Windows 7 Almost Ready -Download It Now

Computer Care: Free Windows 7 trial worth a download

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED May 23, 2009 12:09 a.m.

Windows 7 was released in beta or trial form a few months ago. That bug-laden form, although free of cost, was free of support as well. It is the nature of the beast with betas.

As Microsoft works out the kinks from this soon-to-be-finished operating system, they are allowing us to not only preview the latest incarnation, but to use it free for a year. Yes, free Microsoft. This is not a typo.

Windows 7 RC, for Release Candidate, is an upgrade of the beta version and is now available as a download from its Web site. As with the beta version, all you need to do is register. It will scan your computer to see if it is capable of running Win 7 and issue an installation key if it is. You will get an iso-type file which you’ll need to burn to a disc. You’ll then boot from this disc to install the operating system.

It will be good for a year from now and will cease to function on June 1, 2010. Two months prior to that, it will begin to remind you it is only a trial version. How, you ask? It will turn itself off every two hours until you buy it or delete it. Annoying, yes. Now that’s the Microsoft we know.

You only have through the end of June to register with Microsoft and download your copy of Windows 7 RC. Windows 7 the finished product, is scheduled to officially go on sale sometime during the winter holiday season.

This is unprecedented by Microsoft, or any other manufacturer, to my knowledge. It gives us an opportunity to really see if Win 7 is any better than its predecessors. We have plenty of time to test it, and it’s free.

Although not a total overhaul (it is written on the same kernel or foundation as XP & Vista), Microsoft claims there are to be some major changes, many we are supposed to like.

If you don’t have an extra or old computer kicking around the garage, you could alternatively set up your current one to dual boot to Vista and Win 7 or XP and Win 7. By dual boot, I mean that two operating systems installed on one computer. When the computer boots up, you will have a boot manager to offer you a choice of which operating system to boot into. There is some prep work involved plus the addition of the second OS, but it’s not that time consuming.

Now this is not for the weak of heart, but it’s really not all that difficult, either. Just be sure that you clone, image or otherwise back up your current system before you begin on this adventure. Back up to an external drive or to DVDs to be safe.

There are lots of articles and forums on the Internet that deal with this. Microsoft’s Web site may be the first place you run to for support, but others are easier to comprehend. Would you rather take instructions from the guys who developed the operating system, or from guys who tried to install it, made mistakes, took notes and now know the pitfalls?

Get the OS at www.microsoft.com/Windows/Windows-7/download.aspx and then check out lifehacker.com/5126781/ for simple instructions or read more at www.gadgetpaper.com/how-to-install-windows-7-rc-as-a-dual-boot-over-vista-or-from-scratch. Or Google,"dual boot Windows 7 RC" for more options.

You will need a partition utility to have a dual-boot system. Your hard drive will need to be split up, or partitioned to make room for what’s to come. Get a free copy of Gparted, at gparted.sourceforge.net/download.php. You could also use Partition-it if you own it, or others.

Be sure you follow directions carefully, taking no shortcuts. You may end up with a doorstop if you decide to get creative.

A dual-boot system is good for many reasons. My laptop is configured as a dual boot with XP and Vista. Until I am totally comfortable with Vista (should that day ever come), I use XP as my main OS and play around with Vista. I do the same on another system with XP and Win 7. Ultimately I assume, I’ll switch to Win 7. Should something happen to one OS, I could always access its files from the other. It makes for a versatile computer.

Dual-booting with this generous offer from Microsoft will give us a chance to really test drive Windows 7, side by side with whichever one we use now. By the time we are forced to make a decision, we will either like it and buy it, or stick with what we have. But at least it will be an informed first-hand decision.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Smaller Than a Laptop

Computer Care: Netbooks pack good bit in small package

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED April 24, 2009 10:33 p.m.

There’s a new computer in town, and it’s small. Classified as netbooks, these subcompact mini-laptops are something to be considered. By the end of the year more and more people will be considering them. As their size gets smaller, more options will be offered.

I’ve looked at the Dell, HP, Sony, Acer, Samsung, MSI, Lenovo and Asus models, all of which have much in common. To begin with, they all have 8- to 10-inch screens. HP has one with a 12-inch screen, but most of the newer models are 10 inches. They all use the Intel Atom processor, which at only 1.6 GHz provides quite a kick for those little guys.

All but Sony are priced in the $300-$400 range. I once paid that for a hard drive and memory upgrade. How times have changed.

Most ship with XP Home as the operating system. If you look, you can find some with Linux, and these are cheaper yet. There is little of anything else installed on most systems, (no trialware) except for Microsoft Works.

It appears that 1 GB of RAM (memory) is standard, although some of the models are upgradable to twice that. Better ask, to be sure.

The hard drives are small, but considering the size of these computers, it’s not bad. Some have as little as a 16 GB hard drive, others up to 160 GB. There is a mixture of conventional hard drives, the 2.5" SATA type, and the newer flash memory, similar to your thumb drives.

An Asus model, for example has what they call a hybrid hard drive, a bit of both. Some also offer online storage space to supplement the hard drive. You may want your own external drive as a supplement as well.

An obstacle to overcome with the netbooks will be the keyboard size. Some are much smaller than what we are used to. An Asus model claims a keyboard that’s 95 percent of standard size, big enough for the chubbiest of fingers. Others are not so large.

Sure, the screen is small, too, but most have a VGA out port so you can hook up an external monitor if you want to.

Keep in mind that these compact computers are designed for mobility. They are called netbooks for a reason. They are not designed as desktop replacements. Only if you use the computer exclusively for e-mail and web browsing, should you consider tossing your desktop computer. But they are good, solid computers for their purpose.

