Windows Tips and Tricks

10 tips to gain weight

2009-06-20T06:43:00.001-07:00

Everyone talks about weight loss, but what about those who are desperate to gain a few kilos?

"I am a 50 kg weakling!" complains Kishore, who has tried all kinds of remedies including high calorie weight gain powders, liver tablets, weight gain drinks and even colon cleansing.

Before we tackle that, though, let us first understand how do you know you are underweight? Simple. Calculate your Body Mass Index. If it is less than 18.5, you are underweight.

Your BMI or body mass index is your weight in kilos divided by the square of your height in metres. (The normal BMI is 18.5 to 24.9).

There are numerous supplements in the weight gain market that might help increase daily caloric intake, yet they have no benefits when compared to smart food choices.

The basic principle of weight gain is simple: You need to consume more calories than you expend. Follow these 10 tips.

i. Eat more calories

This involves some calculation. The approximate normal daily caloric requirement for an average male who performs light activity is 2,200; for a female, it is 1,900.You need to eat around 1,000 extra calories per day to gain less than half a kilo a week.

Do the math. Eat larger portions and eat at least five meals a day.

Your actual caloric requirement can differ depending on your height, weight, activity level and your body's metabolic rate.

ii. Make smart choices

For example, choose dairy products, fish and meat over bread. Choose eggs over vegetables.

Eat foods with high protein content such as beans, pulses and peas, and foods with high starch content such as potatoes, rice and tapioca.

iii. Protein is important

Increase your protein intake. Your body needs a lot of protein to build new muscle. But since most of the calories for weight gain comes from carbohydrates and fats, do not replace them with protein.

iv. Snack a lot

Consume a lot of high-calorie snacks (not junk food) such as cheese sticks, milk shakes, muffins, dried fruits, yoghurt and breakfast bars.

v. Fluids help too

Drink a lot of fluids that supply nutrients and calories; milk, fresh fruit juices and energy drinks are good examples.

vi. Intensify workouts

Aerobics are great, right? Not for weight gain!

You need to exercise really hard and intensely to gain muscle mass.

vii. Weights are the way to go

Focus on free weight exercises (which do not require machinery) that target your large muscle groups. For example, you need dumbells, not fancy gym machines.

Free weights put the most stress on muscles and stimulate the maximum number of muscle fibres.

The best weight training exercises for building muscle mass are free weight exercises like squats, dead lifts, bench presses, barbell rows, pull ups and bar dips.

These exercises are best done under supervision, but they don't need machinery.

viii. Space out your workouts

If you have a high basic metabolic rate -- which means you expend a lot of energy even at rest -- you need short intense workouts instead of long periods of low-stress activity.

ix. Creatine?

Creatine supplements can help some athletes gain weight. It is not known if it is because it gives them spurts of energy or because it adds water weight.

More research is needed in this area before Creatine becomes that magic pill. Creatine supplements are available at all major health food stores, but do not take it without consulting your doctor.

x. Be consistent

It might take a long time, usually a few months, for the weight to actually show. Some people get frustrated and quit when they fail to see drastic results.

Your body will only responds to a consistent schedule. No weight gain programme will work for you if you are not regular.

Heredity does pay a major role in determining your weight. Effective weight training and a smart diet can help you exceed your genetically predetermined weight.

16 healthy Ayurvedic mantras

2009-06-20T06:42:00.000-07:00

Having a bout of indigestion?

Feeling uncomfortable after a spicy meal?

Get Ahead brings you 16 practical Ayurvedic mantras to incorporate into your daily diet.

1. Instead of using plain water in beverages, use water in which cumin seeds have been soaked overnight. Cumin seeds have a cooling effect on the body and are an effective digestive.

2. Add flavour to juices by making ice cubes out of fruit juices, lemon juice and rose water.

Lemon juice is an excellent source of Vitamin C while both lemon juice and rose water have a cleansing and cooling effect on the body. They blend with any fruit juice without causing any side effects, even as they enhance the flavour of the drink.

