Thursday, September 16, 2010

Eight Commands for Registry Clean on XP Systems

Registry errors are very common in Windows XP Operating Systems. These problems include NTLDR is Missing and Invalid boot.ini, among others. Before enlisting the services of a computer repair technician or seeking remote computer support, you should attempt some home computer tech support to save time and money.

1. One such command is the change to root directory command. This command takes you to the root folder – this is a necessity for registry clean-up. At the prompt, run the C:\CD.. command.

2. Another registry clean-up command is the modification of attributes of the boot.ini file. This file determines which OS to load if you have a multi-operating-system computer, it determines the OS to be displayed during startup, and it also controls the boot process. If there is a problem with this file, you may need to recreate the file. However, you should note that this is a hidden read-only file since it is a system file. You will therefore need to change the file attribute first. To do this, on the prompt, run
C:\ ATTRIB -H C:\\boot.ini, C:\ ATTRIB -S C:\\boot.ini, and C:\ ATRIB -R C:\\boot.ini.

3. Yet another registry clean-up command is the deletion of the boot.ini file. This is necessary because repairing the boot.ini file requires the rebuilding of the file and you therefore need to remove the old file. To delete the file, simply run C:\ del boot.ini.

4. To recreate the boot.ini file, use the C:\ BOOTCFG /Rebuild command. This command is a diagnostic tool and its main purpose is checking all your system files that are loaded on OS startup. Some of the tasks performed by the C:\ BOOTCFG /Rebuild command include the recompilation of the boot.ini file, the rectification of system errors, and the removal, replacing, and/or repair of corrupt system files that may be disrupting the boot process.

5. Another command for registry clean-up is checking the HDD integrity. The actual command for this is C:\ CHKDSK /R /F. The ‘/F’ parameter checks bad sectors on the HDD while the ‘/R’ parameter marks these bad sectors. This command is not always a necessary.

6. The C:\ FIXBOOT command writes a new boot sector. This command is also important in that it cleans up anything left behind during the recreation of the boot.ini file and system files. You will be prompted whether you want to rewriting the contents of the boot sector as a security measure. Simply press the ‘y’ and press ‘enter’.

7. Another common command during registry clean-up is exiting the Recovery Console and rebooting the system. To do this, use the C:\ EXIT command. When you restart the system, all the changes will take effect.

8. You can also do registry clean-up using Registry cleaning software tools. You can get these tools online. If this is the case, the commands used will depend on the particular tool you are using. These tools will help you remove registry keys. Programs installed on Windows XP leave behind registry tools, even when the applications are uninstalled. The Registry cleaning software tools remove unwanted files.

In case, you are unable to perform these steps or facing some other software related problem, you must opt for the 24x7 services provided by computer tech support offered by a remote pc support company and get these problems immediately fixed.


"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Windows 2000 Repair Utility for Registry

If you have Microsoft Windows 2000, the registry will experience some problems from time to time. However, you can do home computer repair to take care of these problems. If things go beyond your control, you can even involve a computer repair technician working with a remote computer support company and save considerable amount of time and money. The remote pc support technicians help you resolve all your computer related problems within few minutes. But, before we discuss the services of computer tech support company, let’s understand the functioning of Windows 2000 repair utility.

The main reason for registry problems with Windows 2000 is the small size of the registry, which is only 16 MB. Whenever this size exceeds 10 MB, you start getting startup problems.

Note that if your registry is corrupt, there is a risk of serious system errors and the computer may even become unbootable. The most widely used Windows 2000 repair utility is the Chkreg.exe command-line. Chkreg.exe is used for Windows 2000 Server, 2000 Advanced Server, 2000 Professional Edition, 2000, 2000 SP2, and 2000 SP3. You should not use the utility for SBS 2003 because conclusive tests have not been carried out. Chkreg.exe will help you determine the size of the registry and this will help you make informed decisions. You can get Chkreg.exe from Microsoft’s download center.

Using Chkreg.exe command
Chkreg.exe command can be used with different options. chkreg /f filename [.log] will specify the name o the registry hive you intend to analyze. chkreg /f/H: will give you access to Chkreg.exe help. chkreg /f/D [ level ] will help you delete subkeys that fall on the level specified. The whole hive will be deleted if you do not specify the level. You should be very careful not to delete what you do not intend to delete. You will be prompted before deletion as a security measure. chkreg /f/S [ bin ] option is used to display usage of space on the bin you have specified. If you do not specify the bin, what will be displayed will be the space usage for your entire hive. chkreg /f/C option is used to compact the hive specified. Note that this utility will not compact a corrupt or bad hive. chkreg /f/L will detect all lost spaces. chkreg /f/R will repair the hive. chkreg /f/V will enable Verbose mode for more detailed information.

