

The easiest way to make Windows 7 boot faster is to manage your startup items and services. Thinking that if you get more than 50 items and 100 services run at startup, how to make Windows 7 boot faster?

Click Start and input "msconfig" in the Run box. Then point to OK and press. You will see all services and applications that are started automatically when your computer boots. Disenabling some unnecessarily items and re-boot your computer. Your Windows 7 boot up will never be slow again.

But please do it carefully since some services and startup items are very important to Windows. Removing them in error will cause serious problems even system crash. It's not funny at all. So you'd better select some popular tools to do it for you.

If you have done everything but Windows 7 boot is still slow or you want a good technician to make the things smoother for you approach www.pccare247.com

Make Your Windows 7 Run Faster

2010-04-19T23:32:00.000-07:00

Even though it's the latest version of Windows, many people are finding that Windows 7 running extremely slowly. This is a big problem that even the most advanced computer users are unaware of how to fix. Luckily, there's an easy way to fix windows 7 common issues even if you're a total beginner.

The problem of a slow computer is actually very easy to fix if you know what causes the problem in the first place. The problem is actually caused by a part of Windows called the 'registry', which is a big database that stores all the settings and information for your computer. It's basically a huge collection of 100,000's of files, which tell your computer how to do everything from load up your emails to log you in. The registry is very important, but it's also one of the biggest causes of slowness for Windows 7.

The registry causes your computer to run slow because it's being used too much. It has all these important files inside, all of which are essential for Windows to run fast. But because there are so many, your computer is constantly trying to open as many of them as possible and ends up with 100's open at a time. This is very bad, because it means that your system constantly gets confused about which registry files it has open, making it save many of these important files in the wrong way, corrupting them and making them unable to be opened quick enough by Windows.

When registry files become corrupt, their contents are mixed up - as if they've been put in a blender. This makes them very difficult for Windows to read, making your system take longer to read the files, slowing it down. This problem is the main reason why Windows 7 will run slow, and because your PC is unable to fix the files itself, it ends up having 1000's of corrupt registry files all making your PC run slower and slower. This problem is huge and not many people even know about it because the registry is hidden from view. However, there's an easy way to fix it.

To fix the corrupt registry files that are slowing Windows 7 down, you can use a registry cleaner tool to scan through all the registry files on your PC. This will allow your computer to make the most of the registry files, speeding up your system dramatically. You just need to run the registry cleaner and it will clean all the corrupt registry files from your PC automatically, speeding it up.

How to Make Windows 7 Run Fast

2010-04-15T02:33:00.000-07:00

Even though Windows 7 is the latest operating system to come from Microsoft, many people are still reporting how slowly their new 7 PC is running. This problem has been with computers for many years and is still a major issue today. Fortunately, it's a problem which is actually very easy to solve in this version of Windows, thanks to a simple trick.

The way to fix any slow PC is to cure the problems that make it run slow in the first place. Windows has been designed to run as smoothly and effectively as possible in any circumstance - and the only reason why it runs slow is because your PC has problems such as errors or damaged system files. This means that in order to fix this problem, you need to be able to fix the issues that make your Windows 7 PC run slow.

The 'trick' that most computer technicians use is actually very simple, and revolves around the "registry" of Windows. The registry is basically a database which stores information and settings for your computer, and is where your PC stores information such as your latest emails, desktop wallpaper and even your screen resolution for your PC. Unfortunately, the registry database is prone to becoming damaged and corrupted, making Windows unable to read the files it needs from it. And because Windows requires 100's of registry files each time you use your system, this problem causes your PC to run slower and slower as it has to read the files it needs.

The issue of a corrupt & damaged registry is the main cause of Windows 7 running slow. And as you use your PC, more and more registry settings are becoming corrupt & damaged... making Windows run slower. It's like a vicious circle which eventually ends in your system being extremely difficult to use. In order to make Windows 7 run fast, the first thing that most computer technicians do is to clean out the registry database to make sure that it has no corrupt or damaged settings inside. To do this, you should open up a " registry cleaner" program which you can download from the Internet, and let it can your PC.

The trick is to first download & run a registry cleaner tool to clean out any of the damaged or corrupted settings that Windows 7 has inside it. These software programs scan through your system and remove any of the damaged or corrupt settings that your PC has slowing it down, allowing Windows to run smoother and more reliably. Getting a good registry cleaner - which can remove the largest number of registry errors from your system - can actually make your PC run like new. New PCs don't have any corrupt or damaged registry settings to slow them down, so if you can use this trick to remove the largest number of registry settings, you could boost your PC speed dramatically.

Windows XP SP3 runs browsers 13% faster than Windows 7 RTM

2010-04-13T02:19:00.000-07:00

In a set of comprehensive Windows Web browser performance tests conducted by Betanews on August 7 -- our first test of browsers running on the final Windows 7 RTM Build 7600 distributed by Microsoft yesterday -- the five major families of browsers tended to run 13% faster on Windows XP Service Pack 3 than on Windows 7, and 29% faster than on Windows Vista Service Pack 2.

That reflects a decline in the speed gap between XP and Win7 of about 1%, from tests conducted comparing XP-based browsers to those running on Windows 7 Release Candidate Build 7100. Some browsers are faster in Windows 7 RTM, although Mozilla Firefox 3.5.2 ran just a tick slower.

Our latest complete round of tests shows Google Chrome 3 continuing to make phenomenal gains with each iteration, with developer channel build 196.2 posting another record Betanews index score of 18.96 in XP, and 16.09 in Win7. In other words, on the XP platform, Chrome 3 performs with the relative horsepower of about 19 Internet Explorer 7 browsers running on Vista SP2. There's good reason to believe Google wants Chrome 3 to run particularly well on the older XP platform, which has enjoyed a huge resurgence as a result of installations on netbooks where Vista would either under-perform or not even fit. Apple's Safari 4 build 530.19 is the next best performer on XP with a 16.16 score.

