10 things you can do when Windows XP won't boot

When your computer hardware appears to power up okay, but the Windows XP operating system won't boot properly, you have to begin a troubleshooting expedition that includes getting into the operating system, determining the problem, and then fixing it. To help you get started on this expedition, here are 10 things you can do when Windows XP won't boot.

#1: Use a Windows startup disk

One of the first things you should reach for when troubleshooting a Windows XP boot problem is a Windows startup disk. This floppy disk can come in handy if the problem is being caused when either the startup record for the active partition or the files that the operating system uses to start Windows have become corrupted.

To create a Windows startup disk, insert a floppy disk into the drive of a similarly configured, working Windows XP system, launch My Computer, right-click the floppy disk icon, and select the Format command from the context menu. When you see the Format dialog box, leave all the default settings as they are and click the Start button. Once the format operation is complete, close the Format dialog box to return to My Computer, double-click the drive C icon to access the root directory, and copy the following three files to the floppy disk:

• Boot.ini
• NTLDR
• Ntdetect.com

After you create the Windows startup disk, insert it into the floppy drive on the afflicted system and press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] to reboot the computer. When you boot from the Windows startup disk, the computer will bypass the active partition and boot files on the hard disk and attempt to start Windows XP normally.

#2: Use Last Known Good Configuration

You can also try to boot the operating system with the Last Known Good Configuration feature. This feature will allow you to undo any changes that caused problems in the CurrentControlSet registry key, which defines hardware and driver settings. The Last Known Good Configuration feature replaces the contents of the CurrentControlSet registry key with a backup copy that was last used to successfully start up the operating system.

To use the Last Known Good Configuration feature, first restart the computer by pressing [Ctrl][Alt][Delete]. When you see the message Please select the operating system to start or hear the single beep, press [F8] to display the Windows Advanced Options menu. Select the Last Known Good Configuration item from the menu and press [Enter].

Keep in mind that you get only one shot with the Last Known Good Configuration feature. In other words, if it fails to revive your Windows XP on the first attempt, the backup copy is also corrupt.

#3: Use System Restore

Another tool that might be helpful when Windows XP won't boot is System Restore. System Restore runs in the background as a service and continually monitors system-critical components for changes. When it detects an impending change, System Restore immediately makes backup copies, called restore points, of these critical components before the change occurs. In addition, System Restore is configured by default to create restore points every 24 hours.

To use System Restore, first restart the computer by pressing [Ctrl][Alt][Delete]. When you see the message Please select the operating system to start or hear the single beep, press [F8] to display the Windows Advanced Options menu. Now, select the Safe Mode item from the menu and press [Enter].

Once Windows XP boots into Safe mode, click the Start button, access the All Programs | Accessories | System Tools menu, and select System Restore. Because you're running in Safe mode, the only option on the opening screen of the System Restore wizard is Restore My Computer To An Earlier Time, and it's selected by default, so just click Next. Then, follow along with the wizard to select a restore point and begin the restoration procedure.

#4: Use Recovery Console

When a Windows XP boot problem is severe, you'll need to use a more drastic approach. The Windows XP CD is bootable and will provide you with access to a tool called Recovery Console.

To boot from the Windows XP CD, insert it into the CD-ROM drive on the problem system and press [Ctrl][Alt][Delete] to reboot the computer. Once the system begins booting from the CD, simply follow the prompts that will allow the loading of the basic files needed to run Setup. When you see the Welcome To Setup screen, shown in Figure A, press R to start the Recovery Console.

Figure A

You'll then see a Recovery Console menu, like the one shown in Figure B. It displays the folder containing the operating system's files and prompts you to choose the operating system you want to log on to. Just press the menu number on the keyboard, and you'll be prompted to enter the Administrator's password. You'll then find yourself at the main Recovery Console prompt.

Figure B

#5: Fix a corrupt Boot.ini

As the Windows XP operating system begins to load, the Ntldr program refers to the Boot.ini file to determine where the operating system files reside and which options to enable as the operating system continues to load. So if there's a problem rooted in the Boot.ini file, it can render Windows XP incapable of booting correctly.

If you suspect that Windows XP won't boot because Boot.ini has been corrupted, you can use the special Recovery Console version of the Bootcfg tool to fix it. Of course, you must first boot the system with the Windows XP CD and access the Recovery Console as described in #4.

To use the Bootcfg tool, from the Recovery Console command prompt, type

Bootcfg /parameter

Where /parameter is one of these required parameters:

• /Add--Scans the disk for all Windows installations and allows you to add any new ones to the Boot.ini file.
• /Scan--Scans the disk for all Windows installations.
• /List--Lists each entry in the Boot.ini file.
• /Default--Sets the default operating system as the main boot entry.
• /Rebuild--Completely re-creates the Boot.ini file. The user must confirm each step.
• /Redirect--Allows the boot operation to be redirected to a specific port when using the Headless Administration feature. The Redirect parameter takes two parameters of its own, [Port Baudrate ] | [UseBiosSettings].
• /Disableredirect--Disables the redirection.

