PROTECT YOUR SYSTEM FROM DUMB INSTALLATIONS!!!

If one more program installs an icon in my system tray without permission, I'm going to buy a Mac. I don't want icons and links scattered all over my desktop, Start menu, and system tray.

The Fix: There are plenty of arrogant companies that toss their icons around -- Netscape, AOL, RealOne, and Yahoo, to name just a few. (Real is probably the worst, and I've banned the program form my PC.)

You can stop this icon madness by following these five tips.

• Watch the installationStay alert during the installation. If you have the option, always opt for the custom installation. You'll probably have a choice of where the program plants its icons. Besides avoiding system tray litter, you can also stop programs from adding icons to the Start menu and desktop.
• Protect your system trayWinPatrol is a free early-warning system that stops unsavory programs, such as Trojans, phone dialers, and spyware, from doing damage to your system or reporting your surfing habits to others. WinPatrol watches for anything that adds itself to the Startup group or Windows Registry, flags suspicious items, and offers to remove nasty programs. In order to remove or disinfect the offending program, you'll still need a spyware removal tool, such as Spybot, and an antivirus program.
• When WinPatrol starts yelling about an unwelcome entry, you can allow the program into your Startup group if it's legit; if you say no, and the program tries again, WinPatrol blocks subsequent attempts. That's especially handy for notoriously insistent programs such as QuickTime, RealPlayer, and MSN Messenger.
• WinPatrol also lets you see a list of Active Tasks, cookies, and Win XP's running Services, and it works with all versions of Windows. In most cases, you can also gain some insight into the applet's source and purpose. For $13, WinPatrol Pro provides an extensive database to further identify what's trying to get into your system tray. The program is available at http://www.oreilly.com/pcannoyances.
• Make a clean sweepStart by hovering the pointer over the icon to identify the application it belongs to -- then decide if the icon needs to be in the system tray. (Most don't. Programs such as RealOne Player, RealPlayer Jukebox, ATI's Video Manager, and AOL's Instant Messenger are typical culprits.) Select Start > Programs ("All Programs" in XP) > Startup to see what's in your Startup group, and you'll probably find a few programs you can dump.
• To dig deeper, use Windows msconfig (select Start > Run, type msconfig, and press Enter) or use Startup Control Panel, a free utility that lets you examine and remove programs that are loaded at startup (get it at http://www.oreilly.com/pcannoyances).

PROTECT YOUR PASSWORDS FROM HACKERS!!!!!!!!

How HACKERS hack & crack Yahoo passwords ?

1: Many people use MAGIC PASSWORD STEALER (MPS) Trojan to hack yahoo passwords.

• A lot, and I mean a lot of people are infected with Magic PS. Especially with Magic PS 1.5 Second Edition. If you don't know what is Magic PS. Magic PS is a trojan, simply a program that steal your Yahoo! Messenger 5 or 6 user name and password to the sender. Magic PS 1.5 SE no longer show itself in the Message Archive, so checking there won't help.
• If the sender is stupid enough, he/she would sent you the file "sender.exe", DO NOT accept it because it is the default name for a MPS created file.
• Check your computer for certain files such as these:
• regsvr.exe in c:\Winnt or c:\Windows ; depends on version of Windows.
• MsAgent32.exe in c:\*Win installed folder*\system 32
• Perflib-Perfdata in c:\*Win installed folder*\System32
• PIF in c:\*Win installed folder*.NTMSJRLN in c:\*Win installed folder*\system32\NtmsData(Sender.exe)
• MPSmmtask0.exe in c:\Documents settings\*User Name*\Local settings\Temp
• The sender.exe (can be any name) file may also contain a text string "UPX-Scrambler RC1.x -> ?OnT?oL". You can see this by using a hex editor, etc.
• MPS 1.5 SE hides the (sender/hacker) Yahoo! ID in the sender.exe file, it is scrambled so even with a hex-editor, you still cannot view it. To reveal the (sender/hacker) Y! ID, simply reverse-engineer the sender.exe file.
• Solution :: Do not receive any executable files from a unknown person on chat.

2: BY using fake login screens.

They ask you to have a look at their picture by sending a link to yahoo fake login screen. It exactly look like mail.yahoo.com page or photos.yahoo.com page.It will ask you to enter your ID & password to login. If you enter your details those login details directly goes into hackers inbox. So be careful of these kind of attacks.

3: Cracking passwords By using Yahoo Password Cracker.

There are many Password crackers out for cracking Yahoo passwords.If you are using a dictionary based password like ? something, 12345, abcdef, Attitude, etc? It takes hardly 3 hours for a good cracker to crack the password.

Solution : Never use dictionary based passwords. Use a password like this..Example : (Sec*)Pass+) . This kind of passwords are impossible to crack

HOW TO REPAIR XP AND AVOID A FULL REINSTALL!!!!!!!!!!!

One of the ideas behind the Windows XP installation CD was that it was supposed to make installing Windows a whole lot easier. Less errors, simpler choices, and removing installation confusion sound pretty good to most of us, right? Microsoft had hoped for XP to be as pain-free and easy to install as possible. Unfortunately, reality had other plans for some XP users. While it is extremely rare to have major issues installing a fresh copy of XP on a computer, reinstallations can frequently be troublesome even when doing things by the book. Lucky for us Microsoft has provided us with specific tools to help us deal with these situations.

• While this may seem like very little comfort when compared to XP's many shortcomings, these tips can often keep a bad day from getting a lot worse, if you know what I mean.
• Let's start by looking at some tips and utilities for dealing with XP issues before jumping into a XP reinstall.
• Last known good config: Always the easiest to try first before settling for a reinstallation of Windows XP. Reboot the PC and tap F8 while you wait for boot options to be displayed for you. Once there, choose "Last known good configuration."
• System restore: In some cases, a reinstallation can be avoided by using system restore. If you are unable to get system restore to work from within safe mode, you can try to access it from within a command prompt. You do not need to leave safe mode to do this, just follow these instructions closely:

1. Reboot into safe mode with a command prompt.
2. Get to an administrator account so that you have the needed permissions to get things done.
3. At the command prompt, type: %systemroot%\system32 restore strui.exe
4. Follow the instructions to restore your PC to an earlier state of operation.
5. Recovery console: The XP recovery console can be a very useful utility when employed with care. There are a variety of situations where having access to it can be really handy. In fact, you need to get access to it before we go any further.
6. Reboot from the Windows XP CD. Once you arrive at the welcome screen, choose "R" for recovery.
7. You will be asked which Windows installation you wish to access. Choose the appropriate number.
8. Now a prompt for your administrator password will appear. Enter it and continue (if no password, press enter).
9. Now we are ready to roll up our sleeves and get to work. While at the console, you can type help for a list of available commands that are at your disposal. For example, you can repair a messed up boot sector by typing FIXBOOT and then typing enter afterward. If you are having difficulty booting up because of a messed up ntldr file, however, then you might need to replace it by typing:
10. COPY E:\i386\NTLDR C:(Keep in mind this is assuming that E: is the correct drive letter for your CD ROM drive). Once you have repaired what you have needed to from the recovery console, simply type EXIT at the prompt to leave and restart Windows.

