|
|
Well you have a quite Old Windows XP system and you worried about the speed of your system. It seems that your computer is getting Slow day by day.. Now you are tired of slow speed and thinking to upgrade just because your PC is running slow compared to what it was when you bought it new. But before deciding to upgrade the hardware try following things and it may restore the speed of your good old PC to it’s original state and you will not need to spend your hard earned money in upgrading the PC.
1. Defragment Your disk
The first thing which slow down the Computer is Disk Fragmentation. Files get fragmented as computer deletes and adds new files and Hard disk takes more time in searching and displaying fragmented files then files located in adjacent places. To speed up file search time you need to defrag your hard disk. You should run your defragmenter at least once a month the best option is to schedule the defragmentation task for a convenient time so that you don’t have to worry about it. even though if you are not comfortable with scheduled task then here is the process to do it manually –
- Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter.
- Select the drives you want to defrag (important is OS drive or usually C:) and click on Button named Analyze.
- Once analysis is complete Click defrag.
- Click Defragment
Defragmentation process is quite time taking and can run for hours depending on how much fragments your hard disk have. Also even though Windows defragmenter is good enough but for more optimum performance we recommend using some third party software like O&O Disk Defragmenter.
 2. Detect and Repair Disk Errors
Over the time because of intensive disk operation, and improper shut downs disk may develop some structure error or Bad sectors. These kind of error occupy disk space or report improper disk usage to OS and can lead to slow performance. Sometime it even refuse to write data. To repair such error Windows has a build in tool called Check disk or Disk checker. It searches entire hard disk for several commonly known problems and rectify the or mark the bad sector as well. If possible it also recovers data from Bad sector and relocates that to other position of Hard disk. To run Disk Checker follow the steps given below -
- Click Start > Select My Computer.
- From My Computer right-click on the hard disk drive you want to scan and select Properties.
- Choose the Tools tab
- Click on the button Check Now
- Select the Scan for and attempt recovery of bad sectors check box and click Start.
This will now automatically check the hard disk and repair it wherever possible. also if it finds any error which can;t be repaired bu tool it will inform you and will save the same in an error log which you can use for later use.
» Continue reading Tips To Speed Up Your Windows XP – Part 1
It is hugely important to maintain your PCs security level. Keeping your computer safe from viruses and other malware, and protecting your privacy and data from prying eyes; should all be a part of your ongoing computer maintenance programme. Not only that, but you’ll also need to have Windows itself. Finally you’ll need to have some kind of backup system in place just in case things go wrong.
Security is a big topic – one that could fill an entire Ultimate guide all of its own. Fortunately, it’s pretty easy to stay on top of things. With the right tools you should be able to keep your computer and your data safe without really having to think too much about it. In this article, I’ll be explaining which areas you need to pay attention to and why.
Windows Update – Downloading and installing Windows Updates is an absolute must. Not only do these ensure your system files are up to date, but updates also address security vulnerabilities, both in Windows and other Microsoft programs such as Office. Fortunately, the process can be automated to the point of being (almost) effortless.
Go to Control Panel, Security Center and in XP click on the ‘Automatic Updates’ link at the bottom of the Window. In Vista, click on the Windows Update link on the left of the Security Center, then on Change Settings at the left of the Update window. The default setting is Updates are Automatic and downloaded daily (if available) at 3am.
If you don’t plan on having your computer running or being connected to the Internet at this time, then you have two choices. Either change the time to a more convenient one (I recommend, however, that you keep the checks on a daily basis), or just leave the settings as they are – Windows will automatically check for updates the next time your PC is running and online. This also applies if your computer is in Standby or Hibernate mode. Some updates do require user intervention – you may have to restart your computer or agree to a EULA. You can also opt to have the updates downloaded, but not installed without your say-so. You’ll need to set the time and frequency first, then click the second option from the top. Be warned, however, that you can only install updates this way if you are logged on with Administrator status.