#6: Fix a corrupt partition boot sector

The partition boot sector is a small section of the hard disk partition that contains information about the operating system's file system (NTFS or FAT32), as well as a very small machine language program that is crucial in assisting the operating system as it loads.

If you suspect that Windows XP won't boot because the partition boot sector has been corrupted, you can use a special Recovery Console tool called Fixboot to fix it. Start by booting the system with the Windows XP CD and accessing the Recovery Console as described in #4.

To use the Fixboot tool, from the Recovery Console command prompt, type

Fixboot [drive]:

Where [drive] is the letter of the drive to which you want to write a new partition boot sector.

#7: Fix a corrupt master boot record

The master boot record occupies the first sector on the hard disk and is responsible for initiating the Windows boot procedure. The master boot record contains the partition table for the disk as well as a small program called the master boot code, which is responsible for locating the active, or bootable, partition, in the partition table. Once this occurs, the partition boot sector takes over and begins loading Windows. If the master boot record is corrupt, the partition boot sector can't do its job and Windows won't boot.

If you suspect Windows XP won't boot because the master boot record has been corrupted, you can use the Recovery Console tool Fixmbr to fix it. First, boot the system with the Windows XP CD and access the Recovery Console as described in #4.

To use the Fixmbr tool, from the Recovery Console command prompt, type

Fixmbr [device_name]

Where [device_name] is the device pathname of the drive to which you want to write a new master boot record. For example, the device pathname format for a standard bootable drive C configuration would look like this:

\Device\HardDisk0

#8: Disable automatic restart

When Windows XP encounters a fatal error, the default setting for handling such an error is to automatically reboot the system. If the error occurs while Windows XP is booting, the operating system will become stuck in a reboot cycle--rebooting over and over instead of starting up normally. In that case, you'll need to disable the option for automatically restarting on system failure.

When Windows XP begins to boot up and you see the message Please select the operating system to start or hear the single beep, press [F8] to display the Windows Advanced Options Menu. Then, select the Disable The Automatic Restart On System Failure item and press [Enter]. Now, Windows XP will hang up when it encounters the error and with any luck, it will display a stop message you can use to diagnose the problem.

#9: Restore from a backup

If you can't seem to repair a Windows XP system that won't boot and you have a recent backup, you can restore the system from the backup media. The method you use to restore the system will depend on what backup utility you used, so you'll need to follow the utility's instructions on how to perform a restore operation.

#10: Perform an in-place upgrade

If you can't repair a Windows XP system that won't boot and you don't have a recent backup, you can perform an in-place upgrade. Doing so reinstalls the operating system into the same folder, just as if you were upgrading from one version of Windows to another. An in-place upgrade will usually solve most, if not all, Windows boot problems.

Performing a Windows XP in-place upgrade is pretty straightforward. To begin, insert the Windows XP CD into the drive, restart your system, and boot from the CD. Once the initial preparation is complete, you'll see the Windows XP Setup screen (shown earlier in Figure A). Press [Enter] to launch the Windows XP Setup procedure. In a moment, you'll see the License Agreement page and will need to press [F8] to acknowledge that you agree. Setup will then search the hard disk looking for a previous installation of Windows XP. When it finds the previous installation, you'll see a second Windows XP Setup screen, as shown in Figure C.

Figure C

This screen will prompt you to press R to repair the selected installation or to press [Esc] to install a fresh copy of Windows XP. In this case, initiating a repair operation is synonymous with performing an in-place upgrade, so you'll need to press R. When you do so, Setup will examine the disk drives in the system. It will then begin performing the in-place upgrade.

Keep in mind that after you perform an in-place upgrade or repair installation, you must reinstall all updates to Windows.

How to Remove Startup Programs

The longer you own a Windows PC, the slower it boots up. This is because you will likely install numerous applications on your computer over time. Some of these applications will be boxed software purchased from Office Depot or Staples, but most will probably be applications you've bought online after downloading free trial versions for evaluation. The problem is that many programs you buy from stores or download from the Internet will install programs or services that start up automatically whenever Windows starts. So after a while, starting Windows also means starting lots of other stuff that runs in the background, out of sight. If your computer has lots of memory, you might not notice too much of a startup delay. And of course some applications are justified in automatic startup--antivirus programs and third-party firewalls being a good example. But a lot of applications start up programs or services when they really aren't needed, and those are the culprits you probably want to ferret out and eliminate.

Of course, if you bought your computer "fully loaded" from a computer store or online direct-sales company, you're likely going to experience slow startup from day one. That's because PC vendors tend to load up the computers they sell with tons of extras, including system management tools, CD-burning utilities, paint programs, photo-processing tools, and lots of other stuff you may never even use. It can be quite a revelation for ordinary users when they compare the startup time for a freshly installed XP machine with their own "fully loaded" machine. Wow--makes you want to go straight to Add or Remove Programs, start selecting things, and click Remove, Remove, Remove. Unfortunately, sometimes removing these things can leave behind programs or services that still start up whenever Windows boots. Where do they hide?

