This Tip is for the First Time Windows Vista Users
Click Start-Run then enter "msconfig" without quotes and press enter.
Alternate way to take Windows Run
Press Win key+R
The Boot tab lets you configure boot options, including timeout settings and advanced
settings, such as these:
■ Safe Boot: Minimal—Boots to the Windows GUI but only running critical services.
Networking functions are also disabled. If you find your system is working at this level
then you might want to try turning on services to see if they cause any further issues.
■ Safe Boot: Alternate Shell—Boots to a command prompt. Critical services are running,
but networking and the GUI are disabled. From here you can perform command-line
diagnostics.
■ Safe Boot: Active Directory Repair—Boots to the Windows GUI running critical services
and Active Directory.
■ Safe Boot: Network—Boots to the Windows GUI, running critical services and network-
ing. If you don’t think your problem is in the networking services then having the
network turned on for your system will allow you to access resources you might need
on the network or Internet for diagnosis.
■ No GUI Boot—Does not display the Windows Vista splash screen when you are booting.
Instead, as mentioned earlier, the Aurora screen appears.
■ Boot Log—Stores information from the boot process in a log located in %systemroot%
called ntbtlog.txt. These logs can be sent to other technicians for their opinion on
what might be causing your system to crash.
■ Base Video—Just like VGA mode in times past, this mode loads the system with standard VGA drivers instead of those that specifically relate to your hardware. This option is good for eliminating problems with video drivers.
■ OS Boot Information—Shows all the drivers during the boot process as they load up.
■ Make All Boot Settings Permanent—Usually when you make changes, you can undo
them simply by selecting the Normal boot process from the General tab (as mentioned
earlier). But if you select this option, those changes can still be undone; however, the
caveat is you have to manually go back and uncheck the options you’ve checked.
■ Timeout Settings—You can configure different countdowns for your multiboot systems.
You can try to type in what you like, but it will ask for a number between 3 seconds
and 999 seconds.
■ Advanced Settings—These advanced options enable you to configure such things as the
number of processors, the amount of memory, and Global Debug settings. Keep in mind
that these options are last-resort choices to diagnose your systems and are usually used
under the direction of Microsoft support services.
Reboot/Restart or Shutdown PC Quickly
1. Create a shortcut (Right-click on desktop, select New > Shortcut).
2. For location, type the following:
shutdown -r -t 0
3. Click Next, enter a name for the shortcut ("Restart" is appropriate), and click Finish.
When you click your Restart shortcut, Windows XP will reboot *automagically*!
The "-r" switch tells XP to reboot.
If you'd like the shortcut to shut off your PC instead, change it to "-s";
To simply log off, change it to "-l".
The "-t 0" sets the timeout (in seconds), so up this value if you find the need for it. To force running applications to close, add "-f".(be careful with this one!)
2. For location, type the following:
shutdown -r -t 0
3. Click Next, enter a name for the shortcut ("Restart" is appropriate), and click Finish.
When you click your Restart shortcut, Windows XP will reboot *automagically*!
The "-r" switch tells XP to reboot.
If you'd like the shortcut to shut off your PC instead, change it to "-s";
To simply log off, change it to "-l".
The "-t 0" sets the timeout (in seconds), so up this value if you find the need for it. To force running applications to close, add "-f".(be careful with this one!)
Changing Motherboards
Before you swap out the current motherboard go to device manager and select the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controller and select your current storage controller.
Right click, select update driver and select install from a list or specific location.
Click don't search I will choose the driver to install and select the standard dual channel IDE controller.
This will prevent the inaccessable boot device blue screen.
I have done this multiple times on different platforms with no problems.
Also I found that booting the first time with the new motherboard is best done in the Safe mode where XP will install the drivers it needs and at the same time you can install the new motherboard drivers from its CD.
This saved me doing a repair or a reinstall of XP. My whole system came right up and worked great and very stable.
Right click, select update driver and select install from a list or specific location.
Click don't search I will choose the driver to install and select the standard dual channel IDE controller.
This will prevent the inaccessable boot device blue screen.
I have done this multiple times on different platforms with no problems.
Also I found that booting the first time with the new motherboard is best done in the Safe mode where XP will install the drivers it needs and at the same time you can install the new motherboard drivers from its CD.
This saved me doing a repair or a reinstall of XP. My whole system came right up and worked great and very stable.
12 Tips for Buying a New Laptop
1. Opt for an Intel Pentium 4 or an Intel Centrino processor. The processor forms the computing core of your laptop and is one area where you must not compromise.
Invest wisely here. The processor is the first component likely to get outdated and it is not possible to upgrade it.