These mini computing marvels are not meant to edit videos, photos or music. Not only is there not enough memory to complete such tasks, there is nowhere to store the completed results.

But these are great for throwing into your attaché or handbag and taking anywhere to browse the web or check e-mail. They boot up very quickly and all have wireless capabilities. They all also have webcams built into the bezel around the screen, so you can send and receive video e-mails on the go.

The netbooks are tiny compared to standard laptops. Most are approximately 10 inches by 7« inches by 1 inch. They weigh from 2.8 to 3.4 pounds, depending on the model and the battery. Now that is portable.

The battery is perhaps the weakest part of the device. Due to the size, it can’t hold much power and tops out on most models at a couple of hours. Take what the battery is rated it at and knock off an hour or two to be realistic.

If you have the option to upgrade the battery, go for it. Some offer a 6-cell battery for an additional $100, but it could double your time away from an outlet.

One of the ways the manufacturers can make these so lightweight and inexpensive is by deleting the optical drive. That’s right, none of the netbooks have a CD/DVD drive. You’ll either have to download your programs, install them from a flash drive or use an external optical drive connected to a USB port.

Some models come with only one USB port. You get what you pay for. Others have three ports. Should something happen to the one, you have no way to connect your peripheral devices. But all units that I have sampled have a one-year manufacturer’s warranty, should something happen.

Consider shopping online for these netbooks. You’ll have more variety and some vendors ship for free. There are always sites like newegg.com, overstock.com, frys.com and all of the manufacturer’s Web sites. There are always specials popping up.

If you travel a lot, are a student, need a portable second computer, only surf the web and use e-mail or just want a nice, small laptop, you should consider one of these netbooks. Their debut in the market is timed perfectly for this economy. For $300, you can’t beat it.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

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COMPUTER TIP

Are you having Internet Connections Problems? ?

Usually when your ISP looses a signal, as it does occasionally, you need to reset the connection at your end. Before you call your ISP, try resetting the connection yourself. If you have a modem, whether cable or DSL and a router - unplug them both. Wait a couple of minutes. Then first plug in your modem. (That's the one connected to either the cable or phone line.) Wait for all the lights to come back on and settle down. If you don't wait, it won't work. THEN plug in your router & allow it to come back online and reboot your computer. There is a good chance your Internet connection will now work. You may wait on hold for 45 minutes only to be told to do just that. Try it next time you lose a signal.

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Good, Free Programs

Computer Care: Many programs are free, others just worthless

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED May 9, 2009 1 a.m.

There are lots of free programs on the Internet. Some are truly free, while some are truly worthless. Let's talk about the differences and what there is to offer. After all, everyone likes a bargain.

There is shareware, which is really trial-ware. You can usually use it for a limited period of time before being told you must purchase it. Other types have the best functions disabled.

Then there is what I call "teaserware." It teases you to believe a free download is a free program. It is not. But you don't realize it until you have it installed. Tread carefully.

Adware is what you get when you download a so-called free screensaver, for example. Sure the product is free, but it comes with a caveat. There are ads somehow attached to it either in the form of pop-ups or banners. As soon as you delete the ads, the program becomes nonfunctional. Caveat emptor.

We all have some free programs installed, usually a defragmenter or a game. But there is much more out there, from Web browsers and office suites to entire operating systems.

Let's start with the browsers. Aside from the one forced upon us, there are alternatives and they're all free.

I like Mozilla Firefox. That's the one that Internet Explorer copied in its current incarnation. It has tabbed browsing, is easy to use and is secure. It is highly customizable. There are hundreds of plug-ins or add-ons that are available for Firefox. They assist with things from your bookmarks (favorites) to downloads and icon themes. Find it at mozilla.com.

You might also consider Opera, another free browser, from opera.com.

It's not just browsers or little programs that are cost-free. There is an Office alternative for those unwilling to shell out hundreds of dollars for software. Open Office, from openoffice.org is a free productivity suite that is comparable to Microsoft's own. It may not have all the bells and whistles, but is a fine alternative. You can use it at home or in the office on as many computers as you want.

It will create and open most documents created in MS Office, including those from word processing, spreadsheets, databases, presentations and graphics. Download this and you'll be using it less than half an hour.

Another great program is Drive Image XML. It backs up your data by creating images of your hard drive or partitions, similar to what Norton Ghost does, minus the cost for home use. Find it at runtime.org. This is a great backup program worth checking out.

If you tire of waiting for your pdf files to open, consider switching from Adobe Reader to Foxit Reader. It is a small program that downloads and installs in a couple of minutes. When you click on a pdf file, it will almost instantly be available to read, unlike the way Adobe works. Find it at foxitsoftware.com and click on the free version link.

If you browse the Internet a lot, you could use a better firewall than Windows offers. There are two freebies that stick out above the rest.

PC Tools and Comodo both offer better options than Microsoft. They have pop-ups, but that is the nature of the beast. You'll be asked what you want to do, attempting to access questionable Web sites or running certain programs. It watches what comes in and what goes out. It's all about safety.

The pop-up will simply ask your permission, similar to that of Vista's User Account Control. Usually, you have it do most of the deciding for you, but there is still a certain amount of interaction. It is tolerable and it helps keep your system clean.

Check these two firewall utilities out at pctools.com/firewall/download and personalfirewall.comodo.com.

With all the Microsoft maligning I do, it deserves an "atta boy" from me with its free program Photo Story. It is an easy-to-use, full-of-extras slide show maker. Get it at microsoft.com/windowsxp/using/digitalphotography/photostory/default.mspx.

Most, if not all of these can also be found at download.com, majorgeeks.com or filehippo.com. As always, it's a good idea to scan for viruses and malware when you download anything from the Web, but I've never had any trouble with these sites.