» Continue reading Stay Safe And Secure On Your PC
Skype’s pretty much the default ‘name’ when it comes to VoIP (that’s Voice over IP, or layman’s terms, using your Internet connection as a virtual phone line) application. As such, rather like eBay or Google, it’s got a critical mass of users that makes it a very compelling proposition. Using Skype to call other Skype users is free (aside from any broadband connection you’re using, that is), and some of Skype’s plans are very competitive. I say some, because there’s a catch here.
The straight up fees for many Skype call to landlines are, in fact higher than many VoIP providers – companies like MyNetFone, Engin, Pennytel and GoTalk, for example – but if you take out a Skype subscription service (currently around $15 per month, but it fluctuates depending on currency conversion rates), Skype will let you make up to 10,000 minutes of calls a month to landlines across 36 countries. That’s only fractionally under a week’s continuous talking each month, which should be enough to satisfy even the hungriest phone junkie.
What You’ll Need To Use Skype
A PC – I’ve used the latest version of Skype, 4.0, which is currently available for Windows only at this stage, but Skype offers clients for Mac, Linux and a number of smart phones as well.
Broadband Connection – A minimum speed of 384Kbps is suggested by Skype if you want to make video calls, although slower connections should do well enough for basic voice calling, especially if you’re not using the broadband connection for anything else at the time.
Webcam – For video calling – You can always receive video calls if your caller has a camera, but two-way video conversation is much more appealing. Bear in mind that video calling is more data-intensive than just voice by a large margin, although Skype claims that the video format used in Skype 4.0 is more data-efficient than previous versions.
Headset Or Handset – The classic way to use Skype is with a PC microphone and headset plugged directly into the computer, but a number of manufacturers offer full Skype wireless handsets – not dissimilar to a cordless phone – that you can also use if you don’t want to be tethered to your PC.
Setting Up Skype
One of the nicest things about the Skype is that it’s easy to do and has lots of practical information within the setup routine to help you get the most out of your Skype account. Here’s a step-by-step guide to setting up Skype for voice and video calling.
» Continue reading How To Use Skype
Experienced computer users know that any time your firewall software decides to flag a program, it’s worth double-checking before you let it go ahead. Indeed that’s arguably the key function of a firewall. But what if the program being named as suspect purports to be part of your security software?
Users of Symantec’s Norton Internet Security and Norton Antivirus found themselves in that position in early March this year when an update patch called PIFTS.exe was sent out as part of its regular stream of updates. Unfortunately, owing to human error, the patch was sent out without being ‘signed’ – the process that confirms the software really was developed by Symantec and can be trusted. Unsurprisingly, that led to widespread user confusion.
Symantec withdrew the patch after three hours, and issued an apology on its blog. “Releasing a patch unsigned is an extremely rare occurrence that does not pose any security issues to our users,” the company said. However, that didn’t prove to be the end of the story. As is often the case with security issues, one single problem (accidentally sending out an incorrectly configured file in this instance) mushroomed in several unexpected directions.
Symantec’s user forums, which had been one of the first areas where the PIFTS.exe problem was widely reported, were attacked by an unidentified individual. “One individual created a new user account and posted about the names of the patch executable, PIFTS.exe,” Symantec explained. “Within minutes several dozen user accounts were created commenting on the initial thread, and/or creating new threads on the topic. Over the next few hours, over 200 user accounts were created. Within the first hour there were 600 new posts on this subject alone.”
As a result, Symantec deleted the relevant posts, claiming they violated its terms of service. While that might seem like a reasonable response, it led to widespread speculation online that the company had something to hide and that it might have been deliberately distributing the PIFTS.exe file for unspecified nefarious purposes.
One possible reason for the attack might have been to increase the visibility of the reporting about the attack. Several sites purporting to contain information about PIFTS.exe – and ranking highly on Google searches for that term – actually were set up purely in an attempt to distribute other malicious code. As I often see, ‘drive-by’ distribution via sites is now a major source of concern, and it seems developers of such malware are happy to use any means to attract traffic.
What lessons can be learned? Firstly, that you should always take firewall warnings seriously, because even virus companies aren’t perfect. Secondly, if you encounter reports of a security problem, don’t rely on a simple Google search to try and find information without a solid sense of caution.
» Continue reading Can Your Anti-Virus Software Become Infected
|
|
