Free support for Windows Vista service pack issues

"Support for Windows Vista with Service Pack 1 will end on July 11, 2011. To continue receiving security updates for Windows, upgrade to Windows 7 or update Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 (SP2)."

Free support is also available from the Microsoft Answers community where you can search for answers or ask other users specific questions. Click the following link to visit the Microsoft Answers Forums: http://social.answers.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/vistawu/threads

Our continuing mission with Support 4 Vista is to create a constant flow of good, useful Windows Vista support information. We're working hard to keep you informed of the latest changes and fixes in the Vista operating system. Our growing database of searchable Vista support material makes this site a valuable bookmark for future reference.

Typically, when you visit you can expect to find the following Vista support information:

• Our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section has many of the current solutions to reported problems found in this new Windows release.

• There are many of you that have a burning desire to tweak the operating system to their liking, so we've added a Vista Tips, Tricks and Tweaks section to satisfy those creative juices.

• More indepth and relevant articles from outside sources are made available here at Support 4Vista's Articles section.

• Our Vista Tutorials section has many of the common Windows Vista tasks in focus.

• Try these Free Help Forums. There are many friendly Moderators on staff to assist you.

• Get your daily security fix here at Support4Vista's Security Center.
  

How to maintain a Fast and Stable Computer through Optimization

Many people forget to optimize their computer and then they experience problems such as: slow start-up, crashes, errors, blue screens of death etc. until their computers become a complete pain to use.

If you are regularly experiencing any of the above mentioned problems it means your computer also definitely needs some optimization.

But let's first look at why computer optimization is so important. I will try to explain this is very common language so even the readers without much IT knowledge can understand.

Your operating system, Windows contains a large database called the registry. This database contains all the necessary information so Windows knows where all the system files, user files, settings etc. are located. The problem is Windows does not automatically optimize this database. Every time you turn on your computer new information is added to the registry, but it is barely ever removed. Therefore the longer you use your PC the more full the registry becomes. And even if a program or file is uninstalled or modified lots of information is left over in the registry. This left over unnecessary information is called corrupt or invalid registry keys.

And these invalid and corrupt registry keys are the ones responsible for the mentioned problems your computer is experiencing. The old invalid keys "confuse" your computer resulting in errors and slow-downs.

This means it is absolutely essential to keep your registry optimized. But how? Well it is easier than you probably think.

For this purpose special programs called Registry Cleaners or Registry Optimizers are developed. They are programmed to scan the registry in your computer and to delete/fix/modify all the corrupt and invalid registry keys that formed in your registry over the time. These programs are programmed so everyone can use them, all you have to do is press one button and the program does everything automatically.

There are thousands of Registry cleaners on the market and some are complete scams which harm your computer more than they help. Therefore don't purchase the first Registry Cleaner you find! They all promise the same but only few of them actually live up to their promises.

It is very important that you read a trustworthy review before purchasing any Registry Cleaner.

How to Adjust Registry Files XP Pro Internet Speed

While Windows XP Pro does a good job of approximating the appropriate values to keep your internet speed optimized, there is always room for improvement based on the particulars of your internet setup. Through the use of a free downloadable internet optimization wizard, you can easily tweak the registry of Windows to improve your overall Internet speed and reliability. The process should take no longer than 10 to 20 minutes.

• Download and install an internet optimization program such as TweakMaster or the TCP Optimizer. These are programs which can automatically test and tweak the registry of your Windows XP Pro setup to improve performance.
• Open TweakMaster. From the main screen you should see a number of different options. Select the option for the "Connection Optimization Wizard."
• Input the type of Internet connection that you are using, whether it is a modem, DSL, cable or another type of high speed internet.
• Enter in the remaining required information, including your overall connection speed and your network setup to complete the process. TweakMaster will then test your internet connection and change your registry, optimizing your settings according to the results.

Source: ehow.com

How to Optimize Performance for Disk Drives?

Follow the given Instructions to learn how to improve performance of your hard disk and removable disks.

• Right-click My Computer.
• Click Properties.
• Click the Performance tab.
• Click File System.
• Click the Hard Disk tab.
• Drag the "Read-ahead optimization" slider all the way to the right.
• Click the CD-ROM tab.
• Drag the "Supplemental cache size" slider all the way to the right.
• Click the down arrow to the right of "Optimize access pattern," and select "Quad-speed or higher."
• Click the Removable Disk tab.
• Click to check the box to the left of "Enable write-behind caching on all removable disk drives" if it isn't already checked.
• Click OK.
• Click Close.

