Archive for December, 2008

Controlling Registry Errors With Registry Cleaning Software

December 31st, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

Have you had this type of problem? A software you use every day for a very long time suddenly won’t load? Did it used to take only seconds or a minute or so to boot up your PC and now it seems to take forever? Chances are, you have registry errors to fix (registry repair). So what exactly does that mean? See, the registry can be compared to a directory on the PC that looks after your system including any software you have installed

If you want to understand registry errors you need to be knowledgeable of your PC’s inner workings and even if you like to do things yourself and consider yourself a whiz at Windows, the best way to easily fix a problem with the registry should be to look into downloading software (download registry cleaner).

Registry cleaner software will check your operating system and fix problems that it finds in the registry. Think of your computer as your garage or basement, where tools and stuff are hidden away and that you use on an occasional or called on basis. For you, the start menu, the windows explorer and the desktop, these are your gateways to find these things. Now think of your memory as the place in your brain (the computer of your body) where the index of all these things is kept. That’s what the registry is. An inventory system.

The XP registry doesn’t differ too much from other Windows registries, with some interesting points we learned from Microsoft: Windows XP automatically makes what’s called a “restore point” every day, and when you do things like install a new program this helps it with recovery if there is a problem. There is also the possibility to create your own restore points when using Windows XP. However, you will need at least 200 MB of free disk space for a system restore. If you don’t have it, XP won’t do it automatically. In any case you will always need a Windows registry cleaner, even with restore points. Our recommended software manages Vista too.

The set-up of all Windows operating systems will naturally differ, and regarding registry repair software, your choice in an XP registry cleaner is no different. Before buying or running a downloaded registry cleaner, check what we recommend here (follow the links). You don’t want to mess up your Windows registry and mess up your computer. It’s worth a few well spent bucks for the peace of mind to purchase a good piece of reliable software from a reputable company, one that specifically addresses your particular operating system, whether Windows XP or Vista.

Getting The Most Out Of On-site Training Courses

December 21st, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

One of the chief benefits of booking on-site (in-house) training, as opposed to sending your people off to a training centre to attend a pubic course, is that the training can be customised to suit the specific needs of your organisation. When booking on-site training courses, be sure to make this clear to the training company and brief them fully on your requirements.

Produce a list of key topics that need to be covered after discussing the matter with the people who will be attending the course, their manager or someone in your organisation who already has the skills the trainees are looking to acquire. For more information please visit Computer Training

Send examples of your work to the training company, before the training, so that they have a good idea of the kind of documents your guys will need to create or edit (Make sure that you remove any sensitive or confidential information!).

A good software training session will offer users opportunities to practice the skills they are being taught. Ask the training company to incorporate your documents into the practical exercises given to delegates on the course. For example, if your staff are being shown how to create corporate brochures, have the trainer ask them to create pages from some of your typical brochures during the training to check that they are mastering the relevant techniques.

The training area

You will need to find a suitable area where you can realistically conduct a training session and where the trainees can concentrate on learning without interruption, distraction or discomfort. If your organisation does not have a training room then a meeting room can be adapted for the purpose. Delegates should be able to see the trainer from their seat without having to twist around or crane their necks. Each delegate should also have the use of their own workstation or laptop for the duration of the course and enough space to use it.

The appropriate version of the software should be loaded on each person’s machine and, ideally, everyone should be using the same version of the software. For example, running a course on Microsoft Word where some delegates have Word 2003 and others 2007 would be a nightmare, since the two versions have such major differences.)

A workstation or laptop connected to a screen projector for use by the trainer is not essential but is extremely useful, especially with a large group (say, more than half a dozen people). If your company does not own one, they can be hired for around 50 pounds per day. A whiteboard and pens are also very handy.

The training delegates

For your training to be effective, delegates must be available for the duration of the course and must be off-limits to other members of staff. Ideally, they should be treated as absent from the office until their course ends. Equally, they should be motivated to do the training and agree that it will benefit them and that acquiring the new skills provided by the training will help them to work more effectively. For more information please visit Corporate Training Courses

It’s not a good idea to add a few extra bodies to a training session just to make up the numbers and get your money’s worth. It is far better to include just those delegates for whom the training will be relevant and useful and who will, furthermore, receive more personal attention from the trainer.

Timing

Finally, to be effective, in-house training (like all computer training) should be timely. Computer users should attend a course at a time when they are about to start using the software or using it in some new or more advanced manner. Immediately following their training, they should also have the opportunity to implement what they have learned.