Finding Startup Programs

Programs and services that start whenever Windows boots do so in various ways. The simplest way is for the installation routine to create a shortcut to the program within the Startup folder for the current user (or for each user on the machine). To open your own Startup folder, click Start, then Run, and type the following:

%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

The Startup folder common to all users on the machine can be found by opening this path:

%allusersprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

When I try these two paths on my main Windows XP machine, my Startup folder is empty, but the common Startup folder has a shortcut to a power-monitoring utility from the vendor of the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) attached to my machine. Note that program shortcuts in the common Startup folder automatically run when any user logs on to your computer, so if I delete this shortcut, my UPS probably won't work as designed. Better leave it alone.

Registry keys are another common way to launch programs or services at startup. Here are some registry keys you can examine to see what programs are starting automatically, followed by their description:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

Values for this key are programs that start every time any user starts your computer. I just checked this key and found 12(!) different programs listed. Finding out what these programs are can sometimes be tricky. A value named DVDLauncher is likely just what it says it is, but what about a value named igfxpers? A good way to find out is to search for such values in ProcessLibrary.com, which tells me that igfxpers.exe is "a process installed alongside NVidia graphics cards [that] provides additional configuration options for these devices. This program is a non-essential process, but should not be terminated unless suspected to be causing problems." Aha! If I delete this registry value, my video card might not work, so better leave it alone, too.

Another registry key to examine is:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

This is similar to the previous one, but the difference (HKCU instead of HKLM) means that programs listed here as values will only be launched for the current user (me), not for all users. I find only two programs listed here, Windows Messenger (which I want to start up whenever Windows starts) and ctfmon.exe, which ProcessLibrary.com tells me has to do with the Microsoft Office Language Bar. I don't use that feature of Office so I'm tempted to delete this registry value, but a better approach would be to rerun Setup for Microsoft Office and remove this feature from my machine. Searching the Microsoft Knowledge Base tells me more.

Similar to the previous key is this one:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows\Run

This key isn't present on my machine, so there's nothing to worry about here. Just above it is this key:

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows

Examine the value named Load here, because any programs listed in this value will run when any user logs on to your machine.

There's more--here are four places where programs that only need to run once can be found:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnce

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\RunOnceEx

My machine has the first two keys but not the others, and the keys have no values except Default. This makes sense however, because after a program listed here runs, the registry value associated with launching it is deleted. You can find more info about these keys here, here, and here.

Here is one more key to examine:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Winlogon

Within this key are a number of values. The two of interest to us, called Shell and Userinit, specify the default Windows shell and the user shell, respectively. Malicious spyware can replace these values with different ones; in one situation I've heard of, you try to logon to your machine but are immediately kicked out and presented with the logon box again. Nirmal Sharma, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional (MVP) has written a Community Solutions KB article concerning this issue and how you can fix it by remotely connecting to the affected machine's registry. A Community Solutions article is a KB article contributed by a member of the MVP community rather than Microsoft's own PSS team. These solutions aren't supported by Microsoft, but they're often terrifically helpful. To find more Community Solutions articles, try googling (oops, try using Google to search for) the string "Community Solutions Content Disclaimer" while restricting your search to the support.microsoft.com domain.

If your computer belongs to a domain, then your network administrator has the power to add startup programs to your machine. These policies are found here:

• Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon
• User Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Logon

Three relevant policies can be found in each of these two locations:

• Run These Programs At User Logon. Programs listed here obviously run every time Windows starts, in addition to any startup programs already listed in your own machine's registry.
• Do Not Process The Run Once List. If your administrator enables this policy, then any programs found in your RunOnce registry keys won't run when Windows starts on your machine. Enabling this policy is generally a good idea, as it helps prevent malware from launching on your machine.
• Do Not Process The Legacy Run List. If your administrator enables this policy, then any programs found in your Run registry keys won't run when Windows starts. Enabling this policy is also a good idea, as it helps prevent malware from running on your machine.

Home users can also configure these policies manually on their machines, provided they are logged on with an account that has administrator credentials. Here's how: click Start, then Run, and type gpedit.msc. This opens the Group Policy Editor and lets you edit your Local Computer Policy. Navigate to the appropriate place as specified above, and configure each policy as desired. Be careful, though: if your machine came "fully loaded," disabling the Run list may prevent some of your hardware or software from running properly. Use these policies on a home computer at your own risk; the main reason they're there is for network admins to maintain greater control over Windows workstations on their network, not for home users to start fiddling around with them.

When you configure a policy like Run These Programs At User Logon, the list of programs you specify gets written to special sections of your registry, namely:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\Explorer\Run

A malicious program could also write something to these registry keys, even if Group Policy is not being used on your network.

Still another registry key to which setup programs sometimes write is:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\ShellServiceObjectDelayLoad

Values here indicate DLLs that are loaded during startup to add special capabilities to the Windows shell. If you find anything here other than CDBurn, PostBootReminder, SysTray, and WebCheck, you may have malware on your machine.