Be advised that programs free of cost are also free of support. You are on your own. Often you can find forums of users who help one another, but don't count on the manufacturers for any help.

The free operating system; it's Linux. There are perhaps a dozen variations on a theme. Try looking at www.linux.org, ubuntu.com or debian.org for the most popular flavors.

Once you realize a free program doesn't equate with garbage, you'll be like me, staying up all hours of the morning searching for downloads. Now you know why you never see me until after 10 a.m.

Download complete.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

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COMPUTER TIP: Right-Click Tricks

The right mouse button is an extremely versatile tool, perhaps even more so than it's brother. The commands are ever-changing, depending on what is being clicked on.
By right clicking on your desktop, and choosing NEW - you can create new folder, new text document, or create new shortcuts. Use the SEND option also from right-clicking on an icon to send them anywhere in your system, amoung other things.
Right-click on an often-used desktop icon and choose to have it pinned to the start Menu for easier access.
Right-click on the desktop and choose PROPERTIES for all kinds of settings within all the tabs relating to your desktop. You can change desktops, themes or fine tune either one. Make your scroll bar wider or a different color. Adjust the power setting to go into Standby or hibernate at a time of your choosing.
Right-click on any icon to rename or delete it.
When you come across an image online you want to save, right-click on it and choose "Save Image As..." and keep it for your own. Occasionally the image is locked, but for the most part, it works.
Right click on My Computer and choose Properties to change an abundance of settings within the system.
Right-click on an icon in the taskbar by the clock for program options or to shut those programs down.
Do the right-click on a blank area of the taskbar to find toolbars, customize the taskbar or the Start Menu.

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Creating Passwords That Work

Computer Care: Complicated passwords will keep you safe

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED April 10, 2009 9:52 p.m.

The easiest forms of passwords are your children’s names, perhaps your pets, your address or birthday. But guess what? They are the most common ones and hackers know that. They will try those first. With just a little research your password is broken and your security is gone. Fluffy1? I don’t think so.

So what is a good password? I’m glad you asked.

First, don’t use a universal password. If a hacker guesses one, he gets them all. Use different passwords for different things.

Next, change them on a routine basis. Keep the hackers guessing. If you can’t remember them, use a password manager, but we’ll get into that in a moment. But by no means should you have sticky notes framing your monitor with your secret names on them. It’s like writing your PIN on the back of your debit card.

Change the temporary password that you’re given by your ISP, bank or router software. Don’t keep 0000, Admin or password as your password. It’s just not a good idea. Sure, it’s easy, but you know someone other than you already knows it.

Last, but equally as important, use at least eight characters (some say 10-14) and mix them up. By that I mean use upper and lower case letters, as well as numbers and symbols. It makes hacking that much harder. The password RenruT*63 is infinitely better than mykitty or fluffy1, and gives your computer a considerable defense.

RenruT, you ask? This is what I like to do. Use acronyms that make sense and spell things backwards. Then, top them off with numbers and symbols. If your name is Turner and the last two digits of your address or birth year is 63, you could safely (until now) use RenruT*63. It’s strong and easy to remember.

How about Wolfe? It becomes Eflow or efloW and spiced up could be EfloW#87, a strong password. Of course, the longer the word is, the stronger the security.

Alternatively, you could make up sentences and remember the abbreviations. Try something like, MdLiaAS11#, which for me translates to: My dog Lola is an Australian Shepherd, eleven years old. It’s a 10-character password using upper and lower case letters with numbers and symbols.

Mbhind2#5911 could be, "My brown house is next door to number 5911." Whatever works for you. Be creative. Make it something you can recall, but mix it up. No password is totally secure, but some are obviously better than others.

For those who have trouble remembering, there are password managers. You could let it do all the work for you and to make it secure, have the manager itself be password-protected. This way you would have only one word to remember.

Go to www.roboform.com and check out their product. I’ve mentioned this one before; it’s a good one. Roboform is a password manager that also fills in forms for you. When you get to a web page that requires a secure login, it jumps into action by signing you in. Should there be a form to fill out, it will type your name and address as required. How cool is that?

The free version is good for 10 different web sites, with no time limit. For more than that you’ll have to purchase it. The paid version ($30) is for an unlimited number of sites. You could also have it generate random passwords for you, and then have it remember them.

There are others on the market, some included in utility suites. Go to www.download.com and initiate a keyword search for "password manager."

Having a strong password plays such an important role in computing, now more than ever. There are people out there whose job it is to get your personal information. If they don’t use it for themselves, other people pay them for that information.

Your bank or ISP will never call or e-mail you and ask for your password. If it does happen, it’s a scam. Tell them nothing. If you aren’t careful, your bank account could be cleaned out before you even realize it. Not only would you lose your money, but the bad guys will probably never get caught.

It’s not just your bank account either. If someone hacks your eBay account and bids on something under your name, you bought it if they are the high bidder.

Think of all the passwords you have. They are all protecting something.

Even an online forum that you joined could be suspect. Someone disguised as you could leave a comment that could damage your reputation or that of someone else.

There’s no end to the damage that could be wrought. All it takes to prevent it is a clever eight digit code.

So remember, Jusp2bso! (Just use strong passwords to be secure online!)

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician whose column appears biweekly and on gainesvilletimes.com.

Computer Services You Don't Need

Computer Care: Shutting down unneeded services can speed you up

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED March 27, 2009 11:45 p.m.

Microsoft has processes called services that assist the operating system and provide support to many applications. These services start automatically when Windows boots up and continue to run quietly in the background.

The thing is, they suck up system resources and there are many that you may not need. By terminating some superfluous services, you’ll speed up your computer considerably.