Microsoft Office 2000 is a major cause of registry problems in Windows 2000. To use the this registry repair utility if you had installed SR-1 update before May 12, 2000, you will first need to install the Office 2000 Service Release 1a (SR-1a) Update. This includes the Windows 2000 Registry Repair Utility and Office 2000 SR-1.

Note that some of your data may be lost during registry clean-up or fixing, but this depends on the type of the problem. You should be careful when dealing with registry because there is a risk of serious system problems. You should therefore do all you can to prevent the occurrence of registry problems in the first place. You can use registry maintenance tools for this. These are available online, but you should make sure it is OS-specific. These tools perform both preventive and proactive monitoring of your system. You should therefore create a backup, especially for data on the C partition, and you should create a system restore point.


"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

What to Do When I Get System Corrupt Error?

What is System corruption?

Windows OS comprises of lot of core important system files and the configuration settings etc are stored in the system registry. These aspects govern the complete OS and when one or both of these are affected they give constant errors known as system errors. Computer repairing becomes very important when the system corruption occurs and causes the system to behave abruptly.

How to solve errors involving system corruption?

The major reasons for system corruption are -
• Virus and malwares
• Invalid registry keys
• Outdated device driver
• System file corruption due to installation of software

These errors can be overcome by following these computer troubleshooting methods -

1) System Restore
2) Running a complete system scan
3) Using the Windows Repair and system commands

System Restore – System restore is a feature provided in windows which stores a snapshot of the registry on random days. It provides a list of dates to the user and once a date is chosen puts a copy of the registry to that date. This works well when a new device driver or software is installed which has corrupted the system files by installing its files within the registry. System restore puts back the good registry back and helps the system to recover completely. To run the system restore follow these steps –

1) Click on Start and Select All programs
2) Browse to Accessories and then select System tools
3) Choose System restore and select a date prior to the installation of any software or driver installation.
4) After selecting the date click Next

It will apply the settings and restart the system and the system will be clear from these system errors.

Running a complete system scan– Viruses always attack system files and try to take complete control of the system. Viruses are so advanced now that they are designed to compromise the windows shell and then download more files from the internet to affect it further. Disabling system restore is important as the shadow copies can have traces of the virus. To disable system restore follow these steps –

1) Right clicking on My computer and click on Properties
2) Select System Protection from System window
3) Select C: from the Available drives and then click on Configure
4) Select Turn Off System Restore

Once system restore is disabled you should run an antivirus update and then run a comprehensive scan of the system. This will completely take care of any virus or malware infections of the system. It is also advised to keep your system up to date by running the windows update feature which updates the important system files.
Running the Windows Repair – Running the repair will try to replace corrupted system files in the system and to achieve this follow these steps –

1) Put the Windows OS disk into the drive and boot from it
2) When prompted ‘press any key to boot from the cd’, press Enter
3) Choose the language and then select the option to repair OS
4) Select the Windows OS to repair and select Next (this is when you have multiple OS)

5) At the system recovery options menu, select Startup repair
Once the affected files are replaced it will automatically restart the system.
You can follow the above steps to solve any errors even without a computer repair technician’s assistance. These steps will completely eliminate errors related to system corruption. Regular system and antivirus updates keeps the system from getting affected by any malicious files. Buying original version of windows OS software is also very important aspect to keep your system free from all kind of unwanted errors.
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"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Monday, September 13, 2010

How to Uninstall Office 2007?

Office 2007 is an Office productivity suite designed and marketed by Microsoft. It is a package which contains modules like spreadsheet, document creator, digital presentation creator, digital publisher etc. There are multiple versions based on the packages involved.

Steps involved in computer troubleshooting and uninstalling Office 2007
There are multiple ways to uninstall Office 2007 from the system some of them are listed below –

1) Uninstalling from the Control Panel
2) Using the Office 2007 DVD
3) Using System Restore
4) Registry Removal

Uninstalling from the Control Panel – This method uses the windows uninstaller program to remove Office 2007 from your computer. To achieve this follow these steps –
1) Click on Start and browse to Control Panel
2) Click on Program and Features option, this brings a complete list of programs present on your system
3) Choose Microsoft Office 2007 and select uninstall
This is the most basic method of uninstalling the productivity suite from your system.