2. Opt for a 256 MB DDR SDRAM. A RAM of lower memory capacity will make it difficult to run certain applications and software.
Upgrading from 256 to 512 MB DDR SDRAM could cost you between $100 and $150.
3. Choose an Active-matrix (TFT) display, preferably an LCD. The display is an active matrix if you can see the arrow while it traverses the screen. Most displays nowadays are TFTs as the Passive-matrix (dual scan) is now outdated.
TFTs are highly preferred because of their sharper images, better resolution and smoother images of motion on the screen.
Wide screen laptops are a visual treat and recommended for those interested in the movie experience. But they cost 8% to 10% more than the conventional laptops, are obviously bulkier to carry and slightly low on battery life.
4. If you travel extensively, take care that your laptop weighs under 5 pounds. If your laptop will be confined to your room, you could go in for a slightly heavier one. It will be cheaper. It will also have a few more features.
5. Check the battery life on the laptop. Insist that it is a Lithium-ion (Li+) battery (nearly all laptops will have this one). Choose batteries with a high voltage and a high mAh. Do not go for NiMH batteries, as you will have to keep charging them frequently.
6. If you have no intention of using a CD frequently, an external DVD and CDRW drives may be preferred to inbuilt ones. The main convenience being that they reduce the weight of the base piece and provide lesser complications later on.
If they are an integral part of your work, you might as well opt for an inbuilt version.
Incidentally, the prices of DVD drives are expected to fall considerably over the next one year.
Don't stress on your laptop having a floppy drive. Floppies are getting obsolete by the minute and will soon be terminated.
7. If you are on the move, buy a laptop with a spill-resistant keyboard and shock-resistant hard drives. This will ensure your hard disk does not crash and you don't lose data in the event of a minor crash or fall.
8. Ensure the laptop has two or more USB ports, as you will need them to attach your peripheral devices like printers and scanners.
You could even consider buying a pen drive to act as a reliable data transfer mode.
Choose a laptop with wireless connectivity in the form of Bluetooth and Infrared. These make data transfer very convenient and reliable and you can send data to multiple recipients at one go.
These facilities on your laptop would cost you around $30 more and are independent of any service providers.
9. Windows XP Professional is an ideal system for a laptop meant for office use. In laptops, it is very inconvenient to upgrade your operating system, so choose the latest one.
Windows is the most popular operating system, with XP Professional being the latest that supports all the software available today.
10. Some people prefer a touchpad mouse as the navigating option while others prefer the rubberised button situated between the keys G, H and B. Try working with both and pick the one you are most comfortable with.
Some laptops come equipped with both. You could also consider a cordless mouse, which is half the size of the regular one.
11. Insist on an inbuilt LAN card and modem.
There are basically two types of modems on offer -- internal modems and PC card-based modems. Make sure the internal modem is fast enough for your needs. Else, opt for the PC card-based one that sticks out of your computer, but is slightly better performance wise.
12. While budgeting for your laptop, bear in mind that a cheaper machine might prove expensive if you plan to upgrade it.
Do not compromise on the processor, the RAM and the operating system.
The memory capacity (GB) can be upgraded later on, so can the CD/DVD drives.
When you are buying your laptop check on upgradation. You can upgrade your machine with or without discarding it. If you plan to change your machine within two years, don't invest too heavily on it.
Where brands are concerned, do note that the IBM laptop division has been taken over by the Chinese company, Lenova.
HP and Compaq are the same brand when it comes to laptops. The good thing about this brand is that it is in a position to provide good service simply because of an established network of service centres.
Despite all the advice you get, make it a point to test your laptop before purchasing it. Don't just take someone's word for it.
Check if you are comfortable with the interface, the keyboard, the touch pad and the display. After all, it is you who are going to be using it and paying for it.
Invest wisely here. The processor is the first component likely to get outdated and it is not possible to upgrade it.
2. Opt for a 256 MB DDR SDRAM. A RAM of lower memory capacity will make it difficult to run certain applications and software.
Upgrading from 256 to 512 MB DDR SDRAM could cost you between $100 and $150.
3. Choose an Active-matrix (TFT) display, preferably an LCD. The display is an active matrix if you can see the arrow while it traverses the screen. Most displays nowadays are TFTs as the Passive-matrix (dual scan) is now outdated.
TFTs are highly preferred because of their sharper images, better resolution and smoother images of motion on the screen.
Wide screen laptops are a visual treat and recommended for those interested in the movie experience. But they cost 8% to 10% more than the conventional laptops, are obviously bulkier to carry and slightly low on battery life.
