LOVE and LIFE

Don't Fix Your Cholesterol By Breaking Something Else

2009-01-15T20:22:00.000-08:00

If you suffer from high cholesterol, your doctor has probably prescribed a statin medication to keep things in check. But did you know that you can take a natural alternative with no side effects?

It safely reduces cholesterol absorption by 40% or more, clinical tests show.

Drugs like Lipitor®, Zocor®, Crestor® and the other statins can cause a whole new set of problems.

That's why the most common question on our Customer Care Hotline is, "Will I be able to discontinue taking statins?"

Yes, many people have their prescriptions cut back or even discontinued after just a few months. So, ask your doctor if you can try the safe, natural alternative. It really works. But follow your doctor's advice, and don't stop taking any prescription until you get your physician's okay.

GOOD MORNING 16-1-2009

2009-01-15T20:16:00.001-08:00

How to avoid email threats

2009-01-14T08:51:00.000-08:00

Checking your email has become a dangerous business. The number and types of email borne threats that can cause harm to your computer or your privacy are
growing. Sometimes the actual danger imposed by these threats can be over hyped, but you still need to know what could constitute a dangerous email message
and how to respond to the threat.

Virus attacks

When emails are sent as plain text, it becomes impossible to contract a computer virus just by reading email. That's because something -- a programme, worm,
or other active threat -- actually has to run on your computer in order to infect it. Increasingly today, we all send and receive emails in HTML format,
this makes users more vulnerable to contracting a potentially destructive computer virus that plain text emails. As when an email is sent in an HTML format
(the same format used to create Web pages, on which various types of programmes can be run automatically) the possibility of receiving a virus on reading
an email message does exist.

There are, however, ways to safeguard against this. The first is to keep your email security programme updated, downloading and applying the latest security
patches and fixes. Second is to set up your email programme to allow messages to be read only in plain text format. Most email programmes provide this
option. In Microsoft's Outlook programme, for instance, you would open the Tools menu, and select Options.

Then, from the Options dialog box, click E-mail Options, and select the check box labelled "Read all standard mail in plain text."

Dangerous links

Remember, though, that most email viruses are contracted when you perform some action, such as opening an infected attachment or clicking a link that takes
you to a site that downloads a virus on to your computer.

So the golden rule of reading email is this: if it looks suspicious, don't open anything attached to it or click any links in it. These days, in fact, it
makes sense not to click links in email messages at all. Instead, if you think a legitimate source has sent you a message, open a web browser separately
and visit the website.

Email 'bomb' at work

An email "bomb" refers to the large number of email messages sent to an account with the primary aim of bringing the account down. When an email server
is flooded with email messages, it is unable to receive other email messages and effectively becomes useless. An account that receives an email bomb will
also experience an interruption in the transfer and processing of legitimate mail, as well. Email bombs are particularly dangerous as even if an email
server is brought down to stave off the problem, the email bombardment will continue where it left off when the server is restarted. Another type of "bombing"
occurs when a user signs someone for multiple newsletter services and other automatic email generation services that can bring a person's inbox to its
knees.

The only way to recover from an email bomb is probably to contact your Internet service provider for help. It may be necessary for you to disable or change
your email address, at least temporarily.

Spammers on the move

You think those spam mails only clutter your inbox, there's more they can do. This includes installing spytools or other malware on your comp. Sender of
spam and potentially harmful emails use a number of tactics to get your email address. If you have posted your email address anywhere on the Internet,
it can be "harvested" by programmes designed to scour the Internet and retrieve freely available email addresses.

To prevent this from happening, never post your email address anywhere on the Internet -- including message boards and personal websites -- in an unaltered
form.

If you must post your address somewhere online, write it in a form that is understandable by humans but not by a machine, such as "yourname -- at-- hotmail.com."
Also, take advantage of the multiple email accounts you can have.

Email Spyware

Another significant email threat is email spyware. Most often transmitted as part of another related software programme, email spyware compromises personal
information, distributing it to unauthorised parties. While some spyware programmes are distributed through email by association with Trojan horses, others
are sent directly as a worm or virus.

An example of an email spyware is 'Ssppyy programme' which gathers sensitive information from infected computers and transmits it to an e-mail address.
Ssppppy arrives as an electronic greeting card, and, once opened, the e-mail spyware installs itself surreptitiously on the user's computer.

Can kill privacy

Emails can also threaten your privacy. Remember, they can be forwarded to any number of people and can be used against you. If you do not want to risk the
whole world knowing something, it is best to convey it verbally. Use the 'Reply All' button sparingly and thoughtfully. Someone ended up forwarding his
PAN number to the entire office!

Restarting Windows Without Restarting Your PC

2009-01-14T08:48:00.000-08:00

A modern PC with Vista Home Edition takes about one and a half minutes to boot. An older machine with XP is about the same. That's 30 seconds for the PC itself (the BIOS) to boot up, plus a minute for the Windows operating system to boot.

Sometimes, you need to reboot Windows (e.g. when installing new software), but there is no need to restart BIOS, too. However, the default is to reboot both. (That's called doing a "cold boot," rather than a "warm boot.") There's a trick that works on both XP and Vista to get it to do a warm boot instead, thus saving you 30 seconds per cycle.

The trick is to hold down the SHIFT key when invoking the restart.

Windows Vista: Select Start, then hover over the right arrow that is to the right of the padlock icon until the pop-up menu appears that contains "restart" as one of it's choices. Hold down the SHIFT key while clicking on the "restart" choice.

Windows XP: Select Start. Select "Shut Down…". Change the drop-down combo box under "What do you want the computer to do?" to "Restart". Hold down the SHIFT key while clicking on the "OK" button.

GOOD MORNING 15-1-2009

2009-01-14T07:49:00.000-08:00

The Beauty of Life does not depend on how happy you are…

But how happy others can be…Because of You!!!

Free M4A to MP3 Converter - Convert music from iTunes

2009-01-13T10:14:00.000-08:00

Do you need to convert AAC to MP3? M4a to MP3? MP4 audio to MP3? Your favorite player doesn't support M4a audio? Then take a look at the new tool from ManiacTools, Free M4a to MP3 Converter.

The program supports a number of input formats, like the above mentioned AAC, M4a, MP4 audio, M4b (audiobooks), and some other MPEG-4 based audio formats. You can convert those types of audio files to MP3 or uncompressed WAV. The latter can be used as an intermediate format for further converting (with tools like AudioConverter Studio).

Free M4a to MP3 Converter combines professional quality with high speed and user-friendly interface. You can simply drag and drop your M4a or AAC files from Windows Explorer and then hit "Convert" (or F5 on your keyboard). On the other hand, it is also possible to fine tune quality parameters for output files. The program supports full range of MP3 settings: bit rates up to 320 Kbit/s and sample rates up to 48 KHz. This way, you can get high quality audio files along with the portability of MP3 format (which is supported now by virtually every player, hardware or software).

The program has also a built-in audio player, which allows you to listen to your AAC and M4a files even without converting them.

And last, but not least: our converter is distributed as freeware. No need to register and to enter codes. Just download and start converting your AAC and M4a files to MP3.

Main features of Free M4a to MP3 Converter:

* AAC to MP3 converter.
* Convert M4a to MP3.
* Audio books M4b to MP3 converter.
* MP4 audio converter.
* 3GP audio converter.
* AAC, M4a, M4b player.
* MP3 quality settings up to 320 Kbit/s, 48 KHz.
* Drag&Drop.
* Batch processing of multiple M4a, AAC, M4b, MP4 etc. files.
* User-friendly multilingual interface.
* Meta information (ID3 tags) is copied from source files. Converted files contain all necessary data: title, artist, album (if the data was present in the source files).
* AAC to WAV converter.
* M4a to WAV converter.

Download

http://www.maniactools.com/cgi-bin/download/m4a-to-mp3-converter.exe

Dell Studio XPS 1340 & Dell Studio XPS 1640 Laptops Released

2009-01-13T09:04:00.000-08:00

Without anything by way of a fanfare (or a heads-up) Dell have now released their new 13” Dell Studio XPS 1340 and 16” Dell Studio XPS 1640 laptops via their own online store, both of which come with Intel Core 2 Duo processors (namely the 8400 CPU), Nvidia and ATI GPUs (the XPS 1340 and XPS 1640 repsecitively) and come in Obsidian Black finishes with leather accents.

Dell Studio XPS 1340 Specifications:

* Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (3MB cache/2.26GHz/1066Mhz FSB)
* Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-bit
* Obsidian Black with Leather Accent
* Microsoft Works 9.0 - English: Spreadsheet, Word Processor and Calendar
* 1Yr In-Home Service, Parts + Labor,24×7 Phone Support
* Edge-to-Edge 13.3″ HD WXGA LCD with 2.0 Megapixel Camera
* 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1067MHz (2 Dimms)
* 320GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
* Slot Load DVD+/-RW (DVD/CD read/write)
* NVIDIA GeForce 9400M G
* Dell Wireless 1515 802.11n Half Mini-Card
* 56 WHr 6-cell Lithium Ion Primary Battery
* High Definition Audio 2.0

Dell Studio XPS 1640 Specifications:

* Intel Core 2 Duo P8400 (3MB cache/2.26GHz/1066Mhz FSB)
* Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium Edition SP1, 64-bit
* Obsidian Black with Leather Accent
* Microsoft Works
* 1Yr In-Home Service, Parts + Labor,24×7 Phone Support
* Edge-to-Edge HD Widescreen 16.0 inch WLED LCD (1366×768) W/2.0 MP
* 4GB Dual Channel DDR3 SDRAM at 1067MHz (2 Dimms)
* 320GB 7200 RPM SATA Hard Drive
* 8X DVD+/- RW(DVD/CD read/write) Slot Load Drive
* ATI Mobility RADEON M86XT - 512MB
* Dell Wireless 1515 802.11n Half Mini-Card
* 6-cell Battery
* High Definition Audio 2.0

The Dell Studio XPS 1340 and Studio XPS 1640 retail for $1,199 each wich, considering the specifications and what’s currently on offer for that price bracket, seems somewhat overpriced.