3. When making juices, use castor/ powdered sugar (colloquially known as pitti/ khada shakkar) instead of cubes or grains. Pitti/ khada shakkar is good for health as it is not processed as much as ordinary sugar.

If you do not have powdered sugar, grind 250 grams of sugar in a mixer and keep handy. Use approximately one spoon of powdered sugar (seven to eight grams) per glass of any juice. It takes less time to dissolve.

4. Excessive sugar consumption can contribute to dehydration, so switch to natural sweetners such as honey, raw sugar or jaggery.

5. Use glucose powder to add energy to your drink.

6. Substitute cow's milk with soya milk. Soya milk is high in protein and adds nutritional value to your diet. Here's how to make it.

Soak soya beans overnight in water.
Drain the water next day.
Blend the soaked beans with three cups of very hot water for three minutes.
Cool till warm to the touch and filter through a muslin cloth by squeezing.
Simmer soya milk on a stove for 20 minutes.
Stir and allow to cool.
Use it to whip up some yummy milk shakes.
7. Substitute table salt with saindhave mamak (rock salt).

8. Substitute chocolate-flavoured health drink powders like Bournvita, Complan and Horlicks with plain cocoa powder to add more nutrition value to the drink.

9. For garnishing juices, use chopped fresh fruit and dry fruits.

10. Want extra spice in your food? Use generous amounts of ground dry ginger blended with powdered sugar, chaat masala and cinnamon powder.

11. Never mix more than three types of fruits while making a juice; the combination of different fruit enzymes could cause acidity and digestion problems.

12. Citrus fruits (orange, sweet lime, grapefruit) can be consumed in combinations (say orange and sweet lime, sweet lime and grapefruit).

However, citrus fruits should not be combined with any other type of fruits as their enzymes can chemically react with other types of fruit enzymes, causing allergies in extreme cases.

13. Never combine citrus fruits and milk as it leads to an undesirable curdling of milk and renders the combination futile

14. Vegetable juices (cabbage, carrot, beetroot) should preferably be diluted in the proportion of 7: 3 (vegetable juice: water).

15. Never have strong concentrated juices (unless recommended) early in the morning on an empty stomach.

Dilute the juice with water and then consume it.

16. Try to drink freshly prepared fruit juices only. Juices that have been stored without preservatives for a long time undergo oxidation and lose a considerable amount of their nutritional value.

Add to bookmark Code

2009-06-20T06:40:00.001-07:00

Click following link to add bookmark.....

hi5 site

Make this as home page Code

2009-06-20T06:39:00.000-07:00

Add foloowing code in page to make homepage.....

Method 1

Click here to make supertipsandtricks your default homepage

Method 2

onClick="this.style.behavior='url(#default#homepage)';
this.setHomePage('http://sites.google.com/site/supertipsandtricks');">Make supertipsandtricks Your Homepage

Method 3

Disable InfoLinks ads in IE

2009-06-20T06:37:00.002-07:00

How to disable InfoLinks ads. keyword advertising from InfoLinks on Internet Explorer.

Step by step:
1) Open the IE options.
This can be done by using the Tools menu within IE and selecting "Internet Options", by right-clicking on the IE icon on your desktop or Start menu and selecting "Internet Options", or by launching "Internet Options" from inside the Windows Control Panel.
2) From the IE Options window, select the Security tab
3) From within the security tab, click on the "Restricted sites" icon and then click the [Sites] button right below it.
4) A list box window will pop up. In the "Add this website to the zone:" filed type in "*.infolinks.com" then click the [Add] button.

Disable IntelliTXT ads in IE

2009-06-20T06:37:00.001-07:00

How to disable IntelliTXT keyword advertising from Vibrant Media on Internet Explorer.

Step by step:
1) Open the IE options.
This can be done by using the Tools menu within IE and selecting “Internet Options”, by right-clicking on the IE icon on your desktop or Start menu and selecting “Internet Options”, or by launching “Internet Options” from inside the Windows Control Panel.
2) From the IE Options window, select the Security tab
3) From within the security tab, click on the “Restricted sites” icon and then click the [Sites] button right below it.
4) A list box window will pop up. In the “Add this website to the zone:” filed type in *.intellitxt.com then click the [Add] button.

