First things first.

What’s Defragmenting?

Defragmenting is the process of reducing the fragmentation of files in your hard disk. Wait what? The thing is as you go on storing files in your computer, the OS allocates continuous memory wherever possible. If not then the files are divided (or more appropriately fragmented) and placed in different memory locations. This increases the access time for the files and slows down your PC.

To get a clearer idea, just follow the image to the right. (Image Credit: Wikipedia)

Also read: Defraggler- Piecing Together the Puzzle of your Hard Drive

So MyDefrag. Here are some of its features:

• Very Simple
• Very Fast. (gotta say it again and again!)
• Has many options, from quick defrag to full defrag.
• Optimizes your disk as well

You have different options for data and system disks, for defragmenting only or defragment and optimize and even for normal disks and flash disks (although I’d not vouch too much for that!)

I know no ones going to do it daily or even weekly or for that matter monthly! But it is recommended that you at least defragment your disk every once in 6 months. And this is the perfect tool, in my opinion.

The only con that I have found is that, it hasn’t been updated or given any new features. But hey they say ‘don’t repair, what ain’t broken!’

Also The default installer comes with a set of easy to use scripts for end-users, a scripting engine for demanding users, a screensaver, and a combined Windows plus command line version. A little too much.

Just try it out and let me know your comments.

Download : MyDefrag v4.3.1

You can  install  it directly from your DVD-drive (from My Computer) but what  if  your OS gets corrupt? At that point of time, you’ll require a bootable CD.

Now here are the steps to create a  bootable CD  from a non-bootable Windows XP iso:

1. First insert a blank CD and  mount your Windows XP iso image using  Magic disc or  some mounting  software.
2. For creating a bootable CD you’ll  require  boot file  known as  boot.ima . Download it from  http://www.mediafire.com/myfiles.php
3. Open  Nero Burning Rom 8 or 9  and select CD-ROM(boot) on the left side.
4. Click on Boot tab, browse to the boot image file boot.ima, then select Enable Expert Settiings.
5. Now Change Kind of Emulation to No Emulation and  Number of load sectors to 4.



6. Now  click on  ISO tab. Select Mode 1 in data mode, select ISO 9660+Juliet from File System, Max of 31 Chars from file name length and ISO 9660 from character set.Also check all in  relax restrictions



7. Click on the label tab and give any name  for your cd.
8. Now click on new at the bottom, browse the Windows XP image and  select all contents of image on the right panel.



9. Now  copy  and  paste the  selected  items into  left  panel space.
10. Click on burn.

Simple wasn’t it?

This next video over here shows the new pattern-based login system in the new Windows :

Hmm, interesting to say the least. We’ve gotta wait and watch for future more stable releases.

Here are some of the Commands and Functions for ‘System Management Control Panel’ and ‘Control Panel’

Commands and Functions for ‘Internet’ and ‘Files and Folders’

Commands and Functions for ‘Diagnostics and Repair’

Following are Commands and Functions for ‘Tools‘

I’ll post more of these commands related to Internet, System, System soon…

Your computer is a sophisticated system that keeps track of each and every happening on it (how much ever you curse it for not even doing the most trivial tasks easily!). So how do you do it?

Well, here it is:

• First go to the RUN box (Start => Run or Start+R)
• Now type the following in the text-box:
  

  eventvwr.msc

• Alternatively you could go to the Control Panel => Administrative Tools => Event Viewer.
• Once the Event Viewer window is open click on the System link in the left pane.

Now scroll through the times given in the right pane. Consider the following example to get a clearer idea:

Here I had switched off my computer around 6 PM which has entries with time upto 5:42:05 PM as well as 5:56:59 PM. However notice that there is also a event recorded at 7:05:58 PM and another at 9:24:40 PM.

Well those were the times that my computer were last switched on. Interesting, who could it be? (don’t worry it was my sis )

Got any other ways to find it out? Please do share.

Note: The following tutorial assumes that your Windows installation directory as well as Internet Explorer has been installed on the C drive. If not, just change the drive letter.

Well its pretty simple, just enter the following in the RUN text-box:

C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe

Huh, don’t you think it’s pretty long? Well there’s a simple work-around. You need to do the following steps (just once).

1. Just go to the the RUN box again. (Keyboard Shortcut : Win + R)
2. In the text-box type:
   

   C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\

3. Copy the file named ‘iexplore’ or ‘iexplore.exe’
4. Again open the RUN box (Win + R)
5. Now in the text-box type:
   

   %systemroot%\system32\

6. Now just paste the the iexplore file (which we had earlier copied) in this folder.

That’s it your done! Now to open Internet Explorer from the RUN box, just open it up and then type ‘iexplore’ (without quotes). How’s that!

You could do the similar for Firefox (firefox.exe) or any other related software.

The following 3 sites will help you, whenever you need an alternative to a Windows app.

• AlternativeTo

  AlternativeTo not only provides you with Linux alternatives for your apps, but also provides Windows and Mac alternatives for your desktop, and android, iphone, blackberry and s60 alternatives to your mobile’s software.

  All you need to do is click on the Linux tab, and search for the software that you need. For eg. a search for ‘screenshot’, gave the following results:

  

  You can visit the site by clicking this link.

