Setting up dual monitors for your pc

Setting dual montiors or even three monitors if very easy and doesn`t require much knowledge of computers.

 Setting up dual monitors only requires that you have a computer, two monitors, and two video cards (or a video card with two inputs). For the purposes of this article we are going to be using a PC with windows XP SP2 on it. The first thing we obviously want to do is me sure both video cards are installed in the computer and the drivers are installed. This is the most technical part of installing dual monitors on a computer. You will need to open the case up and install a second video card. Most video cards are either built into the motherboard or they are installed into an AGP slot on the motherboard. So your best bet is going to be to get a PCIe card because that is most likely the open port you will have.

 Now that you have both video cards installed, plug both of your monitors into the computer and boot it up. You should see the same screen on both monitors or one should be blank. Once windows boots up and you are at our desktop simple right click on an empty part of your desktop and choose “Properties”. Next you will choose the tab that says “Settings” and you should see both of your monitors represented there on the screen. Click the square that is suppose to represent the second monitor. Now you should have two options below that say, “Use this device as the primary monitor” and “Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor”. You are going to want to make sure that the first option is deselected and the second option is selected. Then click the apply button to make the settings take effect.

 Now move your mouse from left to right and see if it goes properly to the other monitor. If it doesn`t your probably have your monitors in the wrong positions. No problem, just go back to the two boxes and click on the box that is listed as 2 and drag it to the left of the box that says 1 and your monitors should be aligned correctly now. As you can see there is much more functionality here if you want to do more than 2 monitors. You can position them pretty much were ever you want.

Easily Shutdown a local or remote computer with Shutdown.exe

Shutdown.exe is included in pretty much any recent version of the Windows OS including Windows 2000, XP, 2003, Vista, 2008 and 7. Shuftdown.exe is a great program that can be used by system administrators to shutdown local computers through a batch file or even shutdown remote machines or servers using different switches.The shutdown command it typically stored in the c:\windows\system32\ folder as shutdown.exe.

Syntax:
Shutdown.exe [logoff_option] [/m \\computername ] [option]

logoff option:

• /i
  • Display the GUI (must be the first option)
• /l
  • Log Off. This cannot be used with /m or /d option
• /s
  • Shutdown
• /r
  • Shutdown and Restart
• /a
  • Abort a system shutdown (only during the time-out period)
• /p
  • Turn off the local computer with no time-out or warning (only with /d)
• /h
  • Hibernate the local computer (only with /f)
• /e
  • Document the reason for an unexpected shutdown of a computer

Options:

• /m \\computername
  • A remote computer to shutdown
• /t:(0-600)
  • Time until system shuts down in seconds. 0-600 (default=30)
• /c “Message”
  • An optional shutdown message with a max of 127 characters
• /f
  • Force all running applications to close. This will result in lost of unsaved data
• /d u:xx:yy
  • List a USER reason code for the shutdown
• /d P:xx:yy
  • List a PLANNED reason code for the shutdown

Top 10 Proven Ways To Protect Yourself From Computer Viruses

As more and more people are becoming comfortable using their computers at school, home or in the office it’s only a matter of time before they encounter a computer virus. Here are my top 10 steps to protect you from computer viruses.
Use a high quality anti-virus program. There are many different anti-virus computers programs on the market some of them are better than others. Look to reputable computer magazines or websites for ratings to help you find the one that matches your needs.
Always use your anti-virus software. Make sure your anti-virus software is always turned on and scanning, incoming and outgoing email messages, and any software programs you run.
Keep your antivirus programs up to date. Most programs come with a yearly subscription make sure you take advantage of the updates. More advanced programs allow you to schedule updates or full system scans for “off hours” like 2AM when you aren’t likely to be using your computer.
Keep your computer up to date. From time to time operating systems fall victim to security holes or issue updates. Make sure you check periodically to make sure you are running stable up to date versions of your software.
Backup your data regularly. Most windows computer users keep their documents in the “My documents” folder. This makes it easy to back up all of your important documents. Make weekly or monthly copies to CD or USB drives.
If you use floppy disks or USB drives on public computers like your school computer lab, Kinko’s, or even digital photo printing store make sure you scan them for viruses. Public computers are notorious for not being up to date and properly protected.
Be wary of email attachments. Treat any email attachment as potentially dangerous. Never open attachments from people you weren’t expecting. Also be careful of attachments from people you know but weren’t expecting. Many computer viruses replicate themselves by reading the contacts from an infected computer.
Use text email if possible. While HTML email is prettier and allows you more control over formatting it also can carry computer viruses. If you use text based email the only way to get a virus is by opening an attachment.
Use downloaded freeware and shareware files or software with caution. Try to download them from popular reputable sources that scan the programs before they are uploaded. To make sure you are safe scan the program before you install it on your computer.Always update your antivirus software to get updated with the most recent virus definition.
Be wary of links in IM or instant messaging software. Don’t accept invitations from people you don’t know and never click a link from someone you don’t trust, they can easily redirect you to another website that will try to install a virus on your computer system.