How to Fix Windows 7 When It Fails to Boot

2010-04-08T05:51:00.000-07:00

Whether caused by a virus, a new operating system or by simple mistake, being faced with an "Operating System not found" or similar error during your computer system's boot up can be a nerve rattling experience. Assuming you have Microsoft's Window 7 installed however, do not fear, such a boot error can often be resolved in just a few simple steps.

First, check your BIOS and hardware

In many cases, having Windows 7 fail to boot may be as simple as having your BIOS set with an incorrect boot order sequence. It can be quite common if you have more than one hard drive installed in your computer and your BIOS gets reset. Usually you can access your BIOS seconds after your computer turns on by pressing the Delete button or by pressing a specific function key. Once in the BIOS, check to see that your system drive is listed appropriately in the boot order sequence; you may need to refer to your motherboard manual for help.

Another possible reason for Windows not being detected upon start up is a hardware issue. If your BIOS is unable to detect your system drive, check to make sure all the cables are plugged in properly. If your hard drive is making an odd noise, such as a clicking sound, your hard drive may be broken. Finally, it is possible that the hard drive is having data corruption issues, which has damaged important system data, such as the Master Boot Record (MBR). If you suspect a faulty hard drive, it may be a good idea to backup and scan your hard drive for errors from another computer and possibly consider buying a replacement. Trying to repair a boot problem on a damaged drive can possibly lead to even more data loss, so backup your data before attempting anything.

The MBR and other important boot data can also be damaged by trying to install an earlier version of Windows, such as Windows XP, alongside Windows 7 and by third-party programs, such as viruses. In the case of a virus, it is recommended that you run a virus scan of the drive before attempting any repairs as otherwise it could lead to more data loss. It is further possible to achieve the appearance of damaged boot data by having the wrong drive partition set to active, which can be the outcome of an overly curious Windows user with administrative permissions.

Fixing the MBR and other start up problems in Windows 7 is most quickly accomplished by using the Windows 7 Installation DVD. If you do not have a Windows 7 Installation DVD however, you can alternatively use a Windows 7 System Recovery Disc. If you do not yet have either a Windows 7 Installation DVD or a recovery disc, do yourself a big favor and create a windows 7 recovery disc right away to avoid any unnecessary headaches down the road.

How to create Windows 7 system recovery USB flash drive

2010-04-08T05:38:00.000-07:00

Step one: If you do not have a DVD drive, download the appropriate Windows 7 Recovery Disc image from Here. You will need a torrent client for this step, such as µTorrent. Alternatively, if you have a DVD drive, you can use an existing Windows 7 Installation DVD or a Windows 7 Recovery Disc when at step seven.

Using a Windows 7 Installation DVD at step seven will also allow you to install Windows 7 via USB, not just recover a damaged system; very useful if you have a netbook!

Step two: Open a command prompt with administrative rights. To do this, click Start > All Programs > Accessories and then right click Command Prompt, followed by clicking Run as administrator.

Step three: After accepting any UAC verification questions, you should now be at the command prompt. Make sure your USB flash drive is plugged in and then type DiskPart, followed by pressing Enter.

Step four: Type List Disk and then press Enter. Determine which disk number corresponds to your USB flash drive. In the following scenario, Disk 1 corresponds to our USB drive since we know our USB drive has a capacity of 2-gigabytes.

Step five: Enter the following commands in order, changing the disk number to the disk number listed for your USB drive. Warning - the following commands will erase everything on your USB drive or the disk you select.

Select Disk 1

Clean

Create Partition Primary

Select Partition 1

Active

Format FS=NTFS

Step six: After DiskPart successfully formats the USB drive, which might take a few minutes, you will want to enter the following commands:

Assign
Exit

Step seven: You will now need to copy the contents of the ISO image you downloaded, or the contents of a DVD you wish use, to the USB flash drive. There should be two folders and a file in the ISO image that need to be copied. To extract the files contained within an ISO image, you will need to use a program such as WinRAR. You can download WinRAR from here.

Step eight: Now that the files are copied, we will want to make the USB drive bootable. To accomplish this however we will need to download a small file called bootsect.exe; it can be downloaded from here or here. The file can also be found in the boot directory of the Windows 7 Installation DVD. Once downloaded, place the bootsect.exe file in the root directory of your USB flash drive.

Step nine: Back at the command prompt, we will want to change the current directory to that of the USB drive and run the bootsect command. In our case this is drive E, so we will be using the following respective commands:

e:
bootsect /nt60 e:

The bootsect command will update the target volume with a compatible bootcode. If all goes well, you should now have a bootable USB recovery drive; just remember to add the USB drive to the boot list in your system's BIOS for it to work upon start up.

How to change active partition in Windows 7

2010-04-08T05:17:00.000-07:00

Upon purposely changing the active partition on my system drive, I was faced with a BOOTMGR is missing error during my system's start up that prevent Windows from starting. It is a common mistake to make when playing with partitions on a system drive and it can be a headache to solve if not prepared. To change your active partition back using the Windows 7 recovery disc or Installation DVD, follow the steps below.

Step one: Follow steps one to four in the above guide. This should take you to the Command Prompt in the Windows Recovery Environment.

Step two: Type DiskPart and then press Enter.

Step three: Type List Disk now and then press Enter. This command will list all disks attached to your computer and assign them a disk number.

Step four: Type Select Disk x, where x is the number for the disk containing the partition you wish to make active. Press Enter.

