Windows System Update Readiness Tool. What is it?

 The System Update Readiness Tool can help fix problems that might prevent Windows updates and service packs from installing. For example, an update might not install if a damaged system file prevents the update from recognizing the version of Windows that's running on your computer. If your computer is having problems installing an update or a service pack, download and install the tool, which runs automatically. Then, try installing the update or service pack again. To download and run the System Update Readiness Tool. 1.  Click the link in the table that corresponds to the...

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Optimize And Clean Your Computer With a Free Program Download

CCleaner -Optimization and Cleaning for your computer..absolutely free! CCleaner (aka CrapCleaner) is the #1 tool for cleaning your Windows PC free. It protects your privacy online and makes your computer faster and more secure. Easy to use and a small, fast download, I have been using this program from Piriform for years.  This program is also available for the Mac platform. Download now for Windows here, FREE More information: Download for PC Download for Mac Features FAQ Screenshots Reviews Help Cleans all areas of your Computer: Internet Explorer Temporary files, history,...

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Fences is a program that helps you organize your desktop, and can hide your icons when they're not in use

Fences is a program that helps you organize your desktop and can hide your icons when they're not in use. A "Fence", a term coined by this program, is an icon group on your desktop. Fences is an add-on to your desktop, not a replacement. Rope off your desktop Fences allows you to create shaded areas on your desktop that you can place icons in. You can label them however you wish, and move/resize them anywhere on the desktop. Pre-included layouts help speed the process for new users. See your wallpaper again! Quickly hide & show all your icons with an easy double-click Double click blank space on your desktop, and all your icons will fade out. Double click again, and they’ll return. We think this feature is so useful and unique, that...

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How To Capture A Frame From Any Video File

To capture a screen of any window you have one of two options: either you press the Print Screen key on your key board (or Print Scrn) to capture the whole desktop or press (Alt + Print Scrn) to capture only the active window. Black area? Read how to fix this. Open the video file using your favorite software. Press (Alt + Print Scrn) together on your key board, now you have copied the active window to the clipboard. Open Paint by going to Start -> All Programs -> Accessories -> Paint. Click on Edit -> Paste (Ctrl + V) to...

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Make Your XP Look Like Mac OSX

So you want your to look like a Mac OSX. There are two ways to accomplish the OSX look: the easy way - with a transformation pack, and the hard way - manually. I will, of course, show you how to do this the easy way: Step 1: Get a transformation pack. The best Mac OSX transformation pack for Windows XP is probably FlyakiteOSX. The creator’s website itself is worth the visit, but if it doesn’t load in your browser, get Firefox, and here’s a download link. Step 2: Install Run the installer and when you get to the following screen, MAKE SURE you check the box Create System Restore Point. The transformation...

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5 Tools to Make Windows XP Look Like Vista

Do you like Windows Vista only because of its newly revamped Graphical User Interface? It surely does have an attractive interface but many are still hesitant to upgrade. Some because of it’s massive system requirements, and some because of all the negative buzz around it. Whatever your reasons are, you still can get a Vista like look even on your Win XP system. Below are some of the better free tools that can help you to make your Windows XP look like Vista. Just make sure you got a bit of spare RAM on your system.Vista Start MenuVista Start Menu turns XP’s Start menu into one like on Vista....

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Prevent Users From Writing To USB Drives

Today USB drive also known as keychain drive is becoming the most popular removable storage device to move data to different locations. USB drives are available in the market with different features, for example password protected, compatible with all windows versions and extra storage capacity (up to 65 GB and more). A common security issue at organizations is how to prevent their workers to write data onto USB drives using their PCs, because a user can easily move confidential data for other location. If you have windows XP with SP2, then you can disable the writing...

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On-Screen Keyboard on Windows XP

Heres a neat function which you may find some use for sometime. Windows XP comes with a built in on-screen keyboard. Basically a graphic of a keyboard comes up and acts like your keyboard, you can use your mouse to hunt and peck around on it. It's perfect for people with disabilities, where it would be easier to use a mouse than trying to type or it's great to use when your keyboard goes kaput. Works also if you have multiple language settings setup on your computer. You will see that the keyboard changes languages as you do, ie Russian language setting will present a cyrillic keyboard. Here is how you launch it: * Go to start * Go to run and type OSK * Then the keyboard comes onIt's really just that simple. It's best to make...

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Hack to Change Windows XP Home to Windows XP Professional

Enable the features found in Windows XP Professional on your Windows XP Home Edition installation with this hack. It will allow you to turn your Windows XP Home CD into a Windows XP Profrssional CD.Note: If your Windows XP CD does not contain Service Pack 2, you might want to Slipstream Your Windows XP CD first as you will not be able to upgrade an installation after using the CD.1. Copy the root directory and the i386 directory of the WindowsXP CD to your hard drive.2. Extract the Bootsector of your Windows XP CD.3. Click START-->RUN-->REGEDIT4. Highlight HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE5. Click FILE-->LOAD HIVE and select the Setupreg.hiv file This file is located on your Windows XP CD in the i386 folder.6. Locate the following registry key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINEHomekeyControlSet001Servicessetupdd7....

