Monday, January 20, 2014

Disabling The Unnecessary Services In Vista

A service is something that a program does in the Windows operating system- specifically that is done by a program that starts automatically when the computer boots up. Most services are usually things that the Windows operating system does and almost all of these services are tasks that you do not need to have running in the PC. The Windows Vista help tips that are shared below will help you to disable a service that is not needed by you.

Instructions

  • Turn on your computer and click on the Start button. From the Start menu, select Control Panel.
  • From the Control Panel window, select Security and then select Administrative Tools.
  • Select the Services icon.
  • Click on the Continue button or type in the administrator password.
  • Find out the service that you need to disable.
  • Use the list that is displayed at the end to decide the service that you wish to disable.
  • Click on the Name column to make sure that the services are sorted in the alphabetic order.
  • Double click on the service to open its Properties dialog window.
  • As the Startup type, select Disabled. By choosing the Disabled option, you will be able to prevent the process from starting when the computer boots up.
  • Make a note of the original state of the service. It can be Automatic or Manual. Just in case you need to enable the service again, you will have to know how the service was configured originally before you disabled it.
  • Click on the OK button to confirm your choice and then close the dialog box.
  • If you are concerned about compatibility or if your computer works improperly after disabling the service, you can restart the Windows operating system. When the computer restarts, try it out for a while to make sure that things are working good and then you can continue. If you locate some problems, you can re enable the service and change it to Automatic or Manual or whatever the old setting of the service was.
  • You can repeat the steps from 4 to 7 as necessary.
  • When you are finished with the steps, you can close the Services window.
  • You can then close the Control Panel window.

By following these simple steps, you will be able to disable a service in the Windows Vista operating system. If you have any doubts, you can contact the Windows Vista help and support team.

Sunday, January 19, 2014

Disabling Java In Internet Explorer Using Microsoft Fix It

Java is used by many people, but some might want to uninstall the same from their computers. Why do people uninstall Java from their computers? May be because they would not have any applications that require the same and storing them in your hard drive would use up more of your disk space. But if you have software programs that depend badly on Java Applications, you will find it difficult to run the same.
All the web browsers that are available today provide a way to get rid of Java and Internet Explorer has tried to do the same recently. If you are trying to disable Java in Internet Explorer, you need to move to the Control Panel and get it disabled and enable it later, whenever you need it. However, is this effective? Not always.
In order to get Java disabled , Microsoft has released Microsoft Fix It and this program is meant to block all the web attack sources that use Java through Internet Explorer. When you evaluate this tool, you will find that, Fix It is composed of two parts and they are as follows.
  • The working of Internet Explorer during runtime is altered by the Windows Application Compatibility Toolkit of Fix It and it will block the loading of Oracle’s Java  Web plug-ins. This will not load the Java ActiveX dlls.
  • The Java Network Loading Protocol handler will have an access control list in the registry, Fix It clears the same, and this will prevent the automatic file opening the Internet Explorer.
You need to take care of a few important things before you make use of Microsoft Fix It.
  • The initial task is to create a restore point. No matter whatever platform you have installed on your computer, it is essential to create a restore point. This will help you to take your hard drive to a previous point later.
  • The next step is to take a backup of your registry. Taking a backup of your registry is essential before installing Fix It.
  • After doing the above process, select the Fix It to function. You need to then restart your web browser to function it properly. This version would work on both the 32 and 64 bit platforms.
To clear any of your queries, contact the Microsoft support team for assistance.

Wednesday, January 15, 2014

Microsoft Offers Support For Surface Pro Tablet Until 2017

Recently, it was announced that Microsoft would be supporting the Surface Pro tablet until July 2017. This means that Microsoft would be supporting the Surface Pro tablet for almost four and a half years more after its launch. Surface RT, which was the previous version, was packed with productivity potential, and was launched in 2012 to limited success. Microsoft has also promised to provide support for Surface RT until 2017.

Microsoft, which claims to provide four years of extensive support for Surface Pro, offers services such as hardware repair. It would be absolutely free for the users during the warranty period, and would have to pay after that period. Microsoft support also includes making available parts and replacement units for the tablet. Another service provided by the software giant during the four-year period is telephone-based support. It has been found that Microsoft always supports consumer-grade software for a maximum period of five years. The business software and operating systems however, do get support over another five-year span, which is known as the extended support, giving a total of ten years.

