How to adjust disk space in Windows Vista:

How to adjust disk space in Windows Vista

Did you know that Windows Vista, by default, allots an obscene 15% of a computer's hard drive space to System Restore. So, for example, if you have a 200GB hard drive then 30GB is devoted to system restore. Who needs a 30GB system restore? It seems Microsoft doesn't seem to have too much confidence in the stability of its latest operating system. You can change the amount of space that's system restore uses; however, it is far from easy to do so. You will need an account with Administrator privileges and use the command line utility "vssadmin." Read MVP website's howto tutorial on how to use vssadmin.

Optimizing Windows Vista

Whether you upgraded from Windows XP to Windows Vista or purchased a computer with Windows Vista preinstalled, there’s a lot you can do to optimize Windows Vista. Optimization involves not only making Windows Vista work faster but more usable and safer. Optimizing Windows Vista isn’t too different from optimizing Windows XP. Before making again changes, it is best to create a system restore point. To create a restore point, Start Menu > in the Start Search box, type “system restore” (without the quotation marks) > click “System Restore” > the User Account Control (UAC) will appear, click [Continue] > click “Open System Protection” > select your local hard drive (e.g. Local Drive C: ) > click [Create] > type in a name for the restore point > click [Create].

Once you have created a system restore point, you are already to start optimizing Windows Vista. Here is how:

1. Restrict the number of startup programs: All programs use up RAM and CPU cycles. By limiting the number of startup programs, you have more RAM and CPU free. There are a number of ways to change the programs which load at startup. By far the easiest way is to use the Windows Vista’s System Configuration Utility. To access it, go to Start Menu > in the Start Search box, type “msconfig,” > from the search results, click “msconfig” > the UAC will appear, click [Continue] > a new dialog window will appear, click on the “Startup” tab > uncheck any program that doesn’t need to be loaded at startup > [Apply] > [O.K.] > Restart. It may be difficult to identify the startup program solely by its file name. Should you come across a program you don’t recognize, use the website Process Library to identify the program.

2. Remove junk files: You would be amazed that the number of temporary files, temporary Internet files, download files and log files which Windows Vista generates. Removing these useless files will free up hard drive space. Like the older versions of Windows operating system, Windows Vista has a built in disk cleanup utility called, of all things, Disk Cleanup. To start Disk Cleanup, go to Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. Disk Cleanup gives you the option of cleaning files only from your user account or all users’ accounts. For now, just clean files from your account. Next, select the hard drive or partition where the files are located. Disk Cleanup allows you to select what files are to be deleted. At the very least, remove Download Files, Temporary Files and Temporary Internet Files. You can also include log files as well though some users might find the log files useful - to be honest, I have never found a need for them.

3. Defrag the hard drive: After cleaning your hard drive, it is time to defrag it. To start Windows Vista’s Disk Defragmenter, go to Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. Be aware that it might take several minutes or hours to defrag your hard drive, depending on the size of the hard drive and the level of defragmentation.

4. Get rid of the eye-candy: Windows Vista comes loaded with special visual effects, such as: transparent windows, animation, fading, special icons, sliding menus and other eye pleasing but computer resource hogging effects. You can select which visual effects you want to keep or disable, right click the “My Computer” icon on your desktop > click “Advanced system settings” > the UAC will appear, click [Continue] > in the new Windows, click on the “ Advanced” tab > under “Performance,” click [Settings] > click on the “Visual Effect” tab > uncheck any visual effect you can live without > [Apply] > [O.K.]. Personally, I keep “show contents when dragging,” “show shadows under mouse pointer” and “smooth edges of screen fonts.”

5. Get rid of the sidebar: Windows Vista is the first Microsoft operating system to have a sidebar. The sidebar can be used to install several gadgets on the desktop. For example, by default, there is an analog clock and RSS gadget installed. To access the sidebar, go to Start Menu > in the Search box, type “sidebar” > in the search result click “Windows Sidebar Properties” > uncheck “Start Sidebar when Windows Starts.”

6. Optimize the size of the paging file: There are 2 types of memory that Windows Vista uses. The first is the physical memory, RAM, and the virtual memory, paging file. With the paging file, Windows Vista converts part of the hard drive, ROM, to act like RAM. The important thing to remember is that RAM works much faster than virtual memory. By default, Windows Vista sets the size of the paging file to 1.5x the amount of RAM. For the most part, this is size is fine. But, if the size of is too large, Windows Vista would use more virtual memory, which is slower, than is optimal. So, the goal is to a set an appropriate size for the paging file. In addition, since the paging file which is part of the hard drive, it can also become fragmented. Fragmentation can be minimized by setting a fixed size for the paging file. To change settings for the paging file, right click on the “My Computer” on the desktop > click “Advanced system settings” > the UAC will appear, click [Continue] > click the “Advanced” tab > under “Performance,” click [Settings] > click the “Advanced” tab > under “Virtual memory,” click [Change] > select the local drive (e.g. C: ) > select “Custom size” > for both “Initial size” and “Maximum size” enter the same number. If you have 1GB of RAM, set these values to 1024MB. If you have 2GB of RAM, see these values to 512MB. If you have more than 2GB of RAM, consider setting these values to “0” and not using any virtual memory. When you have enter the amount of virtual memory, click [Set] > [O.K.] > [Apply] > [O.K.] > Restart.