Need to avoid losing thousands of dollars of data during power loss – Why an UPS is Essential

It's most peoples worst computing nightmare. You wake up in the morning, flip on the computer, and it doesn't boot. Sometimes the problem rears its ugly head as a horrific clacking noise. Other times it simply gives a read error.

At this point, most people panic. The first thing you wonder is whether or not the data is recoverable. There is no universal answer to this. In some cases, a simple scan with some data recovery software is all that it takes to retrieve the contents of the drive. In other cases, if you want it badly enough, it will take thousands of dollars and a shipment of the drive to a clean lab where they will pull the platters inside of the drive and access them that way.

Now you're probably wondering if there's a way to prevent this from happening. Well, you're in luck. Getting a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) is the very best and most effective way to prevent your data from pulling a disappearing act.

While it is not fool-proof, having something that regulates the electricity flowing into your computer can reduce the risk of a drive failure by up to 70%. This figure goes up to around 90% if the computer is being used while in an electrical storm. (My computer repair business always gets a little boost after a thunderstorm, courtesy of the lightning wreaking havoc on people's hard drives.)

Don't just run out and get any UPS. You want to get an intelligent one. The "intelligent" UPS will regulate the power without having to hit the battery every time the voltage takes a dip which greatly improves battery longevity. They also include options to hook the power supply up to your computer via a serial or USB port so you can monitor what the power is doing. This also gives the option to allow for a soft shut-down if the power goes out and you are away from your desk.

You can get an Uninterruptible Power Supply at most computer stores. Best Buy carries a fairly wide selection of them.

As for brands, I've personally used APC with much success. Opti-UPS is another excellent brand. In fact, I have an Opti that is 6 years old and still works fine, although the batteries now have no life to them. (That's to be expected. Rechargeable batteries only last so long)

Now that you know of the importance of a UPS I would strongly encourage you to invest in one. It is far better to spend $100 now on some preventative maintenance than having to spend much more later on data recovery. 

Spyware Protection - The Only and essential Way To Safeguard Your Personal Information Online

The Problem: 

Are you bombarded with popup ads? Seeing new toolbars in your browser? Does your home page change to unwanted/unknown destinations? Bombarded with irritating spam? Perhaps strange software loads when you first start your computer, or your favorites file may have new entries that you don't recognize and don't want. If this is happening to you, your PC (Personal Computer) is most likely infected with adware spyware, spybot spyware, trojan viruses or other harmful internet parasites. 

What Is Actually Happening? 

Your privacy is being seriously invaded. These programs have the ability to track your Internet usage habits and even steal such personal information as bank account numbers and passwords. If you are like me, this is scary, isn't it? But there's more...spyware even has the power to install even more parasites on your computer without your knowledge and without your consent. Everything you do and everything you type can be recorded without your knowledge and without your consent. Using spyware, companies can find out what your interests are and even track your purchasing habits. Hackers can and sometimes will access your PC and do anything they wish. Unscrupulous individuals can even steal your identity (you've heard of identity theft, haven't you?) and you would never be the wiser, at least until it is too late (this would be when the bill collectors, or even the police, start calling you!). 

To Determine If You Are At Risk, Ask Yourself These 3 Questions: 

1. Have I downloaded files, documents or free mp3 music online? 
2. Has my computer suddenly started getting annoying ads popping up on the screen? 
3. Have I suddenly noticed that my computer is running extremely slow? 

What Is The Solution? 

There is only one solution to this problem and that is to protect yourself and your privacy with a Spyware protection solution. Spyware protection software helps you to completely clean your computer of invasive threats. As a result, your computer will be clean and its performance will be better. Simply put, it will run a lot faster. Additionally, you will have protected your privacy - personal information, financial data, and your financial security will be protected. In the information age, where having just one piece of your personal information can ruin your life, protecting your personal privacy while online is of the utmost importance. 

The Top Twelve Threats that No Computer User Should Ignore..

The Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should Ignore


The internet is undoubtedly a fantastic resource for
families and offers a rich source of educational content.
However, there are potential dangers - welcome to the
dreadful world of viruses, spam, trojans, spyware
and other nasties.


Here are the Top Twelve Threats No Computer User Should
Ignore:


1. Viruses - A computer program that copies itself. They
often disrupt your computer system or damage your data.
Viruses are usually received by email attachments so be
careful opening anything from a dubious source. They can
affect anyone, for example, the destructive Mydoom worm
affected one out of three small and mid-sized businesses.


