These 3 simple keys on your keyboard can be combined to do some pretty important things. When you press Ctrl+Alt+Delete you will notice that the Task Manager appears. Please keep in mind that this is only available on PC compatible computers. Using the Task Manager you can access open applications and close them, view all the current running processes, note the performance and networking of your computer, and see active users. The Task Manager also allows you to shut down or restart your computer without going through the Start Menu.

 

You can shut down your computer through the Task Manager by selecting the Shut Down Menu and clicking Turn Off or you can press Ctrl+Alt+Delete after the Task Manager is already open to restart the computer. This is good thing to know if you experience a completely frozen computer, where your mouse won’t even move. You can simply press Ctrl+Alt+Delete twice to restart your entire system. You can also access the restart option and other such commands from the Shut Down Menu in the Task Manager.

 

If you have one window or program that freezes the best thing to do if you are unable to close out of it is to use the Task Manager. Press Ctrl+Alt+Delete, and then under the Applications Tab select the frozen program and click End Task. The Task Manager usually knows which program is frozen and will say Not Responding in the Status column to the right of the frozen program(s).

 

Another neat thing you can do through the Task Manager is start a whole new application. To do this, go to the File Menu in Task Manager and select New Task. A window will pop up for you to type the program in that you would like to start up. You can also use the Browse Button in that small window to locate the program you wish to open. This is especially helpful if your Start Menu is not cooperating.

 

The Ctrl+Alt+Delete keys can get you out of many sticky situations. This 3-key combination, created by David Bradley of IBM PC, is widely known among computer experts and novices alike. Now that you know the common things about the Task Manager you can start using Ctrl+Alt+Delete to control your applications and such.

 

 

If you have upgraded your Windows XP computer to run with Windows Vista, as many Americans have, than you may notice that it is a bit slower. Or maybe you’ve noticed that it stalls at points. For example, you will be typing away and then you look up at the screen only to see that nothing appears right away. Another sign of a stalling computer is when the mouse freezes. You can wiggle it as much as you want but it doesn’t budge on the screen.

 

Generally, this is not an issue with Windows Vista itself. Although you may have heard otherwise, Windows Vista is a great system to have. Then again, so is Windows XP. It is a good idea to perform the installation of Windows Vista twice. This may sound weird but here’s the logic: the first installation is to get everything on there, the second is for a fresh and thorough install. You could also just run upgrades for a fresh install. Upgrades work wonders on Windows Vista when it comes to speed and reliability.

 

If you want to check for upgrades you can go to update.microsoft.com. Use the utility to scan for updates all throughout your Windows Vista system, including hardware and drivers. Restart after doing the updates and see how it helps

 

Please remember that if you purchased the computer with Windows XP on it than your computer will run better and faster with Windows XP than it will with Windows Vista simply because the computer was made for Windows XP.

 

Another thing that I have mentioned time and time again is to run an msconfig. Just go to the Start Menu and select Run. Type msconfig and press Enter. Go to the Startup Tab and get rid of anything you don’t need. You might be surprised at how much this can improve the speed during start up.

 

There are some pretty scary things that can happen to your computer. Most of these things that happen look scarier than they really are. One of these instances is when your computer screen turns completely blank and black in color. This commonly happens upon start-up right after the Windows logo appears. This is most likely NOT due to the computer monitor itself. You can check for that, though, by swapping the monitor and attempting to start up the Windows XP computer. If the same thing happens, than you have just proved that theory wrong.

 

If anything such as hardware or software has been recently installed, like right before this issue started happening, than you should uninstall that program through Safe Mode and then attempt to start the computer again. This issue can happen even if nothing has been recently installed. Also, a System Restore or booting up using the Last Known Good Configuration may not resolve the issue either.

 

 

Now on to the most likely causes of this issue. Try to boot up in Safe Mode by pressing F9 during start-up when you see the Windows logo screen. If you are successful in booting up in Safe Mode than it is probably because there is a problem related to the video drivers of your system. You can resolve the problem by changing to default of VGA or sVGA in your drivers using the Safe Mode start-up. Restart  your computer after doing so, not in Safe Mode, and see if your computer boots up properly. Another possible solution for the video drivers is to revert to a previous version. If you have used Windows Update to change drivers than that may have sparked the booting issue.

 

It is good to know that there are differences between Normal Mode and Safe Mode when using the Device Manager to view and/or edit video drivers.

 

Lastly, if you continue to experience the issue, you may have errors, Malware, spyware or viruses on your computer. These can be repaired and removed with many different options of softwares available on the web, including the one on this website.

 

Errors such as the ones described usually translate to issues developed in the Windows registry. Addressing registry errors such as these is not a simple operation. If you have ever had to dwell into the registry for anything, then you know what I am saying. Not to mention that altering information incorrectly in the registry can render your Windows operating system ioperable. The most efficient way to address any registry error would be to employ a program to do it for you.