7. Optimize the size of the Recycle Bin: The size of the recycle bin is a percentage of the hard drive. If you have a 200GB hard drive then 12% of 200GB is 24GB. Who needs a 24GB recycle bin? Thankfully, Windows Vista allows users to adjust the size of the recycle bin, right click the “Recycle Bin” icon on the desktop > select “Properties” > select the hard drive > select “Custom size” > enter a reasonable size for the recycle bin (e.g. 250MB) > [Apply] > [O.K.].

8. Display the extension for all files: By default Windows Vista does not show file extensions. Why is it important to see file extension you ask? Well, you don’t want to accidentally open an executable file (e.g. .exe). Sadly, hackers create files which look like innocent text files but, in fact, they are program files. Users click on them and end up installing spyware or some other form of malware. However, you can have Windows Vista show file extensions, start Windows Explorer > from the menu bar, select “Tools” > Properties > Folder Options > select “View” tab > uncheck “Hide extension for known file types” > [Apply] > [O.K.].

9. Make Windows Vista Secure: Microsoft made Windows Vista to be the safest operating system it has ever created and they did a decent job. Windows Vista comes with a bi-directional firewall and Windows Defender, Microsoft’s anti spyware application. However, you will need an antivirus program. There are several decent free antivirus programs so you don’t have to spend a dime - which is a good thing since you had to spend your money on Windows Vista. The 3 most popular free antivirus programs are: Avast, AVG and Antivir. All 3 programs can be downloaded from Filehippo’s website. All 3 programs have their strengths and weaknesses. Antivir has the highest detection and removal rate of the 3 but does not scan incoming e-mail – it does however scan outgoing e-mail. Avast has a detection and removal rate but its unorthodox GUI is less than intuitive to use. Grisoft’s AVG has the lowest detection and removal rate of the 3 but its inituitive controls makes it easy to use. PC World Magazine has an excellent review of many popular free and not so free antivirus programs.

10. Increase the number of simultaneous connections that Internet Explorer 7 (IE 7) uses to connect to the Internet: By default, IE 7 only creates 2 simultaneous connections to the Internet. However, if you have a broadband connection, you can increase the number of simultaneous connections to 10. Unfortunately, to increase the number of simultaneous connections, you need to edit the Windows Registry, which is no small matter. If you do decide to go ahead, create a system restore point prior to editing the registry. It will save you a lot of grief should something go wrong. To edit the Windows Registry, you need to start Vista’s registry editor, go to Start Menu > in the search box, enter “regedit” > in the results, click “regedit.exe.” At this point, refer to Microsoft’s support page to edit the registry. The webpage is for IE 5 and IE 6, however, they apply to Windows Vista as well. You can also refer to VistaWired’s tutorial as well. I am sure many people would say that, instead of editing IE 7 settings, switch to Firefox web browser. Well, I can’t deny that is a great idea.

Download details: Standalone Update Package for Windows XP Service Pack 3

Download details: Standalone Update Package for Windows XP Service Pack 3

Today, Microsoft has released the first candidate of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP. This was quite unexpected since many believed that even a release candidate would not be offered until after Windows Vista SP1 was released. I must emphasize that this is only a release candidate and not a final product. Nevertheless, there is great excitement over this third service pack for Windows XP. The computer gurus over at Devil Mountain Software have tested the preliminary SP3 and, based on their benchmark, they saw a 10% gain in performance compared to Windows XP SP2 (link).

PC World - Microsoft Readies 7 Patches

PC World - Microsoft Readies 7 Patches

Come next week's scheduled "Patch Tuesday," Microsoft will be releasing a total of 7 security patches. Of the seven patches, 3 are "critical" and the other 4 are "important." It is interesting to not that 5 of the patches affect Windows Vista, Microsoft's newest and supposedly securest operating system - I guess everything is relative. As usual, Microsoft has not disclosed details of the 7 patches. Sadly, once the patches are released, it is common now for hackers to use the details on the patches to create hacks to exploit them. Thereby threatening Windows users who do not patch their computers promptly.

BetaNews | Microsoft Preps 7 Security Bulletins

BetaNews Microsoft Preps 7 Security Bulletins

Next week Tuesday, Microsoft plans to release 7 security patches. Microsoft will not release details about the patches until Tuesday; however, it is known that 1 of the patches will address a DNS vulnerbility in Windows 2000. Other patches will most likely include fixes for Microsoft Office and Windows XP.

