ComputerDumb.com

Tips & Tricks Category

Libraries were introduced with Windows 7; these libraries are special folders with special views. They are “special” because each library is an aggregate of many different folders. The default libraries include pictures, videos, music, and documents. The data in these folders is a mix of personal files and publicly shared files on the computer/network.

In this guide, we share the top 10 tips for getting the most out of Windows 7 Libraries. If we missed a tip that you feel should be included, let us know in the comments. Here’s a preview of the 10 tips:

1. Add a New Library

… [Read More...]

If you’ve ever had problems with your PC starting up or shutting down slowly, there’s lots of different troubleshooting techniques that you can use—today we’ll talk about how to enable verbose messages.

Enabling these verbose messages is not going to magically solve your problems, of course—the point is to use this to identify a problem, which you can then solve through other means, generally by uninstalling a problem application or upgrading a faulty driver.

Enable Verbose Boot Logging for Drivers and Such

Open up msconfig.exe through the Start Menu search or run box, and then head over to the Boot … [Read More...]

You might have seen it being used in some of the tips here on mintywhite. But what are BAT- and VBS-files, and what is the difference between them ?

The short version is that both kinds are small script files that can be used to execute functions or to do repetitive tasks. BAT is short for BATCH-file and is a very simple script-language from back then, when DOS was the ultimate PC OS. Some years later Microsoft decided (after much pun from the Linux, and Unix communities) to upgrade the functionality, thus creating VBS.

VBS is an abbreviation of … [Read More...]

• Q#1 – I’ve received an .exe file type as an email attachment – how do I open it?
• Q#2 – How do I delete all the .tmp file types from my computer without risking the removal of one or more essential .tmp files?
• Q#3 – What causes file type errors? I’m receiving one when I try to open a .psf file type with Adobe Photoshop – what should I do?

Q#1 – I’ve received an .exe file type as an email attachment – how do I open it?

Answer – Let’s first understand what .ex_ files are. An .ex_ file is a … [Read More...]

I’m a big reader and an enthusiastic about Tech blogs; it’s no mystery why I write for Windows Guides. I have noticed, and I suppose that many of you too, that there’s a lot of expectation about using graphics hardware acceleration on browsers. Just this week, I have read at least 20 posts about this subject. This has been so important that the new version of Internet Explorer is basing its released with a huge focus on this feature.

But, what are we really talking about?

For many years computers, have been shipped with  a component that can improve your … [Read More...]

In this guest post, James Ricketts explores how to solve file type errors related to DVD/CD software. Learn more about James at the conclusion of this post.

Are your encountering file type errors while using your DVD/CD software?

If yes, then this article will guide you on how to rectify these errors. The following topics are covered in detail in this article:

• Examples of file types associated with this popular DVD/CD software
• Common causes of file type errors
• Steps to rectify file type errors related to DVD/CD software

File types associated with DVD/CD software

• .mdf file extension – The term

… [Read More...]

We all love to listen to music and play games on or computer; therefore, it is never a pleasant experience to come across errors related to audio files. In today’s world, entertainment is something we all want instantly and uninterrupted, and any delay in this can be frustrating.

The good news is that you can deal with most of these errors on your own, provided you understand what the reasons for the errors are, and how to go about solving them. In this article, we will discuss a few important audio file extensions, and how to deal with error messages … [Read More...]

Overview

Virtual CD 10 is a unique app that will virtualize all off your optical media. You can virtualize CDs, DVDs, HD DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs. This is different than a just a virtual CD drive, as it creates images of your optical media, and allows you to manage it. You’ll no longer need to worry about your physical media being wrecked by scratches and constant use. Version 10 introduces a revised user interface and a lot more enhancements compared to previous versions.

Installation & Setup

There are a few things to take note of while installing Virtual CD 10. … [Read More...]

One of the oldest ways to send and receive files on the Internet is FTP, and although almost everyone has connected to an FTP server at some point or another, most people have never set one up.  While there are several options for FTP server software, we prefer FileZilla, which offers a streamlined interface, and most importantly, is completely free (most other companies only offer a trial period before charging you).  Here’s how to use it.  