This of course implies that they should have the software available on their own computers and that there will be a requirement for them to use it as part of their daily routine. If they never actually use the software for weeks or months after attending a course, the benefits of the training will be almost entirely lost and they will probably need to repeat the training session! For more information please visit End user computer training

10 Most Common Reasons for Computer Failure in Business and Industry

December 13th, 2008 by Henry | Comments Off | Filed in Computer
computer system
Richard n Williams asked:


 

Computers are performing more and more tasks in the office and workplace than they ever have before. Computers can conduct many tasks more efficiently than human workers but the more we rely on them the more vulnerable we find ourselves when the machines fail.

Each year, companies have an average of 501 hours of computer downtime, costing them millions in annual productivity and revenue and according to a recent study; computer downtime is responsible for the loss of 3.6% of annual revenue. Which is almost has high as the revenue loss by employee absence (6 %)!

The average life of an office PC is 3-4 years yet a computer’s life can be cut down to a fraction of that amount if the machine is expected to work in less than perfect conditions.

Yet the majority of causes for a computer failure can be prevented by adhering to some simple steps:

1. User errors – Any tool is only as good as the workman who uses it and computers are no different. Actions such as not powering down properly, skipping scan disks or continual button pushing while a computer is processing can damage a computer’s hardware, particularly drives and processors. Always follow the correct guidance in using a computer machine.

2. Faulty manufacture –It seems there are an almost infinite number of manufacturers and assemblers making computers and while some have vast experience and resources, others are no more than two guys in a garage so it is not surprising that an increasing number of computer systems are faulty when bought.

3. Bad upgrades - It is not just computers themselves that are victims of bad workmanship, upgrades by inexperienced computer fitters can cause horrendous problems. Faulty add-ons such as RAM can kill a processor instantly, also attempting to ‘overclock’ or interfere with a processor can often lead to a fatal melt-down.

4. USB Device Mishaps. It seems everything can be plugged into a USB these days. However, it maybe that your USB device is not suited to the operating system you use or it may be faulty leading to a fatal short circuit.

5. Power problems - Power surges or unexpected power cuts can not only cause instant loss of data but can fry a processor. It is not just power from the grid that causes problems either - lightning can surge through cables (even phone wires) frazzling your system and so can static.

6. Dirt/Dust. A dusty environment will clog a computer and block cooling vents causing a computer to overheat. Dust can also contain conductive material and particles can stick to circuit boards and cause a short circuit. A cloud of dust can also explode if it comes into contact with a source of ignition (like a computer). Even home computers if not properly cleaned can succumb to problems caused by too much dust.

7. Water/fluids. Of course computers are electrical and with all electrical equipment, computers and water do not mix, just one spilt cup of coffee could see the end of your PC.

8. Heat. Processors can run exceptionally hot and if a computers cooling system is inadequate (because the machine has been upgraded, overclocked or just clogged up with dust and grime) it will only be a matter of time before it packs up for good.

9. Cold. Just as with heat, computers don’t enjoy the cold too much either. Processors will not operate at all if the operating temperature is too cold as condensation inside the machine can freeze and expand damaging the processor and electronics.

10. Knocks/bangs. Computers are sensitive machines, simply moving a PC to another room can cause havoc, disrupting the delicate circuitry and hard drives. Dropping a computer or severe knocks and bangs will permanently damage the circuits and processors or dislodge wiring.

The easiest way to protect a PC in business applications from uncontrollable hazards such as heat, dust or vibrations is to use an industrial computer enclosure. These industrial PC enclosures allow a conventional PC to be used whilst housed in a protective cocoon which can be dust, water and even explosive proof.



Minnie

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3 Simple Ways To Save A Bunch Of Money When Buying A New Computer!

December 13th, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

For most people, buying a new computer does not have to be as stressful as buying a new car. Nor does it have to be as expensive. If youre like most people, and you have a limited budget for buying a computer, then you need to try to get as much computer for your money as possible. For more information please visit Computer Training

Here are 3 simple ways anyone can save money when buying a new computer:

1) Shop around for best deal.

Sounds pretty obvious. But many people dont realize they dont need the fastest, most expensive computer with the most extras. In fact, if you are already using an older computer, even the least expensive new computer will be a big upgrade. If you dont know a lot about computers, you can learn a lot by shopping around. Ask lots of questions, compare prices, compare features, then find the best price. Shop at your local electronics store, and look for the best deals online. Youll be surprised at how much money you can save by shopping around!