Windows Defender 7 Released

Windows Defender home

Today, Microsoft released its latest version of Windows Defender 7. As some of you may know, several years ago Microsoft acquired Giant Software and its anti spyware program. Windows Defender is included in Windows Vista and is a free download for Windows XP users - users must go through Microsoft WGA validation process to install it. Windows Defender provides both real time protection and on demand scanning. Despite Microsoft best efforts, Windows Defender only provides mediocre detection and protection. Unlike antivirus programs, users can use more than 1 anti spyware program. In fact, it is recommended you do. On my computer, I have installed Spybot Search & Destroy, Lavasoft's Ad Aware and Windows Defender and have experience no problem.

Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification

Microsoft Security Bulletin Advance Notification

Surprise, surprise! No security patches for next week's Patch Tuesday. However, there will be a new version of Microsoft's Malicious Software Removal tool. In addition, there will be 2 non critical patches on Windows Update and 4 non critical patches on Microsoft Update.

Restore Windows XP Performance

Restore Windows XP Performance

When you first took your computer out of the box, your computer was blazing fast. However, over time, you noticed that your computer gradually slowed down. Unfortunately, over time, your computer starts amassing useless temporary files, fragmented files on the hard drive, startup programs and the occasional spyware or other malicious files. Believe it or not, restoring your computer’s performance is relatively easy. What you need to do is to Clean It Up, Trim It Down and Lock It Up. Before going any further, you should create a system restore as a safety precaution. To create a system restore point, go to Start > Help and Support > Undo Changes to Your Computer with System Restore > Create a Restore Point > enter a name > [O.K.] > [Close].

Clean It Up

No matter how you use your computer, obsolete and useless files will clutter your hard drive. Removing these files will free up some precious hard drive space. But, that is not enough. You also need to defrag your hard drive. Ideally, you want your files to be consolidated on the hard drive for faster retrieval. But, in the real world, files are scattered throughout the hard drive. That’s why you need to defrag your hard drive.

1. Remove Obsolete and Useless Files: Windows XP comes with its own disk cleanup utility. You can find it at Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. If you have more than one hard drive, you need to select the hard drive you want to clean. Once you are in Disk Cleanup, select Download Program Files, Temporary Internet Files, Temporary Files and Recycle Bin. I recommend you don’t select Compress Old Files. After making your selection, click [O.K.].

2. Defrag the Hard Drive: Once again, Windows XP comes with a disk defragmenter. You can find it at Start Menu > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. If you have more than one hard drive, you need to select the hard drive you want to defrag. Once in Disk Defragmenter, click [Analyze] to check the level of fragmentation your hard drive. Windows XP will inform you if you hard drive needs to be defrag. Of course, you can always click [Defragment] with or without Windows XP recommendation. Be patient; the process can take minutes or hours to complete depending on the level of fragmentation. Unfortunately, Windows XP’s defragmenter does not defrag the paging file. To defrag the paging file, you need to use the free utility PageDefrag. You don’t need to install it. Instead, click on it and select to defrag the paging file on the next reboot.

3. Remove Obsolete Registry Keys: This is very important. Unless you absolutely know what you are doing, Do Not make any changes to the Windows registry. This includes adding, deleting and editing any registry key. Even a slight error in the Windows registry can lead to your computer becoming unstable and even unusable. You will need a registry cleaner to scan and remove obsolete registry keys. There are several free registry cleaners so you don’t need to spend a dime. But, I should mention that in my experience, the paid versions are invariable better than their free versions. Broadly speaking, all registry cleaners can be divided in to 2 groups. The first group are aggressive and the second not so aggressive. Each group has its own pro’s and con’s. Aggressive registry cleaner will search deep and wide to find all obsolete or useless keys; however, they cast a large net and they occasionally mislabel a registry key as useless when in fact it is not. The second group plays it safe and only includes registry keys that are completely safe to remove. However, they will miss some useless registry key. I recommend you stick with the second group. In this second group, I recommend the free CCleaner and Easy Cleaner. If you want a more aggressive scan, use either Eusing’s Registry Cleaner or Regseeker. Finally, always create a system restore point before making any changes. All of these programs prompt users to create a backup of the registry keys before making any changes. If you don’t mind spending some cash, PC Tool’s Registry Mechanic, TuneUp Utilities 2007 and Iolo’s System Mechanic 7.0 are excellent commercial registry cleaners.