Step five: Type List Partition and then press Enter. You will now be shown a list of the partitions on the selected disk. Determine which partition you wish to make active.

Step six: Type Select Partition x, where x is the number of the partition you wish to make active.

Step seven: Now, just type Active and then press Enter. That should be it - the selected partition is now active.

How to Fix Windows 7 Master Boot Record (MBR)

2010-04-08T05:08:00.000-07:00

Step one: Turn your computer on, booting from either your Windows 7 Installation DVD or Windows 7 System Recovery Disc. Remember, you may need to change the boot order inside your BIOS to have the your DVD drive boot first.

Step two: After the installation or recovery disc loads, if prompted, select your language settings and then continue. If you are using the installation DVD, when prompted by the following screen select Repair your computer.

Step three: The computer will take a moment now to scan itself for any Windows installations, after which you will likely be given a choice to select which installation you wish to repair. Select the appropriate Windows installation from the list and then continue. If by chance a problem is detected in one of your Windows installations at this initial stage, the system may also ask you if it can try to repair the problem automatically. It is up to you if you wish to let the system try to repair itself, but otherwise just select No.

Step four: Once you have reached the System Recovery Options screen, as shown below, you will be faced with a list of choices that can aid you in repairing a damaged Windows 7 operating system. If you wish to try the Startup Repair option first, it is often successful in automatically fixing many different start up issues, but in this article we will be using the Command Prompt option to resolve our problems manually. So, click Command Prompt to continue.

Step five: Now sitting at the command prompt, enter the following command and then press enter:

bootrec.exe /FixMbr

If successful, you should be greeted with the message The operation completed successfully. That's it! Your Master Boot Record has been repaired.

While the above command does fix the MBR, and sometimes that is enough, there still might be an error with the system partition's boot sector and Boot Configuration Data (BCD). This might occur if you have tried to install another operating system alongside Windows 7, such as Windows XP. To write a new boot sector, try the following command:

bootrec.exe /FixBoot

If you are still faced with your Windows 7 installation not being detected during start up, or if you wish to include more than one operating system choice to your system's boot list, you can try the following command to rebuild your BCD:

bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd

The above command will scan all your disks for other operating systems compatible with Windows 7 and allow you to add them to your system's boot list. If this fails, you may need to backup the old BCD folder* and create a new one in its place with the following commands:

bcdedit /export C:\BCD_Backup

cd boot

attrib bcd -s -h -r

ren c:\boot\bcd bcd.old

bootrec /RebuildBcd

*Some users also find simply deleting the boot folder and retrying the above steps effective at resolving boot issues, but it is not recommended.

Using Windows 7 on New Laptops

2010-04-05T00:54:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 was launched in a blaze of publicity, advertising a more 'user-friendly' system than its predecessor Vista. But many people found Vista and even XP more than adequate for their needs, so if you're in the market for a new laptop, why should you think about buying one with the new Windows 7 operating system, rather than the tried and tested Vista or XP?

Future-proofing

Future-proofing is the new buzzword in technology. One of the most frustrating things for people using older machines or operating systems is the incompatibility problems that arise with the latest software systems. Microsoft have invested a huge amount of money and time developing Windows 7, which is why there has been such a delay between the launch of Vista and this latest upgrade. Because of the 'understanding' that many manufacturers who use Microsoft have with the company, the launch of Windows 7 is bound to herald a flurry of upgraded laptops designed to use Windows 7 as its primary operating system. So buying a laptop that has Vista or XP rather than Windows 7 could mean that future software designed to run on Windows 7 won't run on Vista or XP operating systems.

However, if you only intend to use a laptop for web surfing, downloading media, emails and office documents such as Word or Excel, an older operating system could be just as effective as Windows 7. But with the wealth of new features available on Windows 7, it might be worth considering future-proofing yourself from the outset.

Upgrading - not exactly easy...

One of the biggest problems with upgrading is the limit imposed by the operating systems on just how easily you can upgrade Windows 7 without having to do a clean install. That means wiping your hard drive and basically starting again. For Netbook users this presents a huge problem, as many Netbooks do not have CD ROMS, and to do a fresh install you need to be able to slot that operating system CD ROM into the computer.

To avoid all the hassle of clean installs, wiping your hard drive and future-proofing yourself against future upgrades, it's wiser to start with Windows 7 as your standard operating system.

Security - a new level

One of the biggest worries for laptop users is the security aspect. Because of their portability, laptops are an easy target for unscrupulous hackers, opportunist thieves or even industrial espionage. One of the primary new features on Windows 7 is an improved level of security, something that'll make any laptop owner sleep a little better at night. Windows 7 also offers better taskbar features, an improved version of Windows Explorer to make surfing the 'Net easier and quicker and interface shortcuts that make it possible to run two applications side by side. For laptop owners with the advantage of dual core processing power, Windows 7 is tailor-made for laptop use. Microsoft have played it clever - they know full well that the market for laptops is a growing one, and Windows 7 is designed to grow with that market in tandem. By incorporating ideas that users actually want in an operating system, it may be some time before we see W8. So if you are thinking about buying a new laptop, it makes sense to get one with Windows 7 rather than the now considerably dated and troublesome Vista operating system.

Win Ipod Nano and T-shirts From Moobell

2010-03-16T05:10:00.000-07:00

Moobell Presents IPL Season 3 Contest and Winners get Brand New IPod Nano and Tshirts.This contests takes place in Facebook. And you have to Predict the Result to win.

How to Participate:

Become a Fan in Facebook Fanpage.
Goto the Contest Application
Submit Your Answers Daily ie, Predictions
Wait For the Results the Next Day

SO Go Now and Start Predicting and Win an IPod Nano !

