computer geek paradise

Microsoft's Project Natal pricing details

2009-11-11T16:53:00.000-08:00

According to a report issued by British games magazine MCV, Microsoft's much-heralded Project Natal hands-free gaming control system could hit store shelves as soon as November 2010 and cost as little as $50.

MCV said that Microsoft could launch Natal with a 5 million unit global shipment.

"This and other details have emerged following a behind-closed-doors Microsoft tour of U.K. publishers and studios," MCV wrote. Microsoft "has been demoing the tech and detailing its 2010 plans in order to spur more development support.

" MCV also said that it had been told by a publishing source that Microsoft is "trying to get as close as possible to 'impulse buy'" with Natal.

The technology is considered very important for Microsoft as it seeks to differentiate the Xbox from Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii.

The Seattle Times weighed in on the story by predicting that, "This is probably a preview of what (Microsoft CEO) Steve Ballmer and (president of the entertainment and devices division) Robbie Bach will disclose at the Consumer Electronics Show in January." Microsoft did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Remote PC Is Accessed Even When PC Is Turned Off With LogMein

2009-09-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

I heard about the LogMeIn technology, just now reaching the market, that enables not just remote diagnostics of computers but also access to data on the hard drives of PCs that are turned completely off.

That last technology, part of Intel's VPro system architecture, has just started to ship in a few new PCs. It's designed for corporate networks so that support personnel can get into a machine--to run a backup, for example--regardless of whether it's running Windows, has crashed into a blue screen, or has been shut down. As long as the PC is plugged into the wall and to an Ethernet connection, the computer, even though in an off state, will continue to draw a small amount of power (about 4 watts) while it monitors the network for control packets.

The technology is getting built into motherboards using the Q45 support chipset. Only a few corporate desktops use this technology, in particular HP's DC 7900 and Lenovo's ThinkCentre M58 lines.

This remote access technology does not provide a wide-open backdoor. There are security protocols. The user has to agree to use the technology, and like all LogMeIn remote-control products, remote access isn't possible unless the computer's owner agrees to it. And in many ways, it is similar to current remote-access products that rely on "Wake-on-LAN" packets to power up a PC so it can then be controlled remotely. The difference here is of degree.

It's LogMeIn's exceptionally robust connection technology that makes it all the more so. Unlike Wake-on-LAN technologies and other remote-control products, LogMeIn is very good at connecting to a computer, no matter how far away it is on the Internet or how deep behind firewalls it is. It's robust and secure in the hands of its users but it's a scary tool, if the wrong people get into it.

This technology just gives IT pros more capabilities, and it sounds like a very useful tool.

Google Hack: "All Results Were Harmful"

2009-09-16T16:27:00.000-07:00

I just ran a search on Google, and oh, all the results were “harmful!”

For the first time in its recent history, the most popular search engine in the world malfunctioned. In what could be a temporary delight for Microsoft and Yahoo, users Googling for anything were warned about each result, that “this site may harm your computer.” Even results pointing to Google sites were marked as harmful. Clicking on the link explaining why a particular site was harmful would lead to a 502 Server Error page.

At first, it would seem like a malware attack on your own computer. But observing online discussions would reveal the issue.

The problem was there for at least half an hour, starting just after 14:30 GMT (January 31, 2009). The shock of users was palpable by the rate at which queries appeared at Yahoo Answers – more than 200 appeared in a span of just an hour.

News websites had been speculating over what could have been the cause for this major issue. The speculation ended when Google itself acknowledged that a human error was behind the problem.

Mozilla Firefox Releases Firefox 3.6 Alpha Version

2009-08-09T18:02:00.000-07:00

Mozilla has released the first alpha version of Firefox 3.6, a browser with speed improvements and new features the organization hopes to finalize faster than its predecessor.

Firefox 3.6, code-named Namoroka, has a variety of changes, but it's not as dramatic a departure as 3.5 was from 3.0. Among the 3.6 features are faster JavaScript, the Web programming language Firefox executes with its TraceMonkey engine; faster page-rendering speed; some new features for CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) technology for controlling some of the look of a Web site; and a feature called the compositor that handles complicated layout circumstances better.

Performance is a big issue with browsers these days as people spend more time using them and programmers create more sophisticated sites and applications that live on the Web. All major browser makers are emphasizing performance improvements in their newest versions.

To download for first firefox 3.6 alpha version, visit Mozilla Developer Center.

The Google Chrome OS

2009-07-12T01:56:00.000-07:00

The operating systems that browsers run on were designed in an era where there was no web. So today, Google announces a new project that's a natural extension of Google Chrome — the Google Chrome Operating System. This OS can challenge windows and has advantages over Linux. It's Google attempt to re-think what operating systems should be.

Google Chrome OS is an open source, lightweight operating system that will initially be targeted at netbooks.It will be available for consumers in the second half of 2010. They are designing power computers ranging from small notebooks to full-size desktop systems.

Speed, simplicity and security are the key aspects of Google Chrome OS. This OS to be fast and lightweight, to start up and get you onto the web in a few seconds. The user interface is minimal to stay out of your way, and most of the user experience takes place on the web. And as they did for the Google Chrome browser. Google going back to the basics and completely redesigning the underlying security architecture of the OS so that users don't have to deal with viruses, malware and security updates.

Google Chrome OS will run on both x86 as well as ARM chips and working with multiple OEMs to bring a number of netbooks to market next year. The software architecture is simple — Google Chrome running within a new windowing system on top of a Linux kernel. For application developers, the web is the platform. All web-based applications will automatically work and new applications can be written using your favorite web technologies. And of course, these apps will run not only on Google Chrome OS, but on any standards-based browser on Windows, Mac and Linux thereby giving developers the largest user base of any platform.

You can email instantly, without wasting time in booting up computer or browser to start up. You need not to worry for backing up the files. You can access you data from any place. No need to spend much time in configuring your hardware and it’s all you should concern for software updates.

It will be a good experience and benefits for users who spend much time on internet.