Trim It Down

Once you have completed cleaning the junk on your computer, you need to turn off the bells and whistles on your computer. Have you ever noticed that after installing a new piece of software, a new icon appears on your system tray? It is very common for programs to add themselves to the startup program list. Ask yourself, do you really need Real Player to load at startup? Having to start so many programs takes time and resources. You need to cut down on the number of startup programs. Startup programs aren’t the only things which take up resources. Windows XP has a lot of eye candy. All those animations, fading toolbars and pretty icons make your desktop look great but slow down your computer. By cutting down on the number of special effects, you can free up CPU cycles and RAM. In addition, there are several Windows services working in the background. Many of which you don’t necessarily need. Microsoft tries to anticipate which services Windows users need. As a result, several services are turned on by default, some of which you don’t necessarily need. You can free up resources by disabling unnecessary services. This requires caution since disabling the wrong service might make your computer unstable or unusable.

1. Turn Off Unnecessary Startup Programs: To remove a program from the startup program list, go to Start > Run > type “msconfig” (without the quotation marks) > [Enter] > click on the Startup tab > uncheck any program you don’t want > [O.K.] > Restart. It might be difficult to identify a program solely by its name. You can find out what a particular program does by searching for it on Bleeping Computer’s Startup Program Database. Just type in the name and click [Search]. In the rare case where it can not identify the program, you can also search for it on CastleCops’ Startup Program Database or search for it on the Process Library website. There are a number of programs that you want always to keep, such as your antivirus program, anti spyware program and firewall.

2. Disable Visual Special Effects: The simplest thing to do is to remove the desktop background. You can trade in your Star Trek theme desktop background for something that doesn’t need as much resources. Go to Start > Control Panel > Display > click on the Desktop tab > select None > and select a color for the background. Next, move on to disabling visual effects. Right click My Computer > select Properties > click on the Advanced tab > under Performance, click [Settings] > click the Visual Effects tab > select Custom > uncheck any special effects you can do without > [O.K.]. Personally, I do away with everything except Show Window Content When Dragging and Show Shadow Under Mouse Pointer. You can experiment.

3. Disable Unnecessary Windows Services: Again, this is an area in Windows XP which you need to know exactly what you are doing. Turning off the wrong service can cripple your computer. Create a system restore point before making any changes. Once you are done, go to Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services. Things you need to know. Under status, if it says Started then the service is currently active. Under Startup Type, there are 3 possible values: (1) Automatic – the service is always on; (2) Manual – the service is turned on when needed; (3) Disable – the service is always off. Only change one service at a time. Keep a list of Windows services you have changed and their original settings. Consult online guides like The Elder Geek website for a description of each Windows service. Another good source is the Black Viper list hosted on MajorGeeks’ website. Determine if you need a particular Windows service or not. If you are not sure if you need a particular service, set it to Manual. If it is needed, the service will turn on by itself. To disable a service, right click the service and select "Stop." Right click the service again and select Properties > under Startup Type, select either "Disable" or "Manual" > [Apply] > [O.K.].

Lock It Up

Unfortunately, spyware is a very common cause of computer slow down. A decade ago, there was little spyware. Instead, your common hacker was a computer savvy teenager who created viruses for the purpose of bragging rights. These days, malicious files are created for the purpose of making money. For example, a third party hired by an ad agency might create an adware application which downloads itself on to your computer without your knowledge and consent. The adware then changes your web browser’s settings so the browser is redirected to the ad agency’s website. Another common tactic is to install spyware on your computer and steal all your user ids and passwords. To fight against these newest attacks, you need to add security software to protect your computer. All computers should have at least an antivirus program, anti spyware program and a firewall. There is no shortage of good free security software. Remember, free does not mean inferior. Please read my post of free security software. To secure your computer, you need to set Windows XP to automatically download and install Windows updates. In addition, you need to install and update your security software regularly, secure Internet Explorer and disable Windows components which pose a security risk.

1. Set Windows XP to Automatically Download and Install Windows Updates: This is the single most important step towards securing your computer. To turn on automatic updates, go to Start > Control Panel > Security Center > Automatic Updates > click [Turn on Automatic Updates].

2. Installing and Updating Your Antivirus and Anti spyware Software: Be it your antivirus or anti spyware, you need to update it regularly. Most antivirus and anti spyware programs have an automatic update function; be sure to turn it on. Antivirus and anti spyware programs need virus and spyware signatures to detect and remove the latest threats. In addition, try to use an antivirus which has heuristic capabilities. Heuristic scanning is different from regular virus scanning. It does not use virus signatures to detect malicious files; instead, it focuses on detecting behavior which is common to all viruses. This is great when a new virus signature is not available. I highly recommend Antivir, which offers both real time and on demand heuristic scanning. In regards to spyware, unlike antivirus programs, you can install more than 1 anti spyware program. In fact, it is advisable to do so. I use Lavasoft’s Ad Aware, Spybot Search & Destroy and Microsoft’s Windows Defender without any problems.

