Use the Homegroup Feature in Windows 7 to Share Printers and Files

 

The new HomeGroup feature makes sharing files and printers between Windows 7 machines very easy.  Today we will take a closer look at this new feature to show how easy the sharing process is.

Setting up your HomeGroup

There are several ways to access the HomeGroup feature, go to Control Panel and click on“Choose homegroup and sharing options” or just type “homegroup” without quotes into the start menu search bar.

Next click on the Create a homegroup button.

In the Create a HomeGroup screen select what you want to share with the other machines.

After the group is created you will get a password to access it from the other computers.

After you get the Password you’re brought back to the HomeGroup screen where you can make additional changes if you want.

Connecting to your HomeGroup

On the other Windows 7 computer(s) go into the HomeGroup feature and click to join the group you just created.

Enter in the password that was created for the HomeGroup.

When the password is accepted the connection will take place and you’re finished.

If you don’t want to use a password at all go into the Network and Sharing Center under advanced options and turn off password protected sharing.

Another thing you might want to do is create a shortcut to the HomeGroup.  I just go into Network and copy the icon to my desktop by Right-Clicking and dragging it.  A more direct approach is to create shortcuts directly to the shared public folders but of course it’s completely up to you.

To share a printer make sure to select Printers when creating the group and when you go into Devices and Printers on the Start menu you should see it and can set it as the default if you wish.

This should help get you started sharing files and printers between you’re Windows 7 machines on your home network.

Microsoft office 365 – Office in the cloud

PRODUCTIVITY

Say hello to the next generation of cloud power services. You now have the power to enable your people to work from virtually anywhere, anytime, and on any device with simple, familiar collaboration and communication solutions – all backed by the proven security and guaranteed reliability you expect from Microsoft. Office 365 is the evolution of Microsoft Online Services, which has more than 40 million users in businesses worldwide.

Office 365 is the evolution of Microsoft Online Services, which has more than 40 million users in businesses worldwide. Learn more about how Microsoft Office 365 would work for you.

Cloud powers

Productivity and Collaboration

Office 365 helps connect people in new ways. Users get all the productivity benefits of Microsoft Office along with the power of cloud services. Work together in real time, both inside and outside your organisation. See other users’ availability and make it easier to stay connected and take advantage of social networking capabilities to tap into the knowledge base of your organisation.*

Access Anywhere

With Office 365 your people can more securely reach the information they need – including email, documents, contacts, and calendars – in the office or on the go. That means having a virtual office, virtually anywhere.

PC, Phone, Browser

Office 365 is designed to work with the software, devices, phones, and browsers already in your arsenal. This gives your workers the power to access information and stay productive across all means of access while maintaining security and still keeping your existing business applications.

Works with what you know

With Office 365 there is no need for you or your staff to learn new software and different tools. It’s the same Microsoft Outlook and Microsoft Office applications you use every day – now powered by and working seamlessly with Microsoft cloud services.*

*Requires subscription to Office 365 for Enterprises.

Cloud concerns

Security & Reliability

We know security is top of mind when it comes to cloud computing. That’s why Office 365 was built from the ground up for reliability, availability, and performance. Our proven service is powered by the same Microsoft email and business collaboration products that businesses have been using for decades.

– Financially-backed, guaranteed 99.9% uptime Service Level Agreement (SLA)

– Always-up-to-date antivirus and anti-spam solutions to protect email

– Safeguarded data with geo-redundant, enterprise-grade reliability and disaster recovery with multiple datacenters and automatic failovers

– Best-of-breed data centers with SAS 70 and ISO 27001 certification

IT Control & Efficiency

You need to get the most from your technology. You also need to ensure the right level of technology is available to all your staff along with the ability to adjust to meet cyclical demands. Office 365 delivers interoperable cloud services to fit your organisation’s unique needs. You have the latest updates to Office Professional Plus, Exchange Online, SharePoint Online, and Lync Online, so you deliver the latest productivity tools to your staff without having to buy new hardware and software or pay for maintenance and configurations.

– 24/7 IT-level phone support when you need it*
– Migration tools that help you get your users up and running fast and easy
– No more server patching, updating, or upgrading – Office 365 takes care of it
– Variable pricing options for accurate forecasting of IT expenditures and predictable annual costs

*Requires subscription to Office 365 for Enterprises.

Microsoft advantage

Microsoft knows business productivity. For over 20 years, we’ve been providing customers with solutions that simplify the way people communicate, share expertise, gain business insight and find information. We help make sure your people get the best productivity experience across the PC, phone, and browser for the way they work today—and the way they’ll work in the future.