• Linux App Finder

  Unlike the previous option, Linux App Finder, specializes only in Linux apps. You may go through the categories to find your software or you can use the search functionality that is provided over there.

  As in the previous option, I searched for “screenshot”. Although that didn’t yield any result, going manually through the categories, Graphics >> Screen Capture, gave the following results:

  

  You can visit the site by clicking this link.

• Appnr

  Appnr is site that only supports one of the most popular Linux distros, Ubuntu. All the apps given there are compatible with Ubuntu. The site maintains a great yet simplistic interface which has the categories neatly packed towards the left.

  A search for a software will show how people have rated it and an option to install or download it is also shown. A search for “screenshot” gave a typical result down at the 10th position.

  You can visit the site by clicking this link.

Know about more such sites? Do comment and let us know.

Actually the process is quite simple. First of all go to download.live.com, and download the software (you can download it in your language as well, by clicking on the Download button to the right.

After you have downloaded the software, open it. There will be a loading window at first. Wait a little, this may take some time especially on slow computers.

Now a new window must have opened with  a list of softwares that you can install. Check the software that you want to install, in our case Movie Maker, and then just press the Install button.

Well now all you got to do is wait. Go grab a cup of coffee while the softwares are downloaded.

After the download is complete, you may be asked to reboot. Do so, and there you are, you’ve got Windows Movie Maker installed in Windows 7!

Tip: If you want to install any other application (for eg. Live Writer) just open the software that you downloaded at the first step, and check the software that you want. Just follow the above steps.

If you want to uninstall it, you can do so by going to Control Panel -> Programs -> Uninstall a Program, and in the new window that opens, scroll down to Windows Live Essentials. Double Click on it and click Continue.

Follow these tips to quickly remove IE from Windows 7:

1. Go to Start, and then click on Control Panel





2. Click on System and Security



3. From the left pane, click on Programs



4. Now in the main menu click on Turn Windows features on or off



5. In the new windows that opens, uncheck Internet Explorer (usually on the third line)



6. Now click on OK. A warning will be displayed, just click on Yes. You may be asked to reboot your system. Just do it, and now you have IE uninstalled from your Windows 7 system!

An alternative method is to open Start Menu (by clicking on the Start icon in the bottom-left of your screen), and search for Turn Windows features on or off. Click on the very first optin/result and follow from step 5 above.

Easy wasn’t it!

So it’s very important that you disable auto-run in your PC’s quickly. Use the appropriate method according to your OS, and perform it:

1. The easiest and most effective means to truly disable autorun can be done via this simple autorun registry hack:REGEDIT4
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping\Autorun.inf]
   @=”@SYS:DoesNotExist”
2. To use this method, Open Notepad and copy/paste the following into a text file:REGEDIT4
   [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\IniFileMapping\Autorun.inf]
   @=”@SYS:DoesNotExist”Save the file as something.reg. (You have to be sure to change the “Save File as Type” to “All Files” before saving, or Windows will try to save it as a .txt even if you typed in .reg.
3. Locate the file you just saved and double-click the file to run it. You will receive a prompt asking if you want to add the data to the registry. Click yes to allow the modification.
4. The above method nulls any request for autorun.inf and works on XP Home or Pro, as well as Windows Vista. Credit for this tip goes to Nick Brown.If you opt to disable autorun using any other method, you will first need to install an autorun patch from Microsoft that allegedly resolves issues that cause autorun to run even after it’s been disabled (using methods other than the above recommended method).
5. XP Pro users who have installed the appropriate Microsoft patch for your system and wish to disable autorun using a method other than described above, follow steps 3 through 8 only. XP Home users begin at step 9. Vista users, see How to Disable Autorun in Windows Vista.
6. XP Pro users: Click Start and then click Run. Type gpedit.msc and click OK. The Group Policy window will open. In the left pane, double-click Administrative Templates
7. the right pane, double-click System, scroll down the list and double-click Turn Off Autoplay
8. the Turn Off Autoplay Properties window, select Enabled. From the dropdown next to Turn Off Autoplay on, select All drives and then click OK. Exit Group Policy by selecting File, then choosing Exit from the menu.
9. Home users will need to make the changes by editing the registry directly. To begin, click Start and then click Run
10. regedit and click OK. The Registry Editor window will open.
11. the left pane, navigate to:
    HKEY_CURRENT_USER
    Software
    Microsoft
    Windows
    CurrentVersion
    Policies
    Explorer.
    (Note: For help navigating the registry, see the Windows Basics System Registry tutorial).
12. Explorer highlighted, in the right-pane right click the value NoDriveTypeAutoRun and select Modify from the drop down menu. The base value will be set to Hexadecimal. If not, select Hexadecimal.
13. 95 and click OK.
    Note that this will stop Autorun on removable/USB drives, but still allow it on CD ROM drives. If you want to disable autorun on both, substitute b5 for the 95. (Thanks to Ian L. of Manitoba for the tip).
14. Registry Editor by selecting File, then choosing Exit from the menu.
15. will now need to reboot your computer for the changes to take effect.