Paint or Microsoft Paint

Paint (Microsoft Paint) is a simple drawing software you can use to process image, to crop and to cut any area on the image you dont want. With Paint, you can create new image, edit an existing image and save them into various format, from bitmap (.bmp) type to jpeg (.jpg) format.

Bitmap is much heavier than Jpeg, that's why Jpeg images are widely used by most webpages
around the internet to enable fast page load process. If you like to take pictures, you can use Paint as a tool to process it because Paint can insert images from external hardware such as scanner or digital camera.

Use USB memory card reader if you prefer to use quick transfer method to move images stored in memory card from digital camera to your computer. The trick much easier than connecting computer with camera using cable, sometime it didn't seem to work due to plug-and-play problem.

Images processed by Paint is not so sharply clear, sometime found to be a little blurry.

Paint is available by default in Windows XP, usually contained in Accessories alongside Notepad, System Tools and Windows Explorer. To use Paint, open it by clicking Start menu -> All programs -> Accessories -> Paint.

How To Add Windows Media Player Into You Computer

When playing a video, you suddenly realized computer does not installed with Windows Media Player even you're Windows XP user. You've checked the system and finally found that Windows Media Player 11 was not installed. How to add it? Here is the solution.

Get an Windows Xp installation cd (or called system cd) and run it. Do not click anything, unless click a command named "install additional Windows components". Look for Windows Media Player, click install and wait for the process to finish. Restart your computer for the change to take effect.

Second way to add Windows Media Player in your computer is by using windows XP Control Panel. Go to Control Panel, click Add or Remove Program.

Windows XP component Wizard box will come out after that. Look for Windows Media Player button, usually located above Windows Messenger button. Click on Windows Media Player, click Next for the installation process to begin.

Once again, make sure windows XP installation CD is already inserted in your cd-rom optical drive. If not, you cannot add Windows Media Player into your computer.

Alternative to this problem is, copy content of an installation cd into a external drive or a small thumb drive with 1GB storage capacity. Insert it into your computer and do the 1st step explained above. Atough this may sound illegal, you only install Windows Media Player components in your system, not reinstall the whole Windows XP operating system.

Apple Safari 4 Browser Download For Windows PC

To download and install Apple Safari 4 browser for Windows PC in your computer, go to download page in Aplle's website. Make sure your computer meets the minimum requirements set by Apple.

Click download button, put the setup file on your Desktop first to make the job easier, wait for the process to finish. When done, double click the setup file for installing process to launch.

Safari 4 will install its file in your hard drive. Meanwhile, do not run other program because it slows down installation process, interfering then crashing it.

The new installed Safari 4 will not be useable If you do so. You need to download new setup file and repeat the process. The safer way to install Safari 4 is to install it without running other program on the interface or in the background.

Download >> Safari Web Browser

Windows Media Player 11

Windows Media Player is a media player software comes with Windows XP. Latest version is Windows Media Player 11, which can be recognized by looking at the middle button without openning the Help section. When it playes a media file, the button will display Pause sign.

When paused, the button will turn into Play button. The main attraction is the middle button. Windows Media Player 11 is more easier to use compared to its last version before, basically can be used as main video player, music player or DVD player in Windows XP.

If you enable the AutoStart, Windows Media Player will play any vcd, dvd or mp3 automatically for you. You can save any new file into your hard drive (using Windows Media Player Library list) using "Rip" function and you can also burn any media file (mp3 songs for example) onto cd, cd-r or dvd using "Burn" funtion installed in Media Player 11.

Windows Media Player is not sold anywhere as a single software because it comes along with Windows XP as one of system components.

Turning Off The Automatic Updates Makes Your Windows XP Runs Faster

Automatic Updates can be turned off because as windows user, you have an option to do manual update from Windows Update website, or clicking Windows Update start menu from the program list. If your laptop or PC has a minimum amount of RAM (Random Access Memory), consider to turn off the Automatic Updates. Because when it downloads any latest updates from Microsoft website, the process slows down your internet speed while you're reading a webpage, replying email or watching YouTube video. Turn on automatic Updates can protect you, but it slows down your internet access. Then, when you want to shut down your computer, it becomes slow too because Windows XP will install any updates downloaded from Microsoft website. You can do manual update in your leisure time.

How To Know RAM Amount In Your Computer Or Any Windows Computer

Here's how to know RAM amount in your computer or any Windows computer.