When all else fails, sometimes reinstalling is the best medicine. Below, we will look at two very different methods to accomplish this.

Repair installation: Running a repair install of Windows XP can be a handy way of fixing the installation of XP without having to start totally over and deleting important data from your PC. To do this type of install, simply follow these instructions.

Boot from your XP installation CD.

1. At the welcome screen, choose enter.
2. Once at the license agreement, press F8.
3. At the next screen, choose to repair the selected Windows XP installation by pressing R.
4. The files will begin to install and then your PC will reboot. During the reboot you will be presented with option of booting from the CD again by pressing any key. Don't press anything. Allow it to finish the install without booting from the CD again.
5. Full reinstallation of Windows XP: If all else fails and you are ready to completely delete everything on your hard drive, then you are ready to do a full reinstallation.
6. You will be erasing everything, so make sure you already have a backup of any important data before you continue. Follow the instructions above 'til you arrive at step 4. At that point, choose to continue installing a fresh copy of XP on your system and NOT the repair option. Black Viper has a great walkthrough that will take you step by step through the nuances of setting up your partitions, formatting, etc.

Well, that should about cover how to deal with repairing and if need be, reinstalling Windows XP.

CONVERT CASSETTE TAPES TO CD!!!!!!!!!!

If you have an audio cassette tape that you'd like to transfer to a CD, it's easy to do with your PC and some standard inexpensive cables you can find at almost any electronics store. Read on for complete instructions.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED:
HARDWARE:"Cassette Deck ,Computer With Sufficient Harddisk (to store the .wav files) and RAM (to edit and process the files), CD Writer, Soundcard Interconnect cables for connection between the cassette deck and the soundcard, SOFTWARE"

Audio Recording Software
Noise Reduction Software or Plug-in (Optional)
CD Authoring Software
CONNECTIONS & PROCEDURES:

• Connect the LINE OUT of the Cassette deck to the LINE IN of the Computer Soundcard
• Select the soundcard as the prefered recording device (under control panel - multimedia icon)
• Ensure the LINE IN Fader on the audio mixer of the computer is not muted
• Launch the audio recording software
• Depending on the software used, activate and check all the settings to allow recording
• If possible, monitor the incoming signal from the cassette deck using the audio software to ensure the incoming signal is not clipping (Too Hot; Levels Too High)
• Set the appropriate levels for recording and rewind the cassette tape.
• Activate the recording on the computer and playback the cassette tape
• Once the material on the cassette tape has been recorded into the computer, save the material as .WAV format and edit the wave files accordingly.(Break them up and save them into the individual tracks; process the files with the noise reduction software; edit out the unwanted parts; etc.)
• When all editing have been completed, the number of .wav files should correspond to the number of songs on the cassette, unless some songs have been omitted.
• Next, close the audio recording software (Be sure to save all your work) and launch the CD authoring software.
• Select for audio CD writing and import the .wav files and arrange them according to the sequence required (Exact procedure of import would be dependent on the software used)
• Load in a blank CDR disc and write to the disc using disc-at-once mode and finalized as a CD-DA format (Exact procedure of writing would be dependent on the software used)the computer, audio recording software and noise reduction software, your editing skills, etc.

Chose a good CDR disc to ensure durability and intergity of the disc.

Try with different brands to see which works well with your CD writer and can playback on your CD Player.

Remember that the limit for a regular CDR is 74mins of audio or 650M byte of data.

If you use a 80mins CDR disc, make sure both the CD writer and CD authoring software supports it.

There are many software out there, some are specifically for recording or CD authoring while others are an all-in-one solution.

Pick one that is most suitable to your needs, applications and budget.

Ultimately, the quality of your end result will depend on several things such as the inital sonic quality of the cassette, the quality of the soundcard used, the power and flexibility of

WHAT CAUSED MY BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH(BSoD)!!!!!!!!!!!

The Blue Screen of Death is commonly displayed when the system is haulted to save the system from a major error or when it can not recover from a serious error. Here's a common picture of a BSoD

• Firstly, when your system crashes, by default it saves a file to your hard drive with quite a bit of information. Those files are called Dump Files and they are located in the C:\windows\minidump folder. The files are created using either of these two naming conventions:

1. Minixxxxxx-0x.dmp where xxxxxx is the date the system cashed and -0x corresponds to the number of times the system crashed that day. The higher the -0x number the more recent the crash.
2. Dumpxxxxxx-0x.dmp where xxxxxx is the date the system cashed and -0x corresponds to the number of times the system crashed that day. The higher the -0x number the more recent the crash.

Let's start decrypting the info found in the dump file.

• First, we need to download and install the Microsoft Debugging Tools from here: U WANT TO BE MICROSOFT DEBUGGING TOOLS : Post Your Mail ID to following this Link http://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=838102387059097317&postID=5696605637935079135
• After installing we open the Debugging Tools by going to the Start menu > Programs > Debugging Tools for Windows > windbg . When the Debugging Tools for Windows program opens click on File then Symbol file path. Put this in the text box: SRV*c:\websymbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols
• Now click the OK button. Now we open the dump file by clicking File then Open Crash Dump. We browse to the C:\windows\minidump folder and choose the dump file we would like to look at. When it's done loading you'll see the words "BUG CHECK ANALYSIS" in an * box.
• In the text box below (to the right of kd>) type in !analyze -v to get a word-for-word output of the error. Once it is completed look for the section the text right after "BUG CHECK ANALYSIS". There you will have some words with underscores in between each word. Sort of like IRQL_NOT_LESS_OR EQUAL. That will help you find a solution to your problem. Also, scroll to the section IMAGE NAME: . The words after that will tell you what file caused the error.

RECOVER DELETED FILES!!!!!!!!!!!

Have you deleted a file that you need and now you don't know how to get it back? Using a simple, free program, you can recover those deleted files!

• The first step is to make absolutely sure that it has been deleted. Open your Windows Recycle Bin and double-check. Is it in there? If so, simply right-click on the file and choose Restore.
• If you have emptied your recycle bin since deleting the file or folder you need, you still have an option, though. Restoration is a free utility that can search your computer for deleted files. Recovering them is a snap. And you don't even have to install the program - it can run from anywhere, including thumbdrives or CD-ROMs.

U WANT TO BE DOWNLOAD THE RECOVER DELETED S/W: Post Your Mail ID to following this Link http://www.blogger.com/email-post.g?blogID=838102387059097317&postID=215922876132193471

• After you have downloaded the file, double-click the icon and it will extract itself into a folder. Open the folder (it will probably be called something like REST.Zip) and double-click the icon that says Restoration. You should see a screen similar to this one:
• Now, you can click the Search Deleted Files button, and it will display every file on your PC that was deleted and might be recoverable.
• Note: Files removed from your recycle bin MAY NOT have the same name as when you deleted it. For instance, if I delete the file "Firefox Setup.exe", it may appear in Restoration as "DC411.exe". The trick is to look for files that are in a folder called C:\RECYCLER\ or something similar in the Restoration screen.
• The best way to find a file by far is to sort by deletion date. If you know that you deleted the file today, it can go a LONG way towards finding the correct file to restore.
• Once you find the file, just click on the Restore by Copying button, and you will be prompted to save the file somewhere. It's always a good idea to save the file to a different drive than the one you are recovering it from
• We hope this helps you recover your deleted files!