According to sources, Microsoft would be offering assistance for Windows 8 Pro for a total of 10 years. This means that Microsoft support would be provided for five years as mainstream support and the remaining five years as extended support. The former comprises of non-security bug fixes as well as regular updates on the Surface tablet, while vulnerability patches will be offered in both. This means that the Windows 8 Pro's mainstream support ends Jan 2018, and extended support would be available until Jan, 2023.

Although Microsoft has mentioned clearly the availability of the support for the Surface tablets and the Windows 8 Pro versions, it has not yet said about the availability of support for Windows RT, which is the limited version of Windows used in the Surface RT tablet. It has been observed that Apple also supports its devices for short time frames. iOS 6, which Apple launched last September, is not compatible to run on the 2010 iPad. This simply means that Apple would drop the iPad 2 from support before the middle of this year.

Hence, the latest announcement from Microsoft seems to be pleasing news for most of the Surface tablet users. For more information, check Microsoft’s official website.

Monday, January 13, 2014

The Security Update Patch For Outlook Fails

Microsoft has received many flaks in the past for its critical update failures. Though Microsoft releases patch updates to help its users fix security issues, critics say that some of the recent updates did more harm than good. Well, let’s see what Microsoft has to say about it.

Only a few numbers of people, less than one percent of the entire users who downloaded and installed the update reported the update failure, according to a Microsoft spokesperson from the Outlook help team and that there is no point in blaming the Microsoft developers for the problem.

Well, if it were the first time that Microsoft is facing criticism for the update failure, the statement of the Microsoft spokesperson would have been justifiable.

About the Microsoft Update for Outlook

One of the flawed updates Microsoft released recently included an update for Outlook. Though the first update was part of the security update patch codenamed MS13-068 was perfect, the second patch update, exclusively designed to fix stability issues and bugs in Outlook was flawed and caused lots of problems for the users who installed it. The update patch codenamed KB2817630 caused disappearance of some items from the Folder Pane. Hundreds of users who installed the patch update were startled to see that their Folder pane has now become empty.

Despite their initial hesitation to admit the flaw, Microsoft has come forward to acknowledge the issue and provide a timely fix. A spokesperson from Microsoft was quoted as saying "We have investigated reports of some difficulties with a recent Outlook 2013 update and we have helped resolve the issue by removing a non-security update that was recently shipped via Microsoft Update,"

Microsoft has advised its Outlook users to check the update before installing it as a precautionary step. To avoid further complication, the tech giant has removed the flawed update (KB2817630) and has stated on its official site that an error-free security update patch will be released soon.

Apparently, not installing the flawed update is the only possible solution to avoid any potential problems due to the patch update installation. Well, if you have any bugs or security problems in your Outlook application at the moment, wait patiently for a while until the software giant comes up with a permanent solution for the problem. Perhaps, contacting the Outlook help in the mean time would be of some use.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Microsoft Revamps Windows 8

The Windows 8 OS has been revamped completely and rechristened Windows 8.1. Microsoft has made some drastic changes in the new OS, with a completely new list of features and options. Here are some of the cool features that you can expect on the latest Windows OS.

Return of the Start Button

The Start button has been returned to the Windows interface, which is a relief to a large number of Windows 8 users. The Start button was completely missing from the interface in Windows 8, which annoyed a great number of people. Windows 8.1 does have the Start button, but not the Start menu. Everything is still accessible from the Start screen, in fact the Start button opens into the Start screen. A simple right click provides access to some ordinary features like Control Panel, Task Manager and the ability to power down the system.

Boot to Desktop

The new interface can be intimidating to users who are not adept at using touch sensitive devices. Windows 8 would always boot into the tile-based, Start screen Metro user interface. Windows 8.1 allows users to boot directly into the desktop without hassle.

Start screen options and Lock Screen

Picture passwords were introduced in the Windows 8 OS, however the new operating system allows users to pull multiple images from the system storage or SkyDrive galleries. You can also click pictures using the device’s camera, as well as answer Skype calls without unlocking the system. The Start screen can also be customized thanks to the availability of tiles and background colors.

