***Scroll to the bottom for the latest posts ***
Block advertisements in Firefox.
If you are a Firefox user and you want to block ads, look no further than ADBLOCK PLUS .To find this ad-on in Firefox , type in to your browser or hit this link or open link in new tab https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/search/?q=adblock&cat=all&x=0&y=Then click on the ''Add to Firefox button located to the right
Then follow the prompt and hit restart. Once it closes your browser it re-opens auto-magically and it is installed. Be aware, some web pages you need to dis-able the Adblock for that site or web page only.Some times certain pop-ups like log-in boxes need to be enable. It will refresh its self after doing so.You can disable this add-on or remove it anytime by clicking on tools on your menu bar then click on add-ons and then selecting the option you wish to do.If you have any question on how to do this , leave a comment on this post and I will get back to you A.S.A.P..
PS: This add-on will help increase your browser speed and load time significantly. (assuming you have a good or high speed internet connection).
July-26-2011
HOW TO CHANGE YOUR HOMEPAGE (ie/ff)
-FIREFOX-
If you'd like to change your default home page to your favorite website read this article section. First we will begin with Firefox.
Assuming your browser is open ,at the top of your browser in the menu bar click on tools and then select options.
Once you're in options click on the General tab. You will see a section that says Home page and then a box with your current Home Page address. The next best thing to do is Highlight the whole thing and hit the back button on your KeyBoard. That will clean it out.
Now you can begin to type in your favorite home page address.
(Ex: http://tweakmycomputer-frank.blogspot.com/ or www.yahoo.com) Click ok when done and there ya have it. Next time you start your browser that will be the first thing you see when it opens.
IE has a few different spots on your browser to go to and change this but I'll keep it simple. Much like Firefox we will go to the menu bar and click on options, then at the bottom click Internet Options.
Any questions you may have you can send me a quick message by clicking on my profile or send me an E-Mail - tweakmycomputer@yahoo.com
JULY-27-2011
How to Delete Cookies and Clean Your Computer.
Is your computer is running slow? This sounds like you have errors in your registry. It's time to GET RID OF YOUR COOKIES!. These are the "Pieces " that are left behind on your computer after you visit a site. Cookies are used by websites in many ways to both enhance your web surfing experience and to track your activity. If you are worried about your privacy, you have a good reason to be nervous. Cookies store information and update your profile when you return to that website. So deleting your Cookies helps your computer to run better and protects your privacy in the long-run.
First click on START, Then go to your ALL PROGRAMS and look for ACCESSORIES. In there Search for SYSTEM TOOLS and click on that. When you see DISK CLEANUP option, click on it to run the program. A small window will then pop up asking you if it's ok to run. Click yes! Sometimes depending on how much stuf that needs to be cleaned it may take anywhere from a few seconds to 15 mins before another small window pops up . This window shows you all the Files that it will clean.Check any box that has a number in it and leave any box that shows a 0 for that file unchecked.Proceed to hit the OK button when you're done. It will then begin to clean all your files. Some cookies are placed maliciously or with marketing purposes in order to track your activity. You can also save a DISK CLEANUP short cut to your desk top if you want to get to it quicker. To do this you have to follow the steps up above and then when you get to the DISK CLEANUP section you right click on it and search for the option that says ''SEND TO'' . Run your mouse over that and you will see a small arrow pointing to the right. Point your mouse directly on that arrow and another box with listings will appear. Look for the option that says ''DESK TOP (create Short cut)'' and click on that. It will then auto-magically appear on your desktop with an icon saying Disk cleanup. Use this at the end of the day or every time you start your computer.Any questions you may have you can send me a quick message by clicking on my profile or send me an E-Mail - tweakmycomputer@yahoo.com
July-27-2011
Starting Windows in Safe Mode.
WINDOWS 7
If the computer is on, from the Start menu (in the lower-left corner of the screen), shut down Windows.
- Turn the computer on. The computer will begin processing a set of instructions known as the "Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)." What you see on the monitor depends on the BIOS manufacturer. Some computers display a progress bar that refers to the word BIOS, while others may not display any indication that this process is happening.