Why my Windows 7 keep freezing

2010-03-15T00:13:00.000-07:00

Windows 7 have been accepted with a lot of praise by the tech community, a lot of people were excited to install the new operating system on their computers. The new operating system of Microsoft is designed to be much easier to use and faster than Windows XP and Windows Vista. Although it is elaborately developed by the inventive engineers of Microsoft, it still has some problems that often happen in the earlier Windows system. It becomes slightly slow and freezes up!

Why the freeze problem happens to the new system? How to Speed Up Windows 7? We must get to the cause of the problem. In Windows 7, Microsoft continues to use registry as the database of the operating system. That is, all the data and information of your programs, device drivers and operating system is still saved in the registry.

It is inevitable that the vital data and information that are saved in registry keys is damaged by some issues like invalid processes, bad program uninstallations and so on. Then there comes the problem. When Windows 7 performs a task, it must communicate with registry and then implement the task according to the data and information.

But if the data and information are damaged or incorrect, Windows 7 will not be able to perform a task properly. Then it would call off the task and stop responding in order to avoid serious damages to itself. That is the reason why your Windows 7 keeps freezing up. To fix the problem, you need to fix registry errors and repair the corrupt keys which the data and information are damaged.

How to speedup your slow windows 7 experience

2010-03-14T23:58:00.000-07:00

All though Windows 7 is one of the best of its kinds, but the problem of windows slow startup have been noticed but a lot of users. Actually, you are not the only person suffering from this problem, a lot of people who use Windows 7 system also barge up against the annoying slow boot-up problem. What are the causes of the startup problem and how to speed up Windows 7?

There are two possible causes of the problem. Firstly, you should check if you have too many programs running at system boot-up. For the sake of safety, it is necessary to have anti-virus, anti-spyware software or security center run as Windows 7 boots up. But some people have many other unnecessary programs in their startup list too.

The more startup items, the slower your computer turns on. Because your system needs time to load necessary data and start the programs. If you set too many programs to run with system, you will find the boot-up process is extremely slow. So you need to disable some programs and eliminate them from the list.

If you have done what I suggest above but see no good results, it must be the registry that causes the slow starting of your computer. You may be wondering how registry can cause the problem. Registry is the data center of Windows system that contains all the essential data used for all the operational processes. It controls the basic processes like system restart, startup, shutdown and so on. And it also has a great effect on your computer performance, look for Windows 7 registry clenaup for great computer performance.

When Windows 7 starts up, it must communicate with registry and access the vital data. But the communication process could be slowed down by some redundant, invalid and empty registry keys and entries. These registry keys and entries belong to the programs that are uninstalled. They are supposed to be deleted but left during the uninstallation.

If you have uninstalled some programs and software from your computer, there would be too many useless registry keys in your system. The useless keys and entries would cause the communication between Windows 7 and registry very obstructed. And then your system starts up very slow. To make your system boot up faster, you need to clean up all the redundant, invalid and empty registry keys.

Windows 7 Registry Clenaup for Great Computer Performance

2010-02-15T02:12:00.000-08:00

Registry is the integral part of any of the operating system so is it with Windows 7. This registry database saves information about the programs running and/or not running on your system. This is very important point because it has been the case that some of the programs which we uninstall leave behind the registry keys. These add to the registry overload which may cause some system slow down. In such a situation one needs to fix registry erros. It is very simple to clean Windows 7 registry for achieving greater speed performance and consistency.

Some of the users who switched to Windows 7 are complaining that now their Windows 7 is running slow. They need not to worry about this because this is a common phenomenon that over time the Windows registry gets overloaded with massive information about the programs. There gathers a huge database of the windows registry keys. Some of them belong to the valid programs and, therefore, these registry keys are the valid registry keys. However, certain other registry keys contain information about those programs which were infected by the spywares and/or removed by the user from their programs list. The registry keys of such programs are not of any use. It is always better to purge Windows from such registry dirt to speed up your windows operating system

There are several techniques available for Windows 7 clean up. Not only there are various kinds of utilities available but the Windows own set of tools also contain some utilities to clean Windows 7 registry. These tools include disk defrag, system restore and control panel options. However, it is not easy for most users to play with these options and edit registry manually.

It is recommended for laymen users that if they want to make their registry free from registry errors they can use some efficient registry cleaner that is compatible with Windows 7 to repair Windows 7 registry errors and prevent crashes

Cleaning Windows 7 registry from time to time will help you to maintain the operating system and keep in good condition. It is also recommended that some free antispyware program is used to get rid of the spywares.

However, one thing shall be kept in mind that spywares leave behind the nasty spyware errors in the registry keys. It is necessary to remove these traces as well.

How to Fix Windows 7 and Oe6 Error Code 0x800CCC

2010-02-03T22:23:00.000-08:00

Are you having difficulty trying to send an email message using the Windows 7 mail program? For the most part this program runs very well with little problems or needed input from you once it is configured and set up. The two biggest causes of problems in any email program are internet connectivity and/or improper account settings during set up. You have two options. If you have been searching the internet and help sites for hours now, stop. It only takes a few moments to delete and then re-create the account with the proper information. With the exception of Netscape Navigator you can re-create your account without losing your contacts or stored messages. Repeat, if you use Netscape as an email client then back up all of your messages and contacts BEFORE recreating your account or all of your contact information will be lost. If the problem is connectivity then there is nothing you can do except for call your internet service provider and talk to tech support.