 

The PC Registry Cleaner program will not only address errors in the Windows registry effectively, but as well is one of the few programs designed to run with Windows Vista.

 

Lets not forget the fact that every purchase comes with free support. Try it and see the results yourself. You can download the program using the following link.

 

http://www.maximumsoftware.com/downloads/PCRegistryCleanerV2.exe

 

 

 

 

If you have had a Windows XP system for quite some time, you probably have encountered the following error:

 

Your System Is Low On Virtual Memory

 

Sometimes your system can fix this issue on its own. If this is your case, you will see the following message:

 

Your system is low on virtual memory. Windows is increasing the size of your virtual memory paging file. During this process, memory requests for some applications may be denied.

 

The message above will usually appear right after your Windows XP system starts up. When you select OK on the above message, you might receive the 0xc0000017 error message. This states that an application was unable to start correctly. There are a couple other minor errors that can appear as a result of Windows attempting to increase the size of the virtual memory on your system.

 

If you have an Aventail Connect on your computer than that is one cause of the error with Low Virtual Memory. An easy fix? Remove Aventail Connect. To do this, start your computer in Safe Mode by pressing F8 during start-up and then select Safe Mode. You can get more support with Aventail Connect at

http://support.aventail.com. Instead of just removing the program you can add it to your SVCHOST.EXE file. This is more complicated, but might work better for you. If you are unsure on how to do this, contact Aventail Connect or Microsoft.

 

If you do not have Aventail Connect then your issue might be slightly more serious or complicated. You may need to add more RAM or enlarge the size of your paging file. If left untreated, the virtual memory may get so low that you are unable to download anything new, including programs, pictures, files and more. By default, Windows manages your virtual memory but you can manually change its size.

 

For more information about your Windows XP system requirements you can visit:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/home/evaluation/sysreqs.mspx

 

 

 

 

To know if your taskbar has disappeared, you must first know what a taskbar is. The taskbar is the horizontal bar across the bottom of your screen. The taskbar is where your open programs are displayed, along with your Start Menu and a few other items. Microsoft refers to the taskbar as your screen’s command center. If your taskbar disappears it may be impossible to open or find programs. Well, don’t worry, the taskbar isn’t gone forever, it is merely hiding. You may have, without knowing, made your taskbar so thin that you cannot see it. If this is the case, then you EASILY can click and drag the thin bar upwards to expand it.

 

If, on the other hand, you really don’t have a taskbar there than there are a few things you can do to bring it back. Your taskbar may be stuck behind a program window. Most program windows will go behind the taskbar but there are a few that will cover it. To check for this, minimize ALL program windows. If you have found your taskbar, congratulations! Now, you need to set your taskbar to always be on top. First, right-click the taskbar and select Properties. In the Taskbar and Start Menu dialog box check the following selections: Lock the Taskbar and Keep the Taskbar on Top of Other Windows. Then click OK and it should be ready to go.

 

Another easy fix, if you still don’t see your task bar, is to see if it has been moved. You can accidentally move the taskbar if it isn’t locked. Minimize all the program windows that you have open and look to the other sides of the screen. The taskbar can be docked along any side. If you have located the taskbar on the side you can simply click-and-drag it back to its original location and lock it as instructed above.

 

I hope this has helped you get your taskbar back!

 Have you cleaned your registry in a while. This is necessary. Your registry holds all information regarding updates, install, un-install etc. When you clean your registry it allows for more resources to be available for speed. 

Sometimes we can even overload our PC with so much software and that can even cause your PC to slow down at start up. Running a good Virus protection program is always a good idea. In addition to that a registry fix is always a good idea to use along with your anti-virus.  Try  www.pcregistrycleaner.com there is a free scan to see if you have any errors which errors are very common. You might consider adding this to your maintenance tools but don't over load. I have seen great results!  If you have any questions or need additional assistance on your utilizing this program the support is there to help you along the way. I found it to be a very simple install myself. Good Luck!

 

 

The MSCONFIG tool is something that some users already know how to do. I think every Windows user should learn how to perform this task as it can get you out of sticky situations. The MSCONFIG allows you to pick and choose what starts when you boot up your computer.

MSCONFIG stands for Microsoft System Configuration Utility. This tool if built in with all Windows systems, from Windows NT to Vista. The MSCONFIG was initially designed to help you repair issues on your computer. Over time, MSCONFIG has helped many users boot their computer faster and have fewer crashes. It is common sense that the more programs operating when you start your computer, the slower the computer will start. That is where MSCONFIG comes in. You, the user, can access MSCONFIG to determine which programs open upon startup. I bet that there are many applications running on your computer upon startup that you don’t even know are there! These hidden programs lurk in your system making it sluggish and more likely to have a system failure.

Going in to the MSCONFIG and eliminating some of these startup programs can drastically improve the speed and reliability of your computer. To access MSCONFIG from a Windows XP system you can go to the Start Menu and select Run. Then type in msconfig and press Enter. A dialog box will appear with a list of programs, select the Startup Tab. Uncheck each thing that you do NOT want running upon startup and click OK. You will then be prompted to restart your computer; click Restart and your computer will automatically do so.