20 Useful tips to speed up your personal computer

2009-01-12T22:57:00.000-08:00

Follow these tips and you will definitely have a much faster and more reliable PC! The icon means the tip will probably work best under Win98.

1. Wallpapers: They slow your whole system down, so if you're willing to compromise, have a basic plain one instead!

2. Drivers: Update your hardware drivers as frequently as possible. New drivers tend to increase system speed especially in the case of graphics cards, their drivers are updated by the manufacturer very frequently!

3. Minimizing: If you want to use several programs at the same time then minimize those you are not using. This helps reduce the overload on RAM.

4. Boot Faster: The 'starting Windows 95/98' message on startup can delay your booting for a couple of seconds. To get rid of this message go to c:\ and find the file MSDOS.sys. Remove the ReadOnly option. Next, open it in Notepad or any other text editor. Finally, go to the text 'Options' within the file and make the following changes: Add Boot Delay=0. To make your booting even faster, set add Logo=0 to remove the Windows logo at startup.

5. Restart only Windows: When restarting your PC, hold down Shift to only restart Windows rather than the whole system which will only take a fraction of the time.

6. Turn Off Animations: Go to Display Settings from the Control Panel and switch to the Effects Tab. Now turn off Show Windows Content While Dragging and Smooth Edges on Screen Fonts.

7. Faster StartMenu Access: Go to the Start menu and select Run. Now type Regedit and hit Enter. The Registry Editor will appear on the screen. Now, open the folder HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. You should see a Menu Show Delay value. If you don't then do the following: right click on a blank space in the right pane and select New\String. Change the name in the new value to MenuShowDelay. Now that we have the MenuShowDelay value, double click on it and enter 0 in the value data field. This sets the start menu delay to 0 milliseconds.

8. Resolutions: If you are willing to do anything for faster performance from your PC, then try lowering your display resolution. The lower it is, the faster your PC.

9. Turn off Active Desktop: Go to your Display Properties and switch to the Web tab. Uncheck View My Active Desktop As a Web Page. Since the Active Desktop option under Windows 98 uses a lot of system resources, this option can have a dramatic effect on the speed of the whole system.

10. Defragment Often: Windows 98's Defrag tool uses Application Acceleration from Intel which means that when you defragment your drive, data is physically arranged on the drive so that applications will load faster.

11. Take your PC to Bed: Using the Advanced Power Management feature under Windows 98 gives you the option to use the sleep command. That way, you can send your PC to sleep instead of shutting it down and then restarting it. It's as simple as pressing a button and then pressing the same button to wake it up. You can tell Windows after how many minutes/hours of inactivity to automatically sleep the machine in the Advanced Power Management section of the Control Panel.

12. Faster Internet Access: If you use the internet for reference and the sites you visit are rarely updated then try the following. In IE (the same can be done in Netscape) go to Tools, Internet Options. Next, click on Settings... in the Temporary Internet Files section. Finally, select Never for the first option and double the amount of storage space to use, click OK!

13. Benchmarking: Benchmarking can be very useful when run frequently. It can tell you how your PC's components are performing and then compare them to other machines like yours. For example, when you overclock your PC, you want to know how much more speed you have and whether it is stable. All this and more can be discovered using benchmarking. An
excellent piece of software for doing this job is SiSoft Sandra which can be found in the Downloads File Archive!

14. Refresh the Taskbar without restarting: If you in some way change the taskbar, either in Regedit or elsewhere, you can refresh the task bar without restarting. Hold down Ctrl Alt Del, and double click on Explorer. Say Yes to close Explorer, but no to closing Windows. This will refresh the Taskbar and system tray.

15. Quick CD Eject: Instead of pushing the button on your drive, rightclick your CD drive letter in My Computer and click on Eject. This will also remove any icons that have become associated with the CD drive.

16. Start Up Programs: Windows can be slowed down when programs run on start up. To eliminate this, check your Start up folder. You can access it from the start menu: Start, Programs, Start Up. Another way to eliminate programs from loading even before Windows actually starts is by doing the following: Click on Start, then Run. Type msconfig. It will take quite a
long time for this program to load, but when you finally see it on your screen, explore the different tabs. They all have to do with how quickly your PC boots, so select what you want, and uncheck what you don't want!

17. Fonts: When Windows starts, it loads every single font in the Fonts folder. Therefore, the more fonts you have, the slower the booting process. To get rid of unwanted fonts, simply go to the Fonts folder under c:\windows and remove whatever you don't want. Fonts that have a red letter 'A' as their icon are system fonts, so don't delete them.

18. Stretching Wallpapers: Don't "stretch" your wallpaper in Windows 98 since it actually slows Windows down when you drag icons around on the desktop.

19. RAM Matters: If you have less than 32MB then you should seriously think of upgrading it to at least 64MB. Windows runs much more smoothly with 64MB or higher and tends to use less hard disk space for virtual memory.

20. Partitioning: A very nice little thing you can doto boost system performance. By partitioning your hard drive, splitting one physical drive into several logical ones, you can gain several advantages.

1. If you get a virus or you accidentally format a drive, not all will be lost.

2. By placing the swap file (Win386.swp) on a separate drive, The swap file will be less fragmented and thus, faster.

3. Place Windows on a separate drive and whenever you need to reinstall it, you rest assured that your data is safe on a
separate drive. Partitioning can be done using a few programs such as FDisk which comes with DOS. However,
FDisk formats everything on the hard disk before partitioning. Alternatively, you can use Partition Magic from Power Quest to partition your hard disk without losing your data.

Some Words can not be used as a folder name

2009-01-12T22:55:00.001-08:00

Till today you might received a mail that says "We can't create a mail with the name con or CON."

Here, i show you few more words we can't use as a folder name.

CON, NUL, COM1, COM2, COM3, LPT1, LPT2, LPT3,COM1 to COM9 and LPT1 to LPT9....

in any of the windows operating system.

There is a way too to make it, but we can't open files inside them anyway.

You can try to see if it is true

How to Creat an Invisible FOLDER

2009-01-12T22:49:00.000-08:00

1. Right click where ever you want the invisible folder to be and select create a new folder.

2 Right Click on the folder and hit rename. Erase the name of the folder so there is nothing there.

3. If you try to stop here windows will tell you that you need to provide a name. So to get around this â€¦ with the name field still active hold down ALT and press 0160 on the number pad (make sure Num Lock is on), release alt

You should now have a blank name with nothing but a folder next to it

4. Now click on the nameless folder and right click. Select Properties.

5. Go to the Customize tab.

6. Find and press the Change Icon button. Scroll through the icons until you find one that has no image.

7. Hit OK and you have an invisible folder!

With the invisible folder you can hide what ever undesirables you have.
Be it video games at work, pictures of your family or anything else you can think of "wink".

The folder will show up for a brief second if you put it on your desktop.
For that reason it might be smart to place it inside a folder or amongst a group of folders.

WHY Bill Gates SOLD OFF Microsoft

2009-01-12T22:41:00.000-08:00

Dear Mr. Bill Gates,
We have bought a computer for our home and we have found some problems, which I want to bring to your notice.

1. There is a button 'start' but there is no 'stop' button. We request you to check this.

2. We find there is 'Run' in the menu. One of my friends clicked 'run' he ran up to Amritsar ! So, we request you to change that to 'sit', so that we can click that by sitting.

3. One doubt is whether any 're-scooter' is available in system? I find only 're-cycle', but I own a scooter at my home.

4. There is 'Find' button but it is not working properly. My wife lost the door key and we tried a lot trace the key with this ' find' button, but was unable to trace. Please rectify this problem.

5. My child learnt 'Microsoft word' now he wants to learn 'Microsoft sentence', so when you will provide that?

6. I brought computer, CPU, mouse and keyboard, but there is only one icon which shows 'MY Computer': when you will provide the remaining items?

7. It is surprising that windows says 'MY Pictures' but there is not even a single photo of mine. So when will you keep my photo in that.

8. There is 'MICROSOFT OFFICE' what about 'MICROSOFT HOME' since I use the PC at home only.

9. You provided 'My Recent Documents'. When you will provide 'My Past Documents'?

10. You provide 'My Network Places'. For God shake please do not provide 'My Secret Places'. I do not want to let my wife know where I go after my office hours.

Regards,

GOOD MORNING 13-1-2009

2009-01-12T22:37:00.000-08:00

RED CLIFF 2-CAM

2009-01-11T20:07:00.000-08:00

Information:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425637/

Download
rapidshare: http://rapidshare.com/users/2BC847

megaupload: http://www.megaupload.com/?f=DLNPR2NH

GOOD MORNING 12-1-2009

2009-01-11T18:43:00.000-08:00

Dream.......... makes all things possible
Hope..............makes all things work
Love ..............makes all things beautiful
Smile............. makes all above work possible

The happiest people in the world are not those who have no problems,
but those who learn to live with things that are less than perfect.

Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hands
But when you learn to share it, you will realize how big and precious it is!!

Have a Great Day!!!

Free security software: PC tool 1 year

2009-01-11T07:35:00.000-08:00

HURRY UP HURRY UP

1. Access this page: http://www.westpac.com.au/internet/publish.nsf/Content/WISE+PCtools+Security+Software#

2. Click on the IMAGE on the right side (12months free)

3. Follow the below steps

In the Sign up section, you will be required to enter your details so that PC Tools can issue a unique code that will enable full functionality of the software on offer.

To register:

Please enter your first name.
Please enter your last name.
Please enter your email address (so that we can send you your registration code)
Please enter your password (this can be anything that you will remember)
Please re-enter your password to verify.
Click Signup! button to register your details so that a unique registration code can be generated.
A confirmation email will be sent from PC Tools to the email address specified in your registration.
Upon receiving this email click the link enclosed which will verify your details and take you to the web page containing the software activation code and download link.
Print or save the code.
Download and install the software and use the generated code to activate your software.

GOOD LUCK

IDM 5.15 update forever

2009-01-11T06:23:00.000-08:00

Internet Download Manager (IDM) is a tool to increase download speeds by up to 5 times, resume and schedule downloads. Comprehensive error recovery and resume capability will restart broken or interrupted downloads due to lost connections, network problems, computer shutdowns, or unexpected power outages. Simple graphic user interface makes IDM user friendly and easy to use.Internet Download Manager has a smart download logic accelerator that features intelligent dynamic file segmentation and safe multipart downloading technology to accelerate your downloads. Unlike other download managers and accelerators Internet Download Manager segments downloaded files dynamically during download process and reuses available connections without additional connect and login stages to achieve best acceleration performance.
Internet Download Manager supports proxy servers, ftp and http protocols, firewalls, redirects, cookies, authorization, MP3 audio and MPEG video content processing. IDM integrates seamlessly into Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape, MSN Explorer, AOL, Opera, Mozilla, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Firebird, Avant Browser, MyIE2, and all other popular browsers to automatically handle your downloads. You can also drag and drop files, or use Internet Download Manager from command line. Internet Download Manager can dial your modem at the set time, download the files you want, then hang up or even shut down your computer when it's done.

Other features include multilingual support, zip preview, download categories, scheduler pro, sounds on different events, HTTPS support, queue processor, html help and tutorial, enhanced virus protection on download completion, progressive downloading with quotas (useful for connections that use some kind of fair access policy or FAP like Direcway, Direct PC, Hughes, etc.), built-in download accelerator, and many others.

Version 5.15 adds IDM download panel for web-players that can be used to download flash videos from sites like YouTube, MySpaceTV, and Google Videos. It also features complete Vista support, YouTube grabber, redeveloped scheduler, and MMS protocol support. The new version also adds improved integration for IE and IE based browsers, redesigned and enhanced download engine, the unique advanced integration into all latest browsers, improved toolbar, and a wealth of other improvements and new features.

This version can be updated forever, and is does not need key or license to activate
Download
http://rapidshare.com/files/182098021/IDM_5.15_Full.exe.html

Free license of BitDefender Total Security 2009 for 6 months

2009-01-11T05:40:00.000-08:00

Hurry up, hurry up

1. Access this web: http://www.proxy-service.de/

2. Paste one of 2 links below into the blank box, then press ENTER:

- http://www.bitdefender.de/site/Promotions/pcgots2009

- http://www.bitdefender.de/site/Promotions/pcmag2009

3. Register as in the form. It is in Germany language. The content is:

- First box: username (you can choose any name)

- Second box: first name

- Third box: last name

- Last one: email address

Note: from 1st box to 3rd box: you can fill in anything, but you have to enter correct email address in the last box (the key will be sent to this email)

4. Just press REGISTRATION button, and open email address which you used above. You now have a free license of this software for 6 months (180 days)

GOOD LUCK !

YIM Multi Session Nickname

2009-01-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

It is very simple, just follow the below steps

1. Click on START

2. Choose RUN

3. Type REGEDIT

4. Follow the directory from hkey_current_user-> Software ->Yahoo -> Pager->Test

5. Right click on Test and choose New, Next choose String Value

6. Name it as Plural, and Set the value = 1.

Now you can use multiple nicknames of yahoo at the same time

Good luck and Enjoy

Max Payne (2008)

2009-01-10T19:57:00.000-08:00

> F i L E i N F O
>
> TiTLE......[ Max Payne
> YEAR.......[ 2008
> GENRE......[ Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller
> RUNTiME....[ 01:42:59
> STORE DATE.[ 2009
> iMDB RATE..[ 5.7/10 21,711 votes
> iMDB URL...[ http://www.imdb/title/tt0467197/
>
> AUDiO......[ MP3 48000Hz 112 kb/s CBR (2 chnls)
> LANGUAGE...[ English
> ViDEO......[ 834 kbps XviD 23.976 FPS
> Q. FRAME...[ 0.178 bits*pixel
> RESOLUTiON.[ 688 x 284
> DAR........[ 2.423 (46:19)
> SUBS.......[ None
> FiLES......[ 1
> SiZE.......[ 701 MB
> SOURCE.....[ DVD
>
> Coming together to solve a series of murders in New York
> City are a DEA agent whose family was slain as part of a
> conspiracy and an assassin out to avenge her sister's death

MORE INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0467197/

DOWNLOAD
MEGAUPLOAD LINKS
http://www.megaupload.com/?f=1YUM21JW

RAPIDSHARE
http://rapidshare.com/users/LP8VD6

Contract Killers (2008)

2009-01-10T19:53:00.000-08:00

Release Group: RUBY
Release Name: Contract.Killers.2008.DVDRip.XviD-RUBY
Filename: ruby-ckillers
Release Date: Jan 09, 2009
Source: DVDRip
Size: 716.41 MB
Genre: Action
Video: XviD - 640×352 - 988kbps
Audio: English - 128 kbps mp3 vbr
Subtitles: Eng, Spa
Runtime: 1hr30mins
IMDB Rating: 4.9/10 (208 votes)
Directed By: Justin B. Rhodes
Starring: Frida Show, Nick Mancuso, Rhett Giles

Contract Killers, which is written, directed and edited by debut director Justin Rhodes and produced by G. Anthony Joseph, is partially filmed in Trinidad.

The movie, which features young Swedish actress Frida Farrell in the role of Jane, takes viewers on a roller-coaster ride as Jane is on the run from the company she once worked for as she has evidence of them being involved in fraud.

The company, knowing their secret is out, tries to frame Jane who ends up in the popular and prosperous caribbean island called Trinidad. They later hire Joseph, (who portrays Monoven) a highly-trained contract killer from the island, to eliminate her.

MORE INFORMATION: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1001548/

DOWNLOAD

MEGAUPLOAD LINKS
http://www.megaupload.com/?f=QABCMGTH

RAPIDSHARE LINKS
http://rapidshare.com/users/TAYEJ4

The Eleventh Hour (2008)

2009-01-10T19:37:00.000-08:00

Release Group: CoWRY
Release Name: The.Eleventh.Hour.2008.DVDRip.XviD-CoWRY
Filename: cowry-teh
Release Date: Jan 10, 2009
Source: DVDRip
Size: 717.76 MB
Genre: Action
Video: XviD - 576 x 320 - 914 kbps - 23.976fps
Audio: English - MP3 - 128kbps ABR
Subtitles: ENG / CHT / CHS
Runtime: 1hr33mins
Directed By: John Lyde
Starring: Adam Abram, Johnny Ahn, Britani Bateman

An ex-Navy SEAL, Michael Adams, (Matthew Reese) was captured during a raid to free Japanese prisoners from a North Korean prison camp. He endures the North Koreans torture for three years — seen only as flashbacks — then released back into civilian life. A renegade North Korean General wants revenge for the raid on his camp, he follows Adams back to the United States with a plot to manipulate the former soldier into assassinating the leader of the raid, now a United States senator, Mason Chambers (K. Danor Gerald). The General targets Adams’ estranged wife, Rachel (Jennifer Klekas) has her attacked so a doctor on the North Koreans payroll can insert a bomb into her head. Then Adam is captured, given the assignment and warned he

more information: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1129420/

Download

rapidshare links
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megaupload links
http://www.megaupload.com/?f=VZT64ZGK

10 Basic Tips For the Internet Explorer

2009-01-10T10:55:00.000-08:00

In order to use the Internet Explorer (IE) effectively, we have some basic tips for you to try…

1. To extend the window area of the IE, you can make it easy by pressing the F11 key. Then you press it again in order to return the IE to the normal window.

2. Sometimes you want to search a keyword in a long web page that you are surfing. How do you do ?? Just press Ctrl+F and place the keyword you want.

3. Using Backspace key in your keyboard instead of clicking Back in the IE window.

4. You can close your IE window that you are surfing by Ctrl+W.

5.. To see the surfing websites history, Press F4 key to see the URL which you have typed.