The information you will need to create the account again is your email address and password as well as the incoming and outgoing server names for your provider. Your account name is in most cases your email address. Your display name is the name you would like people to see on the message you send. If connectivity is not an issue you can do a search for the email server names. So, once more you need:

- display name (your name)

- email address

- password

- username (email address)

- incoming server name (POP3, IMAP or HTTP)

- outgoing server name (SMTP)

Some internet service providers require that you use 'authentication'. If this is the case you must make sure to check the authentication check box provided in the wizard during your account set up. This check box is usually located on the server information screen of the wizard. I should mention that you can always access your account information located in your email client to make changes to your information should you need to. If this is something you feel comfortable doing then all you need to do to locate your information is to find it. This is almost always done by clicking on the TOOLS button at the top of the page and then clicking ACCOUNTS on the menu that drops down. Look for a MAIL tab and click that. (Have you backed up your contacts?)

Once you have clicked the mail tab you will see more tabs relating to server names as well as other account information. It is within this tabbed area that you can look for any mistakes you may have made when you initially set the account up. Or maybe the server names for your internet provider have changed. You can change that here too.

As you can see you need very little information. Setting up an email account in Windows mail or any other program is not difficult. All email clients have a wizard that will walk you through the steps of setting up the account. The most common connectivity or account related errors you will see are 0x800CCC91, which is due to a wrong or misspelled username that was entered during setup, and 0x800ccc0f which is lost internet connection. These are just two of the most common error codes seen. There are others that relate to things like attachments being to large or time outs due to filtering. There are a lot of things that can get in the way of you sending and receiving email and we have only briefly discussed the two that are seen the most.

Remember that if your issue is not related to connectivity you can easily find the server names you require to set up the account for the first time or to re-create it. There are a great many resources out there to help you with your issue. The trick is finding the right answers in a timely manner. If you need specific help then check the resource section for this article. It contains directions to specific email answers. No matter what the issue you are having with your email. A word of sage advice. Back up your contact list right now. Back up all those messages that you are hanging on to. You never know when something unfortunate may happen to your computer or your email program in general. Consider backing up your email information every six months. Put it on a disk or a thumb drive. Export it. Just do not lose it!

Windows XP Mode In Windows 7

2010-02-03T21:11:00.000-08:00

Windows XP Mode allows Windows 7 users to run Windows XP compatible applications in Windows 7. Windows XP Mode seamlessly integrates into Windows 7. Microsoft is aiming at day to day users who need to run XP compatible software programs that do not work correctly in either Windows Vista or Windows 7 natively.

XP Mode consists of the Virtual PC-based virtual environment and a fully licensed copy of Windows XP with Service Pack 3 (SP3). It will be made available, for free, to users of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions via a download from the Microsoft web site. XPM works much like today’s Virtual PC products, but with one important exception: As with the enterprise-based MED-V (Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization) product, XPM does not require you to run the virtual environment as a separate Windows desktop. Instead, as you install applications inside the virtual XP environment, they are published to Windows 7 Operating System as well. With shortcuts placed in the Start Menu users can run Windows XP-based applications (like IE 6) alongside Windows 7 applications under a single desktop.

The interesting aspect here is that the applications will run on the same single desktop. This is good for the end user who can concentrate working on one computer system. Microsoft can now not only claim full compatibility to Windows Vista but also to Windows XP which should make a huge difference in the perception of the new operating system.

Before we begin, you'll want to make sure your system meets the requirements:

* Processor: Processor capable of hardware virtualization, with AMD-V™ or Intel® VT turned on in the BIOS.
* Memory: 2GB of memory recommended.
* Hard disk requirement: 20MB hard disk space for installing Windows Virtual PC. Additional 15GB of hard disk space per virtual Windows environment recommended. Steps to Create a Virtual Hard Drive in Windows 7

How to Install Windows XP Mode in Windows 7

1. Download the Virtual PC beta from Microsoft Virtual PC page and also Windows XP Mode beta from here.

2. Install the Windows virtual PC beta by following the simple on screen procedure and reboot your machine to see Virtual Windows XP entry in your Start menu.

3. Now, Double-click on VirtualWindowsXP.msi package to start Virtual Windows XP wizard and click Next to continue.

4. Select the installation destination for the XP mode. By default it will select the right one. So, simply click Next button.

5. You will see the XP mode installation process. It may take few minutes to complete the installation.

6. Once you complete the installation, Virtual Windows XP starts for the first time. Here you will see Virtual Windows XP license agreement. Accept the license agreement and click Next to continue.

7. In the following window, you need to enter a password for the account. You cannot leave the password field blank. In case, if you don’t like to enter the password each time, you can check the option Remember credentials to store the password.

8. Next you need to configure Windows XP for automatic updates.

9. Once you are done with the configuration, Windows XP mode is ready to use.

How to Speed Up Windows 7 Quickly and Easily

2009-12-24T04:53:00.000-08:00

Is your Windows 7 slow? Wondering how to speed up Windows 7 without breaking the bank? Well I may be able to help you. But first off you need to make sure you are meeting the minimum hardware requirements to run Windows 7 on your system. Here they are:

• 1GHz processor (32- or 64-bit)
• 1GB of main memory
• 16GB of available disk space
• Support for DX9 graphics with 128MB of memory (for the Aero interface)
• A DVD-R/W drive

Keep in mind however, that if you were able to effectively run Windows XP or Vista, there should be little reason that you cannot also run Windows 7. The new Windows OS is designed to be very light and run quickly without requiring huge amounts of RAM or GHz's. Most folks having problems are the ones trying to jump from Windows 2000 to Windows 7.

If you meet or come close to these requirements and Windows 7 is still slow, then the issue lies somewhere else. For starters, cut down on the amount of programs running in the background. You can use MsConfig to do this or simple install software that will identify programs secretly running in the background and eating up loads of virtual memory.

