Tech Updates: Microsoft Security updates

        Microsoft issued two security bulletins on 11 Jan, 2011 repairing two critical flaws that affect all versions of Windows. The software giant also updated a security advisory, issuing a temporary automated workaround that if deployed, would block attackers from exploiting an Internet Explorer zero-day vulnerability.

SOLID STATE DRIVE

SOLID STATE DRIVE

A solid-state drive (SSD) is a data storage device that uses the Solid-State Memory to store data. SSDs are different from the traditional Hard Disk Drives (HDD), which are basically electromechanical devices containing spinning disks which revolve over a spindle and movable read/write heads.

HOW TO GET UPDATES FOR ALL MICROSOFT PROGRAMS AND DRIVERS ALONG WITH WINDOWS UPDATES

Windows Update is a service provided by Microsoft that provides updates for the Microsoft Windows operating system and its installed components, including Internet Explorer.

Along with the version of Windows that you are using and the internet explorer, you can also receive updates for other Microsoft products installed on the computer through Windows updates.

For instance, if you are using Microsoft Office or Microsoft Money software, you can get updates for those software using Windows Updates.

Here’s how:

Open Windows Update from the “Start Search” option

In the Windows Update screen that appears, look for the option “Find Out More”

Internet Explorer would open up with a title “Install updates, Office and More”

Agree to the Terms and Conditions by making a check mark and then clicking on “Install”

The next time, you use Windows Update; you would get the updates for all the Microsoft programs installed on the computer.

HOW TO REDUCE SYSTEM RESTORE SPACE TO GAIN MORE FREE SPACE ON DISK

HOW TO REDUCE SYSTEM RESTORE SPACE TO GAIN MORE FREE SPACE ON DISK

System Restore is a component of Microsoft's Windows Me and the later editions like Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7 operating systems that allows rolling back of hardware drivers, system files, registry keys, installed programs, etc., to a previous state in the event of system crash or malfunction.

For instance, if the computer does not work normal after you installed a program, you can do a system restore to a date before the installation of that program. That would remove the program and also get your computer to a state when it was working fine. 

System Restore takes a snapshot of the system files, drivers and settings each time a restore point is created. When too many system restore points are created that occupies a considerably huge disk space.

You can remove the older restore points to free that disk space or just restrict the space used. To do that:

1.      Right Click on “My Computer”

2.      Go to “Properties”

3.      In the Window that appears, Click on “System Restore”

You would see the drives on the computer as “C:\” , “D:\” etc.

4.      Highlight the drive where you would like to free up the disk space and then click on “Settings”

5.      In that window, under the disk space usage, use the scroll bar to reduce the disk space allocated for “System Restore”

6.      The default size is 12% of the disk space. You can increase or decrease it as needed

The computer has to be restarted for the changes to take effect.

INTERNET EXPLORER AS A TAB IN FIREFOX

HOW TO OPEN INTERNET EXPLORER AS A TAB IN MOZILLA FIREFOX

                                                                                                                                                                            

Many users find it easy to browse the internet with Mozilla Firefox because it is faster and it is more customizable. But still there are some websites that work good only with Internet Explorer and not Firefox. And some Microsoft Websites open only in Internet Explorer like the Windows updates                                            

Have you ever wondered if there is a way to open Internet Explorer within Firefox?                                        

There is an Add-On available in the Firefox website that will help you open Internet Explorer within Mozilla Firefox as a tab. You can find the Add-On in the Mozilla website with the name IE Tab here                            

Just download and install this Add-On from the Mozilla Firefox Add-On website and whenever you right click on some icon you will get an option “View this Link in IE Tab”                                                                         

When you click on it, that particular page will open with Internet Explorer as a tab inside Firefox browser                 

This article applies to Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7

RIP DVDs WITH VLC MEDIA PLAYER

HOW TO RIP DVDs WITH VLC MEDIA PLAYER

VLC Media Player Users would know that VLC is one of the best multimedia players for it can play almost any video type.

To add credits to VLC Player, there are other features that make it more likeable.