Here’s how we’re different. Microsoft delivers a holistic business productivity approach to meet your ever-changing business demands. Our infrastructure gives the choice and control you need to respond to evolving business needs. You can choose from on-premise, online services, or hybrid solutions. And, because our solutions are built to work together—not as an isolated set of applications—they’ll help you make the most of your assets and eliminate costly redundancies.

To learn more, go to http://www.microsoft.com/whymicrosoft

Get Far More Satisfied with A Faster Windows OS

Old PCs with earlier Windows programs are probably slower. Yet, this does not mean that you should go on and check the new personal computer models in town.

Although not all people would agree, old personal computer programs are less complicated and very easy to utilize. Their conveniences lie in their own simplicity. Its ordinary for old PCs to be a little bit slow. But hey, if your personal computer is taking more than 15 minutes to boot up and 10 minutes loading basic applications then something is wrong with your PC. Try doing the following speed up Windows tips:

Remove worthless applications

Your personal computer might still be holding programs that havent been used for years. Scan the programs listed in the add/remove programs menu in the control panel. Remove the applications you have not used for some time. This will make your PC faster.

Update drivers

Hardware drivers eat up minor space but they have a say on the speed of your Windows accessories. Many improvement have been done on hardware over time. Surf Internet and find new information about them. This tip always speed up Windows 2000 and ME.

Get rid of starting Windows message

Windows 95 and 98 has this specific starting windows message that delays personal computer booting. Remove feature to speed up Windows 98. Access to C:\ and look for Msdos.sys, right click on it and unmark the read-only option. Access the file in Notepad, access over to text Options in the file. Add: Add BootDelay-0. You may {choose to make your booting|want to change your PC booting speedier by setting add Logo=0 to take away the Windows logo during start-up.

Optimise start menu

Speed up Windows by having quick access to your start menu. Select on Start and select Run. Type Regedit in the bar and hit Enter. Access the Registry editor folder named HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop. If you see a MenuShowDelay, double click it and modify the value of data field to 0. This sets your Start program access without any delay.

Do not Turn On active desktop

For Windows 98, select the Display Properties settings and access Web tab. Deselect the option for View my Active Desktop as a Web Page. This very simple tip will have your Windows 98 speeding up in no time. computer bugs

Top 10 Free Software To Install On Your New Windows PC

A new Windows computer needs good software if the user wants to make the most out of his machine. Windows 7 does come bundled with useful tools, but that isn’t enough. The millions of consumer software vendors around the world would have gone out of business if that were the case.
This post will talk about top 10 free software that one must install on his new Windows computer. I’ve tried to limit the article to only those tools which, in my opinion, should be the first 10 tools one should install and use on a new PC. If you have other opinions and suggestions for tools, which I am sure a lot of you would, I urge you to share them in the comments so that all our readers can take a look at them.
So, lets begin with the list.

1. EASEUS Partition Master
easeus partition manager

Download here

EASEUS partition manager
 is a nifty tool to create and manage disk partitions on Windows systems. Even if you created partitions during the setup process, and know how to use the disk management console to create partitions
, I’d recommend you download and keep this tool. That’s because it offers some amazing features like resize, merge or split partitions, convert FAT to NTFS, convert primary partition to logical and vice versa, and much more.
The personal edition of the tool is free. It has professional and business editions too.

2. PC Decrapifier

Download here

Most of the branded laptops and desktops come bloated with proprietary (and useless) software which you should get rid of if you want your computer to function properly in the long run. Hence the old and trusted PC Decrapifier becomes a must-install software for new Windows computer owners to weed out junk software and make space for better stuff.

Click here for guide

3. Macrium Reflect or Windows Backup and Restore

Download here

We have previously talked about the importance of creating a system image and how to create it using the built-in Windows backup and restore center (you should also create asystem repair disc). Now, this might not be available in all editions of Windows so I’d suggest a worthy, and more powerful alternative called Macrium Reflect.
Use it to create an initial system image, and for other such tasks as you start using the computer.

4. Ninite

Download here

Ninite will cover the “how to install” part when installing new stuff on your PC. This all-in-one installer lets you pick software and install them at one go. And the choices of course are very diverse.

5. Revo Uninstaller

Download here

Revo Uninstaller remains my tool of choice to clean uninstall applications and programs from my Windows PC. It’s far better than the default Add/Remove programs tool. A must-have software for sure. Check out our guide on using Revo Uninstaller to uninstall programs

6. CCleaner

Download here

You didn’t think I’d give a miss to CCleaner in this list, did you? I am yet to find a better tool to perform a routine PC maintenance and get rid of temporary files and data. The tool is as amazing as it ever was. In fact, better, as it continues to be regularly updated.