Using the Office 2007 DVD – Microsoft has built-in uninstall facility in all their Office softwares, which acts as computer repair software and helps in uninstalling Office 2007. This is actually the best method to safely uninstall Microsoft office 2007 from your system. The steps include –
1) Place in the DVD in the DVD rom drive
2) The DVD will run automatically and display 3 options on the screen
3) Choose the Uninstall or Remove option and click Next
4) Select all the installed packages and click Next

It will take around 2-3 minutes to uninstall all the packages from the system and after this process Office 2007 will be completely installed from the system.
Using System Restore – You should use this process after you have tried the above steps. System restore is a feature provided by the Windows OS. The system randomly keeps a snapshot of the complete registry as a backup on some random dates and the system puts it back once the particular date is selected.

By choosing the date before Office 2007 was installed system restore puts the registry back to the selected date. Once this is done all folders and registry entries are placed according to that date so this will remove the Office 2007 from the system completely. To run the system restore follow these steps.
1) Click on Start
2) Select All programs
3) Go to Accessories and then Click on System tools
4) Browse to System restore and choose a date prior to the installation of Office 2007.
5) After selecting the date click Next

System restore will take some time to apply the setting to the selected date and once the settings are applied it will restart the system.
Registry Removal – This is the best way and the most dangerous way to remove office 2007 from the system manually. It is better to keep a manual backup of the registry before making these changes and taking help of a computer tech support professional is advisable. To achieve this follow the steps-

1) Click on Start and click on Run and type Regedit
2) Browse to the subkey HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Office\12.0
3) Delete all the folders below this subkey
4) Browse to keys listed and delete them
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\12.0
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Office\Delivery\SourceEngine\Downloads\*0FF1CE}- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\*0FF1CE*
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UpgradeCodes\*F01FEC
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\*F01FEC
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\ose
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Features\*F01FEC
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Products\*F01FEC
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\UpgradeCodes\*F01FEC
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Installer\Win32Assemblies\*Office12*
This will remove the office 2007 from the system completely

All the above steps mentioned are to remove the Office 2007 completely from the system and these methods should be performed in the order given. The first three steps can be performed easily, but the fourth step can be a little tricky and it is best to take the help of computer repair technician if you do not have much knowledge of the registry.


"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

How to Uninstall Adobe Products?

With the rise of interactive web pages the popularity of plug-ins has also increased. Plug-ins help in enhancing the performance of the browser and in running the desired software within the browser environment. Some of the most common and widely used plug-ins are provided by Adobe and they are Adobe reader, Adobe Flash and Adobe Shockwave.

What are Adobe products and when to uninstall them?
Adobe is a software company which provides products in the areas of multimedia, web documents and Web development. Some of the popular plug-ins provided by Adobe are Flash, Reader and shockwave player. The plug-ins help in viewing documents and running online videos in the browser and when any of the plug-ins get corrupted, they pop up errors within the browser.

There are 4 reasons for uninstalling the adobe plug-ins and they are:
1) When it corrupts the browsers and gives constant errors
2) When a newer version is unable to update and overwrite the old version
3) When one of the Adobe plug-ins corrupts another plug-in
4) When a website behaves abruptly with the installed plug-in

To overcome these errors, you will need to uninstall the adobe products. You do not need any remote PC support or help of a computer repair technician to run you through the un-installation process, and you can easily do this on your own.
Uninstalling Adobe Flash player plug-in

1) Open the web browser and browse to the Adobe website and select flash player
2) Download the flash player uninstaller based on your OS
3) Close all the applications which uses flash like browser, instant messengers etc
4) Browse to the location where the downloaded file is present
5) Double click on the file and it will completely remove the flash player from the system.

It is very important to close all the applications which use flash else the uninstaller will give an error.

Uninstalling the Shockwave player
1) First close all the browser and Instant messenger and programs which uses shockwave
2) Click on Start go to Control Panel
3) Select Programs and Features or Add/Remove Programs
4) From the list choose Shockwave player
5) Click on Uninstall
6) This will completely uninstall the shockwave player from the system

You can also download the shockwave uninstaller from the Adobe website and run the software to uninstall it from the system.