MY COMPUTER IS SLOWING DOWN,"WHAT CAN I DO"!!!!!!!!!

This question comes up on a regular basis in our forums. The information given here is focused on the XP operating system, but some of it applies to other Windows systems as well. Here are some basic steps to follow:

Ideally, you should have 512MB RAM. If you don't, but bring it up to 512 (more if you can afford it and your PC will accept it, like 1 gig ) you'll see a marked increase in speed. Other than the following tips, this is the cheapest and most efficient way to increase speed.

• How much free space do you have on your hard drive? Between 15% and 20% is ideal. XP and the other programs you have, not only require RAM memory to work, but also use your Hard Drive (Virtual Memory, which allows a computer program to behave as though the computer's memory is larger than the actual physical RAM. The excess is stored on hard disk and copied to RAM as needed.) Many large or data intensive programs and games these days require a lot of memory to operate seamlessly (no stalls or freezing).
• One thing you can do to save space is go to Control Panel >System >System Restore Tab >make sure the box 'turn off System Restore on all drives' is NOT checked >move the slide bar to 4% to 6%, (this will give you more than enough restore points and free up 6% to 8% of your HD. (That's 6 to 8 gigs on a 100 gig drive) >OK.
• Another thing you can do is clean up your personal files and to save the important ones to disk/CD, delete the garbage files and only keep the important current files. Also, uninstall programs you are no longer using (either use the program's uninstall process or the Add/Remove Programs in the Control Panel). Remember, you're aiming for 15% to 20% free HD space.
• If you need all the programs and data files, think about installing a slave hard drive and saving your files to that .. programs too (other than operating system).
• In Internet Explorer go to - Tools >Internet Options >General Tab >Delete Files while there, Delete Cookies also. Note: This does not delete your Favorites, but login information to your favorite sites will be deleted. If you don't have a printed list of login names and passwords, now is a good time to make one before deleting cookies. (For security purposes, you should never keep your passwords on your PC). However, a program such as Webroots 'Window Washer' will do all this for you while protecting the login information from being deleted. If you are using other browsers, ask in a post for instructions.
• Have you run chkdisk? This will check your C: drive (or which ever drive you have your operating system on) for errors, and repair any damaged or changed Windows files. You do this by going to Start > My Computer > right click C: drive >Properties >Tool >under Error Checking >Check Now > check both boxes >Start. It may say that chkdsk will run when you next reboot .. Reboot/restart now and let chkdsk do its thing. Note, if you have tweaked the registry to change some of the windows features, they will return to their default settings.
• Defragment your Hard Drive. As time goes on, the information on your Hard Drive becomes displaced and scattered. Your HD has to work harder finding this data and putting it together when you need it. Defragmenting pulls the data all together, making retrieval faster and working the HD less. To defragment go to Start >Programs >Accessories >System Tools >Disk Defragment. (You can also defragment from the same window as you used when you checkdisked). You should try to do this a least once a month, more if you're a heavy user. If you haven't done this at all or for quite some time, this process can take awhile to complete. Let this be the last thing you do at night or if your not going to need the computer for an extended period. Regular defraging will not take so long in the future. Defraging is best done in 'Safe Mode', this way there are minimal programs working in the background which slow down the process.
• Have only one anti virus program running. More than one running can cause conflicts and slow you down.
• Before doing any of the following steps, make sure System Restore is turned on (it should be if you have adjusted the setting to 4% to 6% above) you create a new Restore Point. Start > Help & Support > select 'undo changes to your computer with System Restore >click the radio button 'Create a Restore Point' >Next >type in a name that you'll remember should you need to restore .. something like Good Restore Point .. >Create ..a restore point will now be created and you can go on to the next steps.
• Other areas that can cause slowdowns are the programs that run in the background. There are 2 built in utilities in XP that manage these. The first is msconfig .. go to Start >Run >type in msconfig >OK >Startup tab. Here you will see a listing of programs, the ones with a check mark in the box are running the second you turn on your computer. Most software companies feel that their program is so important, that you'll want it available in a split second. Most of these programs are taking up valuable RAM memory and slowing down the bootup process as well as your programs in general. With the exception of security software and a few others, most do not need to be running. You can uncheck the boxes of the ones you want stopped and click Apply >OK. It will then ask if you want to restart your computer for the changes to take effect >select to restart. When Windows starts up again, a configuration window will open. Just click the box saying not to show this notice again >OK. Your done. Should you want easy access to a particular program, you either go to Start >All Programs, or create a shortcut on your desktop (this does not take up memory). Note: by stopping the program from running, you are not deleting it, nor are you stopping access to it. You can always go back in and check the box again. If you have any questions on these startup programs. Feel free to ask the advice of our members in your post.
• The other utility is Services. You can open this utility by either Start >Run > type in services.msc >OK or by going to Control Panel >Administrative Tools >Services. Here you can have various services selected to be in automatic (running), manual (only runs when you activate the program) or disabled (not running and not available to be run manually). If you are knowledgeable in what these services do, change the settings by double clicking the line and changing the drop-down to the desired action. If you are not sure ... DO NOT CHANGE!! You can really mess things up. Again, if you have any questions about the various services ask our members in the Q&A forum.
• Another area to cleanup is the Registry. As programs are opened and shut, added and removed and settings are changed, registry keys are created. These keys tell Windows what to do. When you uninstall a program for example, registry keys are deleted, but not all. After awhile, your Registry will contain keys that no longer do anything .. they just sit there and start to take up space. There are third party Registry cleaners that will cleanup and dump these keys. One such cleaner is CCleaner (aka Crap Cleaner), it's a free program, the link can be found on our recommended software page. As mentioned above in cookie cleaning, this little utility will also clean up cookies and has an option to leave the cookies you don't want deleted.
• Here's a brief description on its use, after downloading and installing Ccleaner:
• Go to Start > programs > Ccleaner >Make sure the "windows" tab is selected >Under "internet explorer" tick the following boxes ...Temporary internet files - Cookies - History - Recently typed URL's (leave this unticked if you DON'T want to clear the drop down list in the address window of IE) and Delete index.dat files.
• Next under "Windows explorer" > All boxes ticked except 'Other explorer MRU's' (leave this unticked if you DON'T want to clear lists such as the start un list)
• Under "System" - Empty recycle bin - Temporary files - Memory Dumps - Chkdsk File Fragments - Old Prefetch data
• If there are any cookies you want to keep (if you remove the cookie for a site you require a password for, you will need to re-enter your password when you next visit that site) ... click options > cookies > then keep the cookies you want. You may of course check any or all boxes as you wish, but these are the main ones we suggest.
• Click the Analyze button and Ccleaner will scan the Registry for the 'orphaned' keys. When it's finished, click the Run Cleaner. You will get a popup window stating that 'The process will permanently delete files from your system' click OK . A message in the upper window will now state the 'Cleaning is Complete' , you may now shut down the program. It is suggested to do this about once a week or when doing your general maintenance with the other cleanup steps.
• Finally, the key to having a smooth running computer is having a good maintenance routine and to be protected with a firewall, anti virus and anti spam programs. We have articles on these subjects and have a recommended utility programs page (free and retail), so please check this out. You can get to all of these articles and utility programs from the Home page.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