2. Spyware - Sends information about you and your computer
to somebody else. Spyware may send the addresses of sites
you have visited or worse still, transmit personal
information. With today's concerns about identify theft
this is a real worry. For example, CoolWebSearch may hijack
web searches, home page, and other Internet Explorer
settings. Spyware is normally received as part of shareware
or freeware downloaded from the web.


3. IP Spoofing - A technique to gain unauthorized access
to computers, whereby the intruder sends messages to a
computer with an address indicating that the message is
coming from a trusted host.


4. Trojans - An apparently legitimate computer program
that is really intended to disrupt and damage computer
activity by sending information, perhaps even passwords
onto a third party without you knowing. As an example,
recent emails entitled "Osama Bin Laden Captured" attempted
to download the "Trj/Small.B." Trojan if the embedded URL
was clicked. This trojan attempts to hijack the PC.


5. Spam - Unsolicited mail often promoting products of a
dubious financial or sexual nature. Don't leave your email
address on websites and internet bulletin boards as they
are harvested by spammers.


6. Adware - puts advertisements on your screen. These take
many forms including popups, popunders and advertisements
that appear later, even if your browser is closed. Some are
sent using the Windows Messenger service which allows a
spammer to direct an advertisement straight to your
computer by sequentially sending messages to IP addresses.
Always irritating, they are also often of a bad
nature.


7. Diallers - for those of us still with dial up modems,
dialler programs redirect calls to a very expensive number.
You won't know until you get the bill.


8. Hijackers - Hijackers take control of your web browser
and may reset your home page, search bar and search pages.
They can redirect you to undesirable sites or stop you
going to particular sites.


9. Hackers - With so much personal data available online
to anyone with a password you must be sure your password is
secure. If you are using your mother's maiden name, your
cat's name or your birthday then your password is at risk.
Here are two tips for making a secure password. Method One -
pick two random unrelated three letter words and two
digits. Mix them up and what do you have? A secure password
such as "red19cat" or "hotpin73". Method Two - pick a short
sequence of words such as Now Is The Winter Of Our
Discontent Made Glorious' and you have a password of
"nitwoodmg". You could even change the I's and O's to
digits.


10. Phishing - Emails purporting to come from reliable
sources such as Paypal, Ebay or your bank. Often wanting
you to verify your account details, they can look very
realistic but are generally scams to harvest usernames and
passwords. Always open a new browser winder and type the
address there, rather than clicking on the link provided.


11. Hoaxes - Chain letters, scams, false alarms. At best
they take up time and bandwidth but at worst vulnerable can
be victims of fraud. Pass it on!

Need for cleaning your windows registry..

Registry is the database where data of programs and windows is stored. Registry cleaner is software, used to run your computer faster and smoother. Registry cleaning is very important for a smooth running of your computer system. Whenever you delete a file form your system, the registry does not remove this data. Thus, a reference to the deleted file remains in the registry. Gradually as the registry gets filled up with these databases, the computer gets slower and slower in its functioning. If the registry is not cleaned up regularly, severe damage can be caused to your computer.

A registry cleaner scans the windows and finds out the outdated and incorrect information stored in your computer’s registry. The software fixes this improper information enabling your system to be error free and run faster. The software is enabled with advanced features that make your computer run smoothly and efficiently. Registry cleaning makes your computer run very quickly and also safely.

There are many advantages for registry cleaning. Your computer will have a cleaned up registry and no information in the registry will be cluttered. You can regain the lost disk space and use this for installing new software. Registry cleaning will also block the installation of spyware and adware in your computer. If your computer was having any application errors, you can see that this has been fixed after you clean up your registry. Your system will be maintained as it was in its initial stages and you can also understand your computer much better.

If you do not clean up your computer’s registry timely, you can face different types of problem while using the computer. When you are in the midst of doing important work related activity, your computer can suddenly crash or the system can get stalled all of sudden. This can have damaging impact on your work. Timely cleaning up and fixing of the registry will prevent you from facing such crisis.

There are different kinds of registry cleaner available. You can use the best registry cleaner available in the market to maintain the registry of your computer. Keeping your PC clean is very important if you want it to run efficiently all the time. The registry cleaner software will help you in repairing some applications that are not working in your computer.

The software uses speed detection techniques to very quickly identify the missing and invalid reference from your windows registry. After identifying the problems, the software with the use of its advanced technology can easily clean your registry. After this your computer will start functioning, like a new PC. After installing the software you can customize its different options according to the requirements of your computer.

Many online sites provide registry cleaner software for its customers. Before you buy a registry cleaner, make sure that you are aware about its different features. This will help you in customizing the features of the software according to the needs of your computer.

Buy the best registry cleaner that is available for your computer.