6. Press Ctrl+D in order to save the url which you are surfing. And the url will be in the Favorites.

7. To send a web page to your friend. Do you know we can send it by email from the IE’s tools ? Let you try it, go to File > Send > Page by E-mail...

8. To slide the web page by using the keyboard, try it with the arrow keys. To slide it to the bottom and the top of the web page, try the End and Home key.

9. If you find a picture that you prefer it to be the desktop wallpaper, you can immediately set it, right click on the picture area and select the Set as wallpaper.

10. To slide the web page gradually, you may use the Page up, Page down and Spacebar keys. Try it !

GOOD MORNING 11-1-2009

2009-01-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

The Secret Motivation Strategy That Never Fails

2009-01-10T10:29:00.001-08:00

The Secret Motivation Strategy That Never Fails

Want a new motivation technique that works quickly and easily? In this article you will discover a simple motivation technique you can start using right away.

No matter how much you want to make your dreams come true you still need some practical ways to keep yourself motivated over the long term. You need the ability to keep going in the face of setbacks, disappointments and short-term frustrations. i.e. a motivation technique that works.

Thankfully there is a simple and very powerful way to stay focused and highly motivated. Are you ready for a personal breakthrough?

1. Determine The Reasons Why You Want To Attain The Goal

Write down on paper the reasons why you want to succeed. List at least 50 reasons. This will take you 10 minutes of brainstorming. Just write down whatever pops into your head. Write as quickly as you can and keep going until you have a list of 50 great reasons.

(Dont be fooled by how simple this motivation technique is)

2. Pick Out The Top 5 Reasons

Scan the list of reasons why you want to achieve your goal and pick out the reasons which have the most emotional charge for you. i.e the ones you feel strongly about. These are the reasons which will keep you motivated when obstacles show up.

And as you read over the top 5 reasons you may way feel a smile on your face and you will feel a new surge of motivation. This is the basis of this motivation technique - tap into the emotions that drive you.

3. Each Day Review The Top Reasons

On a daily basis take a moment to review the top 5 reasons why you want to achieve the goal. Read over the list and make sure to notice how you feel. These reasons move you emotionally because they are so important to you. When you feel strongly about these reasons motivation will be automatic.

Let me give you an example of how to use this motivation technique..

John wants to double his income but feels too overwhelmed at work to even concentrate on ways to earn more. He takes 10 minutes on his lunch break to scribble 50 reasons why he wants to double his income. Then he picks out the top 5 reasons - the ones that really move him emotionally.

What does he discover? The prospect of having more dollar signs does not inspire him to earn more but the following reasons do inspire him:

1. Feel more appreciated and respected by my wife

2. Become more successful in my career

3. Fulfill my potential at last

4. Get that top of the range car Ive always wanted

5. Give more money to local charities

As a result John now has a sense of purpose that drives him to do all he can to achieve his goal.

The same applies to you...

When you tap into why you want to achieve you goals, on a daily basis, you will find the true source of your motivation.

Now get using this simple yet powerful motivation technique!