We’ll discuss turning some of them off, but realize that everybody’s system is different. What I may be able to disable, your computer may need. If you deactivate the wrong service, you’ll soon discover something in Windows won’t work any more.

The good news is that nothing is permanent. You can easily reactivate a service with a mouse click. I have 140 services running on my computer. Yours probably differs.

This list is not exhaustive by any means. You may find other services you don’t need. A word of caution: Don’t change too many at a time just in case your system has adverse reactions. This way you won’t have to hunt for the culprit and can just toggle a setting should something not function.

Before you start, create a restore point (Programs to Accessories to System Tools and System Restore) should something go wrong.
Go to the services area by clicking the Start button and in Run, type, services.msc and hit Enter. Under the Standard tab, you’ll see all the services, in alphabetical order, that run under Windows.

Double-click on each and a box will open to the General tab. Take the Alerter service, for example. When you open it, you’ll see a description of what it does, its startup type and its status. Mine is disabled and stopped.

You could alternatively put it on the Manual setting and stop it.

You don’t need Alerter. But to be certain, click the Dependencies tab at the top and see if anything in your system uses it. It deals with administrative alerts. If you use your computer at home, you won’t need it.

The next one is Clip Book. If you don’t deal with remote computers, you won’t need this one either. You could also be rid of Fast User Switching if you have only one account set up on your computer.

Error Reporting is nothing but a nuisance. Turn it off, too.

If you don’t log on to Help and Support, that’s another one you don’t need.

Indexing can speed up a file search, but it does it at the expense of system speed. So if you don’t do many file searches, you can turn off Indexing and speed up your system. Keep it and turn it on if you do search for files.

Next, Messenger works with clients, servers and networks and can be turned off if you are a home user. It has nothing to do with Windows Messenger and won’t affect it.

Performance Logs and Alerts is another rarely used service and can be safely shut down.

Routing and Remote Access allows remote connections to your computer. If you don’t allow remote access, that’s another one you won’t need.

Server, for the most part, can be terminated. Keep it only if you are on a home network and share printers or files. Otherwise, it won’t be missed.

Smart Card Service controls access to, yes, smart cards. If you don’t use them, you won’t need it. The same goes for the Smart Card Helper Service.

The Telephony Service deals with IP-based voice connections and fax use. Unless you use a phone or fax through your computer, you won’t need it.

Telnet will allow a remote user to log on to your computer. If you don’t let outside help access your PC and take it over, shut it down.

UPS or Uninterruptible Power Supply can be turned off if you don’t have one of those battery devices hooked up to your computer.
Windows Image Acquisition deals with images related to cameras and scanners. If you use neither with your computer, you can disable it. If you use Windows Movie Maker though, keep it turned on.

Wireless Zero is a must only if you connect via a wireless network. If you’re hard wired with an Ethernet cable, you can disable this one.

This is not a conclusive list. Windows has dozens of services and everybody’s computer is configured differently.
So research what you are about to terminate. You may need it.

Don’t panic if something doesn’t work after you make changes. Keep track of what you disabled and re-enable them one at time until your functionality returns. Also remember the restoration point you created, (you did make one, didn’t you?) should you need it.

The handful of services that you are able to terminate will make a difference. It will free up enough system resources to boost the overall speed of your computer.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Handy Computing Tips

Computer Care: Handy tips on battery switch, toolbars and cleaning out gunk

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED March 14, 2009 1 a.m.

There seems to have been an influx of computer problems lately. I've been keeping busy and that of course, gives me something to write about.

In the past six months I don't think I've changed a single desktop computer's battery; then suddenly I replaced two of them this week. The battery keeps your system clock set properly. So if your time is off, you might look at it first.

Generally, your computer will let you know if it's time for a new battery. It's about the size of a quarter, inexpensive and easy to replace. Most of them should last five years. Considering that's about how long we keep a computer on the average, you may never have to replace a motherboard battery.

But should you have to change one, be careful not to touch anything else while inside the case, and place the plus side facing up on the replacement. Then go to Control Panel or double-click the clock itself to enable a time change.

Let's mention Safe Mode next. I've found many computer users are either vague on its purpose or don't know how to access it. Safe Mode is a back door into Windows. It will let you in with a minimum of processes running, just enough for you to fix something. Many things like printers or Internet won't work while in that mode, so only do what you need to and then reboot before continuing with your work.

To access Safe Mode, reboot the computer. After the splash screen that says HP, Dell, Gateway or whatever, tap the F8 key repeatedly until you see a menu. The first item should be the one you want: Safe Mode. Hit Enter, allow it to load and get to work.

Often it is easier, when you have a problem, to delete a program or initiate a system restoration from there.

I've been asked how to change the way a certain file type opens, how to associate a different program with it. Take photos, for example. If you have been editing jpegs with Photoshop and want to change the default program to Easy Share, do this: right-click on any jpeg and choose Open With and you'll see a list.

If Easy Share isn't on that list, then click on Choose Program and navigate your way through the Programs folder to the Easy Share folder, which in this case would be Kodak. Click on it and hit OK.

If you always want Easy Share to be associated with your photos, check the box at the bottom that says, "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file." If you don't, it will just be a one-time use.

Has Quick Launch disappeared from your taskbar? Here's how to get it back. Quick Launch is a group of always-there shortcut icons. Right-click on a blank area of the taskbar and choose Toolbars. Go down to Quick Launch and click on it. A checkmark in front of it will verify activation.

Now look over by your Start button. You should see a small group of icons and a double arrow pointing to the right. You can add whatever you want from the desktop simply by left clicking and dragging them to the bar. You can adjust the icon placement the same way. The overflow goes to the double-arrows. Give it a click and you'll see.

Only keep what you use often there. Right-click and delete what you don't. I keep Firefox, Word and Show Desktop. It's a real time saver once you start using it.

