7 Internet Security Tips to Save You Time & M...

I write about Internet security frequently because I see too many breaches of Internet security every single day. And by Internet security, I’m referring to keeping your computer free of spyware, fake security software and other annoying, time consuming, and expensive ailments that can strike your computer. THESE TYPES OF INFECTIONS ARE PREVENTABLE. First, I need to exempt Mac and Linux (Ubuntu) users from reading this...

How to transfer your iTunes library & playlis...

If you use an iPod, iTouch, or iPhone and plan on getting a new computer, you will want to read this article! OR, if you use any of these devices and want to make sure your library stays safe, you will want to read this article! Yesterday, I helped a customer setup a new Windows 7 computer and transfer email, favorites, and other data from his old Windows XP computer. Turns out that he also needed to move his iTunes library...

Learn how to use new maximize method in Windows 7 ...

Windows 7 has definitely cleaned up a lot of loose ends created in Windows Vista and added some new features as well. One of the new features is a little superfluous, yet remarkably kind of fun and easy to remember. It is a new way to maximize a window. In all previous versions of windows, the most popular way to maximize a window was to use the maximize button or double-click the title bar (did you know that one?) Both of...

Windows 7 Email Options

Do you currently use Outlook Express for your email? If you plan to upgrade to Windows 7 or buy a Windows 7 computer, you will need to find a new way to send and receive email. The Outlook Express email application has been the main stay of every version of Windows since Windows 95. It changed slightly with Vista and was called Windows Mail. With the release of Windows 7, Microsoft no longer includes the popular email...

A quicker way to Rename folders and files in Windo...

Windows XP, Vista and the upcoming version 7 continue to help us accomplish certain computer tasks more quickly. One of my favorite features involves the renaming of files. You can still use the techniques I outlined in a previous tip, but renaming files can be even faster with the right steps. If you have the need to rename a group of files (for example a group of freshly downloaded pictures from your digital camera), you...

Installing Microsoft Security Essentials – V...

Today, I downloaded, updated, configured and installed Microsoft’s new, free security product: Microsoft Security Essentials. It provides a significant upgrade in protection and usability over their previous offerings. In fact, the setup and administration is extremely straight forward. From the reviews and tests that I’ve read, it appears to protect PCs (Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7) quite well and...

How to burn a CD with Windows XP

Floppy disks have long since departed from the computer landscape. Most comptuer companies have not included floppy drives as standard equipment for at least two years.  I say good riddance except for one thing…they were easy to use. Computer users felt comfortable copying and backing up information to these slow, yet convenient drives. For quick and roomy storage today, I recommend flash memory drives (click here for...

Printing Error Messages*

NOTE: This tip is an off-shoot of our Print Screen tip that you will also want to read and watch. We all have computer mishaps and end up having to call for help. One of the first questions the helper (tech support) always asks is, “What was the message you received?” Most of the time, in our frustration, we failed to write down the content of the message. Here is a tip that will bypass the writing altogether...

Cleaning and removing Antivirus 2009, PAV and othe...

Preventing your computer from becoming infected is infinitely easier and less stressful than cleaning up after an infection. Search my site for tons of information on setting up your computer for security and techniques to avoid scams. However, if you are already bit by one of the most recent nasty forms of software, Antivirus 2008, Antivirus 2009, Personal Antivirus, Internet Security 2009 among others (software I call...

HP to offer Free upgrade to Windows 7

Starting today through the release of Windows 7 in October, HP is offering a free upgrade to any customer who buys a new desktop or laptop through their web site. Currently, only certain systems qualify for the upgrade, so look at the product description. If you decide to take advantage of this offer, make sure you get a new computer with at least 3GB of RAM for best performance with Vista and then Windows 7. HP Offers Free...

Learn To Use the Taskbar Better

Learn To Use the Taskbar Better When Microsoft released Windows 95 more almost 15 years ago, one of the most talked about features was the taskbar. All these years later, many computer users still don’t know how to take advantage of the taskbar. Read on so that you can learn more about the how to fully utilize this feature of your computer. First, remember that with any version of Windows you can run more than one...

Keyboard shortcut to launch applications in Window...

I ran across this tip yesterday at Lockergnome and someone suggested that a video should be made…so here it is! The new Windows 7 taskbar, dubbed superbar, allows you to add any application you want there and then the same icon also acts as the taskbar icon as well. To quickly launch any application on the taskbar using your keyboard, hold down the Windows key plus the number of the location of the icon. In my video...

Make reading the web easier than ever – Vide...

Although we now have 19″ and larger monitors on most new desktop computers, the text seems to shrink. Why is that? It has to do with screen resolution (how much information can be displayed). Screen resolutions on today’s monitors are up to 3X that of monitors we used just 6-8 years ago. We can see a lot more information, but often the text is too small to view for some computer users. Never fear. Using this...

Microsoft Fix it Solution Center

Microsoft recently started a set of online wizards that can cure common problems like a lost recycle bin, problems with Outlook or Outlook Express and many Windows woes as well. If you have a specific problem with an error, it might be a worthwhile trip over to the site to see if there is a Fix It available for you. I used it earlier this week to restore a lost Recycle Bin icon just to see how it works, and it did work as...

How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installe...

This article helped me immensely today. He doesn’t link the EasyBCD program in his article that is critical to getting everything going, but I’ve linked it here. He also links to another article of his that explains how to dual boot XP and Vista with XP already installed. Good stuff! How to dual boot Vista and XP (with Vista installed first) — the step-by-step guide with screenshots. ...