Xbox Music

Windows 8’s integration with Xbox Music was a very cool addition to Windows 8; however, it was not appreciated as much as expected. The Xbox music integration allows users to stream over 30 million tracks, free of charge. The app did have a confusing interface, but this problem has been fixed in the new Windows 8.1 OS. Xbox Live on Windows 8.1 is more user-friendly, and supports personal playlists.

Snap View

The new Metro user interface had been pretty cool, but using the app could have been a bit annoying to many users. Nevertheless, in Windows 8.1, users get to run many apps in the foreground, using the Snap feature. You can have as many as four apps at once, if you have a 2560X1440 resolution monitor.
If you wish to troubleshoot issues with Windows 8 or Windows 8.1 contact the Windows Support number. Experts at Windows Support number will help resolve your issues quickly and effectively.

Steps To Create A Password Reset Disk

The creation of a reset disk is of paramount importance and needs to be done at the earliest. Majority of the people may not have any clue on the creation of the password reset disk for the Windows XP operating system and it can be created without any difficulty by following the below provided guidelines.

Creation of Password Reset Disk

  • From the Windows taskbar that is seen at the bottom of the taskbar, the Start button needs to be clicked and the Start menu will appear on screen. Click the Control Panel option present in the menu and the Control Panel window will be visible. Among the different icons that are available, the User Accounts icon has to be clicked.
  • The account has to be chosen for which the creation of a password reset disk is to be done. You will reach the Related Tasks section.
  • The Prevent A Forgotten Password option has to be clicked. In the Welcome To The Forgotten Password Wizard page, the Next button has to be clicked.
  • To the floppy drive that is present in your system, the floppy disk has to be inserted. The Next button has to be clicked. The password has to be inputted. Again, the Next button has to be clicked.
  • The reset disk will be successfully created and the Next button has to be clicked followed by the Finish button.

Making Use Of The Reset Disk

  • Switch on the system and from the welcome screen of Windows, the Use Your Password Reset Disk link has to be clicked. The Next button needs to be selected.
  • To the drive, the password reset disk has to be inserted. Choose the Next button and a new password has to be inputted. To confirm the password, it has to be retyped. A password hint can be provided according to your choice.
  • The Next button has to be clicked followed by choosing the Finish button.
  • The system can be accessed now with the new password.

By following the above-mentioned guidelines, you can easily create a password reset disk and use it. If you still do not have a clear understanding of the guidelines and need some clarifications, you may contact the Windows support number. The support center will help you clear your doubts and provide you with support services when you contact the Windows support number.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

How To Reset The Windows Password?

Computers have a presence in almost all walks of our life and from a simple billing work to the most complicated surgical procedures are rendered with the help of computers. Even though they assist us in our tasks, it is essential to ensure that security is maintained. Since computers store many important information, it is essential to prevent the intrusion by hackers.
If you were using the Windows operating system, you would know about the usage of password to logon to your computer. These passwords prevent others from logging into your user account and thus it ensures that your information is protected. Even if you have created a password, it is essential to reset the same occasionally in order to keep the information in your computer safe. There could be malicious key loggers running in your system that would trace your password and hence it would be better if you change it at regular intervals.
Changing the password is not a herculean task and you could do it easily by following these instructions. No matter what version of Windows you have in your system, you could do it either by contacting the Windows help and support or by following these steps.

Instructions

Reset the password in Windows XP
  • Click on the Start button on your desktop.
  • Now choose Control Panel and click User Accounts the menu that is displayed.
  • From the list, you should select an account.
  • Now select Change Password. This will open up a new menu on the screen.
  • You need to enter the current password and provide a new password two times. After ensuring that you have entered information correctly, select OK button. This will reset your password at once.
Reset password in Windows 7 or Vista
  • You need to click the Ctrl Key, Alt Key and Del Key simultaneously.
  • Now select Change Password.
  • You will now find three fields on the screen, out of which the initial one would be meant for entering the current password, the second one for the new password and the third one to confirm your new password. Provide the information without any error and click on the arrow next to it or the Enter button on the keyboard. This will reset your password at once.
If you have any concerns regarding the same, contact the Windows Help for assistance.