Many users of Office 2007 ask why co-workers and friends can't open their Word documents. Well, Microsoft, in its unending desire to make things complicated, changed the old Word extension from .doc to .docx, just to confuse us I guess.

If you have Office or Word '03, you use .doc; the '07 versions use .docx and they are not backward compatible, not without some work, anyway.

Microsoft was kind enough to include a Compatibility Mode in the new version. To access it, click the circle, the Office button, on the upper left part of the page. Scroll down to Save As and choose Word 97-03 Document. This will save it in a compatibility mode so all can read it.

Some clients who purchased new computers have asked if there's a way to efficiently get rid of all the junk that manufacturers load on new machines. I discovered a program aptly called Decrapifier that will, in one fell swoop, do just that.

Find it at pcdecrapifier.com and allow it to scour your system of that unnecessary trialware. If you don't want Rhapsody, already have Office and will never use Real Player or AOL, get rid of them.

Now if I could only get a program like that for my television.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

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COMPUTER TIPS: Using System Restore

Remember to create a system restore point prior to making any changes to your computer. You never know when you may need to resort back to it. It's like Mr. Peabody's Wayback Machine.

In XP, navigate to Start-> All Programs, then to -> Accessories -> System Tools -> & finally System Restore. Choose the bullet that creates a new restore point. Give it a name - XP will date stamp it.

Vista is almost the same, but in the last step - click the link in the bottom of the box to get to System Protection. From there you can create a restore point.

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Backup Your Drivers

Computer Care: Back up your drivers before they can steer you wrong

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED Feb. 28, 2009 1 a.m.

Let's talk drivers. There are those that take us places, some that hit balls, and some are drivers for screws.

But there are also drivers for computers. They are device drivers: small programs, the catalysts that allow components to run on our computers. Without them, things like printers, video or sound cards, to name a few, would not work.

They run quietly in the background, never commanding our attention until something goes wrong.

There are dozens of these drivers on our computers. Sometimes they get corrupted or lost. Updating and backing them up are yet more tasks on the list of computer maintenance to-dos.

When your system crashes or when you suddenly discover you can't hear iTunes or you lose the ability to print, it's time to take a look at your device drivers. When you reinstall Windows, there are usually things that don't work properly, including sound and Internet. The display on your monitor may work, but it may look different. This is all due to drivers or the lack thereof.

When you purchase a printer, video card or whatever, a disk is usually included in the package. That's your driver. After their initial installation, we tend to misplace them, never to be seen again.

Windows, being the selfish operating system that it is, only comes with enough drivers for itself. The rest is up to us. Since everyone has different printers, different video cards and all sorts of other unique devices, Microsoft chose not to include those drivers with Windows. All that will change with Vista's successor.

So for now, we have the option of scouring the manufacturer's Web sites for the extraneous drivers, or getting a program to do it for us.

Some of these programs will find updates for you; some will back up your existing drivers as well. But some leave it up to you where to place them.

I like the ones that create a self-installing package for use after the inevitable operating system crash. They update the drivers, back-up everything and create an auto-installer. All you need to do is click on it and the drivers go where they need to go.

Let's start by looking at the drivers. In XP, right-click on My Computer and go to Properties then the Hardware tab. In there you'll see a Device Manager button. In Vista, click Start, then Control Panel, go to System and Maintenance, then to Device Manager. If the list you then see has any yellow exclamation marks or red x's, you have some device driver issues.

You'll see an option to Reinstall Driver in that box. If you click on it, it will ask you if you want to look through the file structure, where you'll need to know where to look, or to look on the Internet for the driver.

The thing is, if you don't have a driver for your Ethernet card, you won't have an Internet connection to find that driver. Joseph Heller would have loved this. You'll also have the option to roll back the driver to a previous one.

Let's say for now that you don't have a program to help you. If you do have a driver disk, put it in the drive and go to Device Manager. Ask it to reinstall a driver and make sure you have the box checked to search your CD drive. Hit Enter and wait. If it is the correct disk, all you need to do is follow the prompts and you're set.

If you do need to look on the Internet (you could always use another computer if you have to), go to the manufacturer's Web site and look under either support or downloads for drivers. Make sure you download the correct driver for your device and that it's for your operating system.

After you install it, be sure to reboot the system.

Even if your system is working properly, it doesn't hurt to check for updates occasionally. It could enhance your computer's performance. If you notice a device isn't working as it should, running slowly or otherwise malfunctioning, consider the driver. It could be corrupt.

Some programs worth checking out are Driver Max, at www.drivermax.com which is free, or Driver Detective at www.drivershq.com, a $30 program but worth the cost. Driver Genius is also a good program and although not free, you can try it for two weeks. You can find it at www.driver-soft.com.

Whether you're doing a driver backup because you need to, or just as a precautionary measure, it's always a good idea to archive them off of the computer. Burn them to a CD or put them on an external drive. You never know when you might need them.

The bottom line is that we could not do without our drivers, no matter what type they may be.

'Nuff said. Home, James.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Dual Monitors Setup

Computer Care: Dual monitors will double your screen surface

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED Feb. 14, 2009 1 a.m.

You've recently upgraded your old CRT monitor to a sleek new LCD and don't know what to do with that relic. Don't be in such a hurry to push it aside, but rather put it to use and double your computing real estate.

There's nothing like having two screens on your desk, giving you twice the viewing space. Not only does the mouse travel effortlessly from one screen to the other, but you can drag and drop folders across the border as well. I use one for my Windows desktop and the other for whatever I'm working on. It is easy and relatively inexpensive to hook up.