How To Force Stop "Not Responding" Programs In Windows XP, Windows Vista And Windows 7

2009-07-11T23:52:00.000-07:00

Unresponsive programs in Windows quoting the dreadful message "Not Responding" are a common if you are a Windows user. These programs simply don’t listen to your commands and even refuse to close. They irritatingly waste your time and stay on the screen until they close which normally takes a long time.

Sometimes these frozen programs force you to open the Task Manager, detect the appropriate process and then end the process manually from there as they do not close on their own. This can be a horrible experience especially if you a Windows Vista user. Thankfully, there is an easier way out to close these frozen programs! Here’s how you do it.

1) Right click on your Desktop and click New>Shortcut.

2) Copy the following location: taskkill.exe /f /fi “status eq not responding” on to the text box in the window that opens.

3) That’s it. You are now done! From now on, anytime some program displays "Not Responding", just clicking on the shortcut will automatically detect and terminate the unresponsive program.

4) To make it even more easier you can even assign a shortcut key to open the shortcut using Keyboard Tweaker.

How To Open Every Folder In a New Window On Your Windows PC

2009-07-11T23:45:00.000-07:00

While going through the various folders and sub-folders on any computer system, it is sometimes quite irritating that folders/sub-folders do not open in new folders. Windows however has an in-built option to make folders open in new windows. Here’s how you do it.

1. Click on ‘Start’
2. Go to ‘Control Panel’. You can find a link to Control Panel in the right side of the Start Menu.
3. Click on ‘Folder Options’.

4. Now from the “General’ tab, select the radio button next to ‘Open each folder in its own window.’
5. Click on ‘Apply’ and ‘OK’ to complete the process.

Now all folders will open in new windows.

How To Sign Out Remotely In Gmail?

2009-07-09T10:37:00.000-07:00

Gmail all day, no matter what computer we are using, we may sometimes use other people’s computers to access your Gmail remotely. It is always a good idea for security reasons to log out of Gmail whenever we finish using a given computer, but we users don’t always do what we’re supposed to do.

Gmail has our back, with the ability to sign out of any Gmail session from any computer we are using at the time. It’s been available for a year, but bears reminding for those who forget such things. Just click on the details link at the bottom of the main Gmail screen:

This will pop up a window that shows the details about your recent activity and list all currently open sessions. Just tap the button to log out of all other sessions remotely to start a clean slate.

C++ Ebooks: More About C plus plus

2009-07-09T09:30:00.000-07:00

Features Of Windows 7 On A Vista Or XP System

2009-07-09T08:24:00.000-07:00

Media Streaming

What it is: Windows Vista can already stream music, videos, and other content between networked PCs in your house, but Windows 7 goes a step farther: It makes your media available over the Internet. By taking advantage of that option, you can watch a recorded TV show at a friend's house, say, or stream your mammoth music library to your storage-strapped netbook.
How to get it: The new OS's media-sharing system has at least one major drawback: It requires Windows 7 to be running at both ends. Third-party alternatives, on the other hand, usually have no problem with different versions of Windows--or even with different platforms (Mac and Linux). Simply Media, for example, can stream music files saved in various formats from your desktop music library (or from any friends whom you care to invite) to any other PC. An associated iPhone app (Simplify Music 2.0) handles streaming on the run. Both the software and the service are free.
Another possibility is Orb, which streams music, videos, photos, and--if your PC has a TV tuner--live or recorded TV shows. Using Orb can even help you share documents.

ISO Burning

What it is: An ISO image is a single file that contains the archived contents of a CD or DVD. Windows 7 enables you to burn ISO images to optical media, so you can crank out your own bootable discs. (Microsoft distributed the Windows 7 Release Candidate as an ISO file, which users had to burn to a DVD for installation on their PCs. Ironically, anyone working on a Windows XP or Vista system needed to use third-party software to handle the job.)

How to get it: Several free utilities can burn ISO images from Windows XP or Vista PCs (and with more options than you'll get in Windows 7). I'm partial to ISO Recorder, but you may also want to try Active ISO Burner or Isobuster.

Improved Windows Paint

What it is: Windows' ancient, bare-bones graphics program, Paint, finally gets a thorough remodeling in Windows 7, complete with a jazzy new Ribbon interface (very similar to the one that people either love or hate in Office 2007), additional brush and shape choices, and various small but meaningful tweaks.

How to get it: Though you can't obtain Windows 7 Paint in Vista or XP, several similar Vista- and XP-compatible programs are even better. Regular PC World readers have seen us talk frequently of the open-source GIMP and the freeware Paint.Net, two Photoshop-caliber image editors. Either of these apps can run circles around Win 7's Paint, and neither will cost you a dime.

Calculator

What it is: Though Paint underwent an extreme makeover in Windows 7, the operating system's new Calculator was built from the ground up. This spiffy new number-cruncher includes Programmer, Statistic, and Scientific modes, and comes with handy templates for figuring stuff like mortgage payments and gasoline mileage.
How to get it: Some time ago, interested parties extracted the actual Windows 7 Calculation Code from an early build of the operating system, and that code has been making the tech-blog rounds ever since. It runs just fine in XP and Vista. If you're averse to bootlegs, you can get most of the number-wrangling you need, free of charge, from eCalc.

Windows Search
What it is: Vista owners already enjoy the benefits of Windows' integrated search capabilities, which help users easily find specific apps, documents, e-mail messages, and the like. Windows 7 promises to make search results more coherent and to integrate them with Libraries for better organization.

How to get it: Windows Search is one of the main reasons I don't miss Windows XP--it's that good. How can an XP user take a similar step up? Simple: Install Copernic Desktop Search, which indexes all of the e-mail, documents, and media on your hard drive to permit lightning-fast searches. In fact, even Vista and Win 7 users should check it out, since it supports many more file types (the total exceeds 150) than Windows Search.

Windows XP Mode
What it is: When Vista debuted in 2007, a lengthy procession of unanticipated software incompatibilities drove users crazy. To help assuage fears about Windows 7's dexterity with older applications at its launch, Microsoft recently announced Windows XP Mode--an add-on that runs veteran programs in a "virtual" XP environment, thereby guaranteeing operational compatibility.