Uninstall Adobe reader

You can uninstall Adobe Reader from the system using the following steps:
1) Close all the browsers
2) Click on Start
3) Go to Control Panel
4) Select Add/Remove Programs or Programs and Features depending on the type of OS
5) Choose Adobe Acrobat reader from the list of programs
6) Click on Uninstall

This will completely uninstall the Adobe reader from the system. If the problem with acrobat reader continues you can remove it from the registry. It is advised to take the help of a computer repair technician if you have limited knowledge of windows registry.

1) Click on Start
2) Click on Run
3) Type Regedit and Click on OK
4) Browse to the keys given below and delete them

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Adobe\Adobe Reader
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Adobe\Adobe Reader
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Adobe\Repair\Adobe Reader
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Installer\UserData\S-1-5-18\Products\68AB67CA7DA73301B7448A0000000020
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\{AC76BA86-7AD7-1033-7B44-A80000000002}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Adobe\Acrobat Reader
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Products\68AB67CA7DA73301B7448A0000000020
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Installer\Features\68AB67CA7DA73301B7448A0000000020
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{358E6F10-DE8A-4602-8424-179CA217F8EE}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Low Rights\ElevationPolicy\{9C6A861C-B233-4994-AFB1-C158EE4FC578}

Once this is done you can browse to the program files folder and then delete the folder for Adobe Acrobat.

The above steps are used to remove Adobe products from any windows OS based system. These steps ensure that they are removed completely from the system and any error occurring due to them can be resolved. Adobe products have dedicated knowledge base web pages which act as computer tech support in itself and help in solving all kinds of errors.


"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Enabling Automatic Defragmentation

Windows accesses files by looking them up in the File Allocation Table, which stores the segments of the file in whichever memory space is available. Over a period of time, hundreds of broken up files lie all over the hard drive. The computer then takes a lot of time to load a file as it has to search for the fragments of the file all over the hard drive.

Disk defragmentation helps to put these fragments together so as to reduce the time taken to access the file. While some people are of the opinion that defragmentation leads to optimising the pc, others are of the view that too much of it can shorten the life of hard disk. If you are in doubt, you can consult a computer repair technician to know how often should defragmentation be done.

Before defragging your pc:• Take a backup of your files on a CD or external hard disk.
• Close all running programs inclucing the ones in the background like antivirus etc. (Enlist the help of remote pc support personnel to put off the hidden programs if you do not know how.)
• Ensure constant power supply. If the power goes off in the midst of a defragging session, it could lead to permanent damage of the hard drive.)
There are many ways to defrag your computer.

From the Control Panel• Start > Control Panel -> Performance and Maintenance.
• Select Scheduled Tasks and double-click on ‘Add Scheduled Task’.
• When the Wizard opens, click on the Next button and then Browse to C:\WINDOWS\system32.
• Click defrag.exe and then the Open button. Now give it a name and set the frequency with which the defrag must run. Follow the wizard to Finish.
• An icon with the name you have given appears in the right pane. Right click on the icon and select Properties.
• In the Run text box, you can add the drive you want to defragment like this: C:\WINDOWS\system32\defrag.exe d:
• Click the OK button and the task will be executed at the scheduled date and time.

From the registry
Note: This method involves making changes in the registry. So, if you do not have enough knowledge about the registry, please get in touch with an online computer repair company such as fixit99.com or computer technician who will help you to take a backup of the registry before you make any modifications.
• From the Start Menu, choose Run. Type ‘regedit’ in the box and press Enter.
• In the registry editor that comes up, browse down to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.
• Navigate to Software\ Microsoft\ Dfrg\ BootOptimizeFunction.
• In the right pane check ‘enable’ is present. Otherwise you have to create a new one. This is done by
o Right click in the right pane and select New-> String value.
o Type in Enable.
• Now double-click on Enable to bring up a box where you can change the values.
• Type ‘N’ to disable the automatic defrag program or ‘Y’ to enable the disk fragmentation to happen automatically.
• Exit the window and reboot your system.
All in all, it is a balance between the speed of the computer and the life of the hard disk. So schedule your pc accordingly.

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"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Enable or Disable Run commands specific to the registry

The registry is a database of startup commands and system specifications. It is like the INI files of older systems. It is used to keep track of hardware, software and memory. When Windows is started, the registry runs the commands needed to put the startup applications on the desktop.

There are two cases when you might want to enable or disable the Run commands from the registry:

Caution: Before you attempt to change the registry, please take a complete backup because the registry changes cannot be undone easily. Ask an expert computer repair technician for directions to do the same if necessary.