 

If it turns out that you disabled something that  you did not intend to, you can always go back in and check the box so that it will start up when your computer boots. Your computer may give you the message that you are running on Selective Startup, just check Do Not Show This Message Again and click OK.

 

If you are running on Windows Vista you will need to do things a little bit different. Start off by clicking the Vista start icon that is on the bottom-left corner of your screen. This brings up the Run option so type in msconfig and press Enter. Alternatively, you can type in msconfig and double-click the msconfig option that the search finds above.

 

Vista will ask if you are sure you want to continue because you could possibly make changes that damage your system. A dialog box may appear asking you to log in as the Administrator on the account. After you continue, Vista should launch the MSCONFIG utility. Make sure you are on the Startup Tab to perform the task. You will then see a list of items that have the option of starting once your computer boots up. The items that are checked are the ones that are already operating once your computer starts. Windows Vista combines all Windows vital programs to Windows Services. It is highly recommended that you keep that item checked, along with your anti-virus programs. All other listings are completely optional and may be turned off.

MSCONFIG is a surprisingly useful tool that Windows provides each user. You can go through monthly, weekly or however often you like to make sure there is nothing running upon startup that you don’t want there.

 

 

If it sounds to good to be true…then you should know better by now. Many companies offer you a chance to make money from home by completing surveys. Some of these companies may be legit and you may actually get paid for completing surveys. However, most are scams and nothing more than a way to get information from you and eventually your money.

I signed up for one of these survey companies a while back and the first thing they wanted me to do was sign up for more survey companies. I spent about two hours signing up with all the different survey companies before I got back to the original company I started with (they don’t call it the web for nothing) Then, in order to complete the process, I had to sign up for a free credit report. No way was I going to give them my social security number as well as my birth date and any other information they would need to steel my identity.

So, I did some research on paid survey companies. Come to find out, what these companies want you to do is pay for a service, then complete a survey about the service you just paid for. The surveys are not posted anywhere and are not for any kind of marketing research. It is just a way to get your email address to sell to other companies and any other information they can gather to scam you. They often install tracking cookies and other spy ware on your computer. Often, the survey companies you sign up with will make a profit off the “Sale” they made by making you sign up and pay for the service you are supposedly filling out the survey for. Also, most of the companies you signed up with will not give you your money back when you purchase the product with the intent of getting a refund right away, it is considered fraud.

I am not saying that there may be some companies that will pay you, but 99% of them are just wanting your information. If something is suppose to be for free, then you will not have to pay for anything. If they truly want your opinion, they will give you the product for free and then get your opinion.

 

 

We are now living in a very connected world which then means a host of new services that increases all of our vulnerability to identity theft. It used to be over a check,  mailing your tax return, changing providers on your cell phone or whatever your case may be. Now our growing problem is on our computers. We often will sell our PC or companies will give away old PCs and never wipe out the hard drives leaving all kinds of emails, numbers and other data that only help in assisting the predator.  This appears to be a significant problem that is on the rise.  It is up to the consumer to stay connected, updated and knowledged on the cautions to take and things  you can do to your computer to help manifest the problem.

Certain precautions you can take  are using an anti-virus and spyware/adware scanners.  Firewalls are there to block intrusion with the exception of what you allow through.  The internet is a very useful tool for many reasons and by educating your self will allow you to enjoy the internet even more.  We can't fear away from the great tools the internet provides us we just need to understand the resources made available to the consumer in helping us protect against this problem. 

Many things can go wrong on your computer if you don’t update it. Microsoft is constantly working on upgrades for your version of Windows. Some issues can be easily resolved on your computer by doing a simple upgrade. Luckily, most of these upgrades are made free, available to any Windows user!

 

You can upgrade your computer by installing a service pack, updating your drivers, security updates and version upgrades. There are also other things you can do at Microsoft.com to upgrade your computer.

 

Upgrades are necessary for your computer. They keep it up-to-date and allow your computer to operate to the newest capabilities. For example, if you are trying to play a game on your computer that requires the latest version of Java you will need to install it, but if your computer is not up-to-date with other upgrades than Java may not be able to upgrade either.

 

There are some upgrades that are critical and need to be installed to keep the security running on your computer. These important, high-priority updates also improve the reliability of your computer. Keeping up with these upgrades will offer the latest protection against malicious online activities. The critical updates are a sure way to repair common issues.

 

You can visit the following URL to acquire any available update(s) for your operating system.

 

http://www.update.microsoft.com/microsoftupdate/v6/vistadefault.aspx?ln=en-us

 

It’s valuable to your computer to update any and all software currently requiring any updates. If you use any Microsoft Office products be sure to visit the Microsoft Office update page to view and acquire upgrades.  If you are using Windows Vista you should use the standard Microsoft update page. This insures you have selected to receive updates for Office programs.