How to get it: You probably don't need it. XP Mode was created with business users in mind, since incompatible applications can be an extremely serious problem for them. As a result, it's available only for Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise. That said, if you use Vista and you're still struggling with software compatibility issues, try Microsoft's Windows Virtual PC. This offers more or less the same capabilities as Windows XP Mode (which is essentially a specialized version of Virtual PC). Warning: Microsoft admits that this program may not work when loaded on netbooks or on other recent PCs.

Internet Explorer 8
What it is: Scoff away, Firefox snobs, but Internet Explorer 8 is a browser to be reckoned with. It's faster and more secure than previous versions of IE, and it offers unique features such as Web Slices (reminiscent of RSS feeds, and designed to help you keep tabs on changes at regularly updated sites) and InPrivate Browsing (which leaves no trace of your surfing activities).

How to get it: Internet Explorer 8's amped-up antimalware and antiphishing features make it well worth using. The browser runs just fine in Vista and XP, and it is available for download for either OS. Some Vista users will receive it automatically through Windows Update.

Unique Features Of Windows 7

2009-07-09T08:19:00.000-07:00

Device Stage: Whereas Vista barely seems to recognize the presence of cameras, phones, printers, and other external devices, Windows 7's Device Stage treats them like royalty. The operating system devotes a slick-looking status window to each device, so you can browse files, manage media, and perform other device-specific tasks.

HomeGroup: At long last, Microsoft promises to take the pain and frustration out of home networking for users of its operating system. Set up a HomeGroup, and then add PCs and other devices--and without further ado you can share files, printers, and the like. Why did it take seven versions of Windows to get this right?

Jump Lists: Like souped-up Recent Documents menus, Jump Lists provide quick access to application-specific documents and/or tasks. For example, you can right-click the Internet Explorer taskbar icon and choose from a list of frequently visited Web sites or from a list of available tasks (such as New Tab and InPrivate). Once you get started using Jump Lists, you'll wonder how you ever got along without them.

Libraries: Most of us have documents, music, pictures, and video scattered across multiple folders on our PCs. Libraries are special folders in Windows 7 that catalog these items under a single roof, regardless of where you actually store them on your hard drive. And best of all, Libraries are easy to share within your HomeGroup.

One-click Wi-Fi: Unlike Windows Vista, Windows 7 makes choosing a wireless network to connect to simple and convenient: Click the system-tray icon, and choose from the resulting list of available hotspots. Granted, you can find third-party connection managers for Vista, but nothing this streamlined and unobtrusive.

How To Retrieve Lost Documents In Windows Vista

2009-07-07T05:26:00.000-07:00

Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions include a feature called Shadow Copy that lets you browse backward in time, recovering a specific version of your file, not just the most recent copy.

Shadow copy is initiated for each system-restore point or backup point that Windows creates. To recover a lost document with Shadow Copy, right-click a file or folder, and select Restore previous versions from the context menu. Browse through the different modification dates, and click Open to preview the file as it was. Then just click Restore to retrieve a copy for current work.

All the versions of Vista (Starter, Home, Basic and Home Premium) also save Shadow Copy data but they don't give the necessary tools to access the "shadow" files. Fortunately, a free download called ShadowExplorer can add this retrieval in a snap. After installation, launch ShadowExplorer, and choose your desired restore date from the drop-down menu at the top of the window. Navigate through the file browser to locate an item that you’d like to restore, then right-click it and choose Export. Save it to any location you wish.

How To Stop UAC Annoyances In Windows Vista

2009-07-07T05:16:00.000-07:00

Whenever we try to edit the Registry, we often face warning questions like "Are you sure you know what you’re doing?" Vista’s User Account Control (UAC) often fails to tell users why a given act is considered dangerous. Vista’s designers are virtually forced people to click through a UAC prompt to set the clock or start a manual backup. As a result, people get irritated and start ignoring UAC, removing any protection it might provide. Here we provide 3 ways to stop UAC annoyances:

1) Just turn it off : This fix works well in an administrator account but it makes the standard accounts unusable. Select Start•Control Panel•User Accounts, and click Turn User Account Control on or off. Select Continue at the UAC prompt, and on the next screen, uncheck Use User Account Control (UAC) to help protect your computer. Click OK and reboot.

2) Use tweakUAC: This utility is free and it can turn off UAC for administrator accounts while leaving it on for everyone else. Run the program, select UAC to the quiet mode, and click OK.

3) Fine-tune the UAC settings: This tactic works in Vista Business or Ultimate. Select Start, type secpol.msc, and press . In the left pane, navigate to the Security Settings\Local Policy\ Security Options folder. In the right pane, scroll to the bottom for nine ways to control UAC’s behaviour.

RTM Version Of Windows 7 To Be Revealed In Poland

2009-07-07T04:59:00.000-07:00

The two major events - the world's first presentations of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 in their RTM (Ready To Manufacture) versions will be held in this year's Microsoft Technology Summit in Poland.

They are going to establish a session in which Windows 7 development process would be shown as well as several other sessions dedicated to Windows 7 security, productivity, management and integration with Windows Server 2008 R2. The exact number and subject areas of Windows 7-related sessions are still to be determined. Microsoft Technology Summit is an annual conference taking place in Warsaw, Poland, that highlights the latest Microsoft technologies, innovations and products. The conference is addressed specifically to IT and business professionals and technology enthusiasts as well. Summit's guests will have an opportunity to attend as many as 100 different sessions lead by 60 IT experts, including Microsoft Poland representatives and foreign professionals.

Sessions are categorised as -
- Microsoft application platform
- Client and Server Operating Systems
- Security
- Cloud computing
- Virtualization
- Mobile devices
- Communication and collaboration
- Data management and programming
These events are gonna take place on 2 days, September 29th and 30th this year.

Latest Mobile Htc hero hands on photos

2009-07-05T19:27:00.000-07:00

Successor Of Firefox 3.5 With More Features Is Ahead

2009-07-05T07:21:00.001-07:00

Don't view Firefox developers as complacent, though. Performance improvements are of high importance in the successor to Firefox 3.5, called Namoroka, including fast launch speed, a Chrome advantage. The new version is scheduled for release in early to mid-2010.