Case I
Disable Run Command from the Registry
Sometimes, you may need to startup the computer without launching a number of application programs that are specified in the registry like the Taskbar items (clock, antivirus, internet connections, messenger etc.).

There are four main keys in the registry dealing with the startup:

Run and RunOnce of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and
Run and RunOnce of HKEY_CURRENT_USER

Where HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE is the System key and HKEY_CURRENT_USER is the user key.

Locating the key
• Click on Start -> Run. Type regedit and hit the Enter key to open the Regedit window.
• Use the left window pane to navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. By clicking on the + sign navigate to

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \
Policies\ Explorer.

• Check if the following value names are there:
o DisableLocalMachineRun
o DisableCurrentUserRun
o DisableLocalMachineRunOnce
o DisableCurrentUserRunOnce
• If not, create them by
o Right-clicking on the right pane of the regedit window
o Select New -> DWORD value
o Type these names one by one
• Double-click the value name you want to change. A small window will open where you can change the data value by putting 0 for disabled and 1 for enabled.
• Exit the registry window and reboot the system for the changes to take place.

Since this is a registry change, it is always better to take the help of computer repair services or remote pc support experts who will help to tweak your pc in a safe way.

Case II

Enable Run Command from the Registry
Sometimes, virus attacks can remove the Run command from the Start Menu or not allow certain files to execute. Then it is important to check if the Run has been disabled by the virus in the registry and enable the Run command.

First use antivirus software to remove the virus. You can use the services of online computer repair companies such as fixit99.com to help you do this. Then,

• Access the registry keys by navigating to c:\windows\system32\ regedt32.exe.
• Move own the tree to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\ Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ Policies\ Explorer.
• On the right hand pane locate the NoRun item and double click on it. Change the data value to 0 (i.e. disable the NoRun thereby enabling the Run command).
• Exit the registry and reboot.
• The Run command may be displayed once again through the Taskbar Properties option.

Remote computer support staff can help to solve problems related to running of programs in the background thus slowing down your pc, or non execution of programs due to virus attacks. Please seek their guidance particularly when dealing with making changes in the registry of your computer.

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"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Quick and Simple Steps to Perform Start Menu Repair

The Start Menu is an important feature in Windows Vista and indeed all Windows Operating Systems. The feature supports searches, program launches, and system configuration. There are several problems involving the Start Menu, but if you are a novice, you can get in touch with a remote pc repair company or remote pc support professional such as fixit99.com to resolve them. You have to be the system’s administrator to perform these repairs. You will need to modify your computer’s registry to take care of most Start Menu problems. However, note that if you damage the registry, your system might be rendered unbootable. For this reason, you must take a backup of your registry before any modification.

Empty ‘All Programs’ menu
One Start Menu problem is an empty ‘All Programs’ menu. To fix this problem, simply run the computer’s regsvr32 /i shell32.dll command. After this, restart the computer for the changes to take effect. If the links to your programs are still not visible after a restart, check the Shell Folder data in the computer’s registry. To access the Registry Editor, run the regedit.exe command. Check the entries under the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ExplorerUserShellFolders and make sure you find %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu\Programs value data under the value name Programs and %USERPROFILE%\Start Menu under Start Menu. If an expandable string is missing, simply add it and restart the computer.

Another common Start Menu problem is a missing Start Menu option. If the Properties dialog box does not have the Taskbar Start Menu option, you will be forced to use Classic Start Menu. To solve this problem, access the Registry Editor. Under HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer, set to zero the value of NoSimpleStartMenu. After this, restart the computer for the changes to take effect.

If the ‘Turn Off Computer’ icon is missing from the Start Menu, run the Registry Editor and then set to zero the value of NoClose. The locations for this are HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer and HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer. After doing this, restart the computer for the changes to take effect.

If you accidentally push the F11 Key and you are surfing the internet, the Internet Windows will take over the whole screen and you will not have access to the browser menus, the Start Menu button, and the Taskbar. To repair this, simply hit the F11 button again.

The Start Menu button can disappear if the Explore Crushes. Windows Explorer can crush due to system instability due to such thing as overloading and it can also be caused by a Virus attack. To solve this problem, open the Windows Task Manager by pressing Ctl+Alt+Delete, open the menu, open ‘New Task’ and choose ‘Run’, and then type in Explorer.exe.