7 STEPS FOR PREVENTING LAPTOP THEFT!!!!!!!!!

1. Never carry your laptop in an obvious laptop bag or carrying case. These are immediate flags for would be thieves. Small padded cases that fit just the laptop are available at most luggage stores. This allows you to carry the laptop safely in a hard or soft side briefcase.

2. Never leave your laptop unattended, even for a moment. Many thieves work in groups; one will distract you while the other carefully removes your laptop in its case.
3. Purchase Insurance coverage for your laptop. If it is company property, be certain under what conditions a theft is covered. If the laptop is your property, check with your insurance agent and determine if it is covered under your homeowners or renters insurance. Also what theft situations are covered, such as on business or pleasure travel. If coverage is not provided, obtain additional coverage as a rider to your policy.
4. Utilize a laptop security cable. We get numerous reports of laptop theft when the owner leaves his or her office or cubicle for just a moment to go down the hall or to get a drink of water. Another time to be cautious is during meetings, laptops are used, a quick break is called and when everyone returns, some of the laptops are missing. Remember thieves have better access than you might think and are very quick.
5. Be certain to back up all important data daily. Remember the hardest thing to replace when a laptop is stolen is the lost data.
6. Encrypt the most important data. The most valuable part of a stolen laptop is the data. Many groups have cash bounties out for particular information that can be resold for identity theft or competitive use.
7. Protect the data and access of the computer with strong password and or a hardware key device. Hardware key products include fingerprint identification devices or other access control devices that plug into the USB port.

Some Things to THINK about:
We can all learn to be more attentive to the people and our surroundings, so that we can protect our property and our lives.

1. Always be aware of your surroundings and the people in them.
2. Realize that you are the prospective PREY or VICTIM.
3. Always keep your belongings in your sight and preferably in direct contact with your body or a tether device.
4. Be suspicious of unusual activity and keep your property closer to you until this activity is over and any threat has diminished.
5. The use of laptop security cables to lock down your property or lock it together will significantly reduce the risk of theft.
6. Put a label or tape your business card to the top of your laptop. Too many business travelers are using the same brand and model of laptops leading to confusion and in some cases the picking up of someone else’s laptop when going through security. The business card or label provides identification quickly when retrieving your laptop or trying to prove ownership in a mix up or attempted theft.

REMOVING VIRUS FROM THE SYSTEM VOLUME INFORMATION FOLDER!!!!!!!!!!

Quite often Anti Virus scanners locate a virus, quarantine it then you find that the next day it's back again. What has happened is that Windows has included the virus into a System Restore Point when it creates one. The folder that contains the restore point information is the "System Volume Information" folder which is a protected folder.
"You may not even be able to see the folder at all"

There are two methods of ridding yourself of the virus if the scanner is incapable. Both require you to be logged on as an administrator.

First Method:

The first method is to remove all the restore points. Unless you are 100% sure you will never need to restore to a previous point then by all means do it.

1. Right Click My Computer, choose Properties then Click on the System Restore Tab. Place a check mark alongside "Turn Off System Restore On All Drives" Click Ok and close the Dialog Boxes.

2. Run your Anti Virus scanner again to make sure the virus is gone. You can choose to perform the task only in the folder where the virus was detected. In this case the System Volume Information folder.

3. Once you are happy return to System Restore Tab and uncheck the mark.While you are there highlight the drive or drives, click Settings and slide the slider to the left to around 2%. This will release a significant amount of hard drive space. Windows' default setting is to reserve 12% and on a 150 gig drive that can total 18 gigabytes. 2% will still give you enough room for an ample number of restore points. Click OK and close the dialog boxes.

4. Next, create a new Restore Point. Click Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Restore Points. Create a new one and give it any name you want.

Second Method:

• The second method allows you to save your restore points but remove the virus.
• This method requires playing around with system files so if you are not comfortable doing that, then use the method above.
• First, note the location where the Virus Scanner located the virus. Often you will find this information in the scanner's log file. In this case the location will be a series of numbers. (it will look like BB33ED9C-9125-42AF-92C0-EA614B1F488E:RP45:A01197455)

1. Click On My Computer and choose Tools then Folder Options then click on the View tab. Scroll down till you see Hidden Files and Folders and check the "Show Hidden Files and Folders". Now scroll down to "Hide Protected Operating System Files" and uncheck it then down to "Use Simple File Sharing Sharing" and uncheck it as well.Close the dialog box.

2. Now navigate to the System Volume Information folder, right click on it and choose Properties then Click on the "Security" Tab . Click ADD and add the name of the user that is currently logged on. An incorrect name will not be accepted. Check all the boxes on the left column. Click OK and Ok again.

3. You can now open the System Volume Information folder.

4. Locate the number (it will look like _restore{BB33ED9C-9125-42AF-92C0-EA614B1F488E}) and open the folder. Look for the second part of the number (it will begin with RP). Open it, then look for the last part of the number your anti virus scanner showed (it will look like A01197455.ini_ ) and delete it.

5. Close down everything then reverse the above steps in order from step 4 to step 1.

LAPTOP CARE!!!!!!!

Laptops should be transported in their protective carrying cases at all times.

• Laptops should be protected from temperature extremes, precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, and ice) and dampness.
• Staff members should refrain from placing drinks or food near laptops and in places where spills could cause damage to the laptop.
• Staff members should note that insurance coverage has been purchased for the office’s laptops. However, the coverage provides only reduced, or no coverage in the following instances:
• Theft,vandalism, or pilferage of a laptop left in an unattended automobile;
• Disappearance of a laptop (i.e., a laptop turns up missing during the performance of a physical inventory, or vanishes without any signs of a break in);
• Damage caused by insects, vermin, corrosion, rust, dampness, dryness, freezing or extremes of temperature;
• Damage caused by exposure to rain, snow, sleet, or ice; and Damage caused by rough handling
• The laptops are provided with all the necessary software. Do not download any software to the laptop, or install any software to the laptop without the approval of the Network Administrator. Laptop Security, In the Office
• Laptops should be secured when not in use and overnight. Doors to offices with laptops should be locked over the lunch hours.
• A designated staff person will be responsible for the safeguarding of, and accountability for, any laptops not assigned to a particular staff member.