4. If you travel extensively, take care that your laptop weighs under 5 pounds. If your laptop will be confined to your room, you could go in for a slightly heavier one. It will be cheaper. It will also have a few more features.
5. Check the battery life on the laptop. Insist that it is a Lithium-ion (Li+) battery (nearly all laptops will have this one). Choose batteries with a high voltage and a high mAh. Do not go for NiMH batteries, as you will have to keep charging them frequently.
6. If you have no intention of using a CD frequently, an external DVD and CDRW drives may be preferred to inbuilt ones. The main convenience being that they reduce the weight of the base piece and provide lesser complications later on.
If they are an integral part of your work, you might as well opt for an inbuilt version.
Incidentally, the prices of DVD drives are expected to fall considerably over the next one year.
Don't stress on your laptop having a floppy drive. Floppies are getting obsolete by the minute and will soon be terminated.
7. If you are on the move, buy a laptop with a spill-resistant keyboard and shock-resistant hard drives. This will ensure your hard disk does not crash and you don't lose data in the event of a minor crash or fall.
8. Ensure the laptop has two or more USB ports, as you will need them to attach your peripheral devices like printers and scanners.
You could even consider buying a pen drive to act as a reliable data transfer mode.
Choose a laptop with wireless connectivity in the form of Bluetooth and Infrared. These make data transfer very convenient and reliable and you can send data to multiple recipients at one go.
These facilities on your laptop would cost you around $30 more and are independent of any service providers.
9. Windows XP Professional is an ideal system for a laptop meant for office use. In laptops, it is very inconvenient to upgrade your operating system, so choose the latest one.
Windows is the most popular operating system, with XP Professional being the latest that supports all the software available today.
10. Some people prefer a touchpad mouse as the navigating option while others prefer the rubberised button situated between the keys G, H and B. Try working with both and pick the one you are most comfortable with.
Some laptops come equipped with both. You could also consider a cordless mouse, which is half the size of the regular one.
11. Insist on an inbuilt LAN card and modem.
There are basically two types of modems on offer -- internal modems and PC card-based modems. Make sure the internal modem is fast enough for your needs. Else, opt for the PC card-based one that sticks out of your computer, but is slightly better performance wise.
12. While budgeting for your laptop, bear in mind that a cheaper machine might prove expensive if you plan to upgrade it.
Do not compromise on the processor, the RAM and the operating system.
The memory capacity (GB) can be upgraded later on, so can the CD/DVD drives.
When you are buying your laptop check on upgradation. You can upgrade your machine with or without discarding it. If you plan to change your machine within two years, don't invest too heavily on it.
Where brands are concerned, do note that the IBM laptop division has been taken over by the Chinese company, Lenova.
HP and Compaq are the same brand when it comes to laptops. The good thing about this brand is that it is in a position to provide good service simply because of an established network of service centres.
Despite all the advice you get, make it a point to test your laptop before purchasing it. Don't just take someone's word for it.
Check if you are comfortable with the interface, the keyboard, the touch pad and the display. After all, it is you who are going to be using it and paying for it.
Convert File System From FAT32 to NTFS
To convert your drive or partition from FAT32 to NTFS,
type the following at Start - Run (assuming it's drive c:):
CONVERT C:/FS:NTFS
Alternatively, you can use a utility such as Partition Magic
type the following at Start - Run (assuming it's drive c:):
CONVERT C:/FS:NTFS
Alternatively, you can use a utility such as Partition Magic
Know About Vundo Trojan
Vundo is a particularly frustrating Trojan horse that causes popups and now and again causes flaws to the computer system by blocking the access to some websites like Google. The Trojan resides in the memory through the Internet browser’s setup program.
On Window’s operating systems, the DLL Trojan files are labeled as eight random upper and lower case characters and reside in the system32 directory. This will create hidden files, which will be located during a virus scanning process, instead of the DLL file itself.
How to remove a Vundo Trojan
There are several ways to get rid of the Vundo Trojan from your system
Manually
Step 1: Locate the Trojan
1. Open the “Start” menu and choose the “Search” option from the list.
2. Check the option “All files or folders” and in the section “All part or part of the file name”, enter “Vundo” in the field file name.
3. Set the option to search through your local drives or in the whole computer system by selcting “Look in: Local Hard Drives” or “Look in: My Computer”
4. Begin the process by clicking “Search”.
5. When the process is done, select the “Vundo” folder found and copy the path into the address bar. You should also save the same path on your clipboard as you will use it to delete the Vundo.
