Don’t you just love the look and the smell of a brand new PC? Nothing excites me more than tearing up its packaging and spending time with the manual for a preview of the things to come.  As with anything new, you would normally want everything that concerns it to be perfect, be it the table that it would be resting on or the software that will bring it to life.

If your new PC didn’t come with a bundled OS, then you will have the pleasant (sometimes) privilege of experiencing how Windows is conceived and born inside your computer. The task is not that daunting. Most of the time, you’ll just be reduced to a mere spectator as almost everything is done in autopilot.

Once the installation of your operating system has been done, the next thing that you’ll most probably do is connect a modem to your PC and immediately surf the net. While Windows XP and Vista already have a built-in firewall that could ward off attacks from cyberspace, it only provides a thin line of defense. Just like every newborn, it must be protected from external threats for a period of time first before letting it venture outside.

Before you try your new surfboard on the Internet, you might want to do the following first, unless you’re eager to experience installing your operating system again:

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Every once in a while, Windows grumbles about aches and pains that you think are just trivial. Crashes occur a few times in a month, and the blue screen of death makes its appearance once in a while.

While these symptoms may not alarm you, especially if your system is guarded by the best security and utility suites that a wad of Benjamin Franklin notes has to offer, you may want to take some insurance measures just in case. Serious PC problems often manifest themselves with mundane coughs and hiccups. By the time you seriously pay attention to the problem though, it might already be too late as the data corruption has already metastasized.

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When you get a new PC, all it will normally have installed is the operating system and possibly a few utility programs. So, the hard disk is relatively empty and the registry is in pristine condition. The first thing you then do is install the programs you use regularly — your word processor, spreadsheet, video editor and so on — and copy over all your documents, music, videos and the like. Your hard disk starts to fill up but, hopefully, not too much and your registry gains a few more entries.

Everything is fine as long as you don’t overdo it. However, the temptation is to install various programs to try them out — some people are serial downloaders and installers of all sorts of programs off the internet. The problem is that your hard disk becomes increasingly full, your registry gets cluttered with a mass of entries and the various programs may conflict with each other and cause errors.

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At the rate Internet connection speeds are climbing, tips on how to speed up or optimize your Web browser may already be pointless. Dial-up subscriptions have been experiencing a free-fall during the past several months, and it won’t be long when the Smithsonian might allocate a few feet of space for 56K V.90 modems.

While broadband connections have built virtual expressways for data to run on in cyberspace, clogged browsers have created bottlenecks that made “mbps” look no better or different than “kbps.” Bugs and viruses are often blamed for slow browsing speed, but there are cases where faulty settings and unnecessary add-ons have made Web surfing a patience-testing activity.

If your browser is having a hard time painting the page that you want to see in less than 10 seconds, then you might want to consider the following tips:

1.  Deactivate Internet Explorer’s SmartScreen/Phishing Filter. 

While this IE 8 feature is commendable, it also brings down browsing speed. SmartScreen Filter provides protection from phishing sites. It checks each and every Website that you visit and analyzes them for any suspicious features or activities. This gumshoe task is done in the background, so you won’t see IE 8 snooping around on the pages that you’re viewing. However, you’ll definitely notice that it’s busy with something as page or site-flipping becomes slower.

IE 8’s SmartScreen Filter may be a handy booby trap finder, but it can be a drag especially if you know that the Websites you’re visiting are landmine-free. If you’re sure that the pages you’re flipping on are clean and legit, then you might want to deactivate this phishing filter. You can do this by clicking on Tools * SmartScreen Filter, then select Turn Off SmartScreen Filter.

2.  Disable or Deactivate Plugins

Plugins add color and flavor to Firefox and IE. They can make your browsing experience very pleasant. However, installing too many plugins may put extra stress or pressure on your browser’s engine. Extra features mean extra tasks, so don’t go on blaming bugs and viruses for your browser’s laggard performance if ten or more plugins are saddled on its back.

Plugin malfunction is also a common occurrence. Fixing them can be tricky, especially if that particular add-on isn’t very well supported. Your best or only option in this situation is to disable the plugin. You can do this in Firefox by choosing Tools * Add-ons, then Disable. To open Internet Explorer without the extras, choose Start * All Programs * Accessories * Internet Explorer (No Add-ons).

3.  Check for Updates

Some browser issues are caused by faulty design. The makers of IE and Firefox try to make up for their shortcomings by releasing occasional patches and updates. Finding and installing patches on Internet Explorer is already unnecessary as updates are done automatically. However, you may have to do this task manually in Firefox. Scouring for updates is easy, though. Just click on Help * Check for Updates.

Internet Explorer remains the most commonly installed form of web browser. However, other browsers, such as Mozilla Firefox, are becoming increasingly popular.

If you have changed to another browser, you may want to delete internet explorer from your computer. You may also wish to do this because there are reported conflicts, such as when both Internet Explorer and Firefox are installed together, and you are having problems. Alternatively, you may have installed a later version of Internet Explorer that is giving errors and want to roll back to the earlier version.

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An official from Microsoft has recently revealed that support for Vista could be halted by April 2012. Richard Francis, general manager and Windows Client Business Group lead at Microsoft Asia-Pacific said that the company isn’t sure if it would still make the OS available in the market once Windows 7 is released.