Disable Kontera in IE

2009-06-20T06:36:00.000-07:00

How to disable Kontent ads keyword advertising from kontera on Internet Explorer.

Step by step:
1) Open the IE options.
This can be done by using the Tools menu within IE and selecting "Internet Options", by right-clicking on the IE icon on your desktop or Start menu and selecting "Internet Options", or by launching "Internet Options" from inside the Windows Control Panel.
2) From the IE Options window, select the Security tab
3) From within the security tab, click on the "Restricted sites" icon and then click the [Sites] button right below it.
4) A list box window will pop up. In the "Add this website to the zone:" filed type in "kona.kontera.com" then click the [Add] button.

How to add google or wikimapia to web page

2009-06-20T06:35:00.000-07:00

Visit google map or wikimapia, then you will get menu to get url or HTML code to point specific location on your web page,

View Larger Map

XP expires

2008-03-01T23:55:00.001-08:00

XP Animations

2008-03-01T23:54:00.001-08:00

You can turn off window animation ("exploding" windows), displayed when you play around with minimizing/maximizing open windows. This makes navigating Windows 95/98/ME/NT4/2000/XP a lot quicker, especially if you don't have a fast video controller, or if you got tired of seeing it all the time (like I did). :)To do this, run Regedit (or Regedt32) and go to:HKEY_CURRENT_USER Control Panel Desktop WindowMetrics or if you are the only user of your Windows computer go to:
HKEY_USERS .Default Control Panel Desktop WindowMetrics
Right-click on an empty spot in the right hand pane. Select New -> String [REG_SZ] Value. Name it MinAnimate. Click OK. Double-click on "MinAnimate" and type 0 to turn OFF window animation or 1 to turn it ON. Click OK. Close the Registry Editor and restart Windows. Done.
TweakUI, the famous Microsoft Power Toy [110 KB, free, unsupported] can also turn off animated windows. Just remove the check mark from the "Window Animation" box under the General tab.

How to create a boot disk

2008-03-01T23:53:00.000-08:00

This is quite simple.1: Go into MY COMPUTER2: Have a floppy disk in your drive and then RIGHT click on on the floppy drive and then click on FORMAT3: You will be greeted with a number of options. The one you need to select is "Create an MS-DOS start up disk".4: Click ok Note: This requires up to 5 floppy disks and DOES NOT contain ANY CD-ROM drivers to boot from. A proper CD-ROM boot up disk is going to be release by Microsoft after the Windows XP public release. You can however use you old Windows Me start-up disk if you would prefer, as long as you have not upgraded to an NTFS drive.
You can also download the complete set of bootdisks from our website, ready to create the six MS boot disks for Windows XP:http://www.freepctech.com/pc/002/files010.shtml

How to Write a Windows XP Driver

2008-03-01T23:52:00.002-08:00

Summary: This document describes the steps you should take to create a Microsoft® Windows® XP driver for your device. To create a Windows XP device driver:
Install the current Windows DDK. Read the system requirements and installation instructions in the stand-alone Getting Started HTML file supplied with the DDK.
Read Getting Started with Windows Drivers. This document guides you through the planning and decision-making process involved in making a Windows device driver from design through distribution. You should also look through the DDK documentation for device-type-specific information.
The DDK documentation set has the following device-type-specific nodes:
Battery Devices
Display and Print Devices
IEEE 1284.4 Devices
Interactive Input Devices
Modem Devices
Multifunction Devices
Network Devices and Protocols
Parallel Ports and Devices
Serial Ports and Devices
Smart Card Devices
Still Image Devices
Storage Devices
Streaming Devices (Video and Audio)
Devices Requiring VDDs