Step 2: Use Registry Editor to eliminate Registry Values
1. Open the Start menu and go to the “Run” option and enter “regedit” and click “OK”
2. Locate and remove the spywares that were searched earlier.
3. To remove the "Vundo" value, right-click and choose the "Delete" option from the list.
4. Browse for and delete "Vundo" registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternetExplorerMainActiveState
02F96FB7-8AF6-439B-B7BA-2F952F9E4800
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents
8109AF33-6949-4833-8881-43DCC232B7B2
2316230A-C89C-4BCC-95C2-66659AC7A775
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce*[filename]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMainActive StateHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce*WinLogon
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionExplorerBrowser Helper Objects{8109AF33-6949-4833-8881-43DCC232B7B2}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionExplorerBrowser Helper Objects{2316230A-C89C-4BCC-95C2-66659AC7A775}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionExplorerBrowser Helper Objects{02F96FB7-8AF6-439B-B7BA-2F952F9E4800}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREClassesCLSID{02F96FB7-8AF6-439B-B7BA-2F952F9E4800}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{8109AF33-6949-4833-8881-43DCC232B7B2}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{2316230A-C89C-4BCC-95C2-66659AC7A775}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SoftwareMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionRunOnce*[filename]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionRunOnce*WinLogon
Step 3: Using Command Prompt for Vundo unregistration
1. Go to the Start Menu and open the Run command.
2. Enter “cmd” and click “OK”
3. Enter “cd” to change the actual directory, leave a blank space and copy the Vundo DLL path saved and press the “Enter” key.
4. For unregistration, paste in the path directory together with "regsvr32 /u" + [DLL_NAME]” and press “Enter”
Download and Use at Your own Risk
Download “Vundo” Trojan Romover Software
Remove Vundo Trojan with Windows Defender
Download Windows Defender from Microsoft
On Window’s operating systems, the DLL Trojan files are labeled as eight random upper and lower case characters and reside in the system32 directory. This will create hidden files, which will be located during a virus scanning process, instead of the DLL file itself.
How to remove a Vundo Trojan
There are several ways to get rid of the Vundo Trojan from your system
Manually
Step 1: Locate the Trojan
1. Open the “Start” menu and choose the “Search” option from the list.
2. Check the option “All files or folders” and in the section “All part or part of the file name”, enter “Vundo” in the field file name.
3. Set the option to search through your local drives or in the whole computer system by selcting “Look in: Local Hard Drives” or “Look in: My Computer”
4. Begin the process by clicking “Search”.
5. When the process is done, select the “Vundo” folder found and copy the path into the address bar. You should also save the same path on your clipboard as you will use it to delete the Vundo.
Step 2: Use Registry Editor to eliminate Registry Values
1. Open the Start menu and go to the “Run” option and enter “regedit” and click “OK”
2. Locate and remove the spywares that were searched earlier.
3. To remove the "Vundo" value, right-click and choose the "Delete" option from the list.
4. Browse for and delete "Vundo" registry entries:
HKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftInternetExplorerMainActiveState
02F96FB7-8AF6-439B-B7BA-2F952F9E4800
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents
8109AF33-6949-4833-8881-43DCC232B7B2
2316230A-C89C-4BCC-95C2-66659AC7A775
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce*[filename]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoftInternet ExplorerMainActive StateHKEY_CURRENT_USERSoftwareMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionRunOnce*WinLogon
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionExplorerBrowser Helper Objects{8109AF33-6949-4833-8881-43DCC232B7B2}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionExplorerBrowser Helper Objects{2316230A-C89C-4BCC-95C2-66659AC7A775}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionExplorerBrowser Helper Objects{02F96FB7-8AF6-439B-B7BA-2F952F9E4800}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREClassesCLSID{02F96FB7-8AF6-439B-B7BA-2F952F9E4800}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents.1
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SOFTWAREClassesATLEvents.ATLEvents
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{8109AF33-6949-4833-8881-43DCC232B7B2}
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOTCLSID{2316230A-C89C-4BCC-95C2-66659AC7A775}
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE SoftwareMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionRunOnce*[filename]
HKEY_CURRENT_USER SoftwareMicrosoftWindows CurrentVersionRunOnce*WinLogon
Step 3: Using Command Prompt for Vundo unregistration
1. Go to the Start Menu and open the Run command.
2. Enter “cmd” and click “OK”
3. Enter “cd” to change the actual directory, leave a blank space and copy the Vundo DLL path saved and press the “Enter” key.
4. For unregistration, paste in the path directory together with "regsvr32 /u" + [DLL_NAME]” and press “Enter”
Download and Use at Your own Risk
Download “Vundo” Trojan Romover Software
Remove Vundo Trojan with Windows Defender