Click here for guide

7. Microsoft Security Essentials

Download here

Microsoft Security Essentials might go down in history as one of the best free software released by this tech giant. This tool has given a number of antivirus vendors, especially those who provide full-fledged free versions, a run for their money. It can protect your PC from viruses, spyware and malware.

8. Dropbox or Syncback SE
dropbox

The thing about data backup is that people tend to procrastinate on it, which ultimately ends up in a crisis situation when they have lost important data, and had no backup whatsoever. Hence an online backup tool like Dropbox
, and an offline sync and backup tool like Syncback SE is included in this list of immediate installations for a new PC. Get either, or both of them. I use both – Dropbox for online backup and Syncback to keep my data synchronized with an external hard drive.

9. Recuva

Download here

Recuva is an excellent (and free) software to recover deleted files. But why do we need it now? That’s because there’s a lot of deleting and uninstalling happening with CCleaner, Revo Uninstaller, PC Decrapifier and all. If you suddenly delete something that you shouldn’t, and then want to recover it, you would have this tool to fall back on.

10. VLC and Chrome / Firefox

Lastly, but by no means the leastly (or least, whatever), we have our usual suspects – VLC media player and Chrome and / or Firefox, which I am clubbing together in the same point. Oh, and you don’t need to install these separately because Ninite will take care of that. Just make sure that you tick their names in Ninite before you start off with the installation. And while you are at it.

If you have any free software suggestions please feel free to post a comment.

Remote Help to Choose Suitable Microsoft Windows Operating System

Which operating system is right for your computer systems? Is it Windows 7, Vista or XP? Every individual has different requirements. It is easy to choose system software that others are using. Your needs may be very different from the others. Before opting for an operating system you need to ask yourself what are your requirements. Though, it can be a difficult task for you to choose one out of many Windows versions. Windows have shown their excellence and supremacy over the years in terms of popularity. If you are not able to choose appropriate windows for your system then you can take remote help from tech support providers.

Microsoft keeps releasing new versions of its Windows and till date all have been successful in making a place for themselves in the market by grabbing a share of users Microsoft has done a great job on its Windows products. Windows have made everyday task easy and simple. It is user friendly Windows for all users. If looking for speed then you may consider older one from Microsoft. Windows XP is still widely used and is the fastest of all Windows. Most of today’s software is also compatible with XP.

Before making a choice keep the following points in mind:
• See if the new operating system is suitable to your hardware. Some of the components may not work well with Windows XP. All modern components work well with Windows 7.
• Look for the compatibility of your application software and the operating system that you want on your system. Whichever Windows you choose, you should make it sure that it is compatible enough with hardware components and software.

With new versions being released, the need for troubleshooting issues with upgrades does arise very often. Data migration issues come up at times and expert guidance is required to resolve such issues. Remote help for operating system have made it possible for PC users to avail services that can assist in installation of operating systems
 and setting up of user accounts. 
The operating systems for which the troubleshooting and installation services are available include the following product:

• Windows 7
• Microsoft Windows Vista
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows 2000

Manage the Windows settings with assistance from tech support providers:
It is easy to personalize the settings of the operating system you use with remote services. Issues with installation of windows updates can be rectified through online assistance. When computer booting takes more time than usual or the PC becomes slow, trained professionals can detect the problem for PC repair and performance optimization. They accordingly perform operations on your computers. 

Support services as available to you for the Windows Operating System include: 
• Managing the online PC security.
• Assisting in installation of antispyware and antivirus software applications.
• Handling spyware, malware and virus removal.
• Configuring firewalls to add to the security of PC.
• Providing assistance with computer health and its optimization.

Other benefits you can avail from remote support providers on Microsoft Windows:

• Latest updates on your computer’s Operating system.
• 24×7 help desk support available. 
• Qualified professionals to resolve all your issues related to the operating system.
• Quick and easy access to remote service providers.
• You can get help which is just a phone call away.
• Problems are solved at a very reasonable cost.
• Deletion of unwanted files and cookies that are just waste and consume valuable disk space.
• PC repair and its optimization.

How to backup and restore data and e-mail account settings in Outlook 2007

Creating backup of your outlook data and email account settings is as essential as creating backup of any data. This will help you in case of data loss or migrating from one system to other.

In Outlook 2007 your e-mails are saved in a Personal Folder File with a .pst extension which does not include in your normal backup operation.

Following these simple steps can help you to save and restore your e-mail, contacts, rules, task and more.