IDE bus are described in System Support for Buses. Driver development for most device types also requires a strong understanding of Windows operating system fundamentals, which are described in Kernel-Mode Driver Architecture.
Look through the driver source code provided with the DDK for a sample that represents your device type. Use the sample code where possible, modifying it for your device's specifics.
The sample code can enhance your understanding of Windows XP driver implementation requirements and speed your development time.
Compile and build your driver. This should be done using the Build utility and not some other compiler, because the Build utility has certain features that are necessary for driver development.
Obtain a checked build of Windows XP, so that you can test and debug your driver using free and checked system builds.
The checked build of Windows XP provides extensive kernel-mode debugging capabilities not available in the free build.
Create an INF file so that you can install and test your driver.
Test and debug your driver. You should use Driver Verifier, a program that puts your driver through a variety of tests, stresses, and deliberate failures in order to test its response and reliability in many extreme situations. You should also use a debugger. Microsoft provides several powerful debuggers that can monitor and debug kernel-mode and user-mode drivers. Using Driver Verifier in conjunction with these debuggers, on both the checked and free versions of the operating system, can be a powerful way to test your driver.
Provide an installation package so that customers can install devices that use your driver.
Submit your driver and installation package to Microsoft so that it can be digitally signed.
There are many resources available to you while developing your driver. The following sites describe some of the support available to you:
http://www.microsoft.com/ddk describes how to obtain the current DDK and provides other information, such as a driver development reading list.
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev provides information, such as device-type-specific white papers and late-breaking news, and a list of resources available to driver developers.
http://support.microsoft.com/support/ddk contains DDK product support information.

How To Enable Hibernation

2008-03-01T23:52:00.001-08:00

Under Windows 98, Me, or 2000 there was an option in the shutdown dialog box to enter the computer into hibernation (where all the content of the RAM is copied to the hard disk). The shutdown dialog box of Windows XP doesn't offer any longer the hibernation button. Some users may get confused about how to enable the hibernation mode. If this mode is supported by your motherboard (ACPI) you have to do the following:
Click Start and Shut Down,
Point the standby button and maintain the shift key pushed,
A new hibernation button appears: click it while still holding the shift key: voila your PC will hibernate.