- As soon as the BIOS has finished processing, begin tapping the F8 key on your keyboard. Continue to do so until the Windows Advanced Options menu appears. NOTE
If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. To resolve this problem, restart the computer and try again.
- Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to scroll through the menu options, and then select the Safe Mode menu option.
- Press ENTER.
- You have the option to choose SafeMode with or without internet connection. Be wary that while in safe mode you will not be able to use alot of the programs you normally would in regular mode.
Windows XP
- If the computer is on, from the Start menu (in the lower-left corner of the screen), shut down Windows.
- Turn the computer on. The computer will begin processing a set of instructions known as the "Basic Input/Output System (BIOS)." What you see on the monitor depends on the BIOS manufacturer. Some computers display a progress bar that refers to the word BIOS, while others may not display any indication that this process is happening.
- As soon as the BIOS has finished processing, begin tapping the F8 key on your keyboard. Continue to do so until the Windows Advanced Options menu appears. NOTE
If you begin tapping the F8 key too soon, some computers display a "keyboard error" message. To resolve this problem, restart the computer and try again.
- Use the arrow keys on the keyboard to scroll through the menu options, and then select the Safe Mode menu option.
- Press ENTER.
August-1- 2011
-How to create a user account- ( xp / 7)
XP:
Here's how to create a new user account:
- Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
- Double-click User Accounts.
- In the User Accounts dialog box, click Create a new account.
- Enter a name for the new user. After the user logs on, this name appears on the Welcome screen and at the top of the Start menu. Click Next to continue.
- To choose the account type, select either Computer administrator or Limited.
- Click Create Account.
Add a password to a user account
Without a password, a user account remains unprotected. Anyone who sits at a computer can click a user name on the Welcome screen to log on to the account. The person can then start working with existing programs, installing new ones, or creating, changing, or deleting files.No matter how much you trust the people around you, creating a password for an account noticeably increases security. Using passwords also lessens the chance of a user accidentally logging on to the wrong account and mistakenly altering another user's files or settings.
A password doesn't have to be complicated. It should be easy for you to remember and hard for someone else to guess — that means no using your pet's name or your birthday!
To create a new password, follow these steps:
- Click Start, and then click Control Panel.
- Double-click User Accounts, and then click Change an account.
- Click your account name.
- Click Create a password.
- Under the Create a password for your account heading, type the new password in both boxes. (Typing the password twice is a security precaution that prevents you from accidentally mistyping your intended password and being unable to access your account later.)
- If you want to add a hint to remind yourself of the password, you can enter a word or phrase in the box at the bottom. This hint is available from the Welcome screen if you forget your password. Because anyone can see the password hint, make it something that jogs your memory but doesn't help someone who is trying to break in to your computer.
- Click Create Password.
- At this point, Windows offers you the option of making your files private so that only you can read them. Choosing an option returns you to the User Accounts dialog box.
- Click Start, and then click Log Off. Return to the Welcome screen, click the user name, and enter the new password to verify that it works.
Windows 7 :
I will walk you through creating a new account in Windows 7
- Click on the Start button. This is the small round button in the lower left corner of your screen that has a Windows flag on it.
- Click on the Control Panel menu option.
- When the control panel opens you will see a screen like the one below.
Figure 1. Windows 7 Control Panel
- Click on the Add or remove user accounts control panel option as shown by the red arrow in figure 1.
- You will now be in the Manage Accounts control panel as shown in Figure 2 below.
Figure 2. Manage Accounts screen in Windows 7
This screen shows all the accounts currently on your computer. To create a new account, click on the Create a new account option as shown by the red arrow above.
- You will now be at the Create New Account screen.
Figure 3. Create New Account screen
In the New account name field enter the name of the new account that you would like to create. This could be a person's first name, full name, or whatever other designation you would like to give. You then need to decide which of the two types of accounts you would like to create. An Administrator account has full access to the computer and can make all changes, install software, and create and delete accounts. The other type of account is Standard user and has limited privileges as to what settings and changes it can make to the computer. It is suggested that for all users, you set them as a Standard User/Limited user account and have one administrator account that you can log on to as needed. This will protect your computer from malware and other harmful activities.