Install the Server

First, you’ll need to download the FileZilla server software at www.filezilla-project.org.  After you’ve finished the quick download, install the server … [Read More...]

A computer free of errors runs smoothly, with the probability of crashing dramatically lowered. However, over time and continuous use, it develops errors, especially after a number of run-ins with malicious software, like viruses and spy ware. The computer may end up having a corrupted Windows registry, which leads to the dreaded computer crash. By cleaning up the registry, you can protect your files and ultimately, your computer.

Keeping our computer(s) up to speed is a never-ending story. Making sure you have the latest, most updated drivers can be a daunting task and many give up on it. There are many tools out there promising to help you take care of this for you. Most of these sites and tools prove to be frauds, either overcharging you for free drivers, or installing old or useless drivers, causing more problems than they solve.

I have earlier told you about Driver Magician (and given away copies), which up until now was my program of choice, even though you have to … [Read More...]

Remember the days when scanning a document required a big, ugly, space wasting device connected to your computer? Today we take a look at a free app that will turn our iPhone or iPod Touch (with camera) into a convenient document scanner.

Even if you have a modern scanner connected to your PC, it can be a cumbersome process to scan a document. You have to be at its location at home or work, and then scan each document. Even some of the portable scanners that you hook up to your laptop can be a bit to much when traveling. … [Read More...]

Being infected by virus or malware is something very common these days. Sometimes it’s very hard to remove these infections. Modern forms of malware try to avoid detection by altering the Operating System. Others attack your antivirus so it cannot work properly. This means that if you get infected by a virus newer than your antivirus definitions there is a chance you can’t get rid of it.

In this post I am going to address this problem and show you a way to solve it.

Safe Mode and How Important is to Control Viruses

As I have explained before a … [Read More...]

At some point during the course of your computer’s use, you will find yourself in the unenviable position of having to reinstall Windows. There are many reasons for this. Perhaps important system files got corrupted or disk errors or viruses caused your system to become unstable.

This is all a result of wear and tear on your PC. When that time comes, you will have to not only know how to reinstall windows, but how to reinstall windows without losing data. Here we refer to a fresh install of Windows and not simply an attempt to repair a few files.

With a Windows computer there are several maintenance tasks you should run on a regular basis, though most of us forget. Here’s how to automate the most important maintenance tasks in XP, Vista & Windows 7 and keep your PC running like new.

We’ll take a look at automating some of the most common tasks, and while it takes a bit of time to set each one up, once you do you’ll have peace of mind knowing your system is clean and up to date.

Automate Cleaning Up Your Hard Drive

If you want to make sure you have plenty … [Read More...]

A friend called me and told me their laptop took “forever” to load. I asked them some basic questions to help determine the problem and put it down to too many applications loading at startup. Rather than instruct them to run msconfig, I thought I’d show them the Troubleshooting tools so they could run them again, themselves, in the future.

If you’re someone who assists others with their computer problems, this could be a great tool in your belt. Or if you’re having performance problems with Windows 7, you can use the Troubleshooting tools that come bundled with the operating … [Read More...]

Whether you’re an Italian renaissance cosplayer or a Starcraft II addict, you’ll love our $1,400 gaming rig. Parts, prices, and procedures inside!

How do you know when it’s time to replace your gaming rig? When you’ve turned down all of the game settings to minimum and you still have to play at 1024×768. Or you’ve just completed the Steam hardware survey and Valve rejects your score because it’ll drag down the curve. Of course, if you’re asking the question in the first place….

In spec’ing this year’s gaming build, we decided to restrict ourselves to a budget of approximately $1,400. … [Read More...]

Not too long ago we encountered some problem with our users that share PC’s in different locations on our network. Some users do not always log-off their PC’s when they have to go into the plant. Now from where they are on the network, they remote desktop into another workstation for a particular system developed in-house.

Now if a user does not log-off, this remote desktop connection stays logged-in and makes it so no-one else can use that PC. Therefore, I was tasked with finding a way to log a user off if there is no activity for a certain … [Read More...]