very cool article on how spyware works and gets into your computer!

How to View Any File in Windows

Having trouble viewing unusual file types? Here are some tips and tools.

By Jon L. Jacobi, PCWorld    Jul 15, 2011 9:35 am

Right out of the box, Windows 7 and Vista let you preview most mainstream and multimedia file types. To find and activate the preview function, go to Windows Explorer (click Start and type explorer.exe in the “Search programs and files” box) and click the Preview icon in the upper right corner.

Unfortunately, the preview pane is slightly eccentric. For instance, if a multimedia file type is not associated with Windows Media Player (WMP), preview won’t work; instead you’ll probably see just an icon of the program it is associated with. Not to worry. To preview a slew of lesser-known file types in Windows, while still allowing you to open the files with the default program of your choice, download and install PreviewConfig. Downloading the K-Lite codec pack will add preview capability for video and audio files like Ogg Vorbis, DivX, and others. And NitroPDF Reader takes care of PDFs. If you stumble upon a file type that those utilities can’t handle, head to your favorite search engine and look for “DirectShow” plus the file type in question to find a free preview handler.

If all that preview-pane tweaking sounds like more trouble than it’s worth (or you’re using Windows XP, which doesn’t have the same preview capabilities), consider a stand-alone program to open your oddball files. Start with VLC, which is free and handles virtually every video and audio file type in existence. For photo and graphics files, try GIMP, a free app that supports a huge number of files and is a top-notch image editor to boot. For viewing and extracting compressed files, you can try freebies 7-Zip and PeaZip, though nothing beats RARLab’s $29 WinRAR, which supports nearly every compression format known to man.

If you’re still using Microsoft Office 2003 and want to read, edit, or save files created in more recent versions of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, you’ll want to install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. Finally, if you need to view various obscure, older business documents (remember AMI Pro, Harvard Graphics, or SuperCalc?) and are still stumped, consider shelling out for Avanstar’s $49 QuickView Plus Standard. It doesn’t integrate into the Windows preview pane, but if you right-click on any supported file, you’ll have an option for the QuickView viewer.

simple but useful computer tip

How to View Any File in Windows

Having trouble viewing unusual file types? Here are some tips and tools.

By Jon L. Jacobi, PCWorld    Jul 15, 2011 9:35 am

Right out of the box, Windows 7 and Vista let you preview most mainstream and multimedia file types. To find and activate the preview function, go to Windows Explorer (click Start and type explorer.exe in the “Search programs and files” box) and click the Preview icon in the upper right corner.

Unfortunately, the preview pane is slightly eccentric. For instance, if a multimedia file type is not associated with Windows Media Player (WMP), preview won’t work; instead you’ll probably see just an icon of the program it is associated with. Not to worry. To preview a slew of lesser-known file types in Windows, while still allowing you to open the files with the default program of your choice, download and install PreviewConfig. Downloading the K-Lite codec pack will add preview capability for video and audio files like Ogg Vorbis, DivX, and others. And NitroPDF Reader takes care of PDFs. If you stumble upon a file type that those utilities can’t handle, head to your favorite search engine and look for “DirectShow” plus the file type in question to find a free preview handler.

If all that preview-pane tweaking sounds like more trouble than it’s worth (or you’re using Windows XP, which doesn’t have the same preview capabilities), consider a stand-alone program to open your oddball files. Start with VLC, which is free and handles virtually every video and audio file type in existence. For photo and graphics files, try GIMP, a free app that supports a huge number of files and is a top-notch image editor to boot. For viewing and extracting compressed files, you can try freebies 7-Zip and PeaZip, though nothing beats RARLab’s $29 WinRAR, which supports nearly every compression format known to man.

If you’re still using Microsoft Office 2003 and want to read, edit, or save files created in more recent versions of Word, Excel, or PowerPoint, you’ll want to install the Microsoft Office Compatibility Pack. Finally, if you need to view various obscure, older business documents (remember AMI Pro, Harvard Graphics, or SuperCalc?) and are still stumped, consider shelling out for Avanstar’s $49 QuickView Plus Standard. It doesn’t integrate into the Windows preview pane, but if you right-click on any supported file, you’ll have an option for the QuickView viewer.

simple but useful computer tip

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How To Bypass Windows Login

By Christopher Null, PCWorld    Jul 12, 2011 6:00 am

If you’re the only one who uses your computer, and you’re not worried about it (or your data) falling into someone else’s hands, you may not need the protection that the login screen provides. Here’s how to turn it off:

1. Open the User Accounts control panel.
2. Delete any unused accounts that are not your primary, personal account. (Click Manage another account, choose the other accounts, and select Delete the account.) You can ignore the Guest account, which is likely turned off.
3. At the main User Accounts page, ensure that your primary account is active. Click Change your password.
4. Enter your old password where required and leave your new password blank.

