Disk Cleanup Freeze?

It's a very common problem that many newbies almost always ignore to correct; that when you try to the Disk Cleanup tool, it may stop responding and you may receive the following message:

Disk Cleanup is calculating how much space you will be able to free on (C:).
This may take a few minutes to complete.
Scanning: Compress old files

This problem happens when there is an incorrect entry in the registry that is used by the Disk Cleanup utility to locate compressed files. In my view, I've noticed it happening to clean formatted computers as well, so I would suppose that the problem in the registry too is probably a faulty of M$ programming.

But here is a good little trick to follow if this happens to you:

1. Create a registry file by "right clicking" on the desktop > New > Text Document.
2. Name it anything you want with .reg extension. For example: diskcleanup.reg
3. Right click this file > Edit.
4. Type in the following code, then save and close:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[-HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\VolumeCaches\Compress old files]

That's it! It should have done it. Try running the Disk Cleanup now and see if it is any faster than before.

This tutorial has been test to work on WinXP Pro and Home only. That doesn't mean it won't work in other WinOS. Just that it's not been tested in others.

Disable Error Reporting

Whenever either Windows crashes, you will be asked if you want to send an error report to Microsoft. It's annoying, so here's a way to disable it:

1. Open the Control Panel.
2. Click on System.
3. Click on the Advanced tab.
4. Click on ERROR REPORTING at the bottom.
5. Select DISABLE ERROR REPORTING.
6. Click OK.

It's as easy as that.

Guidelines to prevent computer-related stress injuries

Many guidelines have been published about computer-related stress injuries. This page summarizes some of my favorite suggestions.

1. Stretch while seated at your desk in order to prevent some injuries.
2. The target field (the size and point on the screen that you look at) should be set so that it can be seen conveniently without shifting or tilting your your head. You should be able to see the top of the target field. An adjustable monitor stand may help. Your head should face in a straight, neutral position - not facing either upward or downward.
3. Exercise while at your desk. Drop your head gently forward. Slowly rotate it clockwise and counterclockwise. Blink frequently to moisten your eyes so that they feel less tired. You may need to use use eye drops to moisten them still more if you stare at the screen too long.
4. Stare at a distant object from time to time. You may want to look out the window at a fixed object and then look at something else nearby, like your phone. Keep shifting your point of vision.
5. Adjust your chair so that your neck is always straight while facing the screen. Don't hold the phone between your neck and shoulder. If you use the phone a great deal, buy a telephone headset.
6. Use your right hand to hold on to the seat of your chair. Move your head forward, and then turn and lean to your left. You will feel a stretch from the neck to the top of the shoulder blade. Keep stretching for fifteen seconds. Reverse - do it with your left hand and lean to the right.
7. If you feel that your shoulders are beginning to be rounded after an extended period of time in the same position, correct it by sitting up with a straight back.
8. Slowly move your shoulders up and down. Let your arms hang down next to you, and then rotate your shoulders clockwise and counter-clockwise.
9. Adjust the height of your keyboard and chair so that your arms and elbows are close to your body, and so that your elbow is at a right angle.
10. Raise your right arm as if to throw an object. Keep stretching back a bit further. Gradually straighten your arm at the elbow. Your arm will then be behind and next to you. Slowly turn your palm upward. Gradually extend your fingers until you feel your muscles stretching at your forearm and wrist. Do it again, this time with your left arm.
11. Straighten your back. Your arms should be next to you with your elbows bent at a 90-degree angle. Make fists with both hands. Rotate your elbows forward, but keep your fists in front of your waist. Straighten your elbows. Stretch your arms back behind your body. You'll feel your forearm and wrist muscles stretching.
12. Your wrists should remain straight as you type. Adjust your keyboard shelf or seat so that they do not go up or down. You may want to put down your keyboard's little folding "feet". You may want to consider a foam wrist pad for support if your arms get tired from too much typing.
13. Look for a comfortable mouse. There are special mouses (yes, that's the plural form for a computer mouse) for lefties and righties, and for small or large hands.
14. Hold both hands in a clapping position. Use the palm of one hand to press back the wrist and fingers of the other hand. After three seconds, rest and then repeat this stretch for your other hand. Do this procedure five times for each hand.
15. Keep your fingernails short, so that you don't have to use the pads of your fingers. Your fingers should be relaxed and slightly curved when typing.
16. While keeping your wrists straight, stretch the fingers of both hands apart as widely as you can for three seconds. Relax. Do it again and again, for a total of five times.
17. Sit straight. Keep your supplies handy so that you don't have to stretch for them.
18. This exercise and the following one may be dangerous for those who suffer from back problems: Touch your shoulders with your fingertips while sitting at the edge of your chair. Gradually twist and stretch right to left.
19. Lock the fingers of your hands together behind your head. Slowly tilt and stretch your body from side to side.
20. Your lap and your feet should rest comfortably. They should be parallel to the floor. Either adjust your seat or use a footrest with a nonslip surface. Be sure there is enough room under your desk to stretch your legs.
21. Take frequent but short walks. Handle small errands in the office yourself, as an excuse to get up and walk around. It's best to get up every twenty to thirty minutes, and you should never sit in the same position for more than 2 hours. From time to time, take a fast-paced walk around the neighborhood. Unless your neighborhood is even more dangerous than the effects of repetitive stress injuries.