1. Go to My Computer icon in the Desktop. Right click it. Go to Properties and click to General.

2. In General tab, you will find information about the version of installed operating system, your name, your organization and finally little info about your RAM, memory amount and processor strength measurement in Heartz (Hz).

This trick works on computers installed with Microsoft Windows.

How To Rename A File, Folder Or An Icon In Windows XP

To rename a file, folder or an icon, use right click on your mouse. Most of computer users use left click as main click indicator. Lets say you want to rename My Computer icon on the Desktop to My Pc. Ok, here's how to do it. Click My computer icon to highlight it. Right click your mouse. (if you're using right mouse button as main cursor click, indicator left click your mouse).

A menu box will appear, which contains commands like Open, Explore, Create Shortcut, Delete and Rename. Click Rename. My Computer icon will be highlighted with blinking cursor, a sign for the user (you) to be able to rename the icon. Type "My Pc" in the rename box and press Enter for the change to take effect immediately. After that, your My Computer icon finally changed to My Pc.

How To Turn Off Automatic Updates In Windows XP

There is two way for you to turn off Automatic updates in Windows XP.

1. Go to Control Panel -> Automatic Updates. When Automatic updates menu box appear, click Turn Off Automatic Updates button. Click OK for the change to take effect.

2. Go to My Computer icon on the Desktop. Right click the icon -> Properties menu on the bottom. Then, another menu box will appear. Here you can see several tab, starting with General, Computer Name, Hardware, System Restore and Automatic Updates. Click Automatic Updates tab -> click turn off button to disable Automatic Update function. Click OK button for the change to take effect.

Taskbar - How To Enable Autohide Feature On The Taskbar In windows XP

When you're using windows Xp, there is a feature called autohide for your windows Taskbar. Taskbar is a bar that contains your Start button, quick launch button and your time + date. when you open a program and start using it, the name of the program will be displayed on your taskbar.

Its same also when you open up a folder, listening to a song or viewing an image of yourself. To enable autohide feature on the Taskbar, go to the Taskbar and right click it (left mouse click is a default click). Go to Properties -> Taskbar Appearance.

There, you can see some options. Click on button named "auto-hide the taskbar". click OK to activate the hidden function. Then, you will notice the change. When you hover your mouse pointer onto the Taskbar, it will appear automatically.

When you're doing some work, the Taskbar will be hidden, unless your move mouse pointer onto it. This trick works on low performance computers too.

Folder Option Missing

When your folder option is missing, it is a sing that your computer is attacked by a hidden virus, malware or worm virus.

Spyware can only slow down your computer performance and learning about your computer usage habit, but can make folder option missing. Usually, this problem occurred in Windows XP users, including Windows Vista users.

What would you do? Scan your computer with anti virus. Download virus cleaner, such as Avast Virus Cleaner and let it run to clean your pc from any virus roots that might be hidden in your computer system. If the problem still in action, reinstall your Windows.

How To Open New User Account In Windows XP

To open new user account in Windows XP, follow these steps.

1. Go to Control Panel and click User Accounts (Start -> Control Panel -> User Account) .

2. In User Accounts, click create add new account under Pick a task. After that, you will have to fill in the name of the new account. Put any name you want, depends on your personal interest. Lest try to put in as Google, for an example.

3. After typing "Google" as the new name of the new account, click Next button. Windows XP will opens up a new user account named with Google for you when clicking Create Account button.

4. Set the account as the administrator access because it will enable you to install various software without any limit. You can rename files, delete programs or add any program. If you choose to set the account with guest access, the new account will have limited accessibility, for example cant install new software or adding up a new program.

5. When finished, you can log off your current account and log in to the new account to set up new files, folders, dispaly design based on your personal choice. Those 5 step suitable for Windows XP service pack 1, 2, and 3.

Latest Mozilla Firefox Update - Firefox 3.5 Beta 4 Ready For Download

Here's a chance for you to install latest update of Mozilla Firefox faster than anyone else - Firefox 3.5 Beta 4.

The file size is 7.62MB (7,991,640 bytes) and requires Windows powered computers to run (Windows XP or Vista).

Firefox 3.5 gives you easy navigation, original customized for internet user with certain physical disability. Download latest Mozilla Firefox 3.5 Beta 4 here

Taskbar Dissapear

If your Windows XP taskbar disappear, it maybe because of virus infection - mostly done by a spyware or Brontok virus. Other than making your taskbar disappear with unknown reason, it will make your Start button flased on and on again continuously, and when you move your mouse pointer to the Start button, it also disappear.