Source: ehow.com

For More Details: PC Optimization

How to Remove AV Security Suite from your Computer?

If you are experiencing a perceptible dip in the performance of your PC, and your Internet connection has suddenly become spotty, you may have malware on your PC. Have you recently installed AV Security Suite? If so, then you definitely have one virus, as this supposed antimalware software is actually a virus in disguise. Because it is a virus, is does do real harm, and because it's a virus, it can be quite difficult to remove AV Security Suite. While the option to uninstall AV Security Suite will actually appear in the change/remove programs portion of your control panel, it won't do you any good.

What is so scary about this type of virus is that there are so many of them out there. In this case AV Security Suite removal has proven particularly difficult. It writes itself into several directories of your computer and spreads fast. The virus' main purpose is to steal your private information so that it can be sold. It slows down your PC and your internet connection in the process.

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, really does apply in this case. If you don't want to have to delete AV Security Suite, then don't get infected by it. To prevent infection you should avoid these things:

* Browsing new and obscure websites- Many websites are set up specifically to hijack your browser.
* Opening email with strange, generic subjects - these are often from people you actually know, if the message is not explicitly personal, you may want to ask your contact about it through other means before opening it.
* Avoid using P2P software- The files you download using such software come from a "swarm" this means that your PC is open to several users who may not all have virus protection.

If you have been infected, there are two ways to remove AV Security Suite; you can do it manually, by deleting all the files the virus has copied onto your system. There will be virus associated files with.exe,.bat,.dll, and.lnk extensions. You need to delete all of the ones related to the virus, but you mustn't delete any other file of this type or you could render your PC unbootable. Next you need to do a registry hack, you need to seek traces of the virus out in the folders HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE and HKEY_CURRENT_USER. Again though, care must be taken not to delete anything but the virus related files.

Not too many people opt for manual removal as it is complicated and risky. The safer, easier and more effective method to get rid of AV Security Suite is with a reputable virus remover. This will not only thoroughly scan your computer and eliminate the virus, it will also provide sustained protection.

Tired of viruses infecting your computer? Want to surf the web with the peace of mind that your computer is safe and secure? Get your free scan from the top virus protection and remove AV Security Suite.

Basic Troubleshooting For Computers

Troubleshooting is a basic input to the information technology field. At one point or another you’ll be asked to resolve a computer problem that does not have a clear-cut source/cause/resolution. They key to successful and quick troubleshooting is following the following process:

1. Dont’t assume you understand the Microsoft windows upgrade problem based on the users description. However document and attempt to understand what they are saying:
1. Document the symptom(s)
2. Document when did it first occur, has it occured before, who does it affect, what is all affected, what have you already tried to resolve it, can you make it occur again?
2. Watch the user make the problem happen (this will help you reproduce the problem to test your resolution, it also provides the opportunity to observe operator error)
3. From a reboot state, you try to reproduce the problem
4. Collect auxillary data from the system:
1. Application error messages, error logs, window event viewer, etc.
2. Check for application/vendor logs, as well as hidden logs
3. Evaluate other external sources which may be interfeering
5. Attempt to determine the cause of the problem.
6. Document newly discovered, relevant information, including source and symptoms
7. Consult resources – technet, web, other staff, vendor resources
8. Plan to isolate problem using the half-way method
9. Make one change at a time. Be sure to reboot systems as necessary. Many appliciations do not appear to need this step, but many times in troubleshooting this will help.
10. Determine a reasonable amount of time an issue should be resolved in, and then escalate as necessary

The last step is perhaps the most critical step, and while all are very important, failure to realize when you’re in over your head is essential. And while the inner “geek” in most IT people push them to figure it out on their own, many times the right choice is to escalate the issue. This may be escalating to a higher skilled technician, contacting the vendors fee-based technical support, or contacting a third party IT firm. Of course, it would be in your best interet to try and glean as much information from the next person in line and advance your own skills.

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iYogi Acquires Clean Machine Inc.

Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine appointed as President Global Channel Sales at iYogi

New York, NY, May 11th, 2009 : iYogi, a global direct to consumer and small business remote technical support provider, today announced it’s acquisition of Clean Machine Inc, a provider of remotely administered PC security and performance management services. Clean Machine will operate as a separate brand under the iYogi services umbrella along with the recently lunched Support Dock (www.supportdock.com) and its comprehensive range of 24/7 technical support services for computers, printers, MP3 players, digital camera, routers, servers and more than 100 software applications. Larry Gordon, Founder of Clean Machine is appointed as the President of Global Channel Sales for iYogi. iYogi will integrate technology and innovation that Clean Machine Inc. has developed for delivering an enhanced service experience by proactively managing the health and security for PC's and Apple Computers. This acquisition also broadens iYogi's access to key markets through Clean Machine's existing partnerships. Larry Gordon's past experience and successful track record will accelerate iYogi's expansion through his focus on global alliances. Commenting on the acquisition of Clean Machine Inc., Uday Challu, CEO & Co-founder of iYogi, said, "This acquisition will help iYogi to enhance our customer experience and extend our market reach to the millions of consumers that are challenged by the increasingly complex technology environment. Clean Machine's proactive maintenance and management of PCs in home and small business environment will be our launch platform for building the next generation of managed services for consumers." "We are delighted to have Larry spearheading partnerships and global alliances for iYogi. His incredible experience in marketing, sales and building global alliances will help forge partnerships with retailers, multiple service operators, software publishers, original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and other such companies that are at the frontlines for managing tech support issues for consumers and small businesses", added Challu. With more than 20 years of experience, Larry Gordon has played a variety of strategic roles in marketing, sales and building alliances. Larry was the Executive Vice President at Capgemini and Kanbay. He was also VP of Global Marketing for Cognizant (Nasdaq: CTSH), a leader in global IT services and Director of Marketing for New York based Information Builders. "I am excited to join a company that shares a common mission to Clean Machine in creating a global brand for delivering the best technical support to consumers and small businesses. We also share a common approach of utilizing highly skilled talent with leading edge tools, thereby delivering services at incredible price-points, with high margins for our partners", said Larry Gordon, the newly appointed President of Global Channel Sales at iYogi. ABOUT IYOGI Headquartered in Gurgaon, India with offices in New York, USA, iYogi provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. IYogi's 24/7 phone and remote technical assistance, spans across a comprehensive range of technologies we use every day from a wide range of vendors. Utilizing its proprietary technology iMantra , and highly qualified technicians, iYogi delivers amongst the highest benchmarks for resolution and customer satisfaction. iYogi is privately held and funded by SAP Ventures, Canaan Partners, and SVB India Capital Partners. iYogi was recently awarded the Red Herring Global 100 Award, recognizing it as one of the 100 most innovative private companies driving the future of technology. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.co.uk. ABOUT CLEAN MACHINE Clean Machine Inc. is a NJ-based and incorporated company that helps consumers and small business owners easily manage and protect their computing environments safely and cost effectively. The company is has a unique, powerful and inexpensive PC concierge service. Specifically, each customer is assigned a highly-trained tech concierge who remotely examines their computer system on a scheduled and very secure basis. The PC concierge will immediately fix software-based problems and prevent new threats to the customer's computing environment including offensive pop-ups, browser redirects and slow performance, and then provides a detailed report. Clean Machine's proprietary Radar(TM) technology (Remote Access Detection Audit and Repair) allows its expert technicians to remotely resolve any problems, eliminating the need for customers to go through the frustrating process of speaking with a tech support expert, and still having to do the work themselves. In other words, the Clean Machine PC concierges do it all. For more information on Clean Machine please visit www.pccleanmachine.com. CONTACT: iYogi Contact Vishal Dhar President Marketing iYogi Inc. Phone: 212 229 0901 Email: vishal@iyogi.net

The Press Release is available at its source: iYogi acquires Clean Machine Inc.

How to identify and troubleshoot Graphic Card problems

The graphic card is one of the most vital pieces of hardware in your PC. Without it, your super monitor with all the bells and whistles is just a junk box.

Make Directional Input
Most video cards come with simple frame capture programs, but you'll have to do some programming if you plan to join together video capture with other operations on your computer, such as adding text data as an overlay or changing video-in channels on the fly. In this case you'll need good programming libraries in a language with which you are familiar for the video card. Some companies include libraries with their cards, but most charge extra. Most often libraries, when available, are for C or BASIC, and sometimes Pascal.

Choose Between 24 bit and 32 bit
For True Color mode, some graphic cards offer 24 bit while some offer 32 bit. Which is the best? When True Colour mode was first suggested, it utilizes 32 bit which was very pleasing to the eye, they realize that 24 (with less coolers) won't look much different since the human eye can only take about a certain amount of colors. On the other hand, 24 bit will run faster compared to 32 bit because it uses less colors. So if your card utilizes 24 bit, don't worry, it isn't bad.

Always Use The Latest Drivers
Yes, it is important to make sure you always have the latest drivers. The latest drivers will offer you better performance, more utilities and more compatibility (usually for DirectX or Direct3D). Take the effort to check you card manufacturer's site to look for the latest driver updates.

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