Another way startup programs can run on a computer joined to a domain is if a startup or logon script runs when your computer starts or when you log on to your machine. Ask your network administrator about this if you're curious; it's not something that home users need to worry about. Then there's your Scheduled Tasks folder--it's possible to create per-user tasks that schedule a program to run every time your computer boots, but you'll only find these kinds of tasks in the Scheduled Tasks folder in your administrator account. Ordinary users can also schedule tasks to run every time they log on to the computer, and these tasks generally run hidden in the background.

Dealing With Startup Programs

In addition to finding startup programs manually using the steps I've listed above, you can also use tools like your System Configuration Utility (click Start, then Run, type Msconfig.exe, click OK, and select the Startup tab) or a third-party tool like Autoruns from Sysinternals. Once you've found all this junk though, how do you get rid of it?

Removing items from your Startup folder (or the common Startup folder) is generally safe, but deleting values from your Registry should be done only as a last resort. In fact, sometimes deleting a registry value won't even work--as soon as you run the application associated with the startup program, the deleted registry value may get automatically re-created!

The best way to proceed is to first try to see if the application itself lets you remove the feature or component that's starting up every time Windows boots. You might need to rerun your application's Setup program to do this. If this fails, then (and only then) should you consider deleting a registry value (but always back up your registry before making any changes to it).

And next time you buy a computer, don't ask for one that's "fully loaded," but instead consider buying a "bare metal" machine (one with no operating system) from your local "white box" vendor (or a used computer store like Geeks.com). Then buy a shrink-wrapped copy of Microsoft Windows (whatever the latest version is) and install it yourself. Your machine will fly; startup will be much faster than you're used to. Then, install only those applications you need; avoid downloading and installing every tool under the sun from shareware sites on the Internet. If you must do this, have a separate "junk" machine just for this purpose so your main machine doesn't get cluttered.

Which Operating System to Choose?

So you are looking to buy a new computer and you are trying to decide what you need. Here are a few tips from me that may help you decide. First before I list them, do NOT let others try to persuade you to choose one just because they like it, it all depends on the user and what they need not someone else. With that being said let's do it.

Linux : This OS is growing users and we know why. For one most versions of Linux are free. They are "open source" types of operating systems which mean people work on new software, coding, and features for them and share it publicly with others that use Linux. There are a lot more add-ons and customizable features if you use this Operating System. It may look different if you have never seen it before but it is really easy to get used to and who knows you may like it. If you are a gamer then Linux may not be for you. They do have games that work with it and you can always run software to play Windows games with it if you like. So if it is free you don't have much to lose. Open-source users, students, curious people give it a try!

Windows : This is probably the most common heard OS. Everything you buy comes with it, you see it everywhere, and everyone is always talking about it. Windows is easy to navigate, family friendly, and usually dummy proof. Now with Windows Vista out that may not be the case. Lot of people are complaining about bugs, not able to get used to the look and feel, etc. I personally like Windows XP and that's what I will stick with because Vista is just a new shiny package with a new name to me. If you like to have the newest and prettiest I guess Vista would be for you. Windows does have a LOT of errors and bugs. Once you get them situated it is usually not a hassle. Gamers usually go for Windows because it supports basically every PC game that is out and still coming out. Windows is not free and official software must be purchased. There is a lot of "freeware" programs available if you don't want to dish out the cash. Gamer, student, or family users I would recommend Windows.

Mac : Mac is still a growing community and I think it is mainly the price personally. Macs are solid, fast, secure running machines. The interface is nice looking and is easy to use. If you do graphic design, web design, audio/video editing, etc. Mac is a top choice for this. Lots of businesses who go along these lines purchase Macs. They do have a heftier price tag usually around $2,000. They have a clean look to them and are reliable. Most people like the fact that they "can't get viruses". Macs CAN get viruses and they do make Anti-Virus software for them. They are more secure but with the growing hacking community I don't think anyone can ever stop viruses. Macs now have Windows emulation software which allows you to run Windows programs on your Mac, COOL huh. So if your a designer, media type person, power hungry monster, and you have a lot of money to dish out then Mac is for you.

Windows XP Operating System - How to Reformat

Step 1

Backup any files that you do not want to be erased by the reformat process and then get the original software install disk for any software that you want to retain in your computer.

Step 2

Write down the brand and information for all the hardware on your computer. Look in the Device Manager (control panel > systems > hardware > device manager) and make note of the brand and model of network adapters, video cards, sound cards, printers, modems, and displays. After reformatting you might need this information to reinstall drivers.

Step 3

Get the original install disk for hardware such as printer, scanner, webcam, external drive, etc. If you do not have the disk, you can go online and search the manufacturer's site or similar websites to download and save the drivers in a flash drive or disk for use later.

Step 4

Insert the Windows XP Operating System installation disk into the CD-ROM drive and restart the computer. Press any key to boot from CD when prompted by the installation disc. If the computer continues to boot from the hard drive, you will need to go to BIOS and instruct the computer to boot from the CD-ROM.

Step 5

At the Welcome to Setup page, press ENTER.

Step 6

When the software licensee is displayed, press "F8" to agree. The installation process will scan the computer's hard drive for some basic information.

Step 7

The Windows XP repair option will appear, press "Esc" button to bypass this option. A list of the hard drive partitions on the system will then be displayed.