Reboot your machine, and it will load Windows directly without presenting the login screen. Just remember that you are compromising your system’s security by operating it without a password.

Back Up Your Drivers with Free Semper Driver Backup

By Rick Broida, PCWorld    Jul 8, 2011 11:13 AM

As I’ve preached before, I’m a big believer in diversified backups: a local hard drive for cloning your system, an online service that houses your data, your phone for preserving your contacts and calendar, and so on. But there’s one piece of the puzzle that’s often overlooked: drivers.

Semper Driver Backup does exactly what its name implies: saves and restores all system drivers. Why is this important? Because system manufacturers rarely supply drivers on disc anymore. That means if you ever need to wipe your hard drive and reinstall Windows, you might find yourself without a critical driver.

In fact, I’ve had it happen where I did a system wipe/reinstall, only to discover I didn’t have the driver I needed for the machine’s Wi-Fi adapter–meaning I couldn’t connect to the Internet to download the other drivers I needed. (Ultimately, I had to hunt down an Ethernet cable and move the machine within range of my router–big hassle!)

Semper Driver Backup finds every single driver on your PC and copies it to a folder, which you can then offload to, say, an external hard drive, a flash drive, or even a service like Dropbox (though I definitely think you’re better off keeping the drivers available locally; see my above example if you can’t understand why).

This is, of course, just one of several utilities that will tackle this job (which, FYI, you don’t need to do often; every 6-12 months is probably fine). Other popular options include Double Driver and DriverMax. Whatever tool you use, just do yourself a favor and use one. The hassle you prevent could be your own.

similar tool I’ve used in the past is Driver Magician, but this one looks just as good the as the other one.
www.overnightpcrepair.com fastest computer repair shop in los angeles and santa monica

1. The people have chosen their platforms. The mainstream isn’t interested in, nor has the time, to maintain multiple networks. Almost a billion people worldwide on are Facebook. Every new generation that comes online starts with their first email address and then signs up for Facebook. It was one of the highest priorities for my teenagers to get an account and they pushed me every month until they were 13 when I could legally cave. Just like the Starbucks appeal with a bazillion locations always packed with people looking for the same coffee experience over and over, people use Facebook so much that it has essentially defined what the social network experience should be.

2. People don’t want multiple “Like” buttons. If Google was really smart, they would’ve partnered with Facebook to allow Facebook’s own Like buttons to be part of Google search results instead of using their own. I think it actually would’ve worked out amazingly for both Facebook and Google. It could’ve been seamless AND familiar for content consumers and would have resulted in much more overlap traffic-wise for Google. Facebook is currently bedding with Microsoft/Bing though for their “web results” within their search results template so maybe the Google/Facebook love fest wasn’t possible to begin with. Honestly, I never click on Like-esque buttons that aren’t Facebook because the result of that action doesn’t go anywhere since all of my friends, family and business networking constituents are all on Facebook! If I “Like” a blog post on the Disqus network for instance, using their proprietary “Like” tab, no one but Disqus and those on the Disqus network really see what it is I liked unless I follow through with the two additional steps during the “Would you like to share” process in their widget to publish to Facebook or Twitter, hence my point.

3. Stick with what you know. Successful companies should avoid getting into online spaces that others already clearly own and are better at. Apple makes premium consumer technology products that work amazingly and integrate with our personal lives better than almost any other. Google is the master at search, having hired the world’s top engineers and data/behavioral scientists. Apple and Google should just stick to those and they’ll be fine.

Apple and Microsoft meet the personal computing needs of the people. Google and Bing meet the search needs of the people. Facebook and Twitter meet the online social needs of the people.

The author has got some things right here. I also think google ought to improve their search and stick to whatever they do best and lay off the social world as much they can

Upgrade Your CPU

Upgrading your desktop PC’s processor–whether the CPU in question is from Intel or from AMD–might sound intimidating, but it’s an easier (and cheaper) way to boost your system’s speed than you think.

By Loyd Case, PCWorld    Jun 23, 2011 6:00 pm

Upgrading your CPU can be a frustrating experience, even though the physical acts of removing an old processor and installing the new one are pretty easy. The more difficult questions to answer are these: When is the right time for me to upgrade a CPU? What processor will give me the best bang for the buck?