HOW TO MAKE THE INTERNET SAFE FOR YOUR KID'S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The tragedy at Columbine brought a lot of attention to the Internet and to violent video games. Unfortunately, news reporters knew nothing about either subject, and so were delivering the same basic story: the Internet is bad, video games are bad. But they didn't understand that the Internet can be very safe, with the proper precautions and supervision.

The Internet is NOT television. The Internet is more like a city street; there are many shady people that would love to take your child's money, or worse. Many children are trusting of strangers, and children are always influenced by new ideas -- how can you police their interactions so you make sure that they're not conversing with a maniac?

In this article you'll find out:If the Internet is safe for kids How to protect your child from shady characters How to block them from visiting inappropriate sites The skinny on violence on the Internet and in video games How Do I Know?

• Much of my teen years were spent in front of a computer -- even in the days before the Internet, a teenager could use a PC and modem to access all kinds of information. Remember the movie "WarGames"? Well, I wasn't that bad, but I was amazed at what a kid could see and do, all without regard for age. Fortunately, my parents had instilled some taste and common sense into my brain, so I managed to avoid the truly tasteless things I suddenly had free access to.


• The same went for video games. Frankly, I enjoy violent video games -- some of them are quite fun. However, these graphically violent games did not exist when I was younger. The early Atari and Nintendo games I played were wholesome fun.


• If my experiences have taught me anything, it is that a child with a computer can have virtually limitless access to all kinds of vulgar material, whether it be violent or pornographic. But this same child also has access to a wealth of information to advance their intelligence, and after all, that knowledge has helped me to a successful career and also to start this web site.

Online Dangers:PornographyOn search engines like Yahoo and Altavista, the top five words most commonly searched for are pornographic in nature. That statistic alone shows you how much pornographic material is open to the public, even minors. There are literally hundreds of thousands of web sites that are devoted to pornography.

There are laws that require these sites to determine if the viewer is over 18 years of age, so the law-abiding sites will require a credit card check. However, many pornographic sites are hosted outside of the United States, thus avoiding the law and providing extremely graphic material to anyone who ventures to their web page. Even worse, some sites use trickery to induce new members to their pornography pages: a child who mistakenly enters http://www.whitehouse.com/ instead of the real address, http://www.whitehouse.gov/, will get an eyeful of XXX-rated material.

Hate Sites:Nazis, the KKK, Black Supremacists: they're all on the Internet, and they would love to recruit your child as a new member. The Internet is an excellent forum for disgruntled people to voice their views without debate -- they just put up a web page. You need to make sure your kids aren't unduly influenced by these monsters.

Use Blocking and Filtering Software:There is software you can buy that will help you protect your children. One type is Web-blocking software, which works with your current web browser to block out sites that are deemed inappropriate for children. The list of inappropriate sites is updated constantly by the software company, so there is minimal effort that needs to be put in by the parent. However, this is no substitute for surfing the Internet WITH your child.

Filtering software works with your e-mail software to filter out any messages from "unauthorized" people. For instance, you can authorize family and friends to send e-mail to your child, and anyone else who tries will get their e-mail bounced back to them.

HOW FAST IS MY INTERNET CONNECTION SPEED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When you buy an Internet connection, they will usually tell you how fast you are supposed to be connecting. But how can you be sure you are getting the bandwidth you paid for? A 56K modem connection is rarely, if ever over 48K. A 2Mbps cable modem connection may be much slower than that in real-time. And when you get into faster cable, DSL, or fiber-optic connections, real world speeds will differ from you buy. So how can you test the speed of your Internet connection?

• There are lots of web sites out there that will test your Internet connection. Your best bet is to try several, because if you have a very fast connection, your results may vary by how far the web site's server is from your home/Internet provider.


• An important thing to keep in mind is that bandwidth is measured in kilobits per second (kbps) - one bit is simply a binary 0 or 1, so transferring one kilobit means that you transferred 1000 0s or 1s. One megabit per second (Mbps) means roughtly 1,000,000 0s or 1s transferred every second.


• However, when you normally think of the size of files, you are not thinking in terms of kilobits or megabits - you think in terms of kilobytes (KB) or megabytes (MB). Since it takes 8 bits to make up a byte, you should divide the speed of your connection in bits per second by 8 to get a real-world idea of how long it would take to transfer a file.


• An example: I have a 1 Mbps internet connection. I have a 10 megabyte file that I would like to download. Will it take 10 seconds? No. Because of the difference between bits and bytes, it will take longer. A 10 megabyte file is actually comprised of roughtly 80 megabits. So, with a 1 megabit-per-second connection, it should take roughly 80 seconds to transfer the file.

WHOM TO MARRY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Never marry a Testing girl since she always doubts U.

Never marry a DATABASE girl since she always wants her husband to be a UNIQUE key.

Never marry a C girl because she always have a tendency to BREAK the things and EXIT from house.

Never marry a C++ girl as u may encounter some problems in INHERITANCE.

Never marry a JAVA girl since she always throws EXCEPTIONS.

Never marry a VB girl since she has divorce FORM with her always.

Never marry a UNIX girl ,she always dump u with a core.

Never marry a PASCAL girl ,she always scolds u as rascal.

Never marry a COBOL girl since she may be very good in DIVISION of families.

Never marry a NETWORK girl since she may be very good in shooting troubles .

Better marry a girl not belonging to SOFTWARE FAMILY

BYPASS WINDOWS FILE PROTECTION IN WINDOWS XP!......

There are two different Solutions,depending on whether you have SP2 installed or not.

If you don’t have SP2 installed :

Locate the file sfc_os.dll,which should be in your system32 folder. Copy it and name it sfc- os.bak. Open this file using a hex editor such us XV132, which is an excellent freeware. This is an extremely simple edit and does not require an editor with advanced features. All you need to do is change to values.

The location of these values will vary depending on whether you’re using windows XP with out a service pack or windows XP with SP1, but the actual hex values to change well be the same.

For windows XP with no service pack installed, go to offset 0000E2B8 (E2B8 hex). For windows XP with SP1, go to offset 0000E3BB (E3BB hex). At those offsets, change the hex value 8BC6 to 9090.

Note: Depending on your hex editor, you may see the value separated by a space, as an “8B C6”.

If you can’t find the values, do not proceed. It could be that your version of XP is different. The edit as described here only applies to English retail versions of windows XP.

If you have SP2 installed :

Disabling system file protection in XP prior toSP2 involved editing the sfc-os.dll file , but the version of sfc-os.dll that comes with SP2 is different, and you cannot disable file protection with it. With SP2, you need to use the previous version of the sfc-os.dll file, which is 5.1.2600.1106 (the one with SP2 is 5.1.2600.2180).

Open sfc.os.dll with a hex editor and go to offset 0xECE9. The values to change are 33 CO 40. Change these to 90 90 90. Save your changes. Rename the file with a bak extension (sfc-oc.bak).