The second option is to clean Windows registry. This is perhaps the most effective means to speed up Windows 7. There is no internal cleaning tool to clear out errors and corrupt files from the registry. This contributes to significant congestion which will slow down Windows 7 significantly.

While these tweaks can be complicated to perform alone, you can scan your system with software which will fix these problems automatically. It will only take a couple minutes and you should notice a faster Windows 7 right away. Don't worry about compatibility issues, if the program can run on Windows Vista it can run on Windows 7.

Repair Windows 7 Registry Errors and Prevent Crashes

2009-12-24T04:49:00.000-08:00

The importance of fixing Windows 7 registry errors cannot be overstated. Since your system interfaces with the registry incessantly, Windows 7 registry errors can afflict different processes with errors. If any problems occur within the registry, it's important to resolve them quickly.

Backing up the Registry with System Restore

One of the best ways to maintain a clean registry is to consistently back up your registry. You can do this by using System Restore. Here's how to backup your registry:

1. Click Start.
2. Open System Tools.
3. Click System Restore.
4. If you have NOT previously utilized System Restore, then click "Next." If you HAVE previously used this function, then check the dot next to "Choose a different restore point."
5. In the following menu, enter or select your desired restore point.
6. Click Next.
7. Click Finish.

You will need to confirm that you wish to restore the system. Your computer will automatically restart in order to accomplish the system restore. Once your computer has started up, you will notice that all settings and processes have been restored to your selected restore point.

Making a Backup with Regedit

If you are encountering registry problems, then System Restore can work as a quick fix. You can also backup your registry another way. Here's how:

1. Click Start.
2. Type "regedit" in the Search box.
3. In the top menu bar, select "File."
4. Click "Export."
5. Then, choose the destination location for the backup files. Make sure you click the "All" option within the Export Range option.
6. Click "Save."

This action will backup your registry to a specified location. This is a great way to safely maintain your registry.

You can restore or backup the Registry using advanced methods such as forming.reg files or importing files from regedit. These methods are a bit harder and require meticulous attention to detail.

Speed up Your Windows Seven Computer with ReadyBoost

2009-12-01T23:35:00.000-08:00

Microsoft Windows Seven and Vista has a new feature called Ready Boost. Using this feature we can use a flash memory stick or SD card to store commonly used files for quicker access than off the hard drive.

The flash memory device serves as an additional memory cache—that is, memory that the computer can access much more quickly than it can access data on the hard drive.

Windows ReadyBoost relies on the intelligent memory management of Windows SuperFetch and can significantly improve system responsiveness.

Turning this feature on couldn’t be simpler. Just stick the flash drive, SD card, or whatever flash device you want into your computer. You’ll see a dialog pop up on the screen.

Click the “Speed up my system” link, and you’ll be taken to the ReadyBoost panel for the flash drive.

Just select Use this device, and set the amount of space you want to use. Windows will create what is essentially a paging file on the disk, and will use it for faster access.

Note that this will only work with USB 2.0 devices or SD cards.

Steps to Share Files and Printers between Windows 7 and XP

2009-12-01T22:19:00.000-08:00

If you are running Windows 7 and have XP on PC(s) you might want to share files between them. The following are the steps to share files and hardware devices like a printer.

Sharing Files In Windows 7 and XP

Sharing folders between two Windows 7 machines with the new HomeGroup feature is an easy process, but the HomeGroup feature is not compatible with Vista or XP. For this tutorial we are using Windows 7 x64 RC1 and XP Professional SP3 connected through a basic Linksys home wireless router.

First make sure both machines are members of the same Workgroup which by default is named Workgroup.

On the Windows 7 machine go into Control Panel \ All Control Panel Items \ Network and Sharing Center then click on Change advanced sharing settings.

You will want to verify the following settings under Advanced Sharing Settings for the Home or Work and Public profile.

If you want any user to have access the public shares turn off password protection. This is located in Advanced Sharing Settings toward the bottom of the list.

If you want to keep it enabled make sure there is a log in account for the other XP machines and they have a password.

Now if you go into Network in Windows 7 you should see your XP machine and the Windows 7 as well.

To share the printer on the Windows 7 machine go into Devices and Printers from the Start menu and double click on the printer icon.

Next double click on “Customize your printer”.

In the Properties screen click on the Sharing Tab and check the box to share the printer and type in its share name.

If your XP machine is an x86 OS you can install Additional Drivers before setting up the XP machine.

To find the shared folders and devices double click on the Windows 7 machine icon under Network. Here you can see the printer connected to my Windows 7 machine is shared and also the Users Folder.

Continue into the Users folder and Public to see the shared folders, here I also created a folder called XP Share just to keep everything in central location.

Over on your XP machine open up My Network Places to find the Windows 7 shared folder.
Double click on the Share folder to find a list of shared folders in the Public folder on Windows. If you have password protection enabled you will need to type in the username and password of the user account on the Windows 7 machine first.

Setup XP With Shared Printer

To set up the shared printer in XP you will need to go into Printers and Faxes from the Start menu and kick off the Add Printer Wizard.

Now select “A network printer, or a printer attached to another computer” then hit Next.

Next select “Connect to this printer…” and type in the path for the printer connected to the Windows 7 machine and click next.

Now click Yes to the confirmation message.

Then click Finish the printer to install and complete the Wizard.

In some cases you will need to install the x86 XP drivers for the shared printer because the Windows 7 drivers are not compatible with XP. When everything is installed open up Printers and Faxes to find the shared printer.

This should help you get started with sharing your files and other devices with your Windows 7 machine.

Enable/Disable Built-In Administrator Account (Hidden) in Windows 7 or Vista

2009-12-01T21:03:00.000-08:00

Many Users are thinking what happened to the built-in Admin account of windows that was always created by default in Windows XP or previous operating systems.