Before taking the actions detailed above, you should do computer troubleshooting, particularly if you do not know the reason for the damage to the Start Menu. One way to troubleshoot is to run a virus scan. Install an updated Antivirus software program and run a complete system scan. Another effective troubleshooting tool is using freeware designed to restore Taskbar and Start Menu. There are many of these on the internet. If you still cannot take care of the problem, seek computer tech support before re-installing the OS. There are many remote pc repair companies such as fixit99.com that can help you fix this issue or any other problem that you are facing.

"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Clearing the pagefile when system shuts down

Windows operating system uses virtual memory to increase the speed of operation. The RAM is divided into many equal sized pages. The memory needed by different programs is also divided into similar sized pages. When many programs are running simultaneously, Windows memory manager moves the desired pages from the disk into RAM to run the program. When another program is worked on, the memory manager moves the pages of the older program into a pagefile on the disk (usually pagefile.sys). The pagefile is usually one and half times the size of RAM.
During computer troubleshooting, it has been found that many third-party programs store sensitive information like passwords in plain text in the pagefile temporarily. However, since the pagefile is not erased by Windows, it results in insecure data being present in the computer thereby decreasing the security of the system.
Configuring the system to clear the pagefile when the system shuts down is the only solution to this problem. Though this method increases the security, it prolongs the time taken for shutdown.
A word of caution:
The registry needs to be modified to clear the pagefile. Incorrect modification of the registry has disastrous effects. Therefore, please take support and help from experts in home computer repair or from remote pc support to backup your registry before you make any changes to it. Then, if there is any problem the original registry can be restored with their advice.
• Start the registry window either by Start -> Run -> type ‘regedit’ ->Enter or by double-clicking the regedt32.exe in C:\Windows\system32.
• In the left pane are a number of folders. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE. Expand this folder.
• Now click on the + sign on the SYSTEM folder. Navigate down the tree to go to CurrentControlSet.
• Click on + again on CurrentControlSet. Look for Control and then Session Manager folder.
• In Session Manager folder click on Memory Management.
• On the right pane of your registry editor, check for ClearPageFileAtShutdown. If it is not there then create it by:
o Right click on the right pane of the registry editor.
o Select New -> DWORD.
o Name the new DWORD value ClearPageFileAtShutdown.
• Double-click ClearPageFileAtShutdown. A value edit box will pop up.
• Type 0 to disable Clear Page File or type 1 to enable Clear Page File.
• Exit the registry editor window and reboot your system for the changes to register.
Enabling or disabling the ClearPageFileAtShutdown is a choice to be made by the user. A computer repair technician will be able to guide you depending on your usage of programs. On a system with heavy usage, the pagefile could be quite large, leading to security risk and a drop in the performance of the computer. Then it may be a good idea to enable clearing of the pagefile, even though it might mean longer shutdown period.
However, if you have a large RAM, say (1GB) and are not into heavy software it might be a good idea to do away with the paging file itself.
• From the Control Panel -> System->Advanced ->Settings ->Advanced.
• Select the Change tab and then the ‘No Paging File’ button and click Set.
This will remove the paging file from your system.
Consult a remote computer support company such as fixit99.com for best options.

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"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Some Benefits of Sleep Mode on Windows Vista

Sleep mode on Windows Vista involves opening the Start menu and clicking on the Power button. Next, follow the simple prompts you get. You certainly do not need the services of a computer repair technician to do this.

When in the sleep mode, the RAM or Random Access Memory is on, but the processor is off. This means, the computer reduces power consumption during sleep mode. This is particularly important if you will not be using the computer for a considerably long time. In a typical PC, the computer consumes a tenth of the energy it would in normal conditions. A laptop on the other hand will consume only 1 to 2% of its battery power on sleep mode.

Sleep mode on Vista is advantageous in that you can set the computer such that it asks for your password on wake up. This is an important security feature if you do not want others to access the computer.

Sleep mode on Vista is advantageous because all you need to do is press the power button. Some computers have sleep buttons, but you can choose the button to use for this feature. Wake up is also easy because you simply need to press the sleep or the power button again. On notebooks, you can set the computer in such a way that when you close the lid the computer goes into sleep mode. If you find sleep mode inconveniencing, you can always deactivate it.