20 things you didn't know about Windows XP

2008-03-01T23:51:00.002-08:00

You've read the reviews and digested the key feature enhancements and operational changes. Now it's time to delve a bit deeper and uncover some of Windows XP's secrets.1. It boasts how long it can stay up. Whereas previous versions of Windows were coy about how long they went between boots, XP is positively proud of its stamina. Go to the Command Prompt in the Accessories menu from the All Programs start button option, and then type 'systeminfo'. The computer will produce a lot of useful info, including the uptime. If you want to keep these, type 'systeminfo > info.txt'. This creates a file called info.txt you can look at later with Notepad. (Professional Edition only).
2. You can delete files immediately, without having them move to the Recycle Bin first. Go to the Start menu, select Run... and type 'gpedit.msc'; then select User Configuration, Administrative Templates, Windows Components, Windows Explorer and find the Do not move deleted files to the Recycle Bin setting. Set it. Poking around in gpedit will reveal a great many interface and system options, but take care -- some may stop your computer behaving as you wish. (Professional Edition only).
3. You can lock your XP workstation with two clicks of the mouse. Create a new shortcut on your desktop using a right mouse click, and enter 'rundll32.exe user32.dll,LockWorkStation' in the location field. Give the shortcut a name you like. That's it -- just double click on it and your computer will be locked. And if that's not easy enough, Windows key + L will do the same.
4. XP hides some system software you might want to remove, such as Windows Messenger, but you can tickle it and make it disgorge everything. Using Notepad or Edit, edit the text file /windows/inf/sysoc.inf, search for the word 'hide' and remove it. You can then go to the Add or Remove Programs in the Control Panel, select Add/Remove Windows Components and there will be your prey, exposed and vulnerable.
5. For those skilled in the art of DOS batch files, XP has a number of interesting new commands. These include 'eventcreate' and 'eventtriggers' for creating and watching system events, 'typeperf' for monitoring performance of various subsystems, and 'schtasks' for handling scheduled tasks. As usual, typing the command name followed by /? will give a list of options -- they're all far too baroque to go into here.
6. XP has IP version 6 support -- the next generation of IP. Unfortunately this is more than your ISP has, so you can only experiment with this on your LAN. Type 'ipv6 install' into Run... (it's OK, it won't ruin your existing network setup) and then 'ipv6 /?' at the command line to find out more. If you don't know what IPv6 is, don't worry and don't bother.
7. You can at last get rid of tasks on the computer from the command line by using 'taskkill /pid' and the task number, or just 'tskill' and the process number. Find that out by typing 'tasklist', which will also tell you a lot about what's going on in your system.
8. XP will treat Zip files like folders, which is nice if you've got a fast machine. On slower machines, you can make XP leave zip files well alone by typing 'regsvr32 /u zipfldr.dll' at the command line. If you change your mind later, you can put things back as they were by typing 'regsvr32 zipfldr.dll'.
9. XP has ClearType -- Microsoft's anti-aliasing font display technology -- but doesn't have it enabled by default. It's well worth trying, especially if you were there for DOS and all those years of staring at a screen have given you the eyes of an astigmatic bat. To enable ClearType, right click on the desktop, select Properties, Appearance, Effects, select ClearType from the second drop-down menu and enable the selection. Expect best results on laptop displays. If you want to use ClearType on the Welcome login screen as well, set the registry entry HKEY_USERS/.DEFAULT/Control Panel/Desktop/FontSmoothingType to 2.
10. You can use Remote Assistance to help a friend who's using network address translation (NAT) on a home network, but not automatically. Get your pal to email you a Remote Assistance invitation and edit the file. Under the RCTICKET attribute will be a NAT IP address, like 192.168.1.10. Replace this with your chum's real IP address -- they can find this out by going to www.whatismyip.com -- and get them to make sure that they've got port 3389 open on their firewall and forwarded to the errant computer.
11. You can run a program as a different user without logging out and back in again. Right click the icon, select Run As... and enter the user name and password you want to use. This only applies for that run. The trick is particularly useful if you need to have administrative permissions to install a program, which many require. Note that you can have some fun by running programs multiple times on the same system as different users, but this can have unforeseen effects.
12. Windows XP can be very insistent about you checking for auto updates, registering a Passport, using Windows Messenger and so on. After a while, the nagging goes away, but if you feel you might slip the bonds of sanity before that point, run Regedit, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/Current Version/Explorer/Advanced and create a DWORD value called EnableBalloonTips with a value of 0.
13. You can start up without needing to enter a user name or password. Select Run... from the start menu and type 'control userpasswords2', which will open the user accounts application. On the Users tab, clear the box for Users Must Enter A User Name And Password To Use This Computer, and click on OK. An Automatically Log On dialog box will appear; enter the user name and password for the account you want to use.
14. Internet Explorer 6 will automatically delete temporary files, but only if you tell it to. Start the browser, select Tools / Internet Options... and Advanced, go down to the Security area and check the box to Empty Temporary Internet Files folder when browser is closed.
15. XP comes with a free Network Activity Light, just in case you can't see the LEDs twinkle on your network card. Right click on My Network Places on the desktop, then select Properties. Right click on the description for your LAN or dial-up connection, select Properties, then check the Show icon in notification area when connected box. You'll now see a tiny network icon on the right of your task bar that glimmers nicely during network traffic.
16. The Start Menu can be leisurely when it decides to appear, but you can speed things along by changing the registry entry HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Control Panel/Desktop/MenuShowDelay from the default 400 to something a little snappier. Like 0.
17. You can rename loads of files at once in Windows Explorer. Highlight a set of files in a window, then right click on one and rename it. All the other files will be renamed to that name, with individual numbers in brackets to distinguish them. Also, in a folder you can arrange icons in alphabetised groups by View, Arrange Icon By... Show In Groups.
18. Windows Media Player will display the cover art for albums as it plays the tracks -- if it found the picture on the Internet when you copied the tracks from the CD. If it didn't, or if you have lots of pre-WMP music files, you can put your own copy of the cover art in the same directory as the tracks. Just call it folder.jpg and Windows Media Player will pick it up and display it.
19. Windows key + Break brings up the System Properties dialogue box; Windows key + D brings up the desktop; Windows key + Tab moves through the taskbar buttons.
20. The next release of Windows XP, codenamed Longhorn, is due out late next year or early 2003 and won't be much to write home about. The next big release is codenamed Blackcomb and will be out in 2003/2004.