3. Install a Firewall: The function of a firewall is to monitor communication between your computer and the Internet. Ideally, you want the firewall to monitor both incoming and outgoing traffic. Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) comes with a firewall. If you haven’t already downloaded and installed SP2 then now it is a good time to do so. Unfortunately, the firewall is only unidirectional; it only monitors incoming traffic, which is less than ideal. Windows XP’s firewall assumes anything already running on your computer is safe and allows any of your computer’s applications to connect to the Internet. This is problematic. For example, let’s say a Trojan Horse was already on your computer when you installed SP2. Windows XP’s firewall will not stop it from collecting data from your computer and transmitting it to the Internet. There are several free bidirectional firewalls. I highly recommend Sunbelt-Kerio Firewall. Other good free firewalls are Comodo Firewall Pro and Jetico Firewall. These last 2 firewalls are more suited for advanced users since they will prompt a user to either allow or block a connection while Sunbelt-Kerio Firewall will make the decisions for you

4. Secure Internet Explorer: As a result of being the most widely used web browser, Internet Explorer is a prime target of hackers. By far the single most important thing to secure Internet Explorer is to update to Internet Explorer 7. Internet Explorer 7 fixes several vulnerabilities found in Internet Explorer 6. IE 7 adds an integrated anti phish tool, tighter control over ActiveX and Javascript, easy security certificate identification and blocking popup windows disguised as new windows. In order to update to IE 7, you will need to go through Microsoft’s Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Validation process to install it. You can download IE 7 from Microsoft’s download webpage. If you don’t want to update to IE 7, there are still ways to secure IE 6. From the menu bar go to Tools > Internet Options > click the Security tab > click on the Internet icon > under Security Level for this Zone, click [Custom level]. Make the following changes:

• Download signed ActiveX controls – [Prompt]

• Download unsigned ActiveX controls – [Disable]

• Initialize and script ActiveX controls not mark as safe – [Disable]

• Run ActiveX controls and plugins – [Prompt]

• Script ActiveX marked safe for scripting – [Prompt]

• Active Scripting – [Prompt]

• Allow Programmatic Clipboard Access – [Disable].

5. Remove Windows Services and Components which Pose a Security Risk: Unfortunately, Internet Explorer is not the only security risk in Windows XP. In fact, there are security vulnerabilities throughout the operating system. Microsoft included many services to Windows XP to provide users with more features; unfortunately, hackers have exploited these services to take control of your computer. For the best security, disable Windows services which allows remote access to your computer.

• Remote Access Auto Connection Manager – [Manual]

• Remote Desktop Help Session Manager – [Disable]

• Remote Registry Service – [Disable]

• Telnet – [Disable]

• Terminal Service [Disable]

• Universal Plug and Play Device Host – [Disable]

• WebClient – [Disable].

• Messenger (has nothing to do with MSN messenger) – [Disable]. (You can choose to uninstall Messenger, go to Start > Control Panel > Add/Remove Programs > Add/Remove Windows Component > select Messenger > Remove).

Notes

BetaNews | Super Size Patch Tuesday No Valentine

BetaNews Super Size Patch Tuesday No Valentine

Next Tuesday, Microsoft is expected to release 12 patches for February's Patch Tuesday. The package will include at least 5 "critical" patches. A number of the patches are expected to close up vulnerabilities in Windows, Microsoft Office and Visual Studio. Some of these vulnerabilities are already being exploited.

Microsoft’s Vista anti-virus solution slammed

Microsoft’s Vista anti-virus solution slammed

This is just plain embarrassing. Microsoft's Live OneCare failed to pass Virus Bulletin’s VB100 tests. Virus Bulletin is a security software research laboratory which runs a battery of tests on antivirus software to checks the software effectiveness in detecting viruses which are known to be active in the real world (a.k.a. in the wild). In order to receive Virus Bulletin's VB100 certification, the antivirus program has to not only detect all the viruses but also generate no false positives. It is clear that Microsoft's Live OneCare failed to receive certification; however, at this time, it is not known which tests Live OneCare had failed. The latter strikes a heavy blow at Microsoft which has been touting the new security on its newest Windows operating System, Windows Vista. After so much "hype," you would think that Microsoft would have done at better job of ensuring the efficacy of its security software.

FYI, Live OneCare was not the only major security software which failed to pass Virus Bulletin's VB100 tests. McAfee’s VirusScan Enterprise, G DATA’s AntiVirusKit 2007, and Norman’s VirusControl all failed to pass the series of tests. However, many antivirus program did pass the tests, including: Computer Associates, Fortinet, F-Secure, Kaspersky, Sophos and Symantec.

Windows Vista Launches to Consumers

Windows Vista Launches to Consumers

After several delays, Windows Vista has finally arrived. Many large computer vendors are offering computers with Windows Vista already installed. In addition, people can purchase Windows Vista upgrade CD's, Windows Vista Installation CD's (Retail) and Windows Vista installations CD's (OEM). As many of you are aware, Windows Vista comes in several favors, including, Windows Vista Home Basic, Home Premium, Ultimate, Enterprise, Business and Starter. Windows Vista Starter is not available in the United States. This version of Windows Vista is available for those in the third world. Be advised, Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Starter do not have Aero. Also, those considering buying Windows Vista should review the system requirements before buying it. Please read PC World Magazine's FAQ website for Windows Vista.