Complicating the matter for Intel CPU users is the plethora of socket formats that may be involved. At last count, Intel had four active socket formats for desktop PCs: LGA775, LGA1366, LGA1155, and LGA1156. While LGA1156 will probably be superseded soon, the other three are likely to be with us for some time–though LGA775 will probably be relegated to budget-oriented machines and, over time, phased out as well. Even if you’re dealing with a current-generation system, you have two possibilities: LGA1155 and LGA1366. This means that if you’re contemplating a significant, generational upgrade for an Intel CPU it likely involves a motherboard upgrade.

AMD users are in a little better situation, but they, too, need to be careful. AMD has been using variants of its socket AM3 since 2009. Older socket AM2/AM2+ motherboards can use some of the newer AMD CPUs, but at the cost of losing key power-management capabilities. Socket AM3 users can upgrade to all Athlon II, Phenom, and Phenom II processors.

If you’ve been looking forward to dropping in one of AMD’s upcoming eight-core Bulldozer processors, however, the news is disappointing. Bulldozer will require a new socket, dubbed “socket AM3+,” and it won’t be compatible with older motherboard versions.

One rule of thumb is to upgrade to a faster CPU within an existing socket format if doing so moves your computer two or three speed grades higher without overclocking. For example, if your PC runs an Intel-based LGA775 setup with a Core 2 Duo E6400 CPU, swapping in a Core 2 Quad Q9650 will boost your performance substantially–you’ll get both a clock-rate boost and two more cores.

On the other hand, you need to pay attention to expenses, too: The aforementioned Q9650 costs around $340, whereas a much newer, faster Core i7-2600K CPU costs $330. The $10 price difference between the Q9650 and the 2600K could help pay for a brand-new motherboard to accommodate the 2600K.

Whether the processor you’re upgrading is from Intel or AMD, keep these tips in mind before you start the installation process.

Disconnect all cabling and wiring that may be in your way: Make sure that you detach the connector powering the CPU cooling fan.

Carefully remove the CPU cooler: If you have an exotic or high-performance CPU cooler, read the directions or check the manufacturer’s Website to ensure that you know how to reattach it. Some high-performance coolers have special mounting plates that mount under the motherboard. Take precautions to prevent the plate from falling away, or you may have to remove the motherboard to retrieve it.

Be prepared to pull out your motherboard: Depending on the design of your computer case and motherboard, you might be better off removing the motherboard if the CPU socket is difficult to reach. A little extra effort early in the process may help you avoid the high cost of having to re­­place a motherboard or CPU.

Upgrade an Intel CPU

Let’s begin by taking a step-by-step walk through the process of upgrading an Intel CPU. You should be aware of two general points before we start. First, Intel CPUs have no pins; instead, the pins are in the socket. It’s very easy to accidentally bend a pin in the CPU socket when you’re installing or re­­moving an Intel processor, so you need to handle the CPU very carefully. Second, we’ll be using the Intel reference cooler that ships in­­side Intel CPU retail packages. The sizes of the relevant parts may vary for different socket formats, but the in­­stallation and removal procedures are the same for each.

1. Rotate all four mounting pushpin caps to the left.

2. Gently pull one of the pushpins straight up until you feel it release. Use minimal force to accomplish this. Repeat the operation for all four pushpin latches.

3. The CPU is often stuck to the heat sink with thermal compound, which helps transmit accumulated heat from the CPU heat spreader surface to the heat sink. Gently rotate the processor back and forth (you’re rocking it around the vertical axis). As you do this, the CPU will gradually loosen. Eventually the heat sink will come free, and you can lift it up.

Steps 4 and 5: Push down on the latching lever, pull it slightly to the outside, and release it up­­ward. Lift the socket cover up on its hinge and out of the way. Photographs by Robert Cardin.4. You’ll see a latching lever on the side of the CPU. Push down on the lever, pull it slightly to the outside, and release it upward.

5. The socket cover will now lift up. Note that the socket cover for LGA775 swings in a different direction than it does for other Intel CPU sockets.

6. Once the latch cover is open, gently grasp the CPU by the edges. Lift it straight up. Do not slide it to one side. You may have to angle it a bit to get it out from under the latch cover, but try not to do this until the CPU is clear of all the pins in the socket.

7. Place the CPU in an anti­static container for storage.

Step 8: Align the notches on the opposing edges of the CPU with the tabs on the socket, and gently lower the CPU into the socket.8. Handling the new CPU only by the edges, align the notches on the two op­­posing edges of the CPU with the tabs on the socket. Gently lower the processor straight down into the socket. Do not press it.