Step 8

Using the up and down arrow keys, select the partition containing the Windows XP installation. It might be the only partition listed or else, it will be the largest partition listed. Press the "D" key to delete the partition, and then press "L" and "Enter" to confirm the choice

Step 9

Type the size in megabytes (MB) that you want to use for the new partition, and then press ENTER, or just press ENTER to create the partition with the maximum size.

Step 10

Select the newly created partition, and press "Enter" to install Windows XP on it. Format the drive using the "NTFS" file system then follow the prompts to continue the installation. It's not advisable to select the "Quick" option as it may leave intact certain structures of the old file system.

Step 11

The new Windows XP will boot and ask some configuration questions, and then it will begin looking for hardware. Install all of the drivers for the hardware on the system, and then reboot the machine as required.

Step 12

You can install all of the software that will be needed on the computer, and then copy all personal files into the new Microsoft Windows XP installation. Do not forget to install a dependable anti-virus and anti-spyware software before you go online.

Operating Systems For Windows

It is not sufficient to just buy any window blinds and install it. You will face many problems later if its operating system is not proper and not suited to that particular window. Keep all the aspects of the operating systems of the window coverings in mind and if possibly hire some expert before you opt for a particular system.

Many roller blind systems and control options are available in modern window blinds and you have flexibility in controlling the heat and light. These operating systems in roller blinds, for instance, include manual chain operation that comes with chain that is either of stainless steel or plastic beads. The system also includes spring that helps the spring to instantly lift the blind, especially the larger blinds.

Another operating system for window blinds is motor control that has been gaining increasing popularity. This is because this system is known for its qualities of energy conservation and occupier comfort. Many users prefer the system for maintaining a uniform appearance outside the building. Then there are plenty of electrical control systems that come in different low voltage. Low voltage single blinds are popular. But fully automated options can also be explored.

If you are installing vertical blinds then you may require some special operating systems. Some special systems have been designed for these blinds as usually the blinds are installed on larger windows or the windows have irregular shapes. These systems are specially suited for today's commercial building environment.

All the standard systems of window blinds for rectangular widows can be accessed for vertical blinds as well. But specific systems such as horizontally curved headrail for bay windows are also available. You can also opt for vertically curved rails that are designed for differently shaped windows.

Flexible control systems are accessible in many of the window blinds to suit most installations and these include manual operation with a mix of options for tilting/drawing the louvres, mono control by means of a continuous loop chain or a simple traversing wand.

Whichever system for window blinds you can choose, make sure that it is perfect and you purchased it in keeping your interior conditions in a building.

Choosing Your Operating System - Windows Or Linux

Windows has been a choice for Operating Systems for a long time for most of the personal Computer Users. The main reason for this popularity is its user interface and the software compatibility. Before going into the details of the Windows Operating System, let us see some of the other operating systems available for use today. Apart from Windows the other most popular operating systems that are used widely are The Mac and Linux distributions. Macintosh, distributed by Apple is an OS used by the computers manufactured by Apple. This is not compatible with Other Hardware except the ones manufactured by Apple. The other most widely used distribution is the Linux distributions. Linux is an open source OS that is available for use under various distributions. Some of the most popular Linux distributions are Ubuntu, Red Hat Linux, OpenSUSE, etc. An advantage of Linux over other OS is that it is totally free and can be modified according to the user requirements by modifying the source code.

Now that we have a brief overview of the various operating Systems, let us see the use and advantages of these OS. The Windows OS has been a choice of many computer users from years. Though Windows has many versions released some of the most popular of them is Windows XP. XP is based on the Windows NT family of Operating Systems. With a more user friendly interface and higher software compatibility, it has been very much popular OS for a Long Time. There are many pros and cons of using Windows OS.

Some of the advantages of using Windows are very user friendly graphical interface, ease of installation and greater compatibility with most of the hardware. With much advanced software, there is no need for specifying command line for making changes to any settings. The Windows family operating systems can be used by anyone without any prior learning of the basics unlike some of the Linux distros. Another reason for the popularity of Windows is the games and software available for use. Many powerful softwares such as Photoshop, AutoCAD, Matlab are available for Windows which are extensively used by many people are there Windows OS.

After reading the above advantages of using Windows, let me tell you some of the disadvantages of the Windows OS. The most common and the most irritating problems with the Windows OS are virus and Trojan attacks. Almost each and every computer user faces this problem. Many antivirus programs are available today and are trying their best to offer maximum protection to PC Users. Apart from the above disadvantage Windows consumes a lot of resources of the PC in order to give a good performance.

Linux on the other hand is extremely fast and makes minimum use of the processors resources and gives maximum performance. This is the reason why Linux web hosting is a lot cheaper than Windows hosting. One of the biggest advantages of Using Linux distributions is that there is no need for any antivirus program to protect the PC from viruses, since viruses do not affect Linux file system.

Some of the Latest Linux distributions are OpenSUSE, Ubuntu, Red Hat Linux. Out of the many distributions Ubuntu is the most popular Linux distro. The latest Version 9. 10 has many improvements and is worth a try by all the computer users. You can download the Disc Image free from the site or Order a CD if you have a slow internet connection.