The Vista end-date comes as a surprise to many since XP’s availability and support is expected to continue until April 2014. However, experts aren’t that astonished by the news, highlighting the fact that XP is still being actively used by many PC users. Some even surmise that XP users equal or even outnumber those who are using Vista.

The disclosure may have been prompted by Windows 7’s impending release. Redmond and a number of analysts are already discouraging users from buying Vista. A trial version (Release Candidate) of Windows 7 is even already available for download. The new OS is expected to be released as early as October or as soon as the pricing details have already been ironed out.

The withdrawal of support for Vista condemns the OS to certain death. Vista’s endless bouts with compatibility and security problems makes it very dependent on the patches and service packs that its maker occasionally releases. Without the updates, using Vista could be perilous.

Numerous patches have already been issued for Vista. Just yesterday, Microsoft Windows Vista Service Pack 2. SP2 addresses certain flaws, such as slow shutdowns and sudden crashes. Almost 700 problems are covered by the new service pack.

Vista’s lifespan may be too short for those who already have it. But for those who stuck with XP and waited for a better OS to come, the wait has been long but definitely worthwhile. Don’t expect Microsoft to considerably extend Vista’s expiry date. Once Windows 7 is released, Redmond will already be too busy defending its new OS from bugs and attacks. Vista updates may just come in trickles by then.

Windows was launched in January 2007 with the usual fanfare of trumpets that we expect from Microsoft. It was billed as the next big thing in operating systems, with its revamped interface, unique Aero desktop, improved security and lots of new features. In truth, it has not lived up to Microsoft’s expectations in terms of sales and general acceptance. Many people, in fact, hate it with a passion and have clung on to its predecessor, Windows XP, despite Microsoft’s best efforts to persuade them to change.

There are many reasons put forward as to why Vista users might want to downgrade to XP or why non-users should avoid it. Some of these reasons have more truth in them than others but there is, without doubt, a good case to persuade people to install XP instead of Vista.

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Symantec develops and supplies a range of security products, many under the Norton brand name. Generally, these work well but some people remove Norton because it causes problems, sometimes being a little overly security conscious by preventing valid routines from working.

Norton anti-virus and other products have gained additional features over the years and there is sometimes a perception that their activities cause the PC to run slower. This may be true but could also be due to a whole host of other factors.

You may want to delete Norton because you have a trial version that has timed out and is no longer usable. You may, of course, be switching to another product or could uninstall Norton and then reinstall it to resolve a problem.

Whatever, you do, don’t remove Norton and leave your PC unprotected. Ensure you have an alternative security application installed and active before accessing the internet, opening emails and downloading or copying files. Read the rest of this entry »

Is your office cubicle rivaling the restroom as the most frequented area in your workplace? If it is, then I bet my last penny that your PC is the very thing that draws them to that little piece of real estate that you have in the building.

There’s an unwritten rule in the office that you have to open up your PC to others that need one, especially if those persons outrank you in the corporate hierarchy even by just a hairline. Needless to say, your constitutional right to privacy isz virtually suspended when you’re at work.

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Internet Explorer 8 is currently the latest form of Microsoft’s browser and is available as a beta test version. It follows on from version 7, which introduced tabbed browsing in response to growing competition from Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and others. Version 8 has further improvements including a redesigned interface, RSS feeds and a search box.

How to Install Internet Explorer 8

Before installing Internet Explorer 8, you will need to determine if it is still a beta test version. If it is, then it isn’t in its final release form and so there may be some instabilities and possible conflicts. However, it has reached beta 2 and so most of these problems should be resolved by now.

You also need to be sure that your system can support Internet Explorer 8. In general, it can only be installed on later versions of Windows – Vista, XP and Server 2003 and 2008. These should also have the latest service packs installed, which need to be final versions.

You should also look at the release notes for Internet Explorer 8 because there may be issues that you need to know about. These may have workarounds that you can use if they occur during or after installation.

If you decide to go ahead, download Internet Explorer 8 from the Microsoft website. You will need to choose the version of Windows to which you are installing and can only install if you have a genuine version of the operating system.

Follow the instructions to download and install Internet Explorer 8. If the installation fails, possibly due to the version of Windows, a message will tell you why it was unsuccessful and an installation troubleshooting guide is available from the Microsoft knowledgebase. Otherwise, the installation will complete and you can restart your computer and open Internet Explorer 8.

How to Uninstall Internet Explorer 8

Having installed the new version of the browser, you may want to delete Internet Explorer 8, either because it is causing you problems or since you plan to use a different browser altogether. However, Internet Explorer is now considered an integral part of Windows and cannot be removed entirely — at the best, you will roll back to a previous version when you delete Internet Explorer 8. Furthermore, if you are running Windows Vista, Internet Explorer is considered an ‘update’ rather than a program and so does not appear on the list of programs.

To uninstall Internet Explorer 8 from Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, select Add or Remove Programs at the Control Panel, choose Internet Explorer 8 at the list of programs and click Remove. For Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, select Programs and Features at the Control Panel, then click the View Installed Updates link. Choose Internet Explorer 8 at the link and click UnInstall this update to delete Internet Explorer 8. In either case, you will revert to the previous browser version.

The reason you can’t get rid of Internet Explorer altogether is that parts of it are used by the operating system and so removing it will cause problems.