How to face a job interview

2009-01-10T10:27:00.000-08:00

How to face a job interview

Following are some things you should keep in mind when preparing for a job
interview:
Assuming you have a well-written and honest resume, review it often, especially before an interview. Many questions asked will be generated by the information in your resume. Question yourself about every item on it, and be ready to respond, preferably using anecdotes and concrete examples.
Be sure to bring a copy of your resume with you to the interview just in case the interviewer did not receive it or has misplaced it.
Do your homework about each company with whom you interview.
Go on the Internet or go to the library and check available reference sources to enable you to ask intelligent questions. By researching a company, you demonstrate that you have a real interest in the position, which can ultimately impress an employer. Know precisely how to get to the site of the interview, even if it means making a trial run a few days in advance.
Know how long it takes you to get to the interview, and leave enough time to arrive early. Being late for an interview will almost always doom your chances.
Candidates who arrive just in time are also generally flustered, which can hurt the interview. Get there early and use the cushion of time to gather your thoughts.
Be certain you know the interviewer's name and find out how to pronounce it if it looks difficult. Choose the appropriate wardrobe and have it ready ahead of time.
Arriving with a button missing or scuffed shoes does not make a good initial impression. There is no substitute for neatness. Dress conservatively, even if the culture of the company with which you're interviewing is informal.
Remember you are looking for a job, not going to a party. If appropriate, you can always dress down once you've landed the job.
Leave any negative feelings at home; bring only your positive, upbeat self to the interview. Pledge to be friendly with everyone with whom you come in contact, including the receptionist, the interviewer's secretary, and everyone else introduced to you. Managers often ask others who come in contact with a candidate for their evaluation.
Be committed to speaking positively and kindly about other people, including fellow students, professors, and previous employers.
If the interview has come through your college placement office, there is a good possibility you will know some other students with whom you are in competition.
If their names come up, avoid the natural temptation to point out something negative.
Rather than enhancing your own potential for getting the job, you diminish yourself in the interviewer's eyes.
Potential employers want "proof" of the things you say, so be ready to present examples of the skills and abilities attained in school and in previous jobs.
Take the opportunity to tell the interviewer about your goals and strong points.
Be alert to your surroundings and listen carefully to what the interviewer says.
Often, you'll learn what the interviewer likes and doesn't like in a candidate, as well as gaining insight into what the job demands.
A good listener is able to build upon that knowledge and come back with the sort of responses an interviewer wants to hear.
Remember that any answer you give to a question is likely to be followed by additional questions.
If you're asked if you like to read, simply saying yes" isn't sufficient when the interviewer follows up with, "What books have you read lately, and which have impressed you most?" Avoid accepting offers of food or beverages during the interview.
Spilling coffee on yourself does nothing to enhance your image.
If the interview should involve lunch or dinner, order smart.
You may love spaghetti, but it can be pretty messy to eat.
Also, decline the offer of alcoholic beverages.
Keep in mind that while you're a graduate with an accounting degree, and are looking for a job in accounting, you are engaged in direct selling when being interviewed.
A good salesperson, after making an effective presentation, always asks for the order.
That rule also applies to seeking jobs.
If the interview went well, and you believe you are qualified for the job and can handle the responsibilities, say so.
Modest self-confidence is rewarded initially by employer confidence in you - and later on if you are successful in your job.
Every interview should be followed with a short, courteous note thanking the interviewer.
The note could indicate something positive in your favor that you forgot to bring up during the interview itself, as well as express your continued interest in the position.
What Interviewers Are Looking For The interviewer must, based on his or her inquiry and your response, determine if you, among all candidates, are one of the best people for the job.
To do this, the interviewer makes a judgement about the total candidate as a probable employee with the firm/company.
This judgement is based on a number of factors called Predictors of Success: Personal Impressions - A good interviewer generally relies heavily on the first impression you project.
This is because an employee's ability to make a good first impression is a definite asset to the individual and the firm/company he or she represents.
During the interview you will be evaluated on such traits as: Poise; Ability to communicate; Maturity; Integrity; Stability; Self-reliance.
Job Interests and Career Goals - A most important point is finding out exactly what you want and why you want it.
To this end, the interviewer will ask questions that require you to make and justify career decisions.
The interviewer will investigate factors relating to your: Adaptability; Initiative; Enthusiasm; Aptitudes and abilities; Willingness to work and learn; Ability to get along well with other people.
Job Qualifications - Your basic qualifications for the job are of course of paramount importance.
No matter how great a person you are or how well you have defined and demonstrated what you want to do, the final decision regarding an offer of employment will be based on your qualifications, including: Level and appropriateness of academic training and achievement; Leadership potential (primarily managerial/supervisory potential); Special training; Work experience; Job related hobbies and interests; Faculty recommendations.
Remember, the interview is a two-way street.
Be prepared to make something happen.
Interviewers look for well-rounded individuals whose work interests seem to match acquired knowledge, skills and talents.
It is your responsibility to ensure the interviewer gets the information needed to make an employment decision in your favor.
If you fail here, you probably will not get another chance.
Parts of the Interview To some extent, the format of an interview is the creation of the interviewer.
No two interviews are the same.
Individual personalities are bound to influence the conduct of an interview.
The basic structure of a job interview is quite standard.
A typical interview has four parts: Introduction - Establishes rapport; this is where the interviewer notes his/her first impressions and makes initial judgements on your appearance, manner, energy and enthusiasm.
Background - This is where the interviewer determines you basic qualifications for the job.
He/she will ask you a series of questions.
(See section below for Sample Interview Questions) While you are listening or responding to the questions, the interviewer will note how you handle yourself, evaluate your qualifications and suitability for employment and revise (or confirm) the initial judgement made during the introduction.
The interviewer is also evaluating your ability to communicate in a clear and logical manner.
He/she is also seeking clues to measure and evaluate your self-confidence, ability to relate to others, level of motivation, interest span, and personal values.
Also under review are your statements about career ambitions.
Are they balanced with your past academic performance, work experience, extracurricular activities and other interests? A good self-assessment can make you more articulate and help direct your thinking in responding to such questions.
Don't short change yourself when talking about work experiences.
All your background is important, whether or not it relates to the job you seek.
This includes part-time, full-time, volunteer, internship and co-op experience.
Evaluate your work experiences in terms of attributes and skills you expect to bring to your new career.
Relate them in a positive manner.
Remember, employers want employees who are self-starters, self-motivators, and eager to work.
The Discussion - The discussion is a critical part of any interview.
It is here that the interviewer tries to match your qualifications and career interests with the employment opportunities available.
Having read the company/firm literature and conducted other research on the firm/company and the types of jobs you qualify for and are interested in, you should now be able to enter a constructive dialogue about how you can fit into, and be profitable to, the company/firm.
Sell your product - Yourself! Here you have the opportunity to ask questions covering new information and clarifying previous points such as: How long is the training program? Can an individual go through it in a shorter time? At his/her own pace? When does it begin? How much travel is involved? What are the duties and responsibilities of this job? What is a typical day like? How often are performance evaluations conducted? It's best to avoid asking questions that can be answered by reading the firm/company's literature.
Finally, if comments on salary are included in the interviews, it will generally be in the discussion phase.
Let the interviewer mention salary first.
You should have some idea of current salary levels from discussions with placement office representatives and faculty before the interview, so the importance of salary should be minimized at this stage.
The discussion is also your chance to point out important qualifications that the interviewer may have left out or passed over lightly.
Don't be afraid to point them out.
You may not get another chance.
The Close - This is the wrap-up.
If the interviewer is really excited about you, you could get a last minute "selling job" on the company/firm.
Also, ask any final questions you might have.
You should then get instructions from the interviewer about what will happen next such as being told when you will receive a decision; being requested to fill out a job application, being invited for an office visit; suggesting another meeting; expressing no further interest; and/or providing other information dictated by firm/company policy.
Sample Interview Questions Tell me about yourself (e.g., your accounting experience, your schooling, your extracurricular activities).
Why did you choose the study of accounting? Where do you see yourself in five years? Why are you interested in a job in public accounting? Why industry? Why government? Tell me about your strengths and weaknesses.
Do you have any computer skills? What did you like and dislike about your accounting classes? When will you be sitting for CPA exam? Do you belong to any clubs, organizations, or societies? Why should I hire you? How have you dealt with conflicts/problems in school? Why do you think you would like to work for our company? What type of position most interests you? If you were entirely free to choose, what job in our company would you most like to do? What kind of supervisor do you prefer? Do you prefer any geographic area? How do you spend your summer vacations? What do you do during your leisure time? What types of books do you read? What percentage of your college expenses did you pay on your own? What are your long-range and short-range goals and objectives? What and why did you establish these goals and how are you preparing yourself to achieve them? What do you consider to be your greatest strengths and weaknesses? How do you think a friend or professor who knows you well, would describe you? How would you describe yourself? What qualifications do you have that make you think you will be successful? In what ways do you think you can make a contribution to our company? What two or three accomplishments have given you the most satisfaction? Why? Why did you select the college you attended? What led you to choose your major/field of study? What college subjects did you like best? Why? The least? Why? Do you think your grades are a good indication of your abilities? What have you learned from participating in extra-curricular activities? In what part-time or summer jobs have you been most interested? Why? Why did you decide to seek a position with this organization? What do you know about our company? What two or three things are most important to you in a job? What criteria are you using to evaluate the company for which you hope to work? Will you relocate? Are you willing to travel? What major problem have you encountered and how did you deal with it? What have you learned from your mistakes? The Office Interview If you are successful in your initial campus interview, the next step is usually an invitation to visit the company/firm's office.
What to Expect - Be prepared to talk with staff members at all levels.
They will ask questions about you and your career goals.
Expect some fairly detailed questioning. They will also expect you to ask questions.
Concentrate your questions on the nature of the work, the typical duties and responsibilities you will be required to perform. Know the company's/firm's organizational structure.
Be Prepared - Get a good night's sleep. Have some ideas about what you are going to ask.
Be attentive and show interest. The Wrap-Up or Last Interview of the Day - You may be offered a job.
Don't consider the outcome to be negative if an offer is not extended immediately.
Some companies/firms make a practice of extending offers through the mail.
Within a short period of time, you should be notified of the outcome of you interview.
Expenses - Keep an accurate record of your expenses.
Keep hotel and airplane receipts.
If you are splitting expenses among several companies/firms, be certain you inform them.
Trying to make a few extra dollar is improper and could harm your opportunities and may be illegal.
If You Receive an Offer - Try to give the company/firm some idea about when you will make a decision.
Don't box yourself in.
Make sure you give yourself enough time to interview at all the companies/firms you planned to.
Make sure you understand the offer completely (overtime, benefits and other relevant matters).
If you have questions about the offer, call the interviewer or designated person.
Don't quibble over small difference in starting salaries.
If You Receive a Rejection - Keep your chin up. There are many other opportunities out there.
If you constantly receive rejections, examine the reasons. They may show common interviewing faults.
Make improvements where possible. If you do poorly in an interview and do not receive an offer, it could be because of one or more of these common interview faults: Insufficient career direction; Failure to project your qualifications; Absence of apparent initiative; Need for greater self-confidence; Shabby or inappropriate personal appearance; Insufficient knowledge of the company/firm; Inability to express yourself clearly; Failure to ask questions.
If, at the conclusion of your interview, you have a strong interest in the company/firm, write to the interviewer confirming this.
It is always good professional manners after any interview to write a note of appreciation to the people you interviewed with that day.
Not many people do this, so it can be an effective tool to make you stand out.
Make the note a short, sincere statement of your appreciation for the time spent with you.
Reaffirm your interest in the position and company/firm. Try to mail the letter that evening or day after your interview.
Accepting the Offer - Write or call the company/firm to inform them of your acceptance.
Establish a starting date. Inform any other company/firm that has offered you a position of your decision.
Inform your school's placement office of the name of the company/firm and type of position you have accepted.
Ten steps to a job-winning interview These days, interviews don't come easily. When you get The
Call, make the most of your time -- and go for it!
1. Investigate the company's culture, markets, and finances. But resist the temptation to show off what you've
researched: "I just read that you're about to embark on a new product line") unless you have a question directly
related to your career.
2. Look like you belong. Learn the company's dress code and err on the side of conservatism. When you're seeking a
senior position based on industry experience, you'll be expected to know the rules without being told.
3. Take charge of the interview! The most successful interviews feel like friendly conversations. When your
interviewer has an agenda (such as the infamous "stress interview") stay relaxed. Think of playing a game.
4. Assume everyone you meet will provide feedback to the decision-maker. Some companies hand out comment forms to
receptionists, security guards and potential peers who take you to lunch.
5. Communicate interest and enthusiasm, even if you're not sure you're ready to commit. You'll rarely have all the
facts until you're looking at an offer.
6. Bring extra copies of your correspondence from this company as well as your resume, references, writing samples,
portfolio and current business cards. Interviewers lose documents and conversations move in unexpected directions.
7. Create a relaxed, positive attitude by devising a realistic game plan. When your career isn't riding on a
single interview, you'll have fun and make a confident, relaxed impression.
8. Write a thank you letter within forty-eight hours. Create a low-key sales letter, emphasizing how your
qualifications match the company's needs. Present yourself as a resource, not a supplicant.
9. After you write the letter, forget about the interview. Email or phone only if you've received a competing offer
with a deadline. Occasionally you may make points with follow-up mailings. A sports team public relations applicant sent puzzles, games
and press releases -- and she got the job. Use your intuition. 10. Keep notes of what you learned from the process. What worked? What would you do differently?

Rejected? Don't take it personally -- the company may have an agenda that has nothing to do with you.

Got the job? Celebrate! Then develop a career plan and a safety net before you need one.

Concentrate on work otherwise..(18+)

2009-01-10T10:17:00.000-08:00

THE FIRST TIME

2009-01-10T00:47:00.000-08:00

Windows 7 Beta 1 64-bit ISO

2009-01-10T00:23:00.001-08:00

Version was leaked on 25th December before Microsoft can actually announce, Soon after windows 7 beta 1 x86 leakage most of the users started expecting Windows 7 Beta 1 64 bit (x64) version will leak in a day or two but that didn’t happen. It took more then 1 week for Windows 7 Beta 1 build 7000 64 bit version to get leaked, yes you heard it right, 64-bit Windows 7 beta 1 build 7000.0.081212-1400 is now leaked on internet and its available for download

File Name: 7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULXFRE_EN_DVD.ISO
Size: 3387009024 bytes 3.15 G
MD5: 773fc9cc60338c612af716a2a14f177d
SHA-1: E09FDBC1CB3A92CF6CC872040FDAF65553AB62A5
Platform: x64 (64-bit)
System Requirement: CPU: 2.0 GHz | RAM: 1 GB | HDD: 50 GB
Language: English
BT Download : http://www.filesend.net/download.php?f=e155008f58e669601200f962b6827aad

GOOD MORNING 10-1-2009

2009-01-09T09:55:00.001-08:00

The Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade Program

2009-01-09T09:33:00.000-08:00

Important Program Dates

Important Program Dates for the Windows 7 Upgrade Program are listed in the table below. Some dates have not been finalized and will be included at a later date. These dates are marked as to-be-determined (TBD). However, for planning purposes, program eligibility will begin on July 1, 2009.