When you have finished selecting a name and the type of account you wish to setup, you should click on the Create Account button.
- Your new account will have been created and you will see it listed in the Manage Accounts screen.
Figure 4. New user has been created
August-5-2011
Cannot uninstall an add-on. How to do it.
If you cannot access the Add-ons window or if the button is grayed out for a certain add-on, you may need to uninstall it from Firefox Safe Mode.
At the top of the Firefox window on the menu bar, click the Firefox Help , go over to the menu and select . Firefox will start up with the Firefox Safe Mode dialog.
For Windows XP, click the menu and select . Firefox will start up with the Firefox Safe Mode dialog.
At the top of the Firefox window, click on the button ( menu in Windows XP) and then click On the menu bar, click on the menu and select At the top of the Firefox window, click on the menu and select At the top of the Firefox window, click on the menu and select On the menu bar, click on the menu and select At the top of the Firefox window, click on the menu and select . Then in Windows, click , open the list and navigate to the folder. In the Mozilla Firefox folder, select .Then hold down the option key as you restart Firefox.Go to your Terminal and run: For Windows XP, click the menu and select . Firefox will start up with the Firefox Safe Mode dialog.
Note: You can also start Firefox in Safe Mode by holding down the shift key while starting Firefox.holding down the option key while starting Firefox.quitting Firefox and then going to your Terminal and running:
You may need to specify the Firefox installation path (e.g. /usr/lib/firefox-4)
firefox -safe-modeYou may need to specify the Firefox installation path (e.g. /usr/lib/firefox-4)
firefox -safe-modeYou may need to specify the Firefox installation path (e.g. /usr/lib/firefox-3.5). Firefox will start up with the Firefox Safe Mode dialog.
Note: You can also start Firefox in Safe Mode by clicking , selecting (or use the Start Search box in Windows 7 and Vista) and then entering the following in the text field:
firefox -safe-mode- In the Firefox Safe Mode dialog, click .
Uninstalling manually
If you are unable to uninstall an add-on in Firefox Safe Mode, first navigate to the folder where extensions are installed:- Open your profile folder:
- (Firefox 3.5): See How do I find my profile?
- (Firefox 3.6):
- At the top of the Firefox windowOn the menu bar, click on the menu and select . The Troubleshooting Information tab will open.
- Under Application Basics, click on . A window with your profile filesfolder will open.
- At the top of the Firefox windowOn the menu bar, click on the menu menu, go over to the menu (on Windows XP, click on the menu) and select . The Troubleshooting Information tab will open.
- Under the Application Basics section, click on . A window with your profile filesfolder will open.
- Open the extensions folder inside your profile folder.
- (Firefox 3.6 or later ):
- Return to Firefox and the Troubleshooting Information tab.
- In the Extensions section, locate the extension you want to remove, and note the string in the ID column.
- At the top of the Firefox window, click on the button ( menu in Windows XP) and then click On the menu bar, click on the menu and select At the top of the Firefox window, click on the menu and select At the top of the Firefox window, click on the menu and select On the menu bar, click on the menu and select At the top of the Firefox window, click on the menu and select .
- Delete the folder that corresponds to the ID you noted above.
extensions installed by other software
The software that added the Firefox extension may include an option to remove it. You should visit the support site of the software provider for more information. As an alternative, simply disable the extension in the Firefox Add-ons window if you no longer wish to use it. To disable the extension, select it, then click on its button. The extension will be disabled after you restart Firefox.OCTOBER-6-2011
Startup repairIf you've downloaded Windows 7 (and even if you haven't) it's a good idea to create a system repair disc straight away in case you run into problems booting the OS later on. Click Start > Maintenance > Create a System Repair Disc, and let Windows 7 build a bootable emergency disc. If the worst does happen then it could be the only way to get your PC running again. Make sure you have a dvd-recordable disk .