Speaking of choosing between Windows and Linux, choose Windows if you have a good control and experience with it and have to work regularly on Windows based applications or go for Ubuntu.

Dual Boot Operating Systems

You can install two or more than two operating systems on your single computer. This is called multiple booting or dual boot configurations. You can use this method to enhance your business work and security. Installing of Microsoft Windows XP and Windows 2000, Microsoft Windows and Linux, and Mac and windows XP are the examples of dual booting or multiple booting. This depends upon your machine.

Useful Tips
 

• Install each OS on different volumes or drives in computer.
• Make sure that file system is correct and boot volume is formatted.
• If you have only one volume, you must repartition and reformat your hard drive, so that each installation can retain its own files and configuration information.
• Microsoft Windows 95 or Windows 98 with Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000 can only be installed, if you have formatted your volumes as FAT (Not NTFS).
• Windows 95 and 98 can only be installed on the boot volume.
• Always check the file system carefully to install the right OS.
• If you are using Linux and Microsoft Windows together, you may find installed applications of the windows in Linux, but you will not be able to find or run installed applications of Linux in Microsoft

Windows.
• Multiple Boot Systems are used to increase the security of the system in business firms. You can use Norton Internet Security like software for your system to make it secure.
• You should secure your data before installing two operating systems on your machine.
• You have to specify the default boot system for your use.
• Check the display list of operating systems to know about your installed OS. You can also specify the time for loading default OS.

Precautions and Problems
• Microsoft Windows 95 and 98 may change the hardware configuration. You must change your configuration according to your OS.
• Always install each OS on different partitions or volumes to avoid the problems and troubleshooting.
• Internet Explorer may cause problems.
• Configure your operating systems for your usage.
• If you find yourself unable to see the boot menu at starting of computer, reinstall your OS to recover this problem.

Shortcuts Key of Windows

This article explains how you can become faster, more efficient, and potentially even reduce RSI by using your keyboard more often to do more of the tasks that you normally think only the mouse can do. When testing this article on colleagues, I have yet to find a single person who hasn't learnt at least something new, even 15 year IT veterans!

Keyboard Short Cut - Copy, Cut and Paste: The most common keyboard short cuts used are Copy CTRL+C, and Paste CTRL+V which are used by selecting (or highlighting) text, pressing CTRL+C to Copy this text to the clip board (a Windows temporary storage area that can only remember 1 thing: always the last thing Copied) and then Pasting this text to another Text Box using CTRL+V. Instead of copying however, the original text can be removed using Cut: CTRL+X. This deletes the original text but also copies it to the clip board so it can Pasted somewhere else.

Additionally, highlighting text with the keyboard can be done using the SHIFT key. Hold down SHIFT and use with different combinations of ARROW keys, CTRL key and END and HOME keys. Here are some possible combinations to try: SHIFT+ARROW; SHIFT+CTRL+ARROW; SHIFT+END; SHIFT+HOME; SHIFT+CTRL+END; SHIFT+CTRL+HOME, SHIFT+CTRL+PAGEUP AND SHIFT+CTRL+PAGEDOWN. Try them out, they all make highlighting blocks of text much faster.

Keyboard Short Cut - Switching Between Applications: ALT+TAB: Use this keyboard shortcut (or keyboard combination) to change which of the open applications is the one that's active at the moment. A small window will appear with small icons representing all the applications currently running. Whilst keeping ALT pressed with your left thumb, TAB can be pressed multiple times to cycle along the list to the application required. It is similar to using the mouse and clicking an application in the taskbar at the bottom of the screen.

Keyboard Short Cut - Tabbing Through Window Controls: TAB: Looking at an application window (or form if you prefer), there are many controls that can be accessed, including Text Boxes (sometimes called "fields" are the usually white areas where text can be typed in), Command Buttons, Tick Boxes, and List Boxes. Normally the mouse would be used to click on a control, however pressing the TAB key cycles through all the accessible controls on the form in what's called the Tab Order, just like clicking each one in turn. This method can be used to activate all the controls on the form, adding text or making selections as appropriate. Note that sometimes the Tab Order can be unintuitive.

SHIFT+TAB activates controls in reverse of the normal Tab Order, useful if you Tab once too often.

CTRL+TAB can be used in the special case where a windows form has a sub-section with tabs at the top to click. Use CTRL+TAB to move to the right between the tabbed sub-forms, and CTRL+SHIFT+TAB to go left up the tab list.

Keyboard Short Cut - Clicking Command Buttons: Command Buttons are the grey rectangles clicked to make things happen. ENTER (or RETURN if you prefer) is the equivalent of clicking a Command Button once it has been Tabbed to and activated. Or indeed the SPACE bar can be used instead.

SHIFT+??? Additionally many command buttons have specific keyboard short cuts that have the effect of clicking them without the need to Tab to them. Some command buttons have a letter underlined, like the Cancel button often has the "C" underlined. However the ESC (Escape) key is often also tied to a Cancel button directly. Cancelling a pop up window for example can often be quickly done using ESC.