In normal cases, Windows Xp taskbar disappear only because of a change in Windows registry key - either by you accidentally changed it or another program changed it. Virus, spyware, malware and trojan key loggers do that in the background, in 1-2 seconds.

The best solution to this problem is to reinstall Windows and let it delete all data in your hard disk to eliminate any potential second infection.

Choose Windows Or Mac

If i have a budget, which computer platform i want to buy? Windows or Mac? Windows are from Microsoft and Mac from Apple Computers. Windows dominate the computer market and here i will explain why, from my point of view.

Personally, i would like to use Windows based computers. Even though Windows installed computers sometimes can attacked by a virus, malware or spyware, it have larger advantage compared to Mac computers in software and hardware configuration.

There are more and more anti virus software out there ready to provide you solid protection and strong immunities. They are available for free, or for certain amount of money.

You can add more software accessories if you're using Windows based computer. You can install a software that made your Windows desktop interface looks like MacBook even tough you're using Windows XP.

There even a software that being used to transform Windows XP to be look like windows Vista. You can install free utilities software to maintain your pc. Then, you can install any browser you want to use, either Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari or Opera.

There is thousand of computer games available for windows. You can add more hardware for faster performance for more gaming experience, such as graphic card for sharper view, sound system, install larger monitor, ergonomic keyboard, specialized joystcik or even customized mouse. If you still want to use a Windows based computer just for office works such as typing documents, creating presentation slaid, checking accounts and budgets, you can choose to buy average performance pc.

I dont choose Mac because if something happens to its software or hardware, i have to find Apple store in my area to fix the problem, because you cant format a Mac yourself. To tell you the truth, there is no Apple shop available in my place.

I have to go 552 kilometers to get into a small computer shop that I knew sells Apple products and giving maintenance service for Mac user. That sure eat a lot of time and money. Not mention the energy consumption.

But, if something happens to my Windows computer or my laptop, i can reinstall the operating system, the drivers, reinstall the software after doing backups for my important documents, images, videos and other digital files. It sure saves more time, energy and money.

However, either you choose Windows or Mac, it depends on what you wanna do with it and how you use it to do your job. If you're satisfied with simple-but-poweful Mac approach, choose Mac instead. But if you want to try hundreds of games, applications, software, test some hardware, choose Windows.

Windows Xp Slows Down

Some reason that may cause Windows Xp to slows down are:

1. Frequent installation and removal of programs. You always installing a new program, then removing some other programs from your computer. This will effect a dirty registry in Windows, full of unused registry keys from removed programs. The effect, it makes your Windows XP slows down, slow start up process, slow booting process and slow shut down process.

2. Your Windows XP might be infected with hidden spyware, malware (malicious code software), worm virus, trojan downloader or adware. Those hidden virus may comes from plugged USB removeable storage device or USB external hard drives that been plugged into other computer before.

3. RAM amount is low, not more than 512MB. Check your RAM amount by looking at start up screen or in system information. Right click My Computer icon on the Desktop -> Properties -> System Properties.

4. The anti virus software installed in your computer may running a virus scan in the background each time you start the computer. This happens when the anti virus runs automatic, scheduled scanning each time the computer being started. You actually can disable this setting.

Suggetion to make your Windows Xp runs faster:

• Install additional RAM amount, at least 1GB for best performance.
• Delete some program during Windows Xp start up
• Use Windows classic theme
• Update your anti virus every days to make sure you're truly protected from latest virus downloading its root program into your computer from the internet.
• Install USB Security Disk for protection from virus infection that may comes from removable storage devices.

How To Customize Folder Toolbars In Windows XP

In Windows Xp, sometimes you get bored with usual view of folder buttons. There is Back and Forward button, Folders, Delete and View. Sometime there is somes button that you're not using or seldomly using it and you want to get rid of those button. Here is the way how to customize folder toolbars, either adding or removing task buttons.

1. Lets take My Documents folder as an example. Open My Documents folder. When it opened, bring your mouse cursor to Toolbar area, the one above Address bar. Right click. A menu bar will appear. Click Customize. 

. Customize Toolbar menu box will appear. Here you can customize your toolbar, either you want to get rid of some unused button, just to keep it or adding separators to easy control. For example, lets say you want to keep Back button, Forward button, Folders button and View button.

3. In the Customize Toolbar, you can remove current Toolbar button, add another button from availabe buttons list. Click Close to save the changes. You will notice the difference immediately.