You'll need either a second video card or one with dual video ports. A single port card can cost as little as $20 and as much as $500. You only need the low-end type. The rest have lots of memory and cooling fans on board and are used primarily by gamers. Some have TV tuners and remotes and are also expensive.

The dual-port cards usually have a VGA port (analog) for your old CRT monitor and a DVI port (digital) for the LCD monitor. If you have two VGA's, you'll need a $10 adapter to make it fit. You can get a dual-port card for about $50-$60. Look online at tigertdirect.com or newegg.com for the best deals. Don't bother looking locally; you won't find any. I tried.

Know what type of video card your computer uses. They can go into PCI, PCI Express or AGP slots on your motherboard. The cards are specific and are not interchangeable, so make sure you get the right type.

Keep in mind, unless you have identical monitors, you won't have identical displays. The color will be a bit off a bit from screen to screen, but you can tweak the settings somewhat. Depending on your card, you should be able to adjust color, brightness, contrast and the gamma settings. As long as the sizes are similar, you'll be fine.

The resolution can be matched so the items on the desktops are the same size on each monitor. If one is set at 1024 x 768 for example, the other should be as well. Otherwise, when you drag an icon or open window from one side to the other, the sizes will be different. In some cases you may not be able to see an entire window.

Right-click on a blank area of your desktop and then click on Properties. Then go to the Settings tab where you'll be able to change the resolution. Once you have two monitors hooked up, you'll see a pull down menu with each monitor listed in the settings area. If only one is showing, then you're missing a device driver for a monitor.

If you don't have a disc with the driver on it, you can download it from the manufacturer's Web site. Alternatively, there are programs that can do that for you, but that's another column.

You'll see a small graphic of the two screens and a button that says Identify on that settings page. When you click Identify, a large 1 and 2 will appear on your screens respectively. If you need to swap them so the mouse is able to traverse the border, just drag the image of one screen on the graphic to the other side and click Apply.

You'll be asked to choose one of the monitors as your main desktop. It sounds more difficult than it is. Once you play with it for a while, you'll get the hang of it.

If you don't yet have a second monitor, perhaps now's the time. Prices have dropped considerably. For less than $275 you can get a 22-inch LCD just about anywhere. And you don't have to stop at two.

here are racks on the market that mount the LCD monitors. You can have them side by side or one on top of another. Have your office look like NASA and do a quad setup.

I have two computers hooked up to three screens. I use what is called a KVM switch (keyboard, video, monitor) to toggle one screen between two computers. They both use the same mouse and keyboard and are controlled by a switch on the device.

It is easier to work when you're able to spread out, and that's what having more than one monitor can do for you. Working on the Internet, this allows you to have more browsers open at the same time.

Whether photo editing or document editing, you can place the original on one screen and the one you're manipulating on the other. No more shuffling from one window to the next. There's room for them all to be open.

Once you've tried a dual-screen setup, there's no turning back.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

New Version of Windows in Beta

Computer Care: New Windows version available for a test drive

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED Jan. 31, 2009 1 a.m.

It's been a couple of years since Microsoft released the much-maligned Vista operating system. It was supposed to be the crème de la crème, the operating system extraordinaire, the piece de la resistance.
It was not. Now they are getting ready to do it all over again.

Windows 7 is scheduled to be released later this year or early in 2010. It came out in beta form last week. That is an unfinished, unpolished version for consumers to test on a temporary basis. I'll tell you how to try it in a moment, but first: Version 7?

By my count, it began with Windows 1.0 in 1983; then there was 2.0, 3.0, 3.1, 95, 98, Millennium, XP Home, Vista and Version 7. You can add to that another XP version (Pro) plus the Media Center release. There was Windows NT, Windows 2000 and the Tablet edition. So not counting all the various Vista incarnations, there were really more than a dozen.

I'm not certain how they got to Windows 7, but you can download it here. In order to get the key (the 25-digit alphanumeric code needed to install it), you will need to register with Microsoft first.
Keep in mind, this is not meant for you to replace what operating system you're using now. It's for you to try, to test, to see what it's like. Genuine beta testers report back to Microsoft what they like and what bugs they find. They will find some, and so will you. So don't expect it to be flawless. It is not.

Follow the directions carefully. It comes as an .iso file which needs to be burned to a DVD. From that you can install it. Initially Microsoft said they'd allow 2.5 million of us to try it. They have since changed that and gave us until Feb. 10 to download it. It will remain functional until Aug. 1.

Going back, it all began with version 1.0 which gave us the Graphical User Interface. We could, for the first time, click icons instead of typing command lines. I jumped on board at Version 3.1 and quickly bought Windows 95. It was "enhanced" and had plug and play.

Win 98 introduced us to USB support. I think Win ME was released just because it was after all, the millennium. I found nothing of value in it. No, I take that back. I used the CD as a coaster on my desk.
XP Pro was the best thing to date, in my opinion. It recognized practically whatever you threw at it. It configured e-mail accounts and Internet connections almost by itself. It was, and is, faster than anything we have seen.

Vista was a bomb. It is all smoke and mirrors. It has fancy features but they are used at the expense of speed. The glass-like Aero interface and flipping 3-D folders makes the system sluggish to the point of frustration.

Windows 7 is supposed to the best of both worlds: fast and pretty. I think Microsoft has seen the writing on the wall. Many computers users, so disappointed with Vista were switching to the Mac, trying Linux or considering OSX.

As far as I can tell from my personal beta testing, there are some nice changes. Hopefully, by the time the full version of Win 7 is released, the wrinkles will be ironed out.

This new Windows seems to manage memory better than its predecessor. There are more drivers included in the installation. When complete, I wasn't looking for device drivers, wondering why there was no sound or why I had no Internet connection. I had Internet and I could hear it.