When a computer goes into sleep mode, all open programs and documents are saved. This is advantageous because it means you will have a quick access to your documents once you resume full power. Putting a computer on sleep mode is the equivalent of putting a DVD player on pause – the computer will immediately stop what it is doing and it will resume where you left it. When you put your computer on sleep mode under Windows Vista, you will be able to get away from potentially embarrassing situations without turning off whatever you were doing. An example of this is when you are viewing pictures and someone walks into the room. This option is also advantageous over standby mode because you lose unsaved data when you put your computer on standby.

Putting a computer on sleep mode under Windows Vista is advantageous in that it takes a few seconds for the computer to resume full power. This is not the case with other options such as hibernation.

Sleep mode takes care of problems associated with standby mode and hibernate mode in Vista OS. The greatest drawback of putting a computer in standby mode is loss of unsaved data incase of power failure. In sleep mode, status information will be written in your computer’s memory and this means data will not be lost. On hibernation mode, data is saved on the HDD and the whole computer is turned off. This means restarting the computer will take time, just like normal booting. However, this is not the case with sleep mode where wake up takes only a few seconds.

If you are facing problems with your Windows vista pc, you can contact a home computer repair company such as fixit99.com that provides reliable computer tech support at unbelievable prices starting from $19.95. They have computer troubleshooting experts, who are ready to go an extra mile to fix any type of software related problem on your pc. No more visits to a computer repair centre when you can get remote computer support without leaving your home or office.

"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com

Top 10 Ways to Boost the Performance of Windows Vista

Windows Vista comes with impressive Graphics User Interface or GUI such as Flip 3D and Aero interface. Windows Vista also features improved security. However, there are several ways you can get even better performance from Windows Vista, even without calling in a computer repair technician.

1. Get rid of unwanted startup programs

You can improve performance of your Windows Vista OS by disabling unwanted or unused startup programs. These programs feed on the resources of the OS and it is particularly important to disable them if you have bought your Vista OS with software programs incorporated. You should only let critical software programs such as antispyware and antivirus to run on startup. You can disable these utilities using the System Configuration utility.

2. Increase your RAM

You can optimize performance on Windows Vista by increasing your systems RAM or Random Access Memory. If you are upgrading from Windows XP, which can comfortably run on a RAM of 512MB, you need at least 1 GB of ram for Vista. The recommended RAM for Windows Vista is 2 GB, especially if you are running graphical features.

3. Use ReadyBoost utility

You can use a ReadyBoost utility to make your computer think that more RAM is available. The ReadyBoost utility enables the computer to use a USB device or a chip containing flash memory to increase the system’s memory.

4. Install a graphics adapter

You should install a graphics adapter for optimum performance. A graphics adapter takes some of the graphics processing tasks away from the computer and this increases system performance. The graphics adapter should be Vista Premium Certified to avoid compatibility problems.

5. Disable unnecessary visual enhancements

A simple and effective way of optimizing is to disable unnecessary visual enhancements. Vista has many of these and they include such things as fading/sliding menus, shadows for mice menus and pointer, and animations during maximization and minimization of windows. These visual enhancements are appealing, but they slow down the computer. You can do this thorough the ‘Adjust Visual Effects’ link in the Control Panel.

6. Use the Cleanup utility of your OS

You should use the Cleanup utility for Vista for optimized performance. You should also use the Disk Defragmenter tool to optimize performance. This takes care of fragmented and unwanted files which can generate errors and even cause system crushes. You can schedule the defragmenting and the cleanup in Windows Vista.

7. Remove the Sidebar

One of the most prominent features in Windows Vista is the sidebar. This is an attractive feature, but it is not really necessary, especially if you have low RAM. You can remove it through the ‘Properties’ option under the side bar.

8. Disable aero interference

To improve performance in Windows Vista, consider disabling aero interference. This interface can be removed through the ‘Windows Color and Appearance’ option under ‘Performance’.

9. Regular scanning

You should scan the PC regularly for Malware such as Viruses, Trojan Horses, Spyware, Adware, and Worms. You should update the Antivirus regularly and you should initiate scans manually on a regular basis.

10. Seek remote computer support

To optimize performance on a computer running on Windows Vista, you should consider taking help of an expert computer repair professional. Expert advice is important because you will know what to do and what not to do to achieve optimum performance of your pc. You can also seek remote computer support offered by various companies such as fixit99.com, which offers 24x7 online computer repair services while you can watch your pc being repaired by US-based professionals. The computer repair services are offered for as low as $19.95. What else you can ask for?

"Copyright 2010 Fixit99.com, Mike Scherenberg. For more information or to view this original article, please visit http://www.fixit99.com