The account is also created in Windows 7 or Vista, but since it’s not enabled we can’t use it. While troubleshooting if something needs to run as administrator, we can enable it with a simple command.

Enable Built-in Administrator Account

First we’ll need to open a command prompt in administrator mode by right-clicking and choosing “Run as administrator” (or use the Ctrl+Shift+Enter shortcut from the search box)

Now type the following command:

net user administrator /active:yes

You should see a message that the command completed successfully. Log out, and you’ll now see the Administrator account as a choice.

Note: You’ll note that there’s no password for this account, so if you want to leave it enabled you should change the password.

Disable Built-in Administrator Account

Make sure you are logged on as your regular user account, and then open an administrator mode command prompt as above. Type the following command:

net user administrator /active:no

The administrator account will now be disabled, and shouldn’t show up on the login screen anymore.

Add a New User Account in Windows 7

2009-11-30T04:48:00.000-08:00

If your computer is shared by many people, you can create separate accounts for each person that will be using the computer. This allows each user to have their own document folders and settings such as the wallpaper, Start menu, visual style, and so forth. You can create and configure user accounts with the User Accounts tool in Control Panel.

To add a new user open Control Panel and under User Accounts and Family Safety click on Add or remove user accounts.

Now click on Create a new account.

Just type in the name of the user and select the type of account. Your best bet is to make them a Standard User so they cannot make changes to system settings, delete other users important files, or change security settings.

Now when you reboot the PC you will see the new users you created at the log in screen.

Of course a user who’s account is password protected will need to log in to start their session.

Standard users won’t be able to make any important system changes without the admin password.

As Administrator you can make additional changes to the account like changing or creating user passwords.

Types of User Accounts

There are three types of user accounts and each provides the user with different levels of control over the computer.

• Administrator – The Admin account have complete control over the computer and its settings.

• Standard – Standard users can use most of the capabilities on the machine. They cannot install software, delete system files, or change settings. If you’re working in a Standard account and need to make system changes, the administrator password will be needed.

• Guest – Lets a user have temporary access to the computer. They cannot install software, make any changes, or create a password. This is a good choice for someone to use to check their email quick or type out a document.
Here is an example of what a user with a Standard account would see if they tried to monkey around with something they shouldn’t be.
The Guest user account it off by default but you just need to go in and turn it on.

The only changes available to the Guest account are changing the picture and turning it on or off.

User Account Tips

If you’re the administrator and installing software, remember to select if you want it available for all users or only yourself.

Keep in mind that if you shut down the machine while another person is logged in, they might lose all any data they have not yet saved. Even though you get a confirmation screen, it might be worth mentioning to other users so they are aware of it, especially in a busy household.

These basic tips should help create and configure user accounts so each member of the household has their own account when working on the computer.

Amazing Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts

2009-11-27T01:32:00.000-08:00

Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts, know about the latest idea of fast working

Windows + ↑ (Up Arrow) – Maximize window

Windows + ← (Left Arrow) – Snap window to left side covering half of desktop space. Continue pressing the keyboard shortcut will rotate the window between snap to left, snap to right and restore to normal position.

Windows + → (Right Arrow) – Snap window to right side covering half of desktop space. Continue pressing the keyboard shortcut will rotate the window between snap to left, snap to right and restore to normal position.

Windows + ↓ (Down Arrow) – Minimize the window. Restore to normal size and position if the window is currently maximized.

Windows + Home – Clear all but the active window.

Windows + Space – All windows become transparent so you can see through to the desktop.

Windows + Shift + ← (Left Arrow) – Move the active window to the adjacent monitor on the left for dual or multiple monitors setup.

Windows + Shift + → (Right Arrow) – Move the active window to the adjacent monitor on the right for dual or multiple monitors setup.

Windows + Shift + ↓ (Down Arrow) - Minimize the active window.

Windows + T – Show preview thumbnail of running applications in Windows Taskbar one by one without mouse over.

Windows + P – Adjust presentation options of the display on computer or projector.

Windows + + (Add) – Zoom in.

Windows + – (Minus or Dash) – Zoom out.

Shift + Click a Taskbar item: Open a new instance of that particular application.

Other popular or common keyboard hotkeys which are already been used in Windows Vista:

Windows + D – Show desktop and restore desktop (minimize or restore all windows).

Windows + M – Minimize all windows.

Windows + U – Open Ease of Access Center.

Windows + F – Search window.

Windows + G – Bring all gadgets on top and foreground.

Windows + X – Run Windows Mobility Center.

Windows + R – Open ‘Run’ command.

Windows + E – Run Windows Explorer.

Windows + L – Lock the computer.

Windows + Pause [Break] – Open System Properties.

Windows + [number] – Activate and run the program pinned on Windows 7 Taskbar, running program won’t be affected.

Windows + Tab – Windows Aero Task Switcher

F1 – Help

F3 – Searchion window, roll mouse over each icon to preview item and minimize others

Attach "My Computer" to Windows 7 Taskbar

2009-11-26T23:33:00.000-08:00

Everyone likes to have the quickest access possible to folders on my desktop, which usually means putting something onto the taskbar if possible. You can add the Computer menu as a folder on the taskbar for the easiest access to your drives. You could also use this tip for any folder you want.

To add a folder to the taskbar

1. Just right-click on the taskbar and choose the Toolbars menu, and then click on New Toolbar.

2. Find the folder that you want… for instance select the Computer icon and then click on Select Folder.

3. Now you can see the Computer folder right there on the taskbar. If you click the little arrows it will pop up and let you browse through all your drives.