Some of the new improvements for the successor of firefox 3.5:

1. Weave is a project to synchronize bookmarks, passwords, preferences, and other settings across multiple browsers, including the mobile version of Firefox, code-named Fennec. Weave also can sync personas, another new feature that lets people customize Firefox's appearance.

2. A project called Electrolysis is designed to improve isolation between different tabs and between plug-ins and tabs, improving security and reliability.

3. Jetpack is designed to be a new framework for add-ons that can be developed using Web page design standards. That's the same approach Google chose for Chrome extensions.

4. People use more and more tabs, and tab management is tougher, so work is under way to address the issue--perhaps with an automatically expanding or contracting tab list on the left edge of the browser instead of on a strip along the top.

5. Snowl is a system that tries to unify messaging operations, whether messages originate from e-mail, Web forums, RSS feeds, social networks, or other sources.

6. Ubiquity is designed to let Firefox interpret a wide range of formal or informal text commands, turning the browser into a more general window on the world.

Also, Firefox has some incumbent advantages of its own--enough market share that Web developers need to test their sites for Firefox compatibility and a range of add-ons to customize the browser, for example. Those are strong enough to keep people from rapidly switching away even if they're trying other browsers, too.

Action Center Changes (Upcoming) Changes For Security Vendor Software

2009-07-04T22:24:00.000-07:00

Through partner outreach, work with ISVs since October 2007 helped them get ready for the final transition to this new interface. As a result, the old API is removed from the Windows 7 RC. Users who are running security software that does not use the newer API will see the "non-compatible" message shown below from the new Action Center, which instructs customers to contact their security software provider.

The work is going on in partnership with Independent Software Vendor (ISV) community to move the ecosystem to a set of new Application Programming Interface (APIs) that many ISVs use to report status to Security Center (integrated within Action Center in Windows 7). The interfaces are used by many anti virus, antispyware and firewall programs. The interface changes were introduced in Windows Vista SP1. These new APIs supersede the ones originally shipped in Windows Vista. From the release of Vista SP1, its jointly established with the security ISVs an 18 month grace period where both the old and the new interfaces could be used. After the 18 month grace expires, a security application using the older interface will cause the Windows Security Center system tray icon to indicate a warning. In addition, the Security Center control panel will display a " is on but is reporting its status to Windows Security Center in a format that is no longer supported. Use the program's automatic updating feature, or contact the program manufacturer for an updated version" warning message, a sample screen shot is included below. The grace period begins at the time Vista SP1 is installed on a Windows Vista System. As a result, the grace period will begin expiring in September 2009, 18 months after Windows Vista SP1 was released on the Microsoft Download Center in March 2008.

Although a "non-compatible" message may be received from security software, it should continue to work and help protect your system even though it is not able to report its status through the Action Center UI.

If anyone encounter this message today on Windows 7 or in the future on Windows Vista, its better to check with the software vendor to see if they have an updated version software available. Many of the partners already have products that use the new APIs and the other have committed to having compatible versions by the end of the Windows Vista grace period and for Windows 7. Having the latest, compatible software from security vendors will help ensure that system remains protected.

Windows 7: A Boon To Microsoft Hardware

2009-07-04T19:32:00.000-07:00

There are many sets of products belonging to Microsoft hardware that work well with Windows Vista ans Windows 7. Microsoft Hardware will release new software that will allow the current line-up of Microsoft hardware products like mice, keyboards, LifeCams, gaming devices and notebook accessories to take advantage of new capabilities being introduced with Windows 7 as the new Windows taskbar and Device Stage.

New software with a feature called Taskbar Favorites will be released, specifically designed for Microsoft keyboards from Microsoft. This feature will give users a quick way to access the applications represented on the new Windows 7. Taskbar Favorites will automatically map the order of applications on the Windows Taskbar to the "My Favorites" hot keys on a Microsoft Hardware keyboard. "My Favorites" hot keys are a series of buttons on the top of Microsoft keyboards (circled below).
People will be able to see a live preview of all their open windows with the press of a button using Windows Flip. This allows people to more quickly navigate between open windows and choose a desired application.

In the above screenshot, Digital Media Keyboard 3000, Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 and LifeCam Show all show up with actual product images.

The final versions of the Microsoft Hardware software for LifeCam products will be available from July 31st. The final versions of the software for Microsoft Harware mice and keyboard products, which includes Taskbar Favorites and Device Stage and Windows Flip support are already available.

How To Disable MS Word 2007's Mini Toolbar

2009-07-04T19:04:00.000-07:00

When text is highlighted, Word 2007 displays the Mini Toolbar. It is a neat addition that puts a number of formatting options at our finger tips (instead of searching through the Ribbon Options). However, not everyone likes the Mini Toolbar. In fact, some readers report that they find it annoying. To disable it, follow the steps:

1. Click the Office button.
2. Click Word Options (bottom right).
3. "Popular" is selected by default in the left pane. Uncheck the first option, "Show Mini Toolbar on Selection".
4. Click OK.

How To Match Services To Processes In Task Manager In Windows Vista

2009-07-03T18:02:00.000-07:00

The Services tab is completely new to the Task Manager in Windows Vista. This provides you with a convenient way to quickly view the Services that are running while you’re troubleshooting. It also will allow you to investigate whether a running service is tied to a particular process. Right-click on a service name and select the Go to Process command, as shown in Figure 5. When you do, Task Manager will then switch to the Processes tab and highlight the associated process.

Figure 5:

Using the go to process right click option on services makes it easy to identify services running as processes.

Keep in mind that if you click Go to Process and no process is highlighted in the Processes tab, the process is not running under your user account. To view all processes you’ll need to check the Show Processes from All Users box and go through the UAC, as shown in Figure 6.

Figure 6:

If the Process is not running under your user account, you will need to check the show process from in order to view the associated process.

How To Copy Instantly To Clipboard In Windows Vista

2009-07-03T17:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to obtain a copy of the path of the file nested deep down in your hard drive's organization structure? If so, you know the drill: launch windows explorer, traverse the directory to the file, select the contents of the address bar, copy the path, paste it in notepad, and then type the file name itself.