When They Say Upgrade, They Mean It: No Clean Installs with Windows Vista Upgrade Discs

When They Say Upgrade, They Mean It: No Clean Installs with Windows Vista Upgrade Discs

In the past, when a user upgrades to a newer version of Windows, users could perform a "clean" install by inserting the upgrade CD and then the old installation CD. The old installation CD served as proof of a legitimate copy of the older Windows OS. The latter is a clean installation of the new Windows OS because users were not copying the upgrade over the older Windows OS. Now, starting with Windows Vista, Microsoft has halted such clean installs with upgrade CD. In order to upgrade Windows, a pre existing Windows OS must already be installed. This poses a problem since it would mean copying the new Windows OS over the older one. The process will work but there will be outdated and useless files left behind by the older Windows OS. This is yet another measure by Microsoft to halt piracy of their software.

RadarSync Your Source of Drivers for Windows Vista

RadarSync Your Source of Drivers for Windows Vista

As many of you know, Microsoft's latest operating system Windows Vista is scheduled to be released tomorrow, January 30th, 2007. But an operating system without drivers is worthless which RadarSync is so important. RadarSync is your one stop spot for getting all your Vista ready drivers - or at least most of them. The list is updated regularly. And, best of all, it is absolutely free.

Anti-Spyware Rival Slams Microsoft's Windows Defender, Vista

Anti-Spyware Rival Slams Microsoft's Windows Defender, Vista - News by InformationWeek

Gerhard Eschelbeck, Webroot's Chief Technical Officer, has anything but praise for Windows Defender, Microsoft's antispyware application. Instead, Eschelbeck accuses Windows Defender of being a poor tool for detection and removal of spyware. He claims Windows Defender suffers from infrequent signature updates - once every week - and fails to detect 84% of known spyware. As a result, Windows Defender users are given a false sense of security. But it is likely there is a conflict of interest. As many of you know, Microsoft plans to include Windows Defender in Windows Vista, its latest operating system . In addition, Windows Defender is already available for free to Windows XP users who have gone through their WGA validation process. This poses a threat to security software makers since many computer users would rather use the free Windows Defender than have to spend money to buy one. As you know, Webroot's cash cow is Spy Sweeper. It is easy to see why Eschelbeck would want to criticize Windows Defender.

Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor

Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor

As Microsoft newest operating system, Windows Vista, is about to be rolled out to the public, Microsoft has released Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. Windows Vista Upgrade is a free download. It is a small utility which scans a computer to check to see if it is compatible with Windows Vista. As many of you know, Windows Vista requires a great deal more hardware than previous Windows versions. Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor not only scans the hardware but the software as well. It scans to check if already installed programs and drivers will work after making the switch. In addition, it even helps you pick with version of Windows Vista is best for your needs.

Eight Patches To Ring in New Year 2007

Eight Patches To Ring in New York 2007

Next week Tuesday, Microsoft will be releasing 8 patches which address vulnerabilities in Microsoft Office, Visual Studios and Windows. At least one of the patches for Microsoft Office is expected to address some of the zero-day attack threats. A new Malicious Software Removal Tool will also be available.

Windows XP Tips and Tweaks Part 3

Windows XP Tips and Tweaks Part 3

This is the third and final chapter of my series on Windows XP Tips and Tweaks. You can the other posts at Part 1 and Part 2.

Enable Hibernation: By default, there are 3 options for turning off computer, which are: Stand By, Turn Off and Restart. There is a 4th option, which is Hibernate. In hibernation, all active tasks are saved in to memory and the computer shuts down. When you restart the computer, it will start where you left off. Hibernation is best suited for laptops while Stand By is best suited for desktops. To enable hibernate, you need to use Windows XP's Power Option. Here's how to enable hibernate.

1. Go to Start Menu > Control Panel > Power Options > "Hibernate" tab > check "Enable Hibernation." > [Apply] >[O.K.].
2. Now, the next time to turn off the computer, hold down the [Shift] key and Stand By will switch to Hibernate. Viola.

Install Windows XP Backup Utility: Windows XP comes with NTBackup, a backup utility. It is not the most robust backup utility but NTBackup can perform both full and incremental backups. It also allows shadow copying (i.e. you can have NTBackup working in the background while you continue your work). Windows XP Professional version already has NTBackup installed. However, for what ever odd reason, by default, NTBackup is not installed on Windows XP Home Edition. To install NTBackup in Windows XP Home Edition, you will need your Windows XP installation CD. Here's how to install NTBackup.