One such feature is the DVD Rip feature which works fine with Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7

How To Create a DVD Rip:

Place the Video DVD that you want to rip in the DVDdrive

Open VLC Media Player. Click on Media

Click Convert/Save

In the “Open Media” window that is open, click on the Tab with the name “Disc”

Make sure that DVD is selected and choose the “Disc Device” which is your DVD drive and then click on “Convert/Save”

In the next window that opens up, under “Destination”, click on “Browse” and name the file with the desired list of extensions you see under file types and click on “Save”

In the next window, click on “Start”

Now the Video plays and the DVD Ripping happens simultaneously. Do not pause or stop the video until the entire video is complete.

Once the Video ends, close the VLC Media Player and check if the output file plays fine, which sure will!!

Setup A Video Wallpaper Using VLC Media Player

How To Setup A Video Wallpaper Using VLC Media Player

Most of you might have been wondering how to set up a video or animated wallpaper for your desktop. With the Dreamscene feature removed from Windows 7, there is still a way to set video wallpapers.

You can use the same procedure to set a video wallpaper on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Winodws 7

To have a Video wallpaper, you need to have the VLC Media Player. If you don’t have VLC Media Player, click here to download.

TO SET VIDEO WALLPAPER:

Open the video that you would like to set as wallpaper using the VLC Media Player.

Click on “Tools” and Go to “Preferences”

Click on “Video” on the left pane and under “Output” Select “Directx Video Output” and then click on “Save”

Now right click on the video that is playing and click on “Video” and then “Directx Wallpaper”

Now you can close or minimize the video player.

Bingo!! You have your Video Wallpaper!!

HOW TO CONFIGURE WINDOWS MEDIA CENTER TO OPEN A LIBRARY WHEN LAUNCHED

HOW TO CONFIGURE WINDOWS MEDIA CENTER 

TO OPEN MEDIA LIBRARY WHEN LAUNCHED

Windows Media Center is a digital video recorder and media player developed by Microsoft. It is an application that allows users to view and record live television, as well as organizes and plays music and videos. The application is included in various versions of Windows XP Media Center Edition, Windows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate and all editions of Windows 7 except for Starter and Home Basic editions.

When Windows Media Center opens up it opens with a default animation page and then the user must manually select the music, video or the live TV option etc.

 

There are ways that allow the user to open the Windows Media Center directly with a library

Here’s how to do that

Right click on the Windows Media Center icon on the desktop

Go to “Properties”

In the target you would find the value “ %windir%\ehome\ehshell.exe ”

Leave a space after %windir%\ehome\ehshell.exe ” and type in the value

/homepage:MusicBrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True and then click on "Apply"  and then "OK"

Note: This would open up Music Library by default when you open the Windows Media Center

If you would want to open Pictures Library by default, change the value to /homepage:PhotosBrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True

If you would want to open Videos Library by default, change the value to /homepage:VideosBrowsePage.xml /PushStartPage:True

"Labels" in Gmail

What makes Gmail's labels better than folders is that you can "put" any message in any number of folders. An email can belong to the "most urgent" messages as well as to a particular project at work, for example. It can carry the "needs follow-up" and "family" labels at the same time, and you will find it under both labels.

Gmail does not let you put messages in custom folders. What looks like a limitation is an advantage, however. Gmail has a flexible alternative to folders: labels. Each label operates like a folder. You can "open" the label and see all the messages "in" it. So far, so good.

Creating labels in Gmail

* Select Settings from the top Gmail navigation bar.

* Go to Labels.

* Type the desired name for the label under Create a new label:

* Click Create.

HOW TO DISABLE AERO PEEK FEATURE IN WINDOWS 7

HOW TO DISABLE AERO PEEK FEATURE IN WINDOWS 7

Aero Peek feature is a feature of Windows 7 that helps the computer user to have a quick peek on the applications and gadgets on the desktop or have a peek at the applications in the taskbar.

This article is meant only for Windows 7 and is not applicable to Windows XP.

For instance, if you are working on some application while a download is happening on the other window, you can just move the mouse pointer on that application for a second and you will see the download status. While you are done, just slide the mouse away and you will get back to the window you were working on.

Some of you might not like this feature because when the mouse moves accidentally, it changes the screen.

To disable Aero Peek:

1. Right click on “Computer”

2. Go to “Properties”

3. On the Left Pane click on “Advanced System Settings”

4. Click on “Settings” under “Performance”

5. In the Window that appears look for “Enable Aero Peek” and uncheck the Check Box. And then click on “Apply” and then “OK”

The feature can be enabled again by making a check mark again.