The original exists in to locations: the \windows\system 32 folder, and the \windows\system 32 \dllcache folders. Place a copy of sfc-oc.bak in both these folders. Then in the dllcache folder look for cmd.exe, double-click it, and enter this command:

Copy SFC-OS.BAK SFC-OS.DILL/Y
Next, go to your system 32 folder and do the same thing. Look for cmd.exe, double click it, and enter exactly the same command.

Points to remember :

• If you have a problem over writing the files, you can do the copying with in the recovery console, or you can try safe mode.
• The dllcache folder is a hidden folder.
• It is important to copy the file to your dllcache folder first.
• If you’re prompted to pop in your windows CD, clicks cancel.

Once the files have been copied, shut down your computer and restart it. The final step is to disable system file protection in the registry. Go to HKEY-LOCAL-MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft \windows NT\Current version\win logon. In the right-hand pane, if it doesn’t exist, create a new DWORD value named SFCD is able. Double-click it and enter “FFFFFF9D”. Exit the registry editor and reboot. You’re done.

THE TECHNOLOGICALLY CHALLENGED!...

Just in case you think YOU are TC (Technologically challenged),
there'sstill hope:
1. Compaq is considering changing the command "Press Any Key" to "Press Return Key" because of the flood of calls asking where the "Any" key is.
2. AST technical support had a caller complaining that her mouse was hard to control with the dust cover on. The cover turned out to be the plastic bag the mouse was packaged in.
3. Another Compaq technician received a call from a man complaining that the system wouldn't read word processing files from his old (5-1/4") diskettes. After troubleshooting for magnets and heat failed to diagnose the problem, it was found that the customer had labeled the diskettes, then rolled them into the typewriter to type the labels.
4. Another AST customer was asked to send a copy of her defective diskettes. A few days later a letter arrived from the customer along with photocopies of the floppies.
5. A Dell technician advised his customer to put his troubled floppy back in the drive and close the door. The customer asked the tech to hold on, and was heard putting the phone down, getting up and going across the room to close the door.
6. Another Dell customer called to say he couldn't get his computer to fax anything. After 40 minutes of troubleshooting, the technician discovered the man was trying to fax a piece of paper by holding it in front of the monitor screen and hitting the "send" key.
7. Yet another Dell customer called to complain that his keyboard no longer worked. He had cleaned it by filling up his tub with soap and water and soaking the keyboard for a day, then removing all the keys and washing them individually.
8. A Dell technician received a call from a customer who was enraged because his computer had told him he was "bad and an invalid".The tech explained that the computer's "bad command" and "invalid" responses shouldn't be taken personally.
9. A confused caller to IBM was having troubles printing documents. He told the technician that the computer had said it "couldn't find printer."The user had even tried turning the computer screen to face the printer - but his computer still couldn't "see" the printer.
10.An exasperated caller to Dell Computer Tech Support couldn't get her new Dell Computer to turn on. After ensuring the computer was plugged in, the technician asked her what happened when she pushed the power button. Her response, "I pushed and pushed on this foot pedal and nothing happened." The "foot pedal" turned out to be the mouse!
11.Another customer called Compaq tech support to say her brand-new computer wouldn't work. She said she unpacked the unit, plugged it in and sat there for 20 minutes waiting for something to happen. When asked what happened when she pressed the power switch, she asked "What power switch?"

12.True story from a Novell NetWire SysOp:
Caller: "Hello, is this Tech Support?"
Tech: "Yes, it is. How may I help you?"
Caller: "The cup holder on my PC is broken and I am within my warranty period. How do I go about getting that fixed?"
Tech: "I'm sorry, but did you say a cup holder?"
Caller: "Yes, it's attached to the front of my computer."
Tech: "Please excuse me if I seem a bit stumped, it's because I am. Did you receive this as part of a promotion, at a trade show? How did you get this cup holder? Does it have any trademark on it?"
Caller: "It came with my computer, I don't know anything about a promotion. It just has '4X' on it." At this point the Tech Rep had to mute the caller, because he couldn't stand it. He was laughing too hard. The caller had been using the load drawer of the CD-ROM drive as a cup holder, and snapped it off the drive.
13.Another IBM customer had troubles installing software and rang for support. "I put in the first disk, and that was OK. It said to put in the second disk, and I had some problems with the disk, but I squeezed it in. When it said to put in the third disk - I couldn't even fit it in..." The user hadn't realized that "Insert Disk 2" meant to remove Disk 1 first.

GOD AND THE COMPUTER!...

God and the Computer

In the beginning there was the computer.And God typed:

%>Let there be light!

#Please login.

%>login God

#Password?.

%>Omniscient

#Password incorrect. Try again.

%>Omnipotent

#Password incorrect. Try again.

%>Technocrat

#And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Sunday, March 1.

%>Let there be light!

#Unrecognizable command. Try again.

%>Create light

#Done

%>Run heaven_and_earth

#And God created Day and Night. And God saw there were 0 errors.

#And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Sunday, March 1.

#And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Monday, March 2.

%>Let there be firmament in the midst of waters dividing the waters

which are under and above the firmament

#Unrecognizable command. Try again.

%>Create firmament

#Done.

%>Run firmament

#And God created the heaven. And God saw there were 0 errors.

#And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Monday, March 2.

#And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Tuesday, March 3.

%>Let the waters under heaven be gathered together unto one place

and let the dry land appear and

#Too many characters in specification string. Try again.

%>Create dry_land

#Done.

%>Run dry_land

#And God created the Earth & Seas. God saw there were 0 errors.

#And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Tuesday, March 3.

#And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Wednesday, March 4.

%>Create lights in the firmament to divide the day from the night

#Unspecified type. Try again.

%>Create sun_moon_stars

#Done

%>Run sun_moon_stars

#And God created the sun moon and stars. And God saw there were 0

errors.

#And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Wednesday, March 4.

#And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Thursday, March 5.

%>Create fish

#Done

%>Create fowl

#Done

%>Run fish, fowl

#And God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that creepeth wherewith the waters swarmed after its kind and every winged fowl after its kind.

#And God saw there were 0 errors.

#And God logged off at 12:02:00 AM, Thursday, March 5.

#And God logged on at 12:01:00 AM, Friday, March 6.

%>Create cattle

#Done

%>Create creepy_things

#Done

%>Now let us make man in our image

#Unspecified type. Try again.

%>Create man

#Done

%>Be fruitful and multiply and replenish the earth and subdue it and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air and over every living thing that creepeth upon the earth.

#Too many command operands. Try again.

%>Run multiplication

#Execution terminated. 6 errors.

%>Insert breath

#Done

%>Run multiplication

#Execution terminated. 5 errors.

%>Move man to Garden of Eden

#File Garden of Eden does not exist.

%>Create Garden.edn

#Done

%>Move man to Garden.edn

#Done

%>Run multiplication

#Execution terminated. 4 errors.

%>Copy woman from man

#Done

%>Run multiplication

#Execution terminated. 2 errors.

%>Create desire

#Done

%>Run multiplication

#And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn

#Warning: No time limit on this run. 1 errors.