1. Place the Windows XP installation CD in to your CD drive.
2. Right click on the CD drive and select "Open."
3. Browse to [Drive Letter]\VALUEADD\MSFT\NTBACKUP.
4. Copy "ntbackup.msi" on to your hard drive.
5. Double click on .msi file to install NTBackup.

Change the Refresh Rate of Your Monitor: The picture on your monitor is constantly being refreshed. The refresh rate is expressed as the number of frames per second. Most people can't detect if the display is being refreshed with a refresh rate of >70. If the refresh rate is too low, people will notice the display flickering on and off. If you notice your monitor is flickering on and off, it is time to increase the refresh rate. Here's how to change the refresh rate.

1. Go to Start Menu > Control Panel > Display >"Settings" tab >[Advance] >"Monitor" tab > Adjust the refresh rate > [Apply] > [O.K.].
2. Restart.

Windows XP Tips and Tweaks Part 2

Windows XP Tips and Tweaks

Today, I will pick up where I last left off on Windows XP Tips and Tweaks.

Control the number of startup programs: Having a large number of startup programs can slow down Windows XP. Oftentimes, when you install new software, it will add itself to the list of startup programs. Here is how to disable startup programs you don't need.

1. Go to Start Menu > Run > enter "msconfig" (without the quotation marks) > [O.K.] > "Startup" tab > uncheck any program you don't need to load at startup > [O.K.] > [Restart].


2. Some of the entries use cryptic names and it is not obvious what the program it corresponds to. In such cares, you can use Bleeping Computer's startup program list. Enter the name which appears in "msconfig" and Castlecop will display the corresponding program.

Change a process priority: At any given time, numerous processes are working in the background without you realizing it. Windows XP assigns different priorities for different processes. Windows XP allots more memory and CPU power for higher priority processes than low priority processes. For example, you working on a Microsoft Word document takes precedent over the printer spooler service. Most processes are given a "normal" priority but you can change the priority level manually. Here's how to change it.

1. Press Cltr+Alt+Delete to display the task manager.


2. Go to the "Process" tab > scroll down to the process you want to edit > right click the process and choose "Select priority" > change the priority level.

Show file extensions: By default, Windows XP hide file extensions. However, you can change it to show them.

1. Open Windows Explorer.


2. On the menu bar, go to Tools > Folder Options > "View" tab > scroll down and uncheck "Hide extension for known file types." > [Apply] > [O.K.].
   

Disable search for network folders and printers: By default, Windows XP will search for network folders and printers even if you don't have any. This causes a drop in Windows XP performance. You can speed things up by disabling this feature.

1. Open Windows Explorer.


2. On the menu bar, go to Tools > Folder Options > "View" tab > scroll down and uncheck "Automatically search for network folders and printers." > [Apply] > [O.K.].

Change the default program for a file extension: Most file extensions are opened in a default program. For example, .doc files are opened with Microsoft Word while .txt files are opened with Notepad. You can change which program to use for any given file extension.

1. Open Windows Explorer


2. On the menu bar, go to Tools > Folder Options > "File Types" tab > scroll down and select the file extension > click [Change] > under Recommended program, is the current default program > under Other programs, are programs recommend by Windows XP > if the program you want to use is not listed, click [Browse] > select a default program > [Open] > [O.K.] > [O.K.].

Windows XP Tips and Tweaks

Using Administrator Privileges in a Limited Account

I strongly encourage PC users to create at least two user accounts on their systems, one with administrator privileges and one limited account. Use the limited account to do your daily chores, such as: checking your email, uploading and downloading files off a network, and the occasional Role Playing Games (RPG). Use of the administrator account should be limited to installing applications and changing settings. This is for security reasons. However, I oftentimes find myself in a situation were I am using a limited account and I need to perform a task which requires administrator privileges. I don’t want to log off the limited account and then log on to the administrator account just to do a simple task. Well, there is a workaround. Using the limited account:

1. Create a shortcut for the application you want to use but requires administrator privileges.

2. Place the shortcut in a convenient place, for example the desktop. Then, right click the shortcut and go into “Properties.”

3. Now, you should be looking at the “Shortcut” tab. Left click the “Advance” button.

4. Check off box that reads “Run with different credentials.”

Hit “OK.”

5. The next time you left click on the shortcut, it will ask you if you want to run wit different credential. Click on “The following user.”