The task bar is now more icon-based. The system is easier to shut down. I never could figure out why I had to click "Start" to stop.

The User Account Control is a sliding scale rather than simply on or off. The side bar is gone, but now there can be gadgets anywhere on the desktop we want them. Instead of pushing all those applications and utilities at us, now we will choose what we want to use and download things like Media Player and Mail from Microsoft's Web site.

Home networking has become HomeGrouping and makes it easier to share files, storage devices or printers.

So will I purchase Windows 7 when it is released? The jury is still out on that, but I'd say probably. As anxious as I was to obtain the beta version, I'll be a bit more cautious with the real thing, especially since I'll be paying for it.

Knowing that even the final release will still be somewhat buggy, I'll most likely wait for the first service pack (SP1) to be released before I get it.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Free Downloads

Computer care: Certain free downloads help your computer

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED Jan. 16, 2009 11:37 p.m.

Computers are like cars in that there is certain maintenance that is needed on a regular basis.

With cars, you know that you need to change the oil and rotate the tires. With computers, some people don’t have a clue what to do to maintain them.

So what I offer here is a list of my 10 favorite free downloadable programs to help you keep your computer in optimum shape. They are not time or feature-limited teaser versions, but the full-blown real thing.

Let’s begin with Firefox, which is the only one on the list that’s not a utility, but a Web browser. It’s better than Internet Explorer; it is highly customizable and extremely secure. There is a Google bar built in and the tabs can be made to suit you. When you open it, it asks if you want to resume your last session, which can come in handy. Find it at mozilla.com.

You can keep Internet Explorer on your system, but you’ll be asked which you want to be your default browser.

Next is AVG Anti-Virus, the free version. For a free tool, it does plenty. You can set a scheduled scan and get updates regularly. Should you decide you want more, they offer a paid version with more bells and whistles. But the free one will protect you. Go to free.avg.com to download it. Follow the prompts to install it and you’ll have protection in a few minutes.

Advanced System Care, which used to be Advanced Windows Care, has been greatly upgraded with the new version. It does a little bit of everything, from keeping your registry in shape to deleting junk files. Go to iobit.com and click the products link.

While you’re on the Iobit site, download Smart Defrag, No. 4 on my list. It’s a good alternative to the slow and inefficient Windows defragmentation tool. Again, it’s at iobit.com. A defragmented drive will speed up your system and should be run at least monthly.

Glary Utilities, No. 5, is a great all-around utility with many tools incorporated into it. It will fix broken shortcuts, encrypt files, optimize memory and manage your startup programs, among other things. They also offer a paid version, so be sure you download the correct one. Find it at glaryutilities.com.

Revo Uninstaller, No. 6, does a better job at deleting unwanted programs than the anemic tool Windows offers. Unlike Windows, it will get rid of all fragments of a program that gets left behind upon deletion, including in the registry. It includes a handful of other built-in utilities. There is a startup manager, a file cleaner, and an evidence remover that will erase your tracks from online usage. Download it from revouninstaller.com.

Another cleaner is CCleaner, which is available at ccleaner.com. It’s my No. 7. It attaches itself to your recycle bin upon installation. With a right-click, you can cleanse your system of temporary files, browser history, remove cookies (and keep the one you want), while it empties the trash.

RoboForm, No. 8, is a password tool. It also fills out Web forms for you. Once you generate a password list and give it your vital information (which can itself be password-protected), it will automatically fill in a login screen for you and gain entrance to a Web site. All you need to do is go to a site; it does the rest. The free version will allow up to 10 sites, but after that you’ll need to purchase it. Find it at roboform.com.

Ashampoo will give you a CD/DVD burner for free, with registration, which is not a bad deal. If you have no way to burn a disc, download No. 9 at download.com and do a search for it. Since XP doesn’t include a burner, this is a great download. If you go to the Ashampoo site, you’ll only find the paid versions.

This brings us to No. 10 on my list, which, by the way, is not in any particular order. A great way to keep malware off of your computer is by installing Comodo’s BO Clean, available along with many other free tools at comodo.com. I use it in conjunction with Malwarebytes Rogue Remover, which will delete any malware, should it find a way into your system. It’s a free download at malwarebytes.com. (Make those 10a and 10b.)

Most, if not all of these files can also be found at either download.com or majorgeeks.com. Browse either site and you may never buy a retail software version again.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Backing Up Your System

Computer Care: When the crash comes, have PC backed up

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED Dec. 27, 2008 1 a.m.

Few computer users run utilities on a regular basis. Most will wait until something goes wrong, and by then, it's usually too late.

My advice is, even if you don't keep your system defragmented, your registry optimized or viruses and malware at bay, there is still one thing you should do: Back up your system.

Whether it's your entire hard drive, a partition, system files or just some documents, when your computer crashes - and it will - with a backup, you will have something to resort to.

There are countless programs that will help you. Some will clone your drive; others let you choose what to back up. There are external hard drives with programs built into them. I know Maxtor and Western Digital both have one-touch operation for backups on external drives.

Alternatively, you could store your data on DVDs with programs like Norton Ghost or Acronis True Image. They make images of your drive. You boot with them in a disaster and your system is returned to the time that image was created.

There are also online storage services that allow you to back up your system to their space. Try some and decide which is best for you. Most programs now allow a test drive, a try before you buy.

Check out Web sites like download.com or majorgeeks.com for trial ware and take some out for a spin. Should you decide to buy, most are in the $50-$60 range, but you'll get at least a couple of weeks to check them out first.

If you have Vista, there is a built-in utility that will walk you through a backup. Go to the Backup and Restore Center in Control Panel under the System and Maintenance header. XP has no such option, but Windows 7, from what I've read, will.