Fortunately, in windows vista, you no longer have to perform such a husk to get the path of a file. All you have to do is hold down the [shift] key, right click on the files or folders, select the new title command as path, as shown in figure 4. When you do, the path to the file or folder is copied to clipboard and you can paste file or folder anywhere you want.

Figure 4:

The command saves lot of time and effort when it comes to getting path listings.

How To Add 'Run Command' To Start Menu In Windows Vista

2009-07-03T17:56:00.001-07:00

While you can easily access the Run dialog box by pressing [Windows] +R, you’ll discover that the Run command no longer appears on Windows Vista’s Start menu by default. It was removed to make room for other commands. However, you can easily put it back in place.

Right-click on the Start button and select the Properties command. When the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box appears, make sure that the Start Menu tab is selected and click the Customize button adjacent to the Start Menu option. When you see the Customize Start Menu dialog box, scroll down the list and select the Run Command check box, as shown in Figure 3, and then click OK twice — once to close the Customize Start Menu dialog box and once to close the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties dialog box.

Figure 3:
Selecting the Run Command check box in the Customize Start Menu dialog box will
add the Run command the Start menu.

Gate IT Previous Question Papers

2009-07-03T17:41:00.000-07:00

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2009-07-03T05:19:00.000-07:00

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2009-07-03T05:05:00.000-07:00

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Use System Configuration's Tool Tab In Windows Vista

2009-07-02T22:16:00.000-07:00

Vista has lot of tools that we can employ while troubleshooting a system. Unfortunately, these tools are located in various places in the operating system. For example, some are located in the Control Panel, some are located on the Start menu, and some are accessible from the command line. However, not known to many Vista users, the Tools tab in System Configuration utility provides you with a single access point for a wide variety of useful tools.

This is a good tip to use your vista configuration tool tab. You can quickly launch the System Configuration utility by pressing the Windows Start Button and typing the word system. By the time you type sys, System Configuration should appear at the top of the results pane where you can select it. Keep in mind that you’ll first have to go through a UAC dialog box.

Once System Configuration launches, just click the Tools tab and you’ll discover that the list of available tools is comprehensive and even includes detailed descriptions, as shown in Figure 1. Plus, it’s easy to use: just select the tool you want and click the Launch button.

Figure 1:
The Tools tab makes it easy to access and run the operating system’s advanced diagnostic
utilities – just select the tool you want and click the Launch button.

As you can see, when you select a tool in the list box, the command line used to launch that tool appears in the Selected Command box. This allows you to easily create shortcuts to those tools you use the most — just select the command line and paste it into the Create Shortcut wizard. You’ll also notice that the command lines for the Internet Protocol Configuration and Performance Monitor tools provide an Advanced Options check box that when selected adds a switch to the command line. For example, the cutaways shown in Figure 2, show the command line for the Internet Protocol Configuration tool with and without the Advanced Options check box selected.

Figure 2:
The command line for Internet Protocol Configuration tool provides an Advanced
Options check box that when selected adds a switch to the command line.

Windows 7 on Flash Drives?

2009-07-02T21:48:00.000-07:00

The hot net book phenomenon has brought to light for a problem that many of the people with zeal have been fighting for years. How can we upgrade the OS on computers that do not have optical drivers? This is nothing new for those who have been working without optical drives, but as the Windows 7 release draws near, those who have picked up a Windows XP-equipped netbook are wondering how they can easily upgrade to Win 7 when it’s released.

Hobbyists have long been performing OS upgrades using USB sticks. It’s not a difficult process but does require a certain amount of technical savvy. The most difficult part of the process is getting the OS upgrade, normally distributed via DVD/ CD, onto the USB memory stick in a format that can be used to boot the net book for the upgrade procedure.

Word is starting to appear that Microsoft is aware of the difficulty consumers face when it comes to upgrading net books and may be considering distributing Windows 7 on USB sticks. This would be a first for the Redmond folks, but it makes sense given the high sales numbers for netbooks. The best way to move OS upgrades for netbooks would definitely be on USB sticks. Microsoft would love nothing better than to get all of those netbooks running Windows XP upgraded to Windows 7.

Gate Eee Previous Question Papers

2009-07-02T19:42:00.000-07:00

Previous GATE question papers of EEE(electrical and eletronics) are free to download here! All GATE aspirants can avail this opportunity of doing well in GATE and other MTECH entrance exams by spending little time on these previous 10 years papers that we have provided here for free. We wish you all the best in hitting the bull's eye!. To download click the below links.

eee question paper 1999
eee question paper 2000
eee question paper 2001
eee question paper 2002
eee question paper 2003
eee question paper 2004
eee question paper 2005
eee question paper 2006
eee question paper 2007
eee question paper 2008
eee question paper 2009

!!!We wish you all the best in hitting the bull's eye!!!

Gate Mechanical Previous Question Papers

2009-07-02T19:32:00.000-07:00

Previous GATE question papers of MECH(mechanical) are free to download here! All GATE aspirants can avail this opportunity of doing well in GATE and other MTECH entrance exams by spending little time on these previous 10 years GATE question papers that we have provided here for free. To download click the below links.

mechanical question paper 1999
mechanical question paper 2000
mechanical question paper 2001
mechanical question paper 2002
mechanical question paper 2003
mechanical question paper 2004
mechanical question paper 2005
mechanical question paper 2006
mechanical question paper 2008
mechanical question paper 2009

!!!We wish you all the best in hitting the bull's eye!!!

Gate Ece Previous Question Papers

2009-07-02T19:22:00.000-07:00

Previous GATE question papers of ECE are free to download here! All GATE aspirants can avail this opportunity of doing well in GATE and other MTECH entrance exams by spending little time on these previous 10 years GATE question papers that we have provided here for free. To download click the below links.

ece question paper 1998
ece question paper 1999
ece question paper 2000
ece question paper 2001
ece question paper 2002
ece question paper 2003
ece question paper 2004
ece question paper 2005
ece question paper 2006
ece question paper 2007
ece question paper 2008
ece question paper 2009

!!!We wish you all the best in hitting the bull's eye!!!