Pressing SHIFT+C will often have the effect of clicking a Cancel button. Where SHIFT is the keyboard key with the thick UP arrow that normally gives Capital letters when typing. Note that the underlined letter is not always the first letter.

Keyboard Short Cut - Toggling Tick Boxes: Tick Boxes are small white squares with a tick or cross that can be toggled on or off. SPACE is the equivalent of clicking a Tick Box once it has been TABed to and is the active control.

Keyboard Short Cut - Selecting Radio Buttons: Radio Buttons - like circular tick boxes, except only 1 can be selected in the group. ARROW keys are used to move the selected option in a list of Radio Buttons, once this control is the active control. Up and Down Arrows can be used, or Left and Right as preferred.

Keyboard Short Cut - Selecting Items in List Boxes: List Boxes (sometimes called "Drop Down List Boxes") drop down a list of items when the down triangle is clicked from which a pre-existing value in the list can be selected. ARROW keys are again used here to move the selection. Up and Down Arrows can be used, or Left and Right. However this only moves the selection without actually showing the list. ALT+ARROW will drop down the list, and is the equivalent of clicking the down arrow on the right hand side of the control. Only Up and Down arrows work here to show the list.

Another useful keyboard feature of List Boxes is quickly jumping to an item by typing the first letter of the item being sought. E.g. if the List Box contains the list: Blue, Green, Pink, Purple, Red, Yellow; and the desired selection is Yellow, instead of pressing the DOWN Arrow 5 times, simply pressing the "Y" key will select Yellow immediately. Pressing "P" will select Pink, and pressing "P" for a second time will start moving down the list of P's, hence selecting Purple in our example.

Keyboard Short Cut - Menu Item Short Cuts: CTRL+??? Copy and Paste are examples of Menu shortcuts. Menus are the drop down options in the grey Toolbar at the top of almost all Windows Applications, normally starting with "File". Looking in the Edit menu of a text editor like Word shows the Cut, Copy and Paste commands with their shortcuts (CTRL+X, CTRL+C, CTRL+V) listed next to them.

 Take a look around the menus as many useful commands are shown with their short cut keys. Some common ones are listed here:

Open - CTRL+O Print - CTRL+P Save - CTRL+S Save As - F12, (Oddly this is not always shown, Microsoft Word for example doesn't list it, but it works) Find - CTRL+F Replace - CTRL+H or CTRL+R depending on application Undo - CTRL+Z Redo - CTRL+Y Bold - CTRL+B Italic - CTRL+I Underline - CTRL+U

Be careful however as not all applications have the same shortcuts, and worse sometimes applications use the same shortcut keys for different things. For example, most applications use CTRL+F for Find, most that is except Microsoft Outlook which uses CTRL+F for "Forward email" and instead uses F4 for Find.

Keyboard Short Cut - Navigating The Toolbar Menus: ALT+??? As Command Buttons can have specific shortcut keys used with SHIFT and shown as an underlined letter, so too do the Menu's on the Toolbar also have short cut's to access them directly with out clicking. These are accessed not with SHIFT but with ALT. The first 3 menus at the top of Word for example are: File, Edit and View, but as with Command Buttons it's not always the first letter, for example Format. So to access the Format menu, use ALT+O. Once a menu is being displayed, the ARROW keys can be used to navigate around the various menus using Up, Down, Left and Right arrows.

Notice that often the menu items also have underlined letters (sometimes as well as their listed CTRL+??? shortcuts). Now however, the ALT is no longer required as the "Menu mode" is already active. So opening the Tools menu of Word by pressing ALT+T, shows that "Word Count" has an underlined "W". Now pressing W now will perform a word count on your document. This is a quick way of accessing functions that don't have a CTRL+??? shortcut, without the mouse.

Further Tips: If your keyboard is blessed with a Windows Key (normally between CTRL and ALT and has a windows logo on) there are extra shortcuts available, the most useful ones are.

Minimise all windows and shows the Desktop - WINDOWS KEY+M Launch the Windows Explorer Application - WINDOWS KEY+E

It can take a little time to get used to some of the shortcut combinations, especially working out when to use CTRL, SHIFT or ALT. Perseverance however will result in less reliance on the mouse and a faster, more efficient working experience. And dare it be said: a more enjoyable one?

Top 4 Window Cleaning Tips

I understand how frustrating it can be when you've spent hours washing your windows only to find streaks and smears when you're finished. As a professional window cleaner, I am here to say that cleaning your own windows does not have to be drudgery! In this article my goal is to help take the pain out of washing windows. I have listed the top four window cleaning tips that will help you produce those spotless and streak-free windows with less effort and more reward.

You must start with the proper window washing supplies. Having the right window cleaning tools alone can make or break a window washing job. Too often I see people using general store-bought cleaners, the wrong types of squeegee's, grandma's old homemade window cleaner, newspapers, paper towels, vinegar, and so on.