6. Select the account you want to use and enter the password. Click “OK.”

Taming the Recycle Bin

You can set the size of the Recycle Bin. I’m referring to how much hard drive (HD) space the Recycle Bin takes up. The size of the Recycle Bin is a percentage of the size of your HD, which you can adjust. If you have a 100GB HD and you set the size of the Recycle Bin to be 10% then you can store up to 10GB worth of trash. Can you think of anyone who needs a 10GB Recycle Bin? Yeah, neither can I? You can change the percentage by:

1. Right click the Recycle Bin icon on the desktop and select “Properties.”

2. On the “Global” tab slide the ruler to the desired percentage.

3. Click “OK.”

Stop those Annoying Error Reports

Windows is setup to send software error reports to “Big Brother.” Microsoft contends the reports are used to improve Windows. Actually, it does make sense since Microsoft wants to ferret out any software incompatibles. Nevertheless, some see this feature as a way for Microsoft to spy on people. There is an easy way to turn off the Error Reports:

1. Right click on the “My Computer” icon and select “Properties.”

2. Left click on the “Advance” tab.

3. Left click on the “Error Reporting” button.

4. Check off “Disable error reporting.”

5. Press “OK.”

Control the size of the System Restore

System Restore has saved me on many occasions. Oftentimes, I’m playing around with settings or installing a new program. But, ever so often, those changes cause my computer to become unstable and crash. System Restore quickly undoes the damage. I recommend that you keep System Restore on. Some experts recommend that you turn off System Restore since certain virus and other malware can use it to resurrect themselves after being deleted by a security program. I think the benefits outweigh the risks. Now that I have convinced you to keep it on, here is the way that you can adjust the amount of HD space allotted for System Restore.

1. Right click on the “My Computer” icon and select “Properties.”

2. Left click on the “System Restore” tab.

3. Under the “Disk space usage,” slide the ruler to the desired percentage of HD allotted for System Restore.

4. Click “OK.”

Assigning Drive Letters

I have a number of different USB and Firewire peripheral devices on my system. One problem I run into is that the drive letter changes for the same peripherals depending on what other peripherals are plugged in at the same time. Well, you can assign a drive letter to a specific device to solve the problem.

1. You need to use an account with administrative privileges.

2. From the Start menu > Accessories > Administrator tools > Component management.

3. Left click on the “Disk management” icon.

4. On the lower frame, right click on the desired device and choose “Change Drive Letter and Paths…”

5. Choose a drive letter you want to assign to the device. Click “OK.”

Stop Windows from dialing a connection

Does your computer try to dial a connection when you start Windows or start a program? It is downright irritating. Here’s how to stop Windows from automatically dialing a connection.

1. You need to use an account with administrative privileges.

2. From the Start menu > Control Panel > Network Connections > on the menu bar, click Advanced > Dial up preferences > “Autodial” tab.

3. Uncheck “Enable autodial by location.”

4. Check “Always ask me before autodialing.”

5. Check “Disable autodial while I am logged on.”

6. [O.K.] > Restart.

Silencing the Dial-Up Modem

Strange though it might sound, I only use dial-up. This is not out of choice. The area where I live does not have broadband service. When it comes to dial-up, I detest the sound the modem makes when trying to connect to the Internet. Shrills like a banshee. Well, luckily there is a remedy. To turn off the modem sounds follow these steps.

1. Control Panel > Network Connections

2. Right click on the dial-up connection and choose “Properties”

3. Under the “General” tab, press the “Configure” icon

4. Uncheck “Enable modem speaker”

5. Press “O.K.”

Keeping the Network Connection Alive

Don’t you hate it when you want to change to another user account but doing so disconnects the computer from the network. There is a way to change user accounts and still keep the connection. Follow these steps:

1. Control Panel > Network Connections

2. Right click on the desired network connection and choose “Properties”

3. Click on the “Advance” tab and check off “Allow other network users to connect through this computer’s Internet Connection.

4. Press “O.K.”

Keeping Icons Visible on the System Tray

After a prolong period of time, unused icons on the system try are hidden from view. The system tray collapses. However, users can select which program icons to be always show or always hidden. Follow these instructions to change the settings.

1. Right click any empty space on the system tray and choose “Properties.”

2. On the “General” tab, press the “Customize” button.

3. Right click any program icon and choose how the icon behaves on the drop down menu.

4. Press “O.K.”

Decide which default application to use to open a particular file type

Oftentimes, a particular file type can be opened with more than one software program. For example, the .rdf file type can be opened with OpenOffice or Microsoft Word. To set the default application, follow these steps:

1. Open Windows Explorer and choose “Tools” from the menu bar.

2. Scroll down to “File Options.”

3. Click the “File Types” tab

4. Scroll down the list and highlight the file type you are interested in changing.

5. Click the “Change” button and then used the desired software program and click “Apply.”

6. Press “O.K.”

Enabling CD Recording

You don’t need software like Nero and Roxio to burn CD’s on your computer. Instead, Windows XP comes with CD burning software. To enable CD recording, follow these steps:

1. Right click the optical drive icon > Properties > “Recording” Tab.

2. Check “Enable CD recording on this drive.”

3. [Apply] > [O.K.].

Process Library just got even better!

Process Library just got even better!

The website processlibrary.com has a new online service. Click [Scan] and Process Library will scan your system and display all running process. In addition, it will provide a description for each process and whether it is genuine or malicious. Best of all, it is free.