Restore your gadgetsWindows 7 has tightened up its security by refusing to run gadgets if UAC has been turned off, so limiting the damage malicious unsigned gadgets can do to your system. If you've disabled UAC, miss your gadgets and are happy to accept the security risk, though, there's an easy Registry way to get everything back to normal. Run REGEDIT, go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Sidebar\Settings, create a new DWORD value called AllowElevatedProcess and set it to 1. Your gadgets should start working again right away.
Repair your PCIf Windows 7 won't start, you may not need an installation or repair disc any more, as the repair environment is now usually installed on your hard drive. Press [F8] as your PC starts, and if you see a "Repair Your Computer" option, choose that to see the full range of Windows 7 recovery tools.
Find bottlenecksFrom what we've seen so far Windows 7 is already performing better than Vista, but if your PC seems sluggish then it's now much easier to uncover the bottleneck. Click Start, type RESMON and press Enter to launch the Resource Monitor, then click the CPU, Memory, Disk or Network tabs. Windows 7 will immediately show which processes are hogging the most system resources.
The CPU view is particularly useful, and provides something like a more powerful version of Task Manager. If a program has locked up, for example, then right-click its name in the list and select Analyze Process. Windows will then try to tell you why it's hanging - the program might be waiting for another process, perhaps - which could give you the information you need to fix the problem.
FIND BOTTLENECKS: Resource monitor keeps a careful eye on exactly how your PC is being used.
November 21-2011
What should I do when a computer freezes?
Every time you install and uninstall a program, pieces are left behind, creating a total mess in your registry which causes computer crashes and reduced performance. This can make your PC run like a turtle. It can cause system crashing or freezing of your computer. And even the “blue screen of death”!
Computers can freeze for a number of reasons, making trouble-shooting a sometimes difficult and painstaking process. However, if you don’t eliminate the problem, freezing will likely be repeated.
It isn’t always software that causes computer freezes. Often it’s a hardware problem.
Bad random access memory (RAM) modules can also cause freezes, though RAM usually doesn’t “go bad” once installed unless damaged by overheating. A damaged or badly fragmented hard drive can cause problems, including computer freezes, so hard drives should be regularly defragmented. Improperly adjusting BIOS clock settings for overclocking can also cause problems, including freezing.Third party software, or software not written by Microsoft®, can cause computer freezes by conflicting with other programs or with the operating system itself. Unfortunately, some programs do not uninstall correctly, leaving bits of themselves behind to wreak havoc even when you think you’ve gotten rid of it. Anti-virus and firewall programs have reputations for being tricky to uninstall, sometimes requiring one to hunt down individual files manually and delete them after going through the standard uninstall procedure using Windows’ built-in utility. Finally, secretly installed malicious software like viruses, spyware, Trojans, rootkits and keyloggers can cause computers to freeze by interfering with the operating system’s normal processes. If this is the case you might have noticed the computer slowing in recent days or weeks. You might have also had other problems, like spontaneous reboots or the dreaded “blue screen of death (BSOD).”Sometimes when a computer freezes, neither the keyboard nor mouse is responsive and there is no way out but to do a hard reboot. This means cutting the power to the computer forcing a shutdown, waiting a moment, then powering it back up.If you are a bit luckier when the computer freezes, the mouse will move but won’t be clickable. In this case the keyboard is normally responsive. Hold down Ctrl and Alt keys, then press the Del key to bring up the Task Manager. Use the Tab key to highlight the Applications tab, and press Enter. Here you will see a list of programs running. Look for the message, “this program not responding.” Use the arrow keys to navigate to the problematic program so that it is highlighted. Then use the Tab key again to jump to the bottom button labeled “End Task” and press Enter. Closing the offending program should release the freeze and allow you to continue your work. However, if the same program keeps causing computer freezes check for an update or patch at the appropriate website. If no patches or updates are available, you might try re-installing the program, defragging your hard drive, or running a reputable registry optimizer to make sure there are not problems in the registry. You can also Google "[progam-name-here] +freeze" without the brackets and quotes, to see if others are having the same problem and how they solved it.
An easy way to determine if your computer is in this situation is by pressing the Num Lock button on the keyboard and watching the Num Lock led (light) to see if it turns off and on.
Feb. 1st.- 2012