Program Eligibility Period - Windows Vista PCs preinstalled with qualifying software must be purchased by end users between these dates. - OEMs may choose to offer a shorter program period within the allowed date range.	July 1, 2009 through TBD
Program Calculation Period - The total number of eligible Windows Vista Certificates of Authenticity (COAs) invoiced to an OEM during the Program Calculation Period, multiplied by 20%, determines the number of program upgrade media that can be purchased by OEM through Microsoft ARs. - End of Program Calculation Period will be 90 days prior to the end of Program Eligibility Period.	April 1, 2009 through TBD
Initial Upgrade Media Fulfillment Date - Date on which OEMs may start shipping upgrade media to Qualifying End Users.	Windows 7 General Availability Date
Final Software Fulfillment Date / Program End Date - Date by which upgrade media must be shipped for Qualifying End Users’ upgrade orders. - Microsoft recommends that OEMs establish and communicate to their customers a final submission date to ensure fulfillment by the Program End Date.	TBD

For other important dates and details, take a look at the latest Microsoft Windows 7 roadmap.

Eligible Upgrade Paths

For each eligible upgrade path, all available upgrade versions for a Qualifying Product (e.g., language-specific versions, territory-specific versions, 32 bit/64 bit platform) will be supported. The upgrade media will be product version-specific and must correspond to the Qualifying Product Version.

qualifying product version || upgrade software version

Windows Vista Home Premium==>Windows 7 Home Premium

Windows Vista Business==>Windows 7 Professional

Windows Vista Ultimate==>Windows 7 Ultimate

Additional Upgrade Path Restrictions :

A language version of the qualifying Windows Vista product can only be upgraded to the same language version of the Windows 7 upgrade software.
The Windows Vista product can only be upgraded to the associated edition of the upgrade software. For example, Windows Vista Home Premium K edition can only be upgraded to Windows 7 Home Premium K edition.
OEMs must ship media as defined in these permitted upgrade paths. No other upgrade paths are available and supported under the Program.
If an end user attempts to upgrade to an unsupported upgrade path, the end user may have to re-format the PC hard drive and/or may lose applications, files and settings available with the previous installed version of Windows. For example, the following upgrades are not allowed in the program :
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Home Basic or Windows Vista Starter
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate
- Upgrades from Windows Vista Business to Windows 7 Ultimate

SITES TO SEARCH RAPIDSHARE AND MEGAUPLOAD LINKS

2009-01-09T09:07:00.000-08:00

All sites below are what I have collected from GOOGLE.COM. They can help you to find only files which are uploaded in rapidshare and megaupload hosts.

1. http://www.rapidshare1.com/

2. http://www.filez.com/

3. http://www.rapidfox.net/

4. http://www.hellafiles.com/

5. http://www.rapidshared.org/

6. http://www.shareminer.com/

7. http://www.filesbot.com/

8. http://www.rapidosearch.com/

9. http://rapidshare-search-engine.com/

10. http://www.rapidsharelink.com/

11. http://www.oneclickfiles.com/

12. http://www.searchshared.com/

13. http://www.eatpaper.com/rapidshare/

14. http://filesearcher.net/

15. http://megadownload.net/

16. http://www.url1.biz/

17. http://www.rsdown.org/

18. http://www.rapidkav.com/

19. http://www.filecrop.com/

20. http://rapid.tvphp.net/

21. http://www.rapidsearching.com/

22. http://www.rapidsharefind.com/

23. http://www.megauploadsearchengine.com/

24. http://www.rapidsharedata.com/

26. http://www.shareminer.com (this site I usually use to find links for books, movie, music...)

Publish Post

SITES TO SCAN VIRUS ONLINE

2009-01-09T08:58:00.000-08:00

These sites are very good for scanning virus online. There are more than 10 anti virus programs used to scan files. One of disadvantage of these sites is the files you want to scan should not be too large (Normally it is OK for file with 5Mb).
1. http://virusscan.jotti.org/

2. http://www.virustotal.com/

GOOD LUCK and feel safe when surfing internet or downloading small files on internet

25 Tips for a Healthy Heart

2009-01-09T07:48:00.000-08:00

Please take care yourself. You will be healthier and safer if following steps in the picture below

How to Run Multiple Firefox Profiles Simultaneously

2009-01-09T03:02:00.000-08:00

As you probably know, Firefox supports the creation of profiles so that different people can have their own browser configuration (buttons, add-ons, font size, etc.). If you're not familiar with this feature, see How To Manage Profiles at the Firefox help site. A feature that's more obscure is that you can actually run more than one profile at the same time.

Why would you want to run profiles simultaneously? I use the feature primarily so that I can check that pages look correct on a clean Firefox profile as well as on my heavily souped up one with lots of add-ons. You might also find it useful to have profiles with different add-ons for different tasks and then start one or more as needed.

Normally, if you start Firefox when a copy is already running, it'll just start another window using the current profile. To start a completely separate instance of Firefox, add the -no-remote option. In Windows, you can either do this by selecting Run from the Start menu and typing in the entire command, or add the option to the shortcut that you use to start Firefox. On Linux, just add the option to the command line or if you're using a GUI (e.g. Gnome, KDE, Xfce) adjust the command assigned to the desktop or menu icon that you use to start Firefox.

For example,

firefox -p Profile_Name -no-remote

will start a new instance of Firefox with the profile named "Profile_Name". If, on the other hand, you want to choose the desired profile from the Profile Manager window, use

firefox -profilemanager -no-remote

Now you can start as many different profiles as you like. Have a novel way to make use of profiles? Leave a comment.

(I will update moreinformation here later, since I am lazy now)

GOOD MORNING 8-1-2009

2009-01-07T19:06:00.001-08:00

NMIndexStoreSvr.exe ?

2009-01-07T00:40:00.000-08:00

problem:

Something called NMIndexStoreSvr.exe is using 99% of my CPU anyone know what this is and how to resolve it?

solution:

As mentioned above it is to do with Nero 7

to stop it booting on startup you will need to follow these instructions

Press the Windows key and R at the same time (Or go to the "Start" menu and click on "Run")
Then when the dialog box appears bottom left i want you to type "MsConfig" This will bring up some Built In admin controls. I suggest only touching what you need or you can cause some fatal errors.

With that a side I want you to choose the "startup" tab and look for the nero scout/nmindexstoresvr.exe and untick the box next to it

Then click Apply/Ok (Can't remember which appears)

Then close and select restart. When the computer restarts it will say you have used MSCOFIg to change settings just tick the box to say "Don't inform me again" and click ok and that should be problem sorted.

Hope that helps and isn't too confusing

How To Repair Corrupt Vista Files

2009-01-05T21:59:00.000-08:00

Some Windows Vista errors are cau sed by corrupt system files causing instabilities, but troubleshooting these problems manually can be almost impossible.

Thankfully, Vista includes a "System File Checker" application that will verify the integrity of core system files.

There are 2 types of scan, a verification and a scan/repair mode. The former will only check the files without repairing them automatically, the latter will fix any errors it finds.

To begin, load the command prompt by starting "cmd" from the run box (Press WINDOWS KEY + R to access this):

(THE FIRST PICTURE SHOULD BE HERE)

Then, type in one of the following commands (followed by the enter key) depending on the type of scan you wish to perform: sfc /verifyonly - To verify any corrupt files only. sfc /scannow - To verify and fix any corrupt files. This will then start the scan and inform you of any files that require fixing:

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

2009-01-05T02:35:00.000-08:00

I WISH YOU HEALTH, SO YOU MAY ENJOY EACH DAY IN COMFORT

I WISH YOU THE LOVE OF FRIENDS AND FAMILY
AND PEACE WITHIN YOUR HEART

I WISH YOU THE BEAUTY OF NATURE, THAT YOU MAY ENJOY THE WORK OF GOD

I WISH YOU WISDOM TO CHOOSE PRIORITIES FOR THOSE THINGS THAT REALLY MATTER IN LIFE

I WISH YOU GENEROSITY SO YOU MAY SHARE ALL GOOD THINGS THAT COME TO YOU

I WISH YOU ALL HAPPINESS AND JOY AND BLESSINGS FOR THE NEW YEAR

I WISH YOU THE BEST OF EVERYTHING THAT YOU SO WELL DESERVE

WISH YOU HAPPY NEW YEAR 2009

MUSIC FOR NEW YEAR

2008-12-27T21:18:00.000-08:00

I HAVE COLLECTED SOME NEW YEAR CDs FOR NEARLY 1 YEAR. IF ANYONE WANTS TO GET THEM, PLEASE DOWNLOAD FROM THE FOLDERS BELOW

RAPIDSHARE LINK:
http://rapidshare.com/users/N5G0QG

MEGAUPLOAD
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Happy Lunar New Year! Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

2008-12-27T21:13:00.000-08:00

Planning a Celebration?

Sequence of the Tet Celebration

Do it right. Here's a step-by-step sequence of the Tet Celebration

Preparation.During the week before Tet, some families visit the graves of parents and grandparents. Fresh earth is placed on top, weeds removed from around it and incense is burnt to invoke the souls of the dead from the other world to return to visit the family home.

The Kitchen God (Ong Tao or Mandarin Tao) is also called the Hearth God, the Stove God or the Household God. This god who was privy to the family's most private business and intimate secrets for the ending year, returns to Heaven to make his report to the Jade Emperor. This report includes the year's activities of the household in which he has lived. On the 23rd day of the 12th month, a farewell and thank you dinner is given to the Kitchen God by the household. The Kitchen God will need a week for his mission to Heaven.