2) Install your own extras

Many computers you will find in a store have a lot of extra software already installed. While this is convenient, it is not always the best way for you to save money. Also, while many of these extras sound good, you dont always need them. You can often find better deals by shopping around separately for your own software extras (such as a word processor, anti-virus, popup blocker, spyware removal, games, etc). And some of these you can get for free. So before you buy the fully loaded computer, ask yourself if you really need all the extras, then shop around to see if you can buy a scaled down computer - and get the extras yourself for much less! For more information please visit End user computer training

3) Dont buy extended warranty

If you are not a computer techie, the extended warranties offered by the computer retailers often sound like a good idea. After all, who wants to be bothered paying for service on a computer after you buy it. But keep in mind that most computers come with a warranty, and most computer problems will either happen at the beginning (when you still have the warranty in effect) or much later (when it might be cheaper to buy a new computer). Technology changes very quickly these days. So consider whether or not its worth the inflated price of the extended warranty. And, if you really feel you need the extended warranty, then ask to purchase it at a lower price. Not all retailers will negotiate on the warranty, but some will. And whether you buy the extended warranty or not, make sure you back up all your files periodically, just in case!

If you have an unlimited budget, consider yourself lucky. And if you do business on the computer, make sure you get what you need, while trying to keep the price down. At any price, buying something that does not fit your needs is not a good deal.

Hope you find these tips helpful, and happy computer shopping! For more information please visit Corporate training courses

Identity Theft - Are You Making It Easy?

December 12th, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

With the credit crunch currently in full swing and not looking to improve anytime time soon, there is one emerging industry that seems to be continually in growth mode and that is the Identity fraud industry. If you haven’t quite realised it yet this is a serious concern around the world.

Combating the risk of identity fraud should be high on everyone’s agenda but some people are still unsure what it actually is. Without putting to fine a point on it, it is literally the theft of your identity both personal and financial. An alias using your identity and financial information could literally drain your accounts and put you into debt into the bargain.

Many people are blissfully unaware of how simple it is to get somebody else’s personal information without too much effort. It is probably far too easy for example do you shred you paperwork or destroy expired credit cards?

Basic precautions are easy to put in place and on the most part they should be simple common sense. If you are like most households you probably receive far too much junk mail and possibly put it straight into the bin with out prior thought, even pre–completed credit card applications!

You don’t care about that, you bank online, BIG DEAL you’re just as much at risk as someone who throws all the junk mail post in the bin if you are not protective of your online presence. For example do you use the same password for all your banking? Well yes, how many of us can remember all the passwords needed without breaking the terms and conditions of paragraph 8 subsection 5 which states “do not write down your password”.

Digital data theft is another easy way for somebody to steal your identity. Many computer users fail to install anti virus measures so leave themselves vulnerable to information theft by key logging software that can record your every keystroke. Equally when you buy a new computer how do you get rid of your previous one?

It is much easier than you think for a computer technician to recover your details from your hard drive, even when you think you have deleted them. Or for a data recovery expert to recover the deleted partition when you formatted or wiped them off with free software; after all a data recovery company can recover your information even if it’s a few months out of date.

Many people are unaware of the availability of hard drive shredding or secure data disposal services that reputable companies offer. Drives can be literally shredded into tiny pieces or if you are a firm believer in recycling you can arranged for your drive to be securely wiped and certified and the certain components can be used for repair or failed drive re-builds.

To find out more about secure data wiping and hard drive disposal call or speak to your local data recovery services company. For visit here for more great computer and Pc help help.

Office 2003 Repair

December 11th, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

There is nothing worse then needing to get a word document done or an e-mail sent out and not being able to. Of course this will happen at the worst possible time for you.

Office 2007 errors and office 2003 errors are very common. Many times this happens when you install a newer version over an older one. You may find that after doing research on the issue or error code that it is not an easy fix and involves going into your computer registry.

If you suffer from office related issues then you should check out this Office 2000 repair site. These guys are the leading online computer repair company. Not only do they guarantee their work but they have a no fix no fee policy. I have personally used them before for my office 2007 issue and they resolved it right online and for a great price.

For those that want to try and repair the issue themselves you can always try to uninstall all versions of office and then reinstall it. This does resolve the issue sometimes but most of the time it does not. A free tool you can check out is the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility. This tool is rather simple to use and it’s free from the Microsoft website. This tool basically removes any files that the normal Windows add and remove program tool does not. However this still does not resolve the issue most of the time. If you are a do it yourselfer it is well worth a look.