Make your Folders Private

2008-03-01T23:51:00.001-08:00

•Open My Computer •Double-click the drive where Windows is installed (usually drive (C:), unless you have more than one drive on your computer). •If the contents of the drive are hidden, under System Tasks, click Show the contents of this drive. •Double-click the Documents and Settings folder. •Double-click your user folder. •Right-click any folder in your user profile, and then click Properties. •On the Sharing tab, select the Make this folder private so that only I have access to it check box.
Note
•To open My Computer, click Start, and then click My Computer. •This option is only available for folders included in your user profile. Folders in your user profile include My Documents and its subfolders, Desktop, Start Menu, Cookies, and Favorites. If you do not make these folders private, they are available to everyone who uses your computer. •When you make a folder private, all of its subfolders are private as well. For example, when you make My Documents private, you also make My Music and My Pictures private. When you share a folder, you also share all of its subfolders unless you make them private. •You cannot make your folders private if your drive is not formatted as NTFS For information about converting your drive to NTFS

disable_winlogo_key.reg - Disable the Windows Logo Keys

2008-02-23T00:25:00.007-08:00

This REG (Registry) file will disable the Windows Logo keys on your keyboard.
To use: Download the disable_winlogo_key.reg file and save it to your hard drive (you may want to right click and use Save Target As). Open Windows Explorer (if necessary) and locate the file you just saved. Double click the file and answer yes to the import prompt. You will need to log off/log on or restart for the change to take effect.
To re-enable the Windows Logo keys, download this REG file re-enable_winlogo_key.reg and double click the file. Answer yes to the import prompt and then reboot.

Setting File and Folder Security in Windows XP

2008-02-23T00:25:00.006-08:00

You cannot password protect individual folders in XP. You restrict access by assigning permissions to drives, folders and files.To do this, you must be running NTFS as your file system on the drive in question. If your hard disk/partition is not NTFS you will need to convert it. To do this, open a Command Prompt window and enter the following command:CONVERT X: /FS:NTFS Where X: is the drive letter you wish to convert. You may also want to see http://www.aumha.org/a/ntfscvt.htm to ensure that you're getting the optimal conversion.After this step is completed and you've rebooted the computer, if necessary:XP PRO: In Windows Explorer, go to Tools, Folder Options, View and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing. Now, when you right click on a drive, folder or file (on an NTFS partition) and select Properties, you'll see a Security tab. Here you can assign or deny permissions based on user name or user group membership.XP Home: By default, you can only make files and folders under My Documents "private". This is done by right clicking a folder or file and selecting Properties, Sharing. To change the permissions on other folders, you need to boot the computer to Safe Mode and log in on the built in Administrator account. In this mode, you'll see the Security tab in Properties, and you can assign permissions based on user name or group membership.HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove File and Folder Permissions in Windows XPhttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308418HOW TO: Set, View, Change, or Remove Special Permissions for Files and Foldershttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;308419HOW TO: Disable Simplified Sharing and Password-Protect a Shared Folder in Windows XPhttp://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;307874