Tip 1 - The Squeegee

You must have a good quality window squeegee. Using paper towels, lint filled rags, news papers, a shower squeegee or an auto squeegee will not produce the results you are after. There are a few different brands and styles of squeegee's to choose from so you will want to get help with choosing the squeegee that is right for you. Give your local janitorial supply shop a visit. This is the best place to purchase a quality window squeegee among other window cleaning tools. You will also need a few replacement rubbers to go with your squeegee. It is critical to have new rubber blade on the squeegee before each window washing job.

Tip 2 - The Scrubber

Most of the hard work comes from removing dust, greasy finger prints, bug spots and other stubborn debris from the glass. By using a professional window scrubber, you will reduce a great deal of time. I would suggest purchasing a t-bar type scrubber that comes with a removable sleeve. These sleeves are usually made of micro fiber or 100% cotton. You can choose a non-bristle sleeve for tinted windows or with bristles for non tinted windows. Again, I would recommend visiting your local janitorial shop for this item.

Tip 3 - Window Cleaning Solution

This is one of the window cleaning tips that I am asked about the most often. What is your secret window cleaning solution? A lot of professional window cleaners including myself use there own-secret-homemade window cleaner that they've perfected over the years. There are pre-made window washing soaps on the market that you can purchase that do work great. If you want a quick and easy solution that you can make at home, try this. Mix about 1/4 teaspoon of any regular liquid dish soap to one gallon of soft or distilled water. You can use this solution in a bucket or put into a spray bottle. I think you will be surprised at how simple and well this little recipe will work.

Tip 4 - Detailing Towels

When it comes to detailing edges or touching up a small dime size spot, you will want to use a 100% cotton towel or a microfiber cloth. Most anything else will leave behind tiny lint particles that will be noticed when the sun shines through the window.

How to Make Your Personal Computer Faster - How You Can Speed It Up

Computers are our best friends when we need to find an answer to any of our problems. They are excellent devices which help us do many things but the problem begins when some garbage comes in through our internet connection and it makes the system slow or dead. We need to know a procedure to make our personal computer work faster. Let's show you some ways in which you can increase the speed of your computer very fast. We can help you by guiding you with step by step methods of increasing your PC performance.

If you want the speed of your computer to be faster, then you must keep the registry clean. There are several files and programs in the registry which are essential for the working and functioning of the operating system. It is important that your registry does not contain any errors or corrupted files. You need to ensure that you fix all these errors every few months using a registry cleaner software.

A very important tip if you want your PC performance to improve is to clean the computer's fan using canned dust remover. This helps in improving the capacity of the computer's hardware to control the excess heat which can cause a lot of damage to the other parts of the computer.
 

Different ways of making a personal computer work faster are as follows:

1. You should always keep your antivirus updated and you should try and run a scan of the computer before taking any other step or action.
2. You should always keep a back up of your data that you have in your computer because in case your hard disk crashes, then your complete data is gone and there is no way you can get it back. You can also use downloaded software to scan your computers.
3. Most people forget to clean their Recycle Bin. If you have put a certain file in the Recycle Bin, the chances that you will need it back are less. Thus, you should make it a habit to clean the Recycle Bin fortnightly.
4. Adjusting the visual effects of your computer will also help increase the speed. If you reduce the visual effects of the startup menu, you will see that the computer is able to boot faster and also process files quickly.

All the above mentioned steps can be done at home free of cost. The last resort for you is to buy an extra hard drive.

Understanding Your Computer Operating System

Over the years, computer operating systems have emerged as the most integral know component of every computer system in the world. Without the operating system, you almost won't be able to use a computer. You don't need to know any complicated commands settings or codes to be able to use a computer with the aid of a computer operating system.

Right in the first few years of computers, operating systems were not in existence. But after the invention of powerful computers, they were developed. What is known as 'punch cards' was being used to enter information's onto a computer before operating systems came to existence. To get the desired information's needed on computers, punch card machines where used. But they were not all that efficient

.

Computer programmers were able to successfully design the first computer operating systems. They considered the fact that life will be easier if common people like me and you should be able to use a computer without knowing much or even noting about complex computer languages.

With the success of early computer programmers, there are so many computer operating systems these days available in the world of computers today. A lot are also still being developed even as you are reading this now. Virtually most of resent operating systems are designed with the common user in mind. An average computer user can now load most computer programs with a simple use of a mouse and just a few clicks.

Every system has a specific function to perform behind the scenes. The user will not even be able to see or even need to know that they are there. What these operating systems do behind your computer is commonly known as multiple tasking. It makes using a PC much more easily without managing computer resources manually.

Among the main basic functions every computer operating system does perform include:

* Managing your Random Access Memory (RAM)
* Managing your Hard Disc
* Scheduling of various tasks on your computer
* Providing a reasonable level of security to your computer, to prevent any external party to gain access to your PC
* To navigate various programs on your PC whenever you want to open them
* And many more

Microsoft Windows and Apple's Mac OS are the world's most famous operating systems today. Other similar computer operating systems do exist also. But they got their technologies from the famous two computer leading giants.

Two other operating systems that are rapidly gaining popularity in the world today are Linux and GNU. But they are mainly focused on the network and system marketing industry.