The most common issue people have with office is setting up an outlook account. If you have issues many ISP’s offer step by step setup guides on their website. That is the best place to look for help on setting up your outlook account. Many ISP’s also offer free support for setting up outlook. They will not help to resolve other office related issues but can at least help setup your e-mail account.

If the above free tools did not work for you then you really should consider having this remote computer repair site repair office for you. The cost is low and you can have your issue fixed then and there.

It would be nice if office did not let you install a newer version over the older one. There is no reason to have the old version present and because it often causes issues they should at least warn you about installing the newer version over the old.

Aren’t Computer Armoires Really Quite Unnecessary?

December 9th, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

Computer armoires seem to be getting very common in the average household now. But why would you want to spend good money on a computer armoire when you can buy a simple computer desk for half the price or less? Article written by Corporate Training Courses

When you consider everything that goes with a computer it ’s a pretty space intensive item. There ’s the box of course. then there ’s the monitor, often a very big one nowadays. There ’s the printer, and perhaps the fax that goes along with it of course, there ’s the scanner if it ’s not part of the printer, routers, cables and lots more. It always seems that computers and associated paraphernalia need about 3 miles of cables and a dozen or so power boards. At least mine do.

But of course all that goes on the computer desk, or under it, and it is all out of the way in the study.

Good job because all that - stuff - doesn’t look so good really anywhere else other than a study or home office.

But what if you don’t happen to have a study or home office? It ’s quite common to find that modern homes, and particularly apartments, don’t have a room dedicated to computer equipment and the like. What do you do then? Now you need modern computer furniture, like a good computer armoire.

What are computer armoires? Well basically it ’s a piece of fine furniture designed to house all your computer paraphernalia in one place. It ’s designed so that your computer junk if housed in a way that it is immediately accessible if needed, but can be closed away out of sight in a snap so that if someone comes around it ’s out of the way and a visitor need never know it ’s there.

That way it ’s quite possible to have your computer equipment right there in the loungeroom or bedroom, and visitors never even see it. A good piece of computer furniture like a modern computer cabinet will do all this, and more.

And then you can have your computer right where you need to use it without your loungeroom looking like an office.

It ’s all done by great design. Everything that you’re going to need to house has it ’s own place. By the use of drawers, shelves, including pull out shelves, and spaces you can find room for every piece of computer equipment you have.

There ’s a dedicated pull out keyboard shelf, for example, the good ones are height adjustable. There ’s holes in the right places so all those computer cables are out of sight behing the computer cabinet.

And the best computer armoires are designed to look as good as any of the furniture in your house. They come in woodgrain finishes like cherry and oak and lots more. There are even solid wood armoires, or laminated ones that look just as good. Wooden computer armoires look just as good in your house as the best pieces of furniture, and no one would even know that they are really computer furniture. Article written by End User Computer Training

Everything is housed behind swinging doors that fold right away along the sides of the cabinet.

Get corner computer armoires for that hard to fill corner space, or wall armoires of different lengths to fill any wall space you might have. It is all possible with a modern good looking computer armoire.

So,is a computer armoire an unnecessary piece of furniture? Yes, if you’ve got a study or office a good computer desk will probably do the job.

But if you aren’t lucky enought to have a room dedicated to all your computer equipment then a computer armoire is a fine piece of furniture that will do a job that no other piece of computer furniture will do. Combine good looks and functionality into one piece of furniture that allows you to put your computer equipment wherever you want. Article written by Computer Training

Star Trek Online RPG in the works for PS3 Launch This Spring!

December 8th, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

Anytime a new online game is developed there is always
a question of how well it will fit the expectations of the fans.
Everyone has his or her own vision of how the game will look and feel.
One hurdle for the developers is that the fan base is so wide.
The original Star Trek with and Dr. McCoy started over forty years ago.
Since then we have had several different series and many movies to
widen he fan base. Fan boys want the most intensive graphics and gaming
that can be achieved. No one wants to be disappointed especially after
the long wait they have endured for Star Trek Games.

There are a few things that are unclear but as they
continue to create the game these things will be decided and posted
on the official website. One of the things that have not been decided
yet is the fee structure. Cryptic Studios has not decided if they
are going to have the subscription fee that is the norm for most
online rpgs. They have also not finalized the system requirements.
The would like this game to be played on most systems but they also have
to consider the game graphics and how well it runs on certain systems.
One of the hopes is that PC and console players will be able to
play on the same servers. They don’t foresee any problem with this since the technology is already there.