Folklore has made the spirit of the hearth into a picturesque character, a buffoon who is the butt of crude jokes. Although he is a messenger of the Jade Emperor in Heaven, he is depicted as so poor as to be unable to afford much clothing. He wears an important mandarin hat but goes about with bare legs because he has scorched his pants in the hearth fire. Another version tells that he was in such a rush to get back to Heaven that he forgot his pants and ascended in only his underwear. Efforts must be made to put him in a proper mood to secure a favorable report to the Jade Emperor of the family's activities. Offerings are made to him. These gifts certainly aim at influencing the outcome of the report. But no one considers such gifts to be crass bribery. Such pleasantries merely sweeten the god's way, as perhaps cookies placed by the fireplace will please Santa Claus, who might be tired from delivering so many gifts on Christmas night.

The paper carps, horses and clothing (hats, robes and boots) will be burned by the family and thus transformed into a spiritual essence usable by Ong Tao in the world beyond. Like Santa Claus, the Kitchen God is loved and respected. Both have the capacity to bring fortune and happiness into the home depending on the previous year's behavior. Although beliefs about the Kitchen God have changed over the years, he remains an important figure in the rich texture of Vietnamese New Year. The Kitchen God travels on the back of a brightly colored and powerful paper horse or sometimes a grand bird with great wings, such as a crane. Or he might ride on a carp with golden scales. Paper images of these vehicles are purchased at Tet or a living specimen of fish is bought and later set free. The day of his departure is marked by the calls of fishmongers from the countryside carrying baskets of fish hanging from their shoulder poles and calling "Fish for sale, fine mounts for the Household Gods to make their ride!" Live fish held in tanks of water and plastic bags are released into ponds, lakes, rivers and streams to impress the god with the kindness of the household. In Hanoi, the Sword Lake is a favorite spot for releasing Ong Tao's fish-vehicle. In some cases, three fish are released to account for the possibility that one must please all three Hearth Gods.

Most frequently we hear of only the Kitchen God, but many legends support the trinity of Kitchen Gods. Ong Tao represents the blending of all three.

In the old days, and still in some countryside homes, cooking occurs over clay tripods. Three stones were all that was needed to hold up the pot over the fire. Few people spend time thinking about the nature of the Kitchen Gods or the specific meaning of the items that are associated with them. The three Hearth Gods are represented at Tet by three hats and shops sell sets of three miniature paper hats: two men's hats and one woman's. These are burned as offerings to Ong Tao. The God will also need a new pair of boots to wear as he travels to Heaven. Two favorite gifts for the triad of household deities are gold and wine.

In the central part of Vietnam, cooking tripods or blocks that make up the family hearth, even if they are still usable, are ritually discarded when the God leaves. One week later, new blocks will greet his return or the arrival of his replacement assigned by the Jade Emperor.

After the Kitchen God has left, preparations for the New Year festivities begin in earnest. The week before New Year's Eve is a period of Tat Nien. Tat Nien (literally meaning the end or 'to extinguish the year') is the celebration of the last session of a period, such as the last class of school, the last bus home, the last day in the office, even the last bath, all with parties and great ceremony. There is a festive holiday atmosphere before New Year's Eve with dragon dances.

Some families set up a Tet tree in the week before New Year's Eve. The Tet tree called cay neu, is a bamboo pole stripped of most of its leaves except for a bunch at the very top. The Tet tree has Taoist origins and holds talismanic objects that clang in the breeze to attract good spirits and repel evil ones. On the very top, they frequently place a paper symbol of yin and yang, the two principal forces of the universe. Sometimes a colorful paper carp flag will fly from the top. The carp (or sometimes a horse) is the vehicle on which the Hearth God travels to make his report. This tree is more common in the countryside now than in the city. It is ceremonially removed after the seventh day of Tet.

Sweeping and scrubbing is done in advance as tradition discourages cleaning during the holiday itself. During this time, shops and restaurants close while the cleaning spree proceeds in earnest. On hands and knees, the floors will be scrubbed; bronze will be polished to a brand new finish. Closets will be ransacked for old clothes to be tossed out. Shoppers swarm the streets at temporary Tet stalls that have sprung up, lit with tiny gaily-flashing lights. Everything needed for the celebration from food to decorations is at hand and in abundance at these Tet markets.

Two items required for the proper enjoyment of Tet are flowering branches and the kumquat bush. For the sale of these and other flowers and plants, a lively flower market is held in the center of the ancient quarter of Hanoi on Hang Luoc Street. A massive flower market was organized on Nguyen Hue Street in Ho Chi Minh City and attracts crowds who walk up and down the street admiring the flowers, meeting old friends and making new ones. However, this was moved out of the center in 1996. Throughout the country on bicycles of roving vendors, flowers create great splashes of color. In the south, the bright golden yellow branches of the mai apricot are seen everywhere. In the north, the soft rose-colored dao peach flowers decorate homes and offices. A truck driver will adorn his truck with a dao branch to cheer him on a long-distance run.

Miniature kumquat bushes about two or three feet tall are carefully selected and prominently displayed. To carefully choose a kumquat bush, the buyer must pay attention to the symmetrical shape, to the leaves and to the color and shape of the fruit. The bushes have been precisely pruned to display ripe deep orange fruits with smooth clear thin skin shining like little suns or gold coins on the first day. Other fruits must still be green to ripen later. This represents the wish that wealth will come to you now and in the future. The leaves must be thick and dark green with some light green sprouts. The fruits represent the grandparents, the flowers represent parents, the buds represent children and the light green leaves represent grandchildren. The tree thus symbolizes many generations. Guests will caress the light green leaves about to sprout and compliment the discerning host who chose so carefully. The Sino-Viet pronunciation of the word for orange sounds like the word for wealth and the tangerines signify good luck.

Crowds of shoppers at the markets become thicker and more frantic each night, holding up traffic as they jostle each other to reach the counters with the best buys. Prices are a bit higher, but then thriftiness is not considered a virtue at Tet. Everyone is wishing each other Chuc Mung Nam Moi!

One must purchase the sugared fruits, banh chung and the colorful decorations before the afternoon of Tet.

While shoppers roam the streets, banh chung patties wrapped in leaves are steaming in giant vats. The outside has taken on a lovely light green tinge after being boiled inside a wrapper of leaves. Banh chung in the north is a square patty measuring seven inches and two inches thick, filled with shreds of fatty pork surrounded by a dense mixture of sticky rice and mashed ground green beans. In the south, a similar dish is cylindrical. It is given as a gift at this time of year and has a similar long life and social significance as the western Christmas fruitcake. These are frequently called sticky rice cakes, but are unlike sweet cakes in the western sense. There is however, a sweet version made without meat but with sugar added called banh ngot (sweet rice patty).

Suddenly, as if by command of some magic wand, the spree of activity, the light, the noise, all vanishes. By early evening, markets and shops are abandoned. Shops, stalls and restaurants are locked leaving a notice hung on the door announcing the date of reopening. Special dishes must be completed that are expected to serve the family and its guests for the first three days of the new year. People desert the outer world and disappear on the requisite trip to their home villages and inside their homes for intimate family celebrations.

* * *

Giao Thua. As midnight approaches, all eyes maintain a close look on clocks and watches. The Giao Thua ritual occurs at that most sacred moment in time. At midnight on the last day of the year, every Vietnamese family whispers similar fervent prayers. Bells ring and drums beat in temples. The old year gives over its mandate to the New Year. The words Giao Thua (Giao means to give and Thua means to receive) mean a passing on or a receiving and handing down of life, and the recognition of that gift by the present generation. It marks the magical transition time from one year to another. Those who practice Buddhism will pray in the pagoda.

In the Gia Tien (family ancestor) ritual or calling of the ancestors, invitations are extended to the deceased relatives to visit for a few days in the world of the living family. They are lured home and kept happy until they leave. The head of the household lights incense and folds hands at heart level in the position of prayer. The prayer may proceed as follows: "In the year of&. And the date of&. Make these offerings and invite all of our ancestors to join in eating Tet with us."

The past generations are invited to share the family's joys and concerns to enjoy a meal with the living, to catch up on the family news and to lavish riches and honors on their descendants.

"I pray to the Heavenly King, the Jade Emperor, to his assistants and to the Earth God and the guardian spirit and to any other spirits present. On behalf of the &family, we offer you incense, gold and silver, fruit and flowers, alcohol and fixings for the betel quid. We are all here to make these offerings so that the next year will be free of disasters and harmful occurrences and that the family will prosper. Please bless us all, young and old, with happiness, prosperity and long life. (Here he might mention some events of the past year such as the birth of a child, someone's new employment or the successful entrance of a child into a good school). Please forgive us any transgressions we may have unknowingly committed against you or others."

Bowing motions, called Le, are performed at least three times and the ceremony ends when all have prostrated themselves (or in more modern families, folded hands and prayed) before the altar. After the "money for the dead" and other paper gifts are burnt in the courtyard, the family watches the ashes dance away on warm currents of air, a sign that the dead have received their gifts. The spiritual presence of the ancestors will be palpable during the days of Tet.

In recent times, a new tradition has evolved to celebrate the important evening of the new year. Those who are not at home praying at this momentous time may be socializing with friends. In the cities, there will be community fireworks displays that will draw the young from their homes into the square or park. Although firecrackers are now illegal in Vietnam, some kind of loud noises will be made. It can be the banging of cans, the use of electronic popping firecrackers or human voices whooping it up. People will break off branches and twigs that contain newly sprouted leaves to bring a sense of freshness and vitality into their home. This follows a Buddhist tradition of bringing fresh new leaves and "fortune bearing buds" into the home from the pagoda.