Outlook Express keeps prompting for your password

2008-02-23T00:25:00.005-08:00

NOTE: Following this procedure will remove all stored passwords for your user account. Make sure you know what they are before performing this procedure!!
This fix also applies to Outlook, other programs that store passwords in the Protected Storage System Provider sub branch of the Registry. It also corrects some issues with Internet Explorer and Autocomplete.
This is caused by a damaged Registry key. To Remove the broken Key in Windows® XP1) Click Start, click Run, and then type regedt32 in the Open box.2) Locate the following registry key:HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider3) Right click the HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Protected Storage System Provider key, and then Select Permissions.4) In the Permissions for Protected Storage System Provider dialog box, click the Advanced tab. Make sure that the has Full Control access. Select "Replace permission entries..."5) Click OK.
6) Repeat steps 3 through 5 for each subkey that is listed under the Protected Storage System Provider registry key; otherwise, you may receive the following error message when you try to delete the Protected Storage System Provider key:
Registry editor could not delete the key currently selected. The key or one of its subkeys does not give you delete access.
Note: The sub keys under Protected Storage System Provide will look something like this:
S-1-5-21-1085031214-1202660629-1708537768-10037) At this point, you can delete the Protected Storage System Provider key by clicking Delete on the Edit menu. If you prefer, you can first export a copy of this key, and then delete the key. To export the key, right click the Protected Storage System Provider key, and select Export. The exported file can be re-imported by double clicking on it.8) When you click Delete, you receive the following message:
Registry editor will delete the currently selected key and all its subkeys. Do you want to continue the operation?
Click Yes to finish the process.9) Start Outlook Express. When Outlook Express checks your mail account(s) you will be able to re-enter your password(s). This process repopulates the Protected Storage System Provider registry key with the correct information for that computer's SID.

Recover Deleted Files/Folders

2008-02-23T00:25:00.004-08:00

Ok, you've deleted a file or files, and sent them to the Recycle Bin. Then, being conscientious, you emptied the Recycle Bin to free up the disk space.
Oops! The first pictures of your new baby were in that folder! Or the pictures of your sister's wedding.
And those pictures are gone!
You'll need 3rd party software to recover these files. I use FileSaver, from http://www.file-saver.com
Of course, the less work you do with your computer, in the meantime, the better your chances of recovering your deleted files/folders intact.

Renaming Desktop Icons

2008-02-23T00:25:00.003-08:00

You can easily rename various Desktop (System Icons).
For a Visual Basic utility to do this for you, click HERE.
Click Start, Run and enter REGEDIT. Navigate to the following Registry brach:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\CLSID
The Desktop Icons are located in the sub keys as follows:
My Network Places: {208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}My Computer: {20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}My Documents: {450D8FBA-AD25-11D0-98A8-0800361B1103}Recycle Bin:{645FF040-5081-101B-9F08-00AA002F954E}Default IE Icon: {871C5380-42A0-1069-A2EA-08002B30309D}
Double click the Default value in the above keys and enter the text you desire. Right click on the Desktop and select Refresh to see the changes.
To undo the changes, just right click on the Default value and select Delete. Refresh the Desktop to see that things are back to normal.

How Do I Get the Security tab in Folder Properties

2008-02-23T00:25:00.002-08:00

First, your hard drive must be formatted NTFS for this tab to show up.
Second, if you're running XP Pro, you must open Windows Explorer, go to Tools, Folder Options, View and uncheck Use Simple File Sharing.
Third, if you're running XP Home, Simple File Sharing is enforced by default and cannot be disabled. You must boot the computer into Safe Mode and log in with the Administrator account, in order to see the Security tab. A work around for XP Home, so that you don't have to enter Safe Mode, can be found here.
WARNING: Adjusting the permissions on a drive, file or folder can lock even the Administrator account out of that drive/file/folder. Deny Permissions take precedence over Allow Permissions, regardless of your group membership. Administrators are members of the User's group, by default. Uncheck Allow, rather than using Deny.