I have had to tell clients that all of their data was lost — system files along with their documents and photos — because they had no recovery plan. Some computers ship with a rescue partition. It is a part of your hard drive that you can access in an emergency. Others ship with a CD or two with the important files on it. You boot with it in your drive to restore your system, should it be necessary.

If you don't have either system, you lost your discs or erased the partition, get another way to restore your computer because one day you will have to.

Sometimes it's just better to reformat your drive and reinstall everything, than to try to fix a dozen errors. There's nothing like having a fresh copy of Windows installed. By the time you're finished, you'll have a cleaner and faster computer than you've had in months or more.

Files get corrupt and hard drives fail. It's a part of computing. If you have a plan in place and have your system files, photos and documents backed up to a secondary drive, you'll be fine.

If you've added hardware or don't have a program that copies device drivers, you'll need a program that will do just that. Driver archivers and updaters are invaluable in system restoration. Without a driver for a new video or sound card, for example, that card won't work. It's just something else you'll need to back up. Look for Driver Max or Driver Genius while you're on those download sites.

If you don't use an image to restore Windows, you will also need to reinstall any programs that were added after Windows was installed, like Office or Photoshop. So if you have your Microsoft CD in a box somewhere, make sure you keep your program CDs in there as well. Then there are the keys and passwords.

I have a little black book with vital computing information in it. I keep things like CD keys, those long numbers you need to activate a program, as well as e-mail log-on information and any passwords I might need. It beats having sticky notes all over your monitor.

If you choose not to back up your system (it's your headache), at least determine if you have a rescue partition and how to use it. Or if you have a set of recovery discs, know where they are and how to use them. You'll be in panic mode. Short of that, have the number of your tech handy.

Files will get corrupt. Hard drives have fast moving parts and will only last 4 to 5 years. And photos, the digital kind anyway, are not forever — not if you don't back them up.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.

Common Computer Problems

Glazer: Computer problems? Here’s some solutions

By Arthur Glazer
arthur@glazerthepctech.com

POSTED Dec. 21, 2008 5 a.m.

Enough of you have e-mailed me with your computing questions that it warrants a column. Here are the top six.

What is the "Blue Screen of Death?"

You boot as usual, but are then sucker-punched by this granddaddy of error messages. There’s a cryptic message on a blue background telling you something is wrong and that Windows has shut down. You don’t know what it is or how to fix it. There’s no "next" button and you can’t continue.

Short of banging your head on the monitor, you don’t know what to do.

Copy the error message. If you can reboot successfully, Google that message. Just copy the STOP code, with the number like 0x00000024. Sometimes it’s followed by a brief description as in, "STOP: 0x00000050 FILE_SYSTEM." Take this information and Google it. Use another computer if you have to.

There are lots of Web sites, including Microsoft’s, that will explain what the messages mean and how to fix them. Browse a few sites to see what they suggest and get to work.

An alternative is to see if you can access the system via Safe Mode by tapping F8, then do a rollback with System Restore. This won’t fix the problem, but will ignore it so you’re at least able access the computer.

How do I reset my modem, and why do I need to do it?

Whenever there is a signal loss from your ISP, you will probably have to do this. If they lost the Internet, so will you.

You can call tech support and wait for an hour, but this is all they’ll have you do. Unplug the power cords from the back of the modem and the router, if you have one. Wait about a minute. First, plug the modem back in. That’s the one with the cable or phone line connected to it.

Wait about a half minute until the lights stop flashing, then plug the router back in. Wait another half minute or so and refresh your browser (F5). If that fails, reboot your computer and you’re back online.

How do I change the desktop image?

In XP, right-click on a blank area of the desktop and choose Properties. Next, click on the Desktop tab. From there you could either choose one of the systems choices on the left or click the Browse button and navigate to one of your own. Be careful not to use a multi-megapixel image as it will use system resources unnecessarily.

In Vista, right-click on the desktop and choose Personalize. Among the choices there, you will find Desktop Background. Click that and you will be able to use one of their images or color schemes or choose one of your own.

Do I have to double-click each time I want to open something?

No you don’t. In XP, open up My Computer and find your way to Tools, then Folder Options. On the General tab, click the radio button that allows single-click and point to select. Click Apply and OK.

In Vista, open any folder and click on Organize, then Folder and Search Options. Under the heading entitled, "Click items as follows," change the preference from double to single-click with point to select. Click Apply then OK.

My printer is suddenly not responding and everything appears to be installed properly.

Try this. Open a command prompt (from Run, type cmd and hit Enter). Type, net stop spooler. Hit enter and wait for verification. Then type, net start spooler. Hit Enter and again wait for verification. You are simply clearing the print queue and restarting it. Now try to print something.

Here’s a quick tip for stretching the ink in your printer’s cartridge. Go to the settings area of the printer software and chose draft mode. Unless you’re printing a resume or handing something in to the boss, this lighter setting will really make a difference.

Alternatively, there is a program called Ink Saver (www.inksaver.com) that has a sliding scale allowing you to choose how much ink you want to save for each document. It’s not a freebie, but will pay for itself in no time.

How do I stop programs from loading with Windows?

The short version is to go to the startup tab. In XP, from Start->Run or in Vista from the search bar: type msconfig and go to the Startup tab. Uncheck all that you do not want to start when the computer boots. Hit Apply, OK and let it reboot.

Your system will now run faster.

Microsoft plans to release Windows 7 in about a year. Just as we finally figure out XP and Vista’s idiosyncrasies, we’ll be learning a new and hopefully better way to compute. After the latest OS debacle, the next Windows should be worthwhile. We can only hope.

Arthur Glazer is a freelance writer and computer technician in Gainesville. His column appears biweekly. Arthur welcomes your computer questions and ideas for future columns.