Gate Cse Previous Question Papers

2009-07-02T18:21:00.000-07:00

Previous GATE question papers of CSE are free to download here! All GATE aspirants can avail this opportunity of doing well in GATE and other MTECH entrance exams by spending little time on these previous 10 years GATE question papers that we have provided here for free. To download click the below links.

cse question paper 1999
cse question paper 2000
cse question paper 2001
cse question paper 2002
cse question paper 2003
cse question paper 2004
cse question paper 2005
cse question paper 2006
cse question paper 2007
cse question paper 2008
cse question paper 2009

!!!We wish you all the best in hitting the bull's eye!!!

Internet Error Codes

2009-06-29T19:30:00.000-07:00

We provide you the most common internet codes and also error messages mainly of web browser , when accessing Usenet, using e-mail, or using the FTP protocol to upload or download files. These are helpful to understand the problem, when you encounter these messages.

The codes are grouped as follows

1. 100-199 - Information Codes. Provide information about the request or the servers involved.

2. 200-299 - Success Codes. Indicate that the request was accepted or the requested file has no content (empty).

3. 300-399 - Redirects. Requested content has moved.

4. 400-499 - Client Errors. Cannot find content or you don't have the correct permissions to access it.

5. 500-599 - Server Errors. There is a problem at the server end stopping the request from completing successfully.

Code	Title	Description
100	Continue
101	Switching Protocols
200	OK	The request was successful
201	Created	The request was successful and a new resource was created
202	Accepted	The request was accepted for processing, but the processing is not yet complete
203	Non-Authoritative Information
204	No Content	The server has processed the request but there is no new information to be returned
205	Reset Content
206	Partial Content
300	Multiple Choices	The requested resource is available at one or more locations
301	Moved Permanently	The requested resource has been assigned a new URL and any further references should use this new URL
302	Moved Temporarily	The requested resource resides at a different location, but will return to this location in the future
303	See Other
304	Not Modified	The requested resource has not been modified since the date specified in the If-Modified_Since header
305	Use Proxy
400	Bad Request	The server could not properly interpret the request. Normally means that either address hasn't been entered correctly or the page no longer exists.
401	Unauthorised	The site being accessed is protected and you either entered the incorrect password or the host does not want users coming from your domain to enter.
402	Payment Required
403	Forbidden	You are not permitted to access this document. It is either password-protected or the host does not want your domain to enter.
404	Not Found	The host server can't find the HTML document at the URL you've entered. Either you have mistyped the URL, the document no longer exists, or you've been given the wrong URL.
405	Method Not Allowed
406	Not Acceptable
407	Proxy Authentication Required
408	Request Time-Out
409	Conflict
410	Gone
411	Length Required
412	Precondition Failed
413	Request Entity Too Large
414	Request-URL Too Large
415	Unsupported Media Type
500	Internal Server Error	The server could not satisfy the request due to an internal error condition.
501	Not Implemented
502	Bad Gateway	The server received an invalid response from the server from which it was trying to retrieve information.
503	Out of Resources
504	Gateway Time-Out
505	HTTP Version not supported
	Bad File Request	The form you're trying to access is not supported by your browser or there is an error in the form.
	Cannot Add Form Submission Result to Bookmark List	Occurs when you've submitted a search request and then try to save the result as a bookmark. Even though it may look like a valid address, the resulting page does not have a URL that can be reused so it can't be added to your bookmark list.
	Connection Refused by Host	You're not permitted to access this document either because it's password-protected or the host doesn't permit your domain to enter.
	Failed DNS Lookup	The URL you requested could not be translated into a valid Internet address by the domain name system. This is either a result of a mistake in the system or you could have mistakenly entered an incorrect URL
	File Contains no Data	The site you accessed doesn't contain any Web pages on it.
	Helper Application not Found	You're trying to load a file of a type that your browser doesn't recognise
	Host Unavailable	The server computer that hosts this site could not be reached. The server may be offline or down for maintenance
	Host Unknown	The server you're trying to reach is not connected, or you have lost your own connection. You may have also entered the URL incorrectly.
	Network Connection was Refused by the Server	Some servers have limits on the number of people or request they can handle at a time. If you get this message, the server is probably too busy to handle one more user.
	NNTP Server Error	This error occurs when you are trying to log on to a Usenet newsgroup. An NNTP server is part of your Internet service provider's software, so if this error occurs the software may be malfunctioning or the newsgroup does not exist.
	Permission Denied	When connecting to an FTP site, can signify that you cannot upload to the site, download a certain file, or access a certain directory.
	Too Many Connections - Try Again Later	The limit to the number of people who can use the site at one time has been exceeded.
	Too Many Users	To avoid slow uploading and downloading rates, site administrators set a maximum number of users that can access the site at one time. Your request is one too many.
	Unable to Locate Host	The server is either down for maintenance or you may have lost your connection.
	Unable to Locate the Server	The server indicated in the URL you typed or clicked from either no longer exists or was entered incorrectly.
	Viewer not Found	Your browser doesn't recognise files of this type.
	You Can't Log on as an Anonymous User	You must have a valid username and password to log onto this FTP site.

Can Internet Withstand big Breaking news?

2009-06-28T18:28:00.000-07:00

Internet has become a part of life and imagine "how this world look without internet?". How do you feel if the internet doesn't respond for half an hour. It happened with the news of Michael jackson's death.

The internet traffic was 11 percent higher than the normal hours between 3 p.m and 4 p.m PDT. Michael jackson's death had great impact on the internet. It never happened in the history of internet. Google servers at it's knees when this news broke out on thursday.

A few more websites Google news, yahoo, Los Angeles Times, TMZ, MSNBC had slowdown. CNET andCBS interactive sites, experienced serious problems for half an hour.

Now the question arises "can internet withstand ever increasing demand for services?". Michael Jackson demonstrated not the vulnerability, but the resilience of modern ecosystem.

Three Best Real Time Search Services By Twitter

2009-06-28T00:54:00.000-07:00

Twazzup:

Even though Twazzup has complex presentation, but it combines the best real time search. Twazzup real time search tool is very flexible, it does search as similar to Twitter search service plus a few columns of results generated algorithmically. You can refine your query by using the keywords displayed by this search service, also influential topics, related photos.