Backup your Email data Outlook 2007

1. The data is saved in a Personal Folder File (.pst) only if you are not using Microsoft Exchange account or Windows Live Mail account.
For Microsoft Exchange Account or Windows Live Mail account your backup data is saved locally on your computer instead of the e-mail server.           
There are two .pst files, one is the personal folder file which includes all of your Outlook folders, such as the Inbox, Calendar, tasks and Contacts and the other is the Archive Folder which includes archive messages of your Outlook.

2. You can easily locate the data files in outlook 2007 using the following steps.
Go to Main Menu of Outlook 2007, Click File and select Data File Management and Account setting window will pop up.
The other way is to click on Tools menu and select Account settings from the drop down menu.

3. Click on the Data Files tab. You may have a single data file or multiple data files. These are the Data Files, wherein you store your email messages, tasks, calendar, tasks and other items.  
Outlook 2007

4. Click on the Open Folder icon.Windows Explorer will be opened automatically and will take you to the location where this data file is stored. Now select the outlook.pst and archive.pst file you want to backup.

5. Now you can copy this file to any backup storage device. Make sure that your Outlook is closed before you backup these files.

Restore your Email data – Outlook 2007
Restoring is as simple as to backup your data. 
All you have to do is copy the backup PST files into the folder that you located when you backed up your work initially.

Backup/Export Account Settings – Outlook 2007

   Start > Run > type ‘regedit’
   Locate the following path in your ‘Registry Editor’
   HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows MessagingSubsystem\Profiles\Outlook
Registry Editor

Now right click on the key outlook and select option:Export and save .reg files to your desired location.
You can run the same file while restoring your outlook. This will restore your old outlook profile with all your email accounts settings and rules. You will need to enter your password as Password is not stored into .reg file.
It is difficult to locate the Personal folder files in the previous versions of Outlook; however it’s much simpler in Outlook 2007. Backing up and restoring data is easier, faster with the new Outlook 2007.

Is Internet Explorer’s Dominance Coming to an End

 

Image via Wikipedia

 

Microsoft’s shrinking share of the browser market suggests that the days of Internet Explorer’s dominance are coming to an end? …. More

Related Articles

• Internet Explorer Browser Share Falls Below 50% (wallstreetpit.com)
• Is Microsoft Internet Explorer Dead? (lockergnome.com)
• You Are Probably Not Using Internet Explorer to Read This (escapistmagazine.com)
• Browser share of Internet Explorer drops below 50% (edibleapple.com)

Microsoft Exposes a New Kind of Browser Attack.

Image via Wikipedia

Microsoft has released a warning about a new kind of browser-based attack.

The attack mimics genuine pages generated by Internet Explorer, Firefox and Chrome and fools users into installing a fake anti-virus software.

Users that visit a compromised website, are presented with a genuine looking pop-up on their web browser, with an bogus alert that their security defences have failed and they need to install the an anti-virus software to contain the virus.

More here ….

Related Articles

• Microsoft Warns Of Malware Faking Virus Alerts (informationweek.com)
• Browser security warning lookalike pushes malware (go.theregister.com)
• Best Spyware Scanner Warning ? Scan and Remove Paladin anti virus … (antiaging-faq.com)
• Spyware Programs Collect Your Personal Information | (anykeyanarchy.com)
• New malware detects browser, shows fake malware warning page (arstechnica.com)

Microsoft’s new Internet Explorer 9 interface

Image via CrunchBase

Microsoft Russia’s press site, on August 25, posted information and a photo that seem to be connected to the coming IE 9 beta. (The site has since pulled their post, but I grabbed the information and screen shot in the nick of time.)

More here at ZDNET ….

Related Articles

• Microsoft’s new Internet Explorer 9 Interface is Going to be Like This? (mwd.com)
• Minimalist Internet Explorer 9 User Interface Screenshot Leaked (tjantunen.com)
• Internet Explorer 9 makes cameo appearance on Microsoft Russia site (engadget.com)
• Internet Explorer 9 to get new, simpler look? (seattlepi.com)

Windows DLL bug hits dozens of apps

Image via Wikipedia

Microsoft confirmed earlier this week that a type of attack mechanism known as ‘DLL preloading’. Malicious code can be planted on a network server making it easier to attack vulnerable systems by fooling users into following malicious Web links or opening

malicious documents.

More Info here from CNET

Related Articles

• Microsoft Confirms Windows DLL Hijacking Vulnerabilities (informationweek.com)
• Lots Of Applications Are Affected By Windows DLL Bug (mwd.com)
• Microsoft still mum on programs prone to DLL hijacking attacks (infoworld.com)