Starting with in the next month or so Cryptic is going to
continually update their website to bring fans up to date (ie. Star Trek Online Characters).
The site will have a year-by-year timeline. The timeline will provide fans with
updates on what has been going on since the last movie. It will give them
an idea of what has been going on for the past 3 decades when the
game comes out. This way there will be no puzzled looks as to what is
going on when the game starts.

The Star Trek MMORPG should not disappoint even the most
particular trekkers. With the updates and the website they should be ready
to jump in and play when the game is released.

Computer Animation To Make It Come Alive

December 7th, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

Look at some of the websites that are on the internet today. There are so many that have amazing layout designs with tasteful animation. With competition high to get and keep customers on their website, companies will no doubt continue to demand user friendly websites with a bit of “eye candy.”

This is one reason why designers will continue to create animation and graphics on a regular basis.

create animation
Early animations started appearing around 1910 and were normally drawings that were photographed one at a time. It was a very intensive and long process, as there were literally hundreds of drawings for each minute of film. Of course, improvements were constantly being made with Walt Disney leading the pack.

He was the first to add sound to his cartoon animations and produced the first, full-length movie animations film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. Then, with the introduction of computers, animation began to take on a whole new meaning.

For any type of graphic work, the quicker your computer processor is, the better. Extra memory is also a huge help with computer animations and graphics. You may also want to consider a larger hard drive.

flash animations
These types of files will build up quickly and the file size for a graphic or animated movie is much greater than that of a simple text file, for example. A computer generated vector image used to create animation can be 2D or 3D animations.

Of course, if you plan to work on a computer it is also advantageous to learn about photography, lighting and movement. You will need to visualize how the pictures animations, 2D animations or 3D animations will look and then have the know-how to make that inanimate object move.

There are many different create animation software programs that offer both tutorials and downloadable programs. The tutorials are very important, yet each software program will likely have a different interface, different menus, palettes and toolbars etc.

computer animations
Depending on the type of images animations desired, some can be wholly computer generated, while others, such as many of the 2D animations cartoons, still need to be penciled by hand before scanning to a computer to generate graphics animations.

Using a computer to create animation often eliminates the need for many of the extra tools that are normally needed for the more traditional animation process. The basic tools needed to create animation by computer are a system that will be able to run the software programs you will need, and of course the ability to use the programs.

Is A Cheap Memory Stick Worth The Risk Of Data Loss?

December 5th, 2008 by Henry | No Comments | Filed in Computers

Pen Drive storage devices have proved themselves to be a very practical and robust mobile storage method, far surpassing anything that has gone before. For the most part these devices are very reliable as they rely on solid state technology and therefore have no moving parts, which is a big bonus.

Unfortunately recently there has been a massive increase in the failure rate of these previously ultra reliable USB devices, so much so that the data recovery sector is now placing a lot of emphasis and time on USB memory stick recovery. The question has to be asked however what is the problem all of a sudden?

As with any storage technology over time costs drop and adoption increases and the humble USB memory stick is testament to this paradigm. From the time the technology went mainstream it has had a massive growth rate and recent years have seen a doubling of sales year on year . The expectation for the end of this year is expected top be circa three hundred million.

With such large numbers of devices actually being shipped and purchased by the consumers and increase in the number of failures is in reality inevitable, however the actual level of failure is a cause of concern and is reported to be running far higher than is acceptable.

So why is it that a storage media famed for its reliability fail in such high numbers? Well in about 98% of cases it is not the Flash memory that fails, in fact, following a failure it is not uncommon that the NAND memory chip within the USB device is found to be in perfect working order.

Part of the problem lies with the consumer to some extent as the demand for ever cheaper products leads to the need for lean and more efficient or cheaper manufacturing requirements. A lot of failed devices are said to originate in the far east as are marketed as generic memory devices. In addition there is also a large increase in the number of fake devices in the market place as noted by one of if not the leading UK data recovery company in this article:

Nand Flash Identity fraud

These fake devices are intended to appeal to the greed emotion that is prevalent in all but a few consumers, but just because it is cheaper does not mean it is better. The manufacturing process may be cheaper in different world economies but the other factor that is immeasurable by the consumer is the quality of the components. Lower standard components are cheaper but just don’t last the distance in a lot of cases.

The best advice that anyone can give you here is to buy branded devices if the cost is affordable (which it generally is). And also ask your self this question, is the risk of losing all my data really worth risk of saving a relatively small amount of money?

You can find more great advice on data recovery here or for general computing advice visit the Computer repair website.