Unfortunately, the Twazzup results page can be overwhelming to read, and it only searches twitter.

Collecta:

Collecta is a new real time search service that can search for twitters and many other sources. It includes searching mainstream media sites and also blogs. It additional features are super cleaning and simple interface. It also performs multiple searches at once and you hold bunch of sites and many topics each day. It can run queries in the background.

This real time search tool lacks query builder.

Scoopler:

In Scoopler results are ranked by popularity. It doesn’t have access to full twitter “fire hose” of data. It uses additional methods to pick new content. It pegs three queries to your page for quick access. It doesn’t run them in background like Collecta.

Scoopler also scans Digg, Delicious, Flickr, and Indentica. It earns a spot on my top-three list due to its clear combination of raw and ranked results.

Twitter search service

2009-06-28T00:52:00.000-07:00

If there is a question “ how do you search in the net?”, most of the answers are Google. Even though a lot use google to search, but google lack in real time search(not yet provided). Neither Bing nor Yahoo posses real time search. To follow what’s going in the real world, you need a real time search. For a better real time search, Twitter and other sites, brings the latest updated world before you.

Twitter’s own search service

Twitter search service is easy to use and presents the results in a simple and clear way. This service is easy to browse. It can dig deeper into the net. It updates the counter at the top of the page as new tweets that match the search come, but you need to hit link to actually see the updates.

Twitter service has good query builder and appended with some advanced features and you can subscribe your search results through RSS feeds.

On the other side results in Twitter search service sorts results in chronological order. There is no algorithm to manifest most read, most linked, most authoritative, or most re-tweeted items. And it only searches twitter.

Remember Twitter is for special purpose search. There are many other do better job than Twitter search, and several other for special purpose.

T-Mobile G1 Unveiled:Images

2009-06-27T18:25:00.000-07:00

T-mobile G1 images unveiled.

Apple Confirmed It Banned iPhone Porn App

2009-06-27T04:10:00.000-07:00

The first softcore porn app arrive for the Apple iPhone on thursday. This app includes sexy hot images in Apple iPhone. This app was asked to be removed, noticed on the developer website. But many of them thought, Apple banned this porn app.

The developer's note read:

"The Hottest Girls app is sold out temporarily. The server usage is extremely high because of the popularity of this app. Thus, we can prevent our servers from crashing by not distributing the app. Customer satisfaction is more important to us than profits. Those who already have the app will still be able to use our app. The topless images may be still in the Apple iphone when it is sold again."

A lot of people, gone back yelling, for pulling the app. In response Apple said, It will not distribute any application that contain adult or porn content.

“The developer of this application added inappropriate adult content directly from their server after the application had been approved and distributed, and after the developer had subsequently been asked to remove some offensive content. This was a direct violation of the terms of the iPhone Developer Program. The application is no longer available on the App Store.”

Many of them thought that Apple could utilize built in parental controls when iPhone OS 3.0 was released. That might end app store flip-flops. Using this controls you can block inappropriate adult content, including apps, movies and music from children.

New Themes For Windows XP

2009-06-26T18:56:00.000-07:00

These Windows XP themes give a new look to your computer. I hope these themes make you and your computer interesting. These themes are free to download. To download them freely click the below the link (screen shots are given below).

Smile WindowsXP theme

download

feuer WindowsXP theme

download

hate me WindowsXP theme

download

face WindowsXP theme

download

Totenkopf WindowsXP theme

download

Totenkopf WindowsXP theme

download

Totenkopf WindowsXP theme

download

Totenkopf WindowsXP theme

download

DJ WindowsXP theme

download

New Themes For Windows XP

2009-06-26T18:46:00.000-07:00

To give a new look to your Windows XP OS, i have added these themes for you. I hope these Windows XP themes make your computer interesting. These XP themes are free to download. Preview for these themes are available below. To download them freely click the below link.

You Can Block Scripts Using Firefox Addon

2009-06-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

The Internet is full of threats like cross-site scripting attacks and clickjacking. More attacks being injected in the form of scripts in web pages that you don't even know are there. You can give yourself a modicum more protection by running a Firefox plug-in called NoScript. NoScript blocks all scripts from running until you authorize them.

Go to addons.mozilla.org and search for NoScript. Intsall it like you would any add-on. Once you have it installed, look in the bottom right corner at the little S with the cross-out symbol. Clicking on it brings up a sub-menu that allows you to choose how to handle scripts on the page. It is not safe to allow scripts to run. Otherwise, you will be victim to the code. Still you want to run scripts go ahead with good knowledge.

But some sites won't work without scripts so, the next safest thing is to Temporarily allow only the scripts you need and or trust. A slightly less safe method is to temporarily allow all on a page.

The next more convenient level, but also next less safe is to permanently allow scripts either individually or all for a page. This becomes necessary for things like your Bank's website or Google Docs where you don't want to constantly allow scripts every time you launch your browser. If you permanently allow scripts from a site, you're putting your trust in that site that it will never allow itself to be infected by a malicious script.

The worst thing you can do is globally allow all scripts. If you have changed your mind to dispose running scripts you can block them again.

Shortcuts, Commands, Tricks And Tips On XP, Internet Explorer, Windows And Windows Explorer.

2009-06-23T17:30:00.000-07:00

Here we present with some of the useful but very rarely known Shortcuts(Windows XP shortcuts ,Windows Explorer shortcuts and Internet Explorer Shortcuts),Commands(Run Commands in XPRun Commands to access the control panelandFile Run Commands),MS DOS CommandsandGood XP Tricksin pdf format.

Internet Explorer Shortcuts
Windows Explorer Shortcuts
Windows XP Shortcuts
Windows Shortcuts-Run Commands
File-Run Commands
Run Commands In XP
Run Commands To Access Control Panel
MS DOS Commands
Some Good XP Tricks

!!!Enjoy this post!!!