%>Create freewill

#Done

%>Run freewill

#And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn

#Warning: No time limit on this run of multiplication. 1 errors.

%>Undo desire

#Desire cannot be undone once freewill is created.

%>Destroy freewill

#Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed.

#Enter replacement, cancel, or ask for help.

%>Help

#Desire cannot be undone once freewill is created.

#Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed.

#Enter replacement, cancel, or ask for help.

%>Create tree_of_knowledge

#And God saw man and woman being fruitful and multiplying in Garden.edn

#Warning: No time limit on this run of multiplication. 1 errors.

%>Create good, evil

#Done

%>Activate evil

#And God saw he had created shame.

#Warning system error in sector E95. Man and woman not in Garden.edn. 1 errors.

%>Scan Garden.edn for man, woman

#Search failed.

%>Delete shame

#Shame cannot be deleted once evil has been activated.

%>Destroy freewill

#Freewill is an inaccessible file and cannot be destroyed.

#Enter replacement, cancel, or ask for help.

%>Stop

#Unrecognizable command. Try again

%>Break

%>Break

%>Break

#ATTENTION ALL USERS *** ATTENTION ALL USERS: COMPUTER GOING DOWN FOR REGULAR DAY OF MAINTENANCE AND REST IN FIVE MINUTES.

PLEASE LOG OFF.

%>Create new world

#You have exceeded your allocated file space. You must destroy old files before new ones can be created.

%>Destroy earth

#Destroy earth: Are you sure you want to destroy earth? (Y or N)

%>Y

#COMPUTER DOWN *** COMPUTER DOWN. SERVICES WILL RESUME SUNDAY, #MARCH 8 AT 6:00 AM. YOU MUST SIGN OFF NOW.

#And God logged off at 11:59:59 PM, Friday, March 6.

#MARCH 8 AT 6:01 AM

#Please login.

%>login God

#ATTENTION ALL USERS *** ATTENTION ALL USERS: COMPUTER MALFUNCTION #USER FILE CORRUPTED * PLEASE SIGN IN AS NEW AGAIN

#SORRY FOR ANY INCONVENIENCE

%>NEW

#PLEASE ENTER A USER NAME TO BE USED ON THIS SYSTEM

%>God

#NAME ALREADY TAKEN * PLEASE CHOOSE ANOTHER NAME

%>who is God

#God = B.GATES * NO FURTHER INFORMATION AVAILABLE

#And NEW logged off

CONVERSATION BETWEEN BILL GATES AND LALOO OF BIHARI!...........

Conversation between Bill Gates and Laloo of Bihari
Gates: Namaskar! you must have heard of Windows. Laloo: Oh yes! most govt. offices we have the single window clearance concept.
Gates: At home have u installed Windows? Laloo: I have removed all windows due to increased burgalaries in our house.
Gates(Confused): Then what is the system you operate on?Laloo: OPERATION? Yes, I had a Hernia operation last month.
Gates(Sweating): Hope the internet is being used a lot in India. Laloo: Oh Yes! Due to increased mosquito problems many people are sleeping under the net.
Gates: By the year 2010 India should export computer chips. Laloo: We are already exporting Uncle Chips.
Gates(Feeling very Uneasy): do you regularly use LapTops? Laloo: My grand-child sleeps on the top of my lap.
Gates(Heavily Sweating): The Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh knows a lot about RAM and ROM.Laloo: RUM? Prohibition is being lifted and it will be shortly available in A.P..
Gates(Feeling Dizzy): I would like to take your leave before my system crashes.Laloo: I have exhausted all my leave.
Gates: I have no energy left, let us go out and have a bite.Laloo: BITE? I believe in non-violence. I will not bite.
Gates: (System Crashes and Found Missing). "Windows is restarting. Please wait............."

SOFTWARE ENGINEER HUSBAND!....

Husband - hey dear, I am logged in.
Wife - would you like to have some snacks?Husband - hard disk full.
Wife - have you brought the saree.Husband - Bad command or file name.
Wife - but I told you about it in morningHusband - erroneous syntax, abort, retry, cancel.
Wife - hae bhagwan !forget it where's your salary.Husband - file in use, read only, try after some time.
Wife - at least give me your credit card,i can do some shopping.Husband - sharing violation, access denied.
Wife - i made a mistake in marrying you.Husband - data type mismatch.
Wife - you are useless.Husband - by default.
Wife - who was there with you in the car this morning?Husband - system unstable press ctrl, alt, del toReboot.
Wife - what is the relation between you & yourReceptionist?Husband - the only user with write permission.
Wife - what is my value in your life?Husband - unknown virus detected.
Wife - do you love me or your computer?Husband - Too many parameters.
Wife - i will go to my dad’s house.Husband - program performed illegal operation, it willClose.
Wife - I will leave you forever.Husband - close all programs and log out for another User.
Wife - it is worthless talking to you.Husband - shut down the computer.
Wife - I am goingHusband - Its now safe to turn off your computer.

MICROSOFT'S SLOGAN!........

Windows XP
After first seeing Microsoft's slogan for its New Windows XP operating system, "it just works," I couldn't help wondering: what were the slogans for all the previous releases? After thinking about it for a while, they became obvious.

Windows 1.0: Good joke, eh?

Windows 2.0: Still funny, isn't it?

Windows 286: Yeah, we're still kidding.

Windows 386: Going boldly where Desqview has been for years.

Windows 3.0: It's finally worth buying!

Windows 3.1: It's finally worth using!

Windows 95: Going boldly where the Mac has been for years.

Windows 98: More usable! Less stable!

Windows 98SE: More stable! Less usable!

Windows ME: Less usable AND less stable!

NT 1.0: Give me more hardware!

NOW!!!NT 2.0: Dammit, I said MORE HARDWARE!!!

NOW!!!!NT 3.0: Which part of "more hardware" do you not understand?

NT 3.5: With enough hardware, I'd work. Honest.

NT 4.0: Does less than Win98 with twice the hardware at one-half the speed.

Windows 2K: Works almost as well as Windows 98! Honest!

Windows XP: It just works.

MAKING WINDOWS XP FASTER IN LOGIN TIME!..

Making Windows XP Start 60% Faster,...
Whenever you start your computer, you are faced with a few moments of thumb twiddling while Windows XP boots and prompts you to log on. Although you should expect to wait for a few moments, sometimes Windows XP seems to boot rather slowly. In fact, you may notice that over a period of time the PC that used to roar to life seems a bit sluggish instead. Fortunately, you can perform several techniques that help Windows XP get the boot up speed you want. This chapter explores how to put these techniques to work.

Stopping Unneeded Startup Services

Along with the core operating system and programs that Windows XP runs when it starts, there is also a host of services involved. Many of these services are necessary for Windows XP to operate correctly. However, many of them are for features in Windows XP that you may not use at all. You can peruse the services and disable any service that you do not want to run. The fewer services that run, the more quickly Windows XP will boot.