How do I keep myself safe from Viruses

2008-02-23T00:25:00.001-08:00

Computer viruses are a fact of modern, internet-connected life. At best, they're annoying performance sucking beasts, but at worst ... kiss all your data good bye.
We all need to take steps to make sure that our computers are safe, or we risk infection. Complacency is not an option.
And yet, even after all the news, and all the warnings, and after all this time ...
complacency remains all too common.
");
//-->

Ask Leo! about placing your ad here.
There are four important steps:
1. Install and Run an Anti-Virus Program
There are many out there.
Personally, I run Computer Associate's eTrust AntiVirus. It was the corporate standard solution where I used to work, and has served me exceedingly well for several years now. I have it scheduled to update signatures and scan every night.
I've also heard good things about Panda Antivirus, AVG Anti Virus, and Kaspersky Anti-Virus. Symantec maintains one of the best reference sites for virus related security issues.
Free and On-Line Virus Scanners: I've learned that not all virus scanners catch all viruses. I recommend having a selection of free virus scanners to run as a "second tier". AVG has a free product. Trend Micro's Housecall, and Panda's Active Scan are on-line scanners that download as an ActiveX control in your browser. Most downloadable virus scanning solutions often include free trial periods that can also come in handy as one-time second-level scans.
Download and install the package of your choice. Now. Before you forget.
Download and install the package of your choice. Now. Before you forget.
2. Update the Anti-Virus Database
Your first step should be to update the virus signature database that came with the installation. New viruses are being created every day, and the databases that the anti-virus programs use are being updated as well. You need to get the latest database for your program right away.
Most of the programs have update functions that will locate, download and install the latest databases automatically. Make sure that this is enabled.
3. Run Regular Scans
Most of the anti-virus programs work automatically. Once installed they are configured to scan all incoming and outgoing files, and often hook into your email in some way to double check that your received email is clean as well.
Unless you know what you're doing, make sure that this "real time" scanning is enabled.
I also recommend periodically running scans of your hard disk(s). Certainly when you first install the software you should run a full scan. Then, depending on how heavily used your machine is, you should run a scan periodically as well.
Some programs will allow you to schedule such a scan to happen automatically. In my case, for example, since my computers are on 24 hours a day, I schedule full virus scans nightly, while I'm asleep.
");
//-->

var al_article_category;
google_ad_client = "pub-6711026890334492";
google_ad_width = 336;
google_ad_height = 280;
google_ad_format = "336x280_as";
google_color_border = "FFFFFF";
google_color_bg = "FFFFFF";
google_color_link = "00309c";
google_color_url = "1369e9";
google_color_text = "000000";
google_ad_channel = "6448756426";
4. Keep Windows Up-To-Date
Visit Windows Update regularly, or simply enable the automatic update feature in Windows XP.
All software has bugs. Some of those bugs are used to create the exploits that virus writers take advantage of to create viruses that can infect your system. As these bugs are found, Microsoft fixes the affected components in the operating system, and makes those fixes available for download and install using Windows Update.
The "problem", is that even once the bugs are discovered and publicized, and even when the fix is available, virus writers get busy writing viruses that still exploit them. Why? Because they know not everyone stays up-to-date. (As an example, one of my most popular articles here on Ask Leo! is being read by thousands of people each month who are still being affected by a virus using an exploit that was patched close to two years ago.)
Keep Windows up-to-date. Let someone else have the "fun" of being infected with the latest viruses. Visit Windows Update weekly, or enable automatic update.

Task Manager has been disabled by your administrator

2008-02-23T00:25:00.000-08:00

Method 1
Click Start, Run and type this command exactly as given below: (better - Copy and paste)
REG add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System /v DisableTaskMgr /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
Method 2
Download and run this REG fix and double-click it.
Method 3
Click Start, Run and type Regedit.exe
Navigate to the following branch:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER \ Software \ Microsoft \ Windows \ CurrentVersion \ Policies\ System
In the right-pane, delete the value named DisableTaskMgr
Close Regedit.exe
Method 4: Using Group Policy Editor - for Windows XP Professional
Click Start, Run, type gpedit.msc and click OK.
Navigate to this branch:
User Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / Ctrl+Alt+Delete Options / Remove Task Manager
Double-click the Remove Task Manager option.
Set the policy to Not Configured.