Should you turn Off your PC?

Should you turn off the computer or the monitor when it is not in use?

Alternatively, should it be left in Standby mode?

When you turn on electrical equipment it uses a large amount of power, and then it goes down to its "rated consumption" as stated on the label. This is measured in watts or kilowatts. This sudden jump in electricity is know as a spike. You can see it on a digital power meter, but there is a way that it can be observed more easily.

Just switch on your air conditioner, refrigerator, or vacuum cleaner. It's best if that appliance is plugged into the same circuit for the purpose of this experiment.

Your lights may dim briefly and then resume their former brightness during this "spiking" and it will then go back to its normal level of power.

Another way of looking at this is with a standard incandescent light bulbs. Have you noticed that they seem to be able to stay on forever, but they burn out when you turn them on? That's also because of that initial spike of electricity.

So, what's the problem?

Computers have delicate electronics inside of them. The electronics in laptops may be even more delicate. As the computer ages, the components suffer from repeatedly being turned on and off (technicians say that the parts are fried). Over the course of time, the repeated spiking damages some components. It is thus a good idea to reduce the number of times that you spike these delicate parts.

So, computers should be left on, right?

Well, laptops heat up more than desktop computers, so it is not a good idea to leave them on. Laptops do not have the same system of fans that is in desktop computers. Leaving it on will fry the parts in a different way than turning it off and on, but the result will be effectively the same.

OK, so I'll leave the computer in Standby or Hibernate mode

Those modes are different, as follows:

Standby

• The machine is powered down so that it uses practically no power.
• Your data is saved (if you have enough installed memory)

Hibernate

• The machine is powered off.
• The data is saved as an "image" on the hard drive. When you turn on the computer, everything is where it was. Unsaved unsaved work is restored, Windows is in its familiar position, and you can continue working.

Lower your electric bill

Hibernation and standby options are available because laptops have limited battery life and desktop computers use a considerable amount of electricity.

The "Energy Star" power consumption rating shows that manufacturers are becoming aware of the environment.

Standby mode is useful when a laptop is moved from one location to another. Batteries last significantly longer between recharges.

Hibernate, on the other hand, is not as useful. It takes nearly as long to power up to your previous state, and you still spike the mainboard during this time. You may want to use it because your Desktop seems to appear the same as the last time it was used.

Standby mode therefore seems to be a better option for extending the life of laptop. This is important, because laptops cost more and they are replaced less frequently. This issue is less important with a desktop computer.

There is still another option: You can have many of the benefits of switching the computer off and having the benefits of Standby mode.