Caution:

Exercise caution when stopping services. If you do not know what a service does or are unsure of the ramifications of stopping the service, leave it alone. Some services are critical to Windows XP's operations, so make sure you understand what the service is before you disable it.
To reduce the number of services that start on boot up, you can access two different areas of Windows XP. The first is the System Configuration Utility. The Services tab shows you the services that start when the computer boots.
You can stop a service from starting by simply clearing the check box next to the service and clicking OK. However, before you do so, there is another way to disable services that you may prefer because the interface gives you more information about the service in question.
Open Control Panel/Administrative Tools Services or else select Start/Run, type services.msc, and click OK. Either way, you see the Services console.
I prefer to use the Services console instead of the System Configuration Utility because it describes what the service does. Additionally, you can double-click a service and examine its properties.
Notice the Startup Type column in Figure 4-2. This information lists whether the service is automatic or manual. Manual services are only started in Windows XP when you start a process that requires the service. Some other process may require the service that has a "dependency" relationship with it; in this case, the dependency service will start, as well. Because these services do not start automatically when you boot Windows XP, you do not need to do anything with manual services.
However, all services listed as automatic start when Windows XP boots. These are the services that increase boot time. As I have mentioned, many of them are necessary and important, so you should not stop automatic services from booting unless you are sure of the ramifications. You can get this information by looking at the Description column. Here's a quick look at common services you may want to live without:

Automatic Updates:

This service enables Windows XP to check the Web automatically for updates. If you don't want to use Automatic Updates, you can disable the service. You can always check for updates manually at the Windows Update Web site.

Computer Browser:

If your computer is not on a network, you don't need this service. If you are on a network, leave it alone.

DHCP Client:

If you are not on a network, you do not need this service. If you are on a small workgroup, you can still increase boot time by configuring manual IP addresses (which I explore later in this chapter).

DNS Client:

If you are not on a network, you do not need this service. If you are, leave it alone.

Error Reporting and Event Log: You don't have to use these services but they can be very helpful, so I would leave them configured as automatic.
Fax:

If you don't use your computer for fax services, you can disable this one.
Help and Support: If you never use the Windows XP Help and Support Center (found on the Start menu), you can disable this service.
IMAPI CD-Burning COM:

This service enables you to burn CDs on your computer. If you never burn CDs, you can disable the service.

Indexing Service:

Your computer keeps an index of files but if you rarely search for files, the service is just a resource hog. You can stop it and turn the service to manual.

Windows Firewall/Internet Connection Sharing: If you do not use these features, you can disable them.
Infrared Monitor:

If you do not use infrared devices, you can disable this service.
Messenger: This service sends alert messages on a local area network (it is not the same as Windows Messenger). If you are not on a network, you can disable this service.
Print Spooler:

If you do not do any printing from the computer, you can disable this service. If you print, make sure you leave it as automatic.
Remote Registry:

This service allows remote users to modify the Registry on your computer. If you are not on a network, you can disable this service.
System Restore Service:

This service allows you to use System Restore. If you have turned off System Restore anyway, you do not need to turn off the service. If you do, you turn off System Restore.
Themes:

If you do not use themes, you can disable this service.
Windows Image Acquisition:

If you do not use scanners or digital cameras, you can disable this service.

Wireless Zero Configuration:

If do not use wireless networking devices, you can disable this service.
You may have a number of other automatic services, depending on software and other configurations on your computer. So it's a good idea to look through the services and learn more about them. If you double-click a service, a Properties dialog box appears
Notice that on the General tab, you see a Startup Type drop-down menu. If you want to change an automatic service to manual, select Manual here and click OK. As a general rule, don't disable a service unless you are sure you will never use it. However, manual configuration allows the service to be started when you find it necessary, thus speeding up your boot time.
However, before you change a service to manual, look at the Dependencies tab (see Figure 4-4). This tab shows you which other services depend upon the service you are considering changing.
Keep in mind that services are necessary for the vast functionality you get with Windows XP. Change only those services that you understand and do not use. How you use your Windows XP computer should be the best guide in terms of optional startup services.

Tip:

The Indexing service and the System Restore service take up a lot of disk space and system resources across the board. You can live without the Indexing service but I suggest that you keep using System Restore. It works great when you are in a bind and this is one case where the loss of speed may not be worth the ramifications of not using System Restore.

Speed Tips and Tricks for Windows XP Startup:

Aside from startup programs, services, and the Prefetch folder, there are a number of other startup procedures and issues you can modify to help Windows XP start faster. The following sections explore those tips and tricks.

Manual IP Addressing on Small Office/Home Networks:

Windows XP is configured to help you take care of networking. It uses the TCP/IP protocol for networking in workgroups, or what you might call small office or home networks that do not use a dedicated server.

The problem is that automatic IP addressing can be slow. When your computer boots, it has to query the network to see what IP addresses are already in use and then assign itself one. If you want to speed up the boot time a bit, consider manually assigning IP addresses to all computers on the network. This way, the network computers do not have to worry about locating an automatic IP address. Because one is manually configured, the operating system doesn't have to spend time solving this problem.
This isn't a networking book, however, so I won't delve into the implications of using a manual IP address, but if you are using a computer that functions as a host computer to the Internet (using Internet Connection Sharing [ICS]), you can get into connectivity problems if you change the configuration of the IP address. However, you can still work around this problem by starting with the ICS host computer.
Select Start/Connect To/Show All Connections. Right-click your network adapter card and click Properties. On the General tab, select TCP/IP in the list of services and click the Properties button.
In the TCP/IP properties, you can see if you use an automatic or manual IP address. In the example in Figure 4-5, I have configured a manual IP address of 90.0.0.1 and a default subnet mask. The other computers on my office network each use a different IP address in the same class, such as 90.0.0.2, 90.0.0.3, 90.0.0.4, and so on. This way, each computer has a permanent IP address, which helps increase boot time. Note that if you change the IP addresses of your computers, they must all use the same subnet mask. A default subject mask of 255.255.255.0 will keep you in good shape.
Make sure you understand the implications of changing IP addresses on your network. If you have no networking experience at all, you may be wiser to leave the automatic IP addressing as is and try to gain some speed using the additional suggestions in this chapter.

Disabling Recent Documents History:

indows XP includes a feature that keeps track of all recent documents you have opened or used. The idea is that you can select Start/Recent Documents History and quickly reopen any document you have recently used. I use many documents each day and never use the feature myself. In my opinion, I can keep up with what I want to use without Windows XP doing it for me.
The bad thing about Recent Documents History is that Windows XP has to calculate what should be put there each time you boot Windows, which can slow things down. So, if you never use the Recent Documents History, it's a good idea to disable it.

Here's how:

1. Open the Registry Editor (select Start/Run, type regedit, and click OK).
2.Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Mcft\Windows\ CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer.
3. Create a NoRecentDocsHistory D_WORD key. Double-click the value to open it once it is created.
4. Set the Data Value to 1 to enable the restriction.5. Click OK and close the Registry Editor. You'll need to restart the computer for the change to take effect.