How to Create Shutdown/Restart/Lock Icons in Windows 7

2009-11-26T23:19:00.000-08:00

Windows 7 makes the shutdown menu a lot better than previous operating systems, but if you want a shortcut elsewhere or to assign a hotkey, this should help you out.

The following are the steps to create a Shutdown/ Restart /System Lock Icon in Windows 7

1. First right-click on the desktop, choose New and then Shortcut.
2. In the shortcut location box, you’ll need to enter the correct command, which I’ve listed for you below.

Shutdown Computer
Shutdown.exe -s -t 00

Restart Computer
Shutdown.exe -r -t 00

Lock Workstation
Rundll32.exe User32.dll,LockWorkStation

Hibernate Computer
rundll32.exe PowrProf.dll,SetSuspendState

Sleep Computer
rundll32.exe powrprof.dll,SetSuspendState 0,1,0

3. When you’ve clicked next on the above dialog, you’ll be asked to name the shortcut. Probably best to name it according to the right function.

4. After you click Finish, you should now have a new icon that you can double-click to immediately shutdown, restart, or lock your computer.

Change Shortcut Icon

1. The default icon is really ugly, and if you want to have separate shortcuts for each function you might want to change the icon. Right-click on the icon and choose properties.

2. Click the Change Icon button, and then you can pick from the available icons in the system, or you can use the Browse button to pick an icon you downloaded off the web.

3. Note that you can drag them to your quick launch bar if you’d prefer to have them there.

Steps to Create a Virtual Hard Drive in Windows 7

2009-11-26T22:35:00.001-08:00

Have you ever wished you had an extra Hard Disk to store files, share, or set aside as an encrypted vault? One of the new features in Windows 7 is the ability to create Virtual Hard Disks and we’ll show you how.

First step is to create a Virtual Drive

1. This process creates virtual disks in the .VHD format where the minimum size is 3MB. To begin, Right-click on My Computer and select to Manage. Alternately you can type diskmgmt.msc into the Start search box and enter.

2. The Computer Management screen opens click on Disk Management then Action and Create VHD.

3. Browse to the directory you want the disk to reside, choose the size you want it to be, and select dynamic or a fixed. If you want the disk to expand in size as you add files to it, then pick Dynamically expanding. Check Fixed size if you want a specific size and for it to stay that way.

4. In Disk Management you will see the virtual drive listed as unallocated space.

5. To begin using it you’ll need to Right-click and select Initialize Disk.

6. In the initialize disk box just keep MBR selected and hit OK.

Second step is to create a Volume

1. Now it is time to create a volume by Right-clicking the unallocated space and select New Simple Volume.

2. The New Simple Volume Wizard starts up and it’s just a matter of completing it.

3. Choose the amount of space you want to use for the volume.

4. Assign it a dive letter that is not currently being used.

5. Format the new volume as NTFS, FAT32, or FAT. Check if you want a quick format and file compression.

6. The wizard is complete, click on Finish.

7. If you have AutoPlay enabled it should pop up for you to open up your new virtual hard disk.

8. It will be listed with the other disks in Disk Management.

Of course you will also see it listen under My Computer.

This is a new feature that will let you use the disk as you would any type of real disk. You can encrypt it, share it out to other systems, store files to it…however you would use an extra disk connected to your system.

How to Share Files in Microsoft Windows 7

2009-11-26T22:22:00.000-08:00

If you have multiple computers at home and want to network them together to share files and devices then this article is for you! In this article I'll show how to setup file sharing in a mixed environment consisting of Windows 7 and Windows XP.

The computer that will be sharing (serving) the files will be the Windows 7 computer. The computer that will be accessing the shared files on the Windows 7 PC will be a Windows xp computer. This article assumes that you either:

A: have your internal software firewalls disabled since they can often obstruct network access. Only do this if you access the internet through a router (or a wireless router).

B: know how to allow network access to your internal subnet. Since you're reading this article it's pretty safe to assume that you have no idea what I'm talking about in point B. Just go ahead and turn off your firewalls (for now at least).

On your Windows 7 computer:

1. Click the Windows globe on the bottom left (the old start button).
2. Right-click "Computer" and click properties.
3. Take note of the Workgroup name.

On your Windows XP computer:

1. Click Start.
2. Right-Click "My Computer" and click properties.
3. Click Computer Name.
4. Click Change.
5. Select Workgroup.
6. Type in the same workgroup name.
7. Click Ok twice.
8. Reboot.

Back on your Windows 7 computer lets share your documents folder to everyone in your workgroup:

1. Click Start.
2. Click Computer.
3. On the left window, under libraries, right-click documents and click share with: specific people
4. Click the drop down.
5. Select Everyone.
6. Click Add.
7. Click Read and change it to read/write
8. Click Share
9. Select My Documents
10. Click Next.
11. Sharing your documents may take awhile depending on how many have.
12. Click Done.

Back to your Windows XP PC:

You may now access documents on the Windows 7 computer by

1. Opening your "My Computer".
2. Click "My Network Places" on the left.
3. Click "Entire Network".
4. You should now see the name of your Windows 7 computer.
5. Double click the Windows 7 computer and you'll see any shared files plus any shared devices.

You can follow the steps above to share any other files or folders on your Windows 7 computer.

FAQ

2009-11-26T02:24:00.000-08:00

FAQ About Windows 7

Why Windows 7
How to install Windows 7
Different Available Version of Windows 7
How to Upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7
How to Upgrade Windows Xp to Windows 7

Contact

2009-11-26T01:58:00.000-08:00

Get 24/7 online computer help and support for all of your computer repair needs with PcCare247 Online Technical Support Services.

You can reach us at www.pccare247.com or Call Us @ +91 - 124 - 4655208

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