How To Fix Data Corruption Bug in Hp and Lenova with Windows 7

2009-06-23T06:45:00.001-07:00

Iastor.sys

Iastorv.sys

You can fix this bug as prescribed by Microsoft by obtaining hotfix files for Windows 7 OS. An alternative method to fix this bug is here

1. Open start menu, enter device manager in search box and press enter.

2. The above step opens device manager, select your disk drive, right click on it and click on properties.

3. At the properties window, select driver tab and check and click on drive details.

4. Check the drivers of your hard drive. If your drivers are any one of the following: Iastor.sys or Iastorv.sys, then open the start menu and type services in the search box.

5. Select the Services with gear icon.

6. Look for offline files from the list of services, then double click on it.

7. Then, disable the service and press ok.

Now you are safe from data corruption bug in Windows 7.

How To Fix Data Corruption Bug in Hp and Lenova with Windows 7

2009-06-23T06:45:00.000-07:00

Iastor.sys

Iastorv.sys

You can fix this bug as prescribed by Microsoft by obtaining hotfix files for Windows 7 OS. An alternative method to fix this bug is here

1. Open start menu, enter device manager in search box and press enter.

2. The above step opens device manager, select your disk drive, right click on it and click on properties.

3. At the properties window, select driver tab and check and click on drive details.

4. Check the drivers of your hard drive. If your drivers are any one of the following: Iastor.sys or Iastorv.sys, then open the start menu and type services in the search box.

5. Select the Services with gear icon.

6. Look for offline files from the list of services, then double click on it.

7. Then, disable the service and press ok.

Now you are safe from data corruption bug in Windows 7.

How To Prevent Data Corruption Bug in Lenova And Hp Systems With Windows 7

2009-06-23T06:37:00.000-07:00

Microsoft has announced a data corruption bug with Lenova and HP-based systems running Windows 7 OS. This bug is termed as Build 7000. This computer bug is due to the conflict between offline files service and in negotiation with the following storage drivers in Windows 7.
Iastor.sys
Iastorv.sys
You can fix this bug as prescribed by Microsoft by obtaining hotfix files for Windows 7 OS. An alternative method to fix this bug is here
1. Open start menu, enter device manager in search box and press enter.
2. The above step opens device manager, select your disk drive, right click on it and click on properties.
3. At the properties window, select driver tab and check and click on drive details.
4. Check the drivers of your hard drive. If your drivers are any one of the following: Iastor.sys or Iastorv.sys, then open the start menu and type services in the search box.
5. Select the Services with gear icon.
6. Look for offline files from the list of services, then double click on it.
7. Then, disable the service and press ok.

Now you are safe from data corruption bug in Windows 7.

How To Get “About Windows” Window

2009-06-23T06:32:00.000-07:00

Do you like to know, how to get “About Windows” window displaying details about the current installation of Windows 7 in your system. It includes Your Windows 7 version, copyrights and also expiry date of your windows 7 OS.

To get the “About Windows” window, it is here.

To do this, simply open the start window and type winver in search box and push enter.

I hope this tip helps you in getting expiry date of your Windows 7 OS and alerts you.

How To Fix Desktop.ini Bug In Windows 7(Build 7057)

2009-06-23T06:26:00.000-07:00

In Windows 7 OS Build 7057, a text file name Desktop.ini is opening every time when the computer starts. This computer problem irks everyone, making us to close this text file everytime when the system starts. There is a tip to prevent this bug in Windows 7 OS.

There are two methods to prevent this Desktop.ini computer bug in Windows 7. If the first method does not work, follow the second method.

Method 1:

1. First delete the file named Desktop.ini in the startup folder. To open the startup folder follow the path “C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup”.

2. Now, Navigate to "C:\Users\%Username%\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"

3. Delete desktop.ini if it is there.

Method 2:

1. Open Folder Options window, select view tab and select “show hidden files, folders and drives” and uncheck “hide protected operating system files”.

2. Now you can see Desktop.ini file.

3. Open the start menu, type Shell:Startup in the search box, then startup folder is opened. Delete the file Desktop.ini if present.

4. Open the start menu, type Shell:commonStartup in the search box, then startup folder for all users will open, if you find desktop.ini file, delete it.

5. Finally, reboot your system.

How TO Enable Quick Launch Bar In Windows 7

2009-06-23T06:16:00.000-07:00

In Windows 7 OS, by default Quick launch bar is not enabled. To get quick launch bar in Windows 7, procedure is here.

1. Right click on the empty taskbar and Uncheck Lock the taskbar in the menu.

2. Right click on any empty space on taskbar, select Toolbars and then select new toolbar.

3. Copy the address given below and paste it in the address bar of windows explorer.

%userprofile%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick Launch

4. After pushing enter, a list of folders appear, select quick launch folder and click on “select folder”. See that while selecting Quick launch folder, do not double click it.

5. Now you can see quick launch in your taskbar. Since you have Unlocked the taskbar, you can place quick launch anywhere.

6. If you want to hide quick launch tile and program titles, right click the quick launch bar and deselect Show text and Show title

Now, you can see quick launch icon on your taskbar similar to vista and XP.

Free Emulators for games

2009-06-22T19:17:00.000-07:00

Certain games can not be played directly or it cannot be installed. you need an emulator to play the game files like NDS , SMC ,GB, NES etc. I have added this game emulators for you. You can download them freely. To download this game emulators freely click the below links.

NDS Emulator
VBA Emulator
TGB Dual7 Emulator
VBA-Link Emulator
VBA Emulator
RemotejoySDL(PSPemulator)
RemotejoyGUI(PSPemulator)
Potemkin_source(PSPemulator)
PSPemulator(PSPemulator)
SAMv1.0.0.1(PSPemulator)
Pspe(PSPemulator)
PSPXT1.50(PSPemulator)
Remote joy pc(PSPemulator)
giRPG3NDS(PSPemulator)
SWF Emulator

These game emulators are free to download. These emulators helps in playing different games that cannot be played directly.

Windows XP Themes

2009-06-22T18:20:00.001-07:00

I add few more Windows XP themes for your interest. I hope this can improve your computer visually. These Window XP themes are free to download. To download this freely click the below link (screenshots are shown below for each windows XP theme).

Windows XP Black Theme

Download

Windows XP Ocean Breeze Them

Download

Windows XP Odessa Theme

Download