9. With the CPU in place, re­­latch the CPU socket cover.

10. If the heat sink has old thermal compound on it, remove the compound with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and let it dry.

Step 11: Apply a tiny bead of thermal compound to the CPU surface.11. Put a tiny bead of thermal compound on the surface of the CPU. Spread it evenly over the surface with a knife or screwdriver blade.

Step 12: Rotate and pull up the heat-sink latch covers.12. Rotate the heat-sink latch covers to the right and pull them up. Check to confirm that none of the actual split pushpins are bent.

13. Align the four plastic pushpins with the mounting holes in the motherboard. You should be able to feel the four pins settling into the mounting holes properly.

14. Steady the heat sink with one hand to keep it level. Push each of the four pushpins in diagonal order until each is latched in place.

15. Attach the heat-sink fan connector to the assembly.

16. Reattach any wires or cables that you may have re­­moved, or reinstall the motherboard if you removed it at the beginning of the process.

Upgrade an AMD CPU

The steps for installing an AMD CPU are fairly similar to those for installing an Intel CPU. On AMD processors, however, the contact pins are located on the CPU rather than in the socket.

1. The factory AMD heat sink has a hinged lever latch that locks the heat sink in place. Lift this latch up.

2. The heat sink is held in place by one or more tabs on the CPU socket. You may need to use a thin-bladed screwdriver to release the heat-sink bracket.

3. The CPU is often stuck to the heat sink with thermal compound, which helps transmit accumulated heat from the CPU heat spreader surface to the heat sink. Gently rotate the CPU back and forth (you’re rocking it around the vertical axis). It will gradually loosen. Eventually the heat sink will come free, and you can lift it up.

4. The ZIF (zero-insertion force) lever locks the CPU in place. Lift it up and swing the lever as far as it will go. You may see the CPU shift slightly to one side.

5. Gently lift the CPU straight up to remove it.

6. Store the processor in an antistatic bag. Since the CPU has pins that can bend, press it into antistatic foam, if you have any, for storage.

7. Grasping the new CPU only by the edges, look for a small gold or silver triangle silk-screened onto one corner of the processor. Match this with a triangle of similar size that is engraved in the processor’s socket corner.

8. Line up the triangles, and gently lower the CPU in place. You should feel the CPU nestle into position. If it doesn’t settle fully, do not force it. Instead, lift the processor up and try again.

9. Once the CPU is in place, relatch the ZIF lever.

10. If the heat sink has old thermal compound on it, remove the compound with isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and let it dry.

11. Put a tiny bead of thermal compound on the surface of the CPU. Spread it evenly over the surface with a knife or screwdriver blade.

12. Reattach the heat sink by latching it to one set of tabs on one side, and then carefully pushing the other side down while pressing the metal holes into position on the other set of tabs.

13. Swing the heat-sink lock lever into place.

14. Attach the heat-sink fan connector.

15. Reattach any wires or cables that you may have re­­moved, or reinstall the motherboard if you removed it at the beginning of the process.

Another Useful post about upgrading your cpu, brought to you by pc world.com super guide everyone should read if you are going to replace your processor yourself!

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Upgrade Your Motherboard

If you want to keep your PC current, sooner or later you’ll have to replace your motherboard. Here’s how to make that process fairly painless.

By Loyd Case, PCWorld    Jun 23, 2011 6:00 pm

The motherboard is probably the most complex PC component to upgrade, but modern operating systems and standards have taken much of the pain out of swapping in a new one. (Even so, ancillary issues such as software activation make the task of upgrading a motherboard more annoying rather than less.)

Before choosing a motherboard, you need to understand the purpose of the system you’re upgrading or building. Will it be small in volume? If so, you’ll want to use a micro ATX or mini ITX board. Are you planning to overclock? Then you’ll want to in­­corporate a board that offers robust voltage regulation and good cooling over those voltage regulator modules (VRMs). Looking to build a minimalist office PC? Make sure it has built-in video output connectors and low cost.

Other complications exist, particularly if you’re upgrading an Intel-based system. Intel now has four active socket formats: LGA775, LGA1156, LGA1366, and (the latest) LGA1155. If you will be upgrading your existing processor, too, confirm that your new motherboard has the correct socket for it. Upgrading an AMD CPU is a little easier: Most socket AM3 boards support all AMD CPUs.