4. In case if you want to install back the default setting for your My Documents folder Toolbar button, follow steps 1,2 and 3. When the Customize Toolbar button appears, click Reset to restore the default setting. The change will take affect immediately.

Put Your Computer On Standby To Save Electricity Consumption

If you're not using your computer for more than 2 hours up to 6 hours, you can save electricity consumption by selecting standby mode in your computer. For Windows users, you can do this by:

1. Pres Start menu, click Shut Down and select Stand By mode. After you click it, the computer will goes standby (or sleep mode). It will wake up if you press any button on the keyboard or shaking your mouse up and down.

2. Press Alt + F4 key. A shut down menu box will appear, just like when you press Shut Down button on the start menu. Select Stand By button to put the compputer in energy saving mode, or known as sleep mode as described above.

This technique is suitable if you want to start your computer immediately without turning it off. However, if your antivirus software has downloaded an update it needs a restart, you're recommended to shut down your computer for antivirus database changes to take effect when you press power button on the restart process.

How To Move Internet Explorer Icon From Desktop To Quick Launch On Taskbar

Lets say you're tired looking at Internet Explorer icon from the Desktop and you wanna move the icon to much simpler place other than start menu, like at the quick launch icon in the Taskbar. How to move Internet Explorer icon from the Desktop? Here's the step recommended for you. Make sure you activate task bar quick launch first.

1. Right clik the Internet Explorer icon in the Desktop. Choose cut. The icon will turn into watermark colour as a sign, it is ready to be pasted anywhere. Or press Ctrl + X key to cut the icon. Make sure you're compatible with windows cut and paste.

2. Go to Windows Taskbar. Unlock it by right clicking the Taskbar, click at "Lock the taskbar". clicking that command will unlock the taskbar right away. After you clicked it, you will see some changes. The taskbar gets bigger a bit, a sign it was unlocked.

3. Go to Quick Launch section. Open the folder. To open, drag taskbar section a bit to the right so you have more space for you to click on. When done, right click the area of Quick Launch. A command box will appear. Choose open folder.

4. After that, the folder for Quick Launch will open. In here, click Paste or press Ctrl + V to paste Internet Explorer icon that you have cut before. Press once only. If the icon doesn't appear, click to Edit -> Paste.

5. Close the folder. Internet Explorer icon will appear in the Quick Launch. You don't have to duble click the icon again next time. Just clik once on the Quick Launch and Internet Explorer will be open automatically.

Apart from moving Internet Explorer icon, you also can move any icon or even any shortcut to Quick Launch, makes your Desktop looks nice, neat and clean.

Make Your Pc Perform Faster With Glary Utilities

You may have these problems, your pc running slower and when starting it during your morning breakfast, its booting process take more than 5 minutes to be completed.

You've also noticed that your pc get slower when opening a folder or when you run more than 3 programs. Solve this problems with Glary Utilities, a free utiliy software from GlarySoft.

Glary Utilites helps you maintain best computer performance by cleaning up the registry, fixing invalid and incorrect registry entries. It also comes with 4 modules to help improving your computer.

More important, Glary Utilities cleans up all spyware and adware that resides inside your computer without your acknowledgement.

For your information, spyware and adware thats infects computer can slows down computer's performance and downloading spyware code files form the internet that dangerous to your personal data.

Glary Utilites is availabe for free. You can also read more review about Glary Utilities here...

Norton Security Scan Removes Virus And Detects Spyware

If you want a superb, reliable virus scanning engine for your personal pc from a trusted brand, use Norton Security Scan. Now, Norton Security Scan is available in Google Pack, dowloadable for free without any cost in any time.

I've tried Norton Security Scan, downloaded it and installed it into my computer. After using it for several days, Norton Security Scan gives me fast scanning and deep virus detection. I've clicked Quick Scan at the first time i'm using Norton Security Scan.

You can also choose full system scan for overall virus scanning. But, this will take some time, thus slow down your productivity. If you're tired of manual scanning, Norton Security Scan allows you to schedule an automatic scan.

How to enable the automatic scan? When you open Norton Security Scan window, go down to the left panel and you will see "Schedule A Scan" link. click the link and you will see the option window after that.

Here, you can set the scheduled scan proses by time, either quick scan or full scan. You can also choose not to perform the scheduled scan. Norton Security Scan is a powerful tool, also useful.

For better protection, i recomended you to use paid antivirus software from Norton and make sure your computer RAM is more than 256Mb when installing it.

Download the free Norton Security Scan in Google Pack here...