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Vista-style Sidebar for Windows XP

Thoosje Sidebar:The Thoosje sidebar for Microsoft Windows XP and Vista has gadgets like media players, google search, yahoo search and lots of more search engines. It has also vista sidebar gadgets like weather and system uptime and lots of more useful gadgets. The sidebar uses 50% less RAM and is faster than the original Microsoft Sidebar with more extras and works on Microsoft Windows Vista and XP.Organize your gadgets in Thoosje Vista Sidebar:Thoosje Vista Sidebar works on Windows XP and Windows Vista. Gadgets are easy to use mini applications that give you information at a glance and provide...

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Completely Uninstalling Windows Applications

When you uninstall a Windows application, the uninstaller doesn't remove all the files and registry entries created by the application. Sometimes the developers were too lazy or they thought those files might be needed if you reinstall the application. The end result is that your computer loads slower because your registry contains more entries and the hard drive stores unnecessary files.Perfect Uninstaller is a better and easier way for you to completely uninstall any unneeded application that the standard Windows Add/Remove Program usually can't do.This product has been a favorite simply because...

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Create a Secure and Locked Folder in Windows XP

NOTE: Since some people were having issues with this method of hiding a folder in XP (folder being renamed incorrectly, visible via the command prompt, etc), I am adding to the bottom another way to permanently hide a folder using a program called Free Hide Folder. Please scroll down to read about it.If you’ve come across this page looking for a way to create a password protected, secure, hidden or locked folder in Windows XP for free, you’ve come to the right place. Unfortunately, Windows XP does not have any user-friendly built-in tools to create secure folders on computers with multiple users....

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How To Solve Low Memory Problems on Your PC

Normally you receive a low memory warning message when you run many programs at the same time than the RAM installed on your computer is designed to support. Your can solve this problem by increasing the system paging file size also called as virtual memory. Using this virtual memory, windows will move information to and from the paging file for fast processing. This will free up enough RAM for other programs to run properly. To increase the system page file follow these tips:Control Panel > System > Advanced > Click on Settings (Under Performance) > Advanced > Change Here under...

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How Spyware And The Weapons Against It Are Evolving

Spyware has reached epidemic proportions and is only getting worse. Recent statistics indicate that approximately 95% of the world’s PCs are infected with some form of spyware. Unfortunately, removal techniques that worked just a couple of months ago are no longer effective in many cases and new types of spyware being released are more advanced than most computer viruses.A couple of years ago, the worst thing that could happen to you while surfing the Internet was to get bombarded by pop up ads. Lately though, I feel like all I do is clean spyware. I have spent countless hours removing spyware from computers belonging to friends and family, only to have it re-appear a few days later. I try to help as many people as I possibly can, but the...

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How to Show Your Favorite Name in Windows Taskbar

In Windows XP, you can create a great fun for others by using this trick. You can display your name or any other favorite word in windows taskbar just beside the digital time area and you can surprise your friends to show them your name in windows taskbar. If you have some knowledge to edit the windows control panel settings then you can do it very easily and next time you can reverse these changes same as you done.Follow the given steps to display the name in windows task bar:To use this feature, you will need to be logged into your computer with administrative rights.First click on windows Start...

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Speed up your Broadband Internet Connection

You can increase the speed of your broadband internet connection, if you are using windows XP on your computer. This is built-in feature of windows XP to reserve the 20 percent of bandwidth of your internet connection, but you can override of this default setting. By enabling these setting, you can use this reserve bandwidth and enjoy your speedy broadband internet connection. You can set reserve able limit from 0 to 100 percent, but if you want to enjoy 100 percent bandwidth of internet connection, you should configure bandwidth limit 0 percent.Follow the given steps to configure bandwidth limit:First...

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How to Take Ownership of a File or Folder in Windows XP

If you must access a file or a folder that you do not have access to, you must take ownership of that file or folder. When you do this, you replace the security permissions to have access.If you are using Windows XP Professional, you must disable Simple File Sharing. By default, Windows XP Professional uses Simple File sharing when it is not joined to a domain. If simple file sharing is enabled, you see the simple file sharing user interface appears instead of the Security and Sharing tabs.To see hidden files: 1. On the Tools menu in Windows Explorer, click Folder Options. 2. Click the View tab. 3. Under Hidden files and folders, click Show hidden files and folders. Note: To access Windows Explorer, click Start, point to All...

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Unhide the Administrator Account in Windows XP

In every installation of Windows XP there is a built-in and default administrator user account named Administrator, which is equivalent to super user or root in Unix system. However, if you have set up another user account in Windows XP, the Administrator account will be hidden, cloaked and invisible in User Accounts or Computer Management.To see the Administrator account, you have to boot the Windows in Safe Mode. However, you can modify the Windows registry so that the Administrator account will be shown at Windows XP Welcome screen for you to select, in the Control Panel's User Accounts and in the local user lists in Computer Management.1. Launch Registry Editor.2. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon\SpecialAccounts\UserList...

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