Also, check the size and capacity of your existing system, if you are upgrading. If the case supports ATX motherboards, anything ATX-size or smaller will fit. If you have an older BTX-format case, it will probably support ATX motherboards, too, but you should check with the case manufacturer to make sure. And finally, Extended ATX (eATX) motherboards are somewhat larger than ATX boards; they are fairly rare and are usually workstation-class boards that support more than one processor.

Upgrading Tips

Here’s a basic walkthrough of a motherboard upgrade.

1. Set up a workspace, and make sure that it provides you with adequate lighting. Also, be sure to give yourself enough room to lay out tools and parts. Good lighting is especially critical if your case has an all-black interior.

2. Prior to disassembling the system, back up the contents of your hard drive.

3. Collect all CD keys. De­­activate or deauthorize any applications that you activated previously. This includes iTunes and Adobe professional apps (such as Photoshop and Premiere CS5). In addition, be sure to uninstall or deactivate any games that required activation.

4. Determine which parts need to be removed. You may have to take out the power supply unit (PSU) or hard drives to make motherboard re­­moval easier. If you have to remove the PSU, take care to disconnect all power cables first. The ATX12V (a small four- or eight-pin connector) is easy to overlook.

5. Take out all cards, the CPU fan, and all memory. If you’re not upgrading the CPU, you can leave it in the socket for the moment.

Prior to removing the old board, disconnect all wiring, ?including the Serial ATA connector.6. Disconnect all wiring. Double check: Did you really disconnect all wiring?

7. Remove all the screws holding the motherboard in place. Usually, a number 2 Phillips screwdriver will fit the screws. Place the old board in an antistatic bag.

8. Check to confirm that all of the mounting nuts are firmly screwed into the case. Sometimes, these nuts will come out or become loose when you remove the motherboard screws.

9. Remove the ATX I/O shield, and store it with the old motherboard.

Don’t forget to remove the old ATX I/O shield, and install the new one in its place.10. Install the ATX I/O shield for the new board. This step is crucial: It’s frustrating to have screwed in the new motherboard and only then realize that you forgot about the I/O shield.

11. Are you using an exotic cooler? If so, it may require that a special support plate be attached to the underside of the motherboard.

12. Line up the I/O ports with the holes in the ATX I/O shield. Then align the screw holes with the motherboard mounting nuts on the interior of the case.

13. Carefully screw in the mounting screws. Do not overtighten them. If you have an electric screwdriver equipped with an adjustable clutch, set the clutch to the minimum setting. If your electric screwdriver doesn’t have a clutch, use a hand screwdriver instead.

Before reattaching the wiring and cables, reinstall any storage devices (like this hard drive) that you removed earlier.14. Reinstall the power supply unit, if you removed it earlier. Also reinstall any storage devices that you may have removed.

15. Reattach all of the wiring and cables that you disconnected earlier: front panel connectors, USB wiring for the USB case connectors, power cables, wires for the case fan, and so on. If your case allows you to route wiring behind the motherboard, do so now.

16. Attach the power cables, taking care to connect both the main and the ATX12V cables.

After installing the new motherboard and memory and reattaching the power cables, add back the CPU cooler and lock ?it in place with the fan clips.17. Install the CPU (if you had to remove it earlier) and the memory. Don’t install the CPU cooler until after you’ve installed the memory and the power connectors.

18. Plug in the data cables and the power connectors to the storage devices.

19. Reinstall any cards you may have removed. If you’re installing a high-performance graphics card, make sure that you attach the PCI Express power connectors.

20. Connect wall power, the video cable, the mouse, and the keyboard, and give the system a test boot. If nothing happens, make sure that the PSU switch is on.

21. When you boot the system (assuming that you’re using Windows), you’ll need to wait while Windows ac­­counts for all of the new motherboard devices. Your keyboard and mouse may be unusable during this time.

22. Once Windows has logged all of the devices, you will have to reboot.

23. Take the motherboard CD and install the new motherboard drivers, network drivers, video drivers (only if you’re using integrated graphics), USB 3.0 drivers, and so on. You may need to reboot several times.

24. Once you’ve done all of this, check to see whether Windows needs to be reactivated. If so, first try activating over the Internet. If this fails, call the toll-free number listed in the Activation Window. If you do activate over the phone, be sure you tell Microsoft that you’re installing this copy of Windows on one system. This is just an upgrade after all.

25. Reinstall and reactivate any needed applications.

26. You should be set to go.

very nice and extensive guide on how to replace the motherboard. something we do quite often! check it out!