* * *

First Morning or Head Day is reserved for the nuclear family, that is, the husband's household. Immediate family members get together and celebrate with the husband's parents. A younger brother, if the parents are not alive, will visit his older sibling. Faraway sons and daughters journey to be with their parents on this day. Children anticipate a ritual called Mung Tuoi, or the well wishing on the achievement of one more year to one's life. With both arms folded in front of their chest in respect, they thank their grandparents for their birth and upbringing.

Reciprocally, the grandparents will impart words of advice or wisdom to their grandchildren, encouraging them to study seriously, to live in harmony with others. The promises made by the children are similar to New Year's resolutions made during the western New Year. Adults will make silent promises to themselves to improve their lives, habits and relationships in the coming year. The children accept small gifts, usually crisp bills. Ideally, part of the gifts will be saved for future "investment," and part spent for Tet amusements. The words on the little red envelope in which the bill may be tucked read: Respectful wishes for the New Year. When there was a king ruling Vietnam, the mandarins of the royal court formally wished the King and Queen, "Happiness as vast as the southern sea; longevity as lasting as the southern mountains." Each trade and professional guild in Vietnam has a founder or guardian spirit and on this or one of the next several days, the craft workers will make offerings to their guild ancestor.

The family displays the offerings of food on the altar table for the first meal for the ancestors since they have returned to the world of the living. The head of the family, dressed in fresh clothes, steps respectfully in front of the family altar and presents the offerings of food, liquor, cigarettes, betel fixings, flowers and paper gold and silver. He lights three sticks of incense, kneels, joins hands in front of his chest, bows his head and prays. The names of the deceased of the family up to the fifth generation are whispered as they are invited to participate in the feast prepared for them.

After the ceremony, the entire family sits down to enjoy the meal typically consisting of steamed chicken, bamboo shoot soup, banh chung and fresh fruits. They reminisce with their ancestors.

The Vietnamese do not say "celebrate" when speaking of Tet; the words "to eat" are used as in the expression, "Will you eat Tet with your family?" or "Where will you eat Tet this year?" It does not refer to the filling of one's stomach, although in the old days, when hunger was a constant problem, Tet time was a time of plenty during which one could eat one's full. "To eat" here means more to be nourished by, or to partake in the mutual communion with others, a spiritual eating or being nourished.

There is a Vietnamese saying related to ancestor worship: "Trees have roots; water has a source; when drinking from the spring, one must remember the source." Thanks are offered to those ancestors who labored long ago to dig irrigation channels and remove mountains for this generation to have an easier life. The present is only one link in the cycle of coming back to the past as one looks to the future.

The second day of Tet is for visiting the wife's family and close friends. Some shops have opened and a few lottery stands are busy selling chances to people who feel lucky. Everyone is out on the street parading around in their new clothes.

On the third day of Tet, the circle of connections becomes larger and is extended to the broader community outside the family by visits to teachers, bosses or a helpful physician. The Vietnamese visit teachers and physicians although long out of school and long cured of their illness. This may be the time to have one's fortune told to see what the coming year will bring. These days in Vietnam, there are fortunetellers using computer software. People are also especially interested in the significance of their first dream of the new year.

The evening of the third day marks the departure of the ancestors by burning votive objects such as gold and silver, for them to take with them on their journey back to Heaven.

Now the connections to the world beyond the family can take place. The non-family member who will be the first visitor is carefully chosen. The "first footer" is an auspicious guest who is considered to be good luck for the family. The first non-family visitor to the house brings in the year's luck. This figure's karma will charm the household for the entire year and determine the luck of the family. It is customary to invite a respected person to visit at that time, so that this turn of luck is not left to fate. This person, whose aura is believed capable of promoting the fortune of the household in the following year, is usually someone healthy, successful and prosperous. Some Vietnamese lock their doors to all chance visitors until after the visit of the chosen "first footer."

On the fourth day, banks and shops reopen. Transactions, although slower, will be conducted more cheerfully than usual. Offices open and work resumes. Careful attention is paid to the resumption of activities. The first outing is the first time in the New Year that a family leaves their home. A propitious time is chosen in advance for this outing and one sometimes asks the advice of fortunetellers.

Formerly, scholars initiated their new brushes and paper with a small ceremony with the wearing of new clothes. This also requires an auspicious hour. The theme of the proverb or poem is considered carefully and newly purchased high-grade paper was used. Today's students are less formal in their initiation rites, but most enjoy a new pen and a fresh notebook for the New Year. Everyone determines to do what he or she can to help fate along to make the next year most successful.

In the countryside, there are rituals to enliven the land out of its winter's rest. The Rites of Dong Tho activate the soil to bring it alive from its sacred rest. When there was a king in Vietnam, he symbolically initiated the harrowing of the first furrow of the planting season in a royal rite.

A hundred years ago, on Hang Buom Street, a ceremony was performed right after Tet called the Beating of the Spring Ox. This ceremony initiated the breaking open of the agricultural land and chased away the winter cold. A ceramic image of the ox was beaten with sticks until it broke into pieces. Everyone scramble to grab and take home a piece of the sacred ox.

On the fifteenth day of Tet (called Ram Thang Gieng), the first full moon, there are ceremonies in Buddhist temples. This is considered the most auspicious day of the Buddhist year. "Paying homage to Buddha all year long is not as effective as praying on the 15th day of the first lunar month." The devout flock into pagodas, their eyes stinging with the blue haze of incense. After prayers, shared blessed offerings from the temple keeper are stuffed into bags carried with them for that purpose. Over the years, this Buddhist sacred day has transformed into a holiday of other cults.

It is also called Tet Trang Nguyen or the feast of the first laureate. There is a legend associated with its beginnings: the emperor once staged a banquet on the full moon to which the most prominent scholars of the kingdom were invited. They drank exquisite liquor and each man composed a formal poem on a theme chosen by the emperor. On that day, many families celebrate Tet all over again by eating banh chung.

This is also called the Little New Year or full moon New Year and celebrated by farmers following an indigenous practice of welcoming Spring at the first full moon. Later, it became infused with Buddhist meanings.

The Vietnamese traditionally celebrated Tet from the fifteenth day of the twelfth month to the fifteenth day of the first month.

Music for Christmas

2008-12-24T23:28:00.000-08:00

First of all, I would like to say Merry Christmas to all.
You can find a lot of songs for Christmas from these links below

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if you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to write it in this blog.
Thank you very much

10 Reasons Why PCs Crash

2008-12-24T23:25:00.000-08:00

10 Reasons Why PCs Crash

Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says.
"Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart
your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in
all open applications."

You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses
Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More
importantly, how can you prevent it happening?

1 Hardware conflict

The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each
hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt
request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each
device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The
keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each
device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly,
two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user
tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The
way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the
following route:

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its
description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device
Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your
computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using
it.

Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ
holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix
this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.

Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to
make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com.
If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by
moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about
opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the
mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any
static electricity.

To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making.
It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the
IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are
16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to
increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

2 Bad Ram

Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of
death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error
indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is
damaged and will need replacing.

But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of
chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will
usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed.
This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.

One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase
the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way
to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips
on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the
circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to
touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.

Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either
parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two
types, as this can be a cause of trouble.

EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be
connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often
linked to old Dos-based programmes.

3 BIOS settings

Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that
are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is
to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a
boot-up.

Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to
write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the
screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes
more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.

A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram.
Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam
has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to
lock up and freeze the computer's display.

Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If
possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow
Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for
Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).

4 Hard disk drives

After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to
become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the
hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen
freeze. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-
System Tools-Disk Defragmenter

This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the
hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a
good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using
the Task Scheduler.

The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom
right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).

Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be
solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted
by going to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-
Hard Disk.

Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some
housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space
on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary
Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free
a lot of space.

Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives
should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to

* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk

Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night
when the computer is not in use.

5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors

Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video
card problems.

These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the
video display. Go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings

Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at
the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops,
high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.

If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due
to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go
to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager

Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing
your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press
properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window.
Look for a message that says No Conflicts.

If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be
careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you
make things worse.

The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic
Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for
a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.

Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics

Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As
ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is
old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a
computer to communicate with a device).

Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for
the most recent drivers for it.

6 Viruses

Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses
erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start.
This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go
to

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs

Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires
constant vigilance.

A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be
able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file.
DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus
software manufacturer.

An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network
Associates ( nai.com). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by
Symantec ( symantec.com).

7 Printers

The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often
called a postscript file.

Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can
be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable
amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's
performance.

If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not
be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not
recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to
clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up
from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the
printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.

8 Software

A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed
software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software
and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to
remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove
references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way
clear for a completely fresh copy.

The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete
software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni
Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It
works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition),
Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.

Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent
damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to
reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from
jv16.org

Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This
can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting
Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix
problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.

Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS
settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup)
during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and
disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2)
cache if that doesn't work.

Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former
settings following installation.

9 Overheating

Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep
them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to
overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel
error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to
operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.

One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the
CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from www.computernerd.com
or www.coolit.com

CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in
the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should
also be more stable.

10 Power supply problems

With all the new construction going on around the country the steady
supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can
crash a computer as easily as a power cut.

If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a
uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power
supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes
to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut.

It is a good investment if your data are critical, because a power cut
will cause any unsaved data to be lost.