Use the power setting in the Control Panel

Many computer programs "leak" memory. If a computer program uses 15MB when it is started, it may use 55MB two weeks later. This has nothing to do with anything you've done, and it is not because the program is working any harder. The programs leak memory because they are written and designed poorly.

What is the solution?

Restart your computer periodically. Better yet - leave it off overnight from time to time so that the parts can cool down to room temperature. I turn off my own computer once a week for Shabbat. I find that to be a reasonable compromise.

During the week, between these rest breaks, use the standby function in order to prolong the lifetime of your investment.

Yahoo!!

If you go to Yahoo! Messenger official download page to download latest version of Yahoo! Messenger (8.1.0.413), you will end up with a small installer file which will in turn need to be installed and run to download the full setup files for Y! Msgr, and then only complete the installation of Y!Mgr. It’s not a good idea if you prefer to perform offline installation, and troublesome for those without want to install Yahoo! Messenger on PCs without Internet access.

However, as with previous version of Yahoo! Messenger, it’s possible to download full complete standalone installer setup file for Yahoo! Messenger via a direct download link. This stand alone setup program can install Yahoo! Messenger offline, and will install straight away without downloading anything extra. It’s the same file that the small Yahoo! Messenger setup initiator downloads if you download the ‘partial installer’ from Yahoo!.

Download Yahoo! Messenger Full Installer verson 8.1.0.413

10 rules of internet safety

Nobody can ensure you that your network and computer is 100% safe even though you have installed the most advanced and updated firewall, antivirus software or even with the assistance of some hardware/electronic gadgets. As a user, you need to have some fundamental knowledge to minimize the risk of your private information being stolen and to make sure that your networking system is safe to use.

If you are not an IT technical personnel, perhaps the following 10 rules can assist you: -

1. Do not use simple information such as your son’s name, your birthday, etc for your password. Use more complicated passwords. You can use the combination of small and big capital letter; add in special character such as $, %, &, etc.
2. Do not simply click on any links that appears on the email received. Don’t reveal your private and personal information to any company if required via email.
3. Do not place confidential printouts on your working desk. Keep them properly as the information might reveal some sensitive data. Lock your PC or set a password on the screen server if you leave your desk.
4. Sometime you might receive some email from friends or relatives requesting you to forward some information. Be careful as this email might be a trap and carries spam. To verify the information, you can go to websites such as www.snopes.com to check.
5. Do not simply open any attachment provided you 100% know the sender and the attachment’s content.
6. Make sure your antivirus software’s scanning machine is running all the time. Do not simply switch off your scanning machine.
7. Do not simply install software even though it is free. A lot of software that is free for downloading from the internet always carries virus or spam.
8. Seek help from your MIS people if you are having any difficulty.

Wonder kid joining MU

LONDON, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Manchester United have signed a gifted nine-year-old after his grandfather sent the Premier League champions a DVD showcasing the boy's talents which has become a YouTube sensation.
Rhain Davis, who was born in England but has lived in Australia since the age of four, was hailed by the British press on Thursday as the next Wayne Rooney after the United striker.
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The boy's dribbling and goalscoring prowess for an Under-10 side in Brisbane, Australia, feature in a four-minute YouTube clip, already viewed more than 800,000 times.
United confirmed the signing but played down the hype around Davis, who has moved back to Cheshire in northern England with his father, near the club's training ground.
"He's a member of our academy and we don't comment on individual members," a United spokesman told Reuters.
He added that the club sign about 40 players of Davis's age every year and, as is standard, will decide annually whether to renew his contract or release him.
What was so unusual in Davis's case was that his skills were brought to the attention of United's youth scouts by the DVD submission, which could inspire other hopefuls, the spokesman said.

"We're bracing ourselves for a whole series of DVDs," he added.

Davis has been thrilled at the chance to rub shoulders with some of his idols.

"The best part has been meeting lots of players like Wayne Rooney," he told British newspapers.