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4 Common Ways To Password Protect Your Windows User Account

Posted on 15 November 2011. Tags: account, Common, Password, Protect, User, WAYS, Windows

class="align-right" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ChangeDefaultPassword01.png" alt="how to password protect computer" border="0" />Protecting your computer with a password should be common practice, especially if many people potentially have physical access to it. Windows provides several levels on which you can set passwords to lock your user account. This article will introduce you to all common options and hopefully one will work for you.

Before we even start with password protecting your computer, please make sure you understand how to create a strong password. Here are a few articles to help you out:

title="5 Free Password Generators For Nearly Unhackable Passwords" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-websites-to-generate-a-safe-and-strong-password/">5 Free Password Generators For Nearly Unhackable Passwords
title="How To Create A Good Password That You Will Not Forget" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/create-strong-password-forget/">How To Create A Good Password That You Will Not Forget
title="How To Create Strong Passwords That You Can Remember Easily" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-create-strong-password-that-you-can-remember-easily/">How To Create Strong Passwords That You Can Remember Easily

If you believe you have a reasonably good password, you may want to title="Put Your Passwords Through The Crack Test With These Five Password Strength Tools" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/put-passwords-crack-test-password-strength-tools/">put it through the crack test.

Set Windows User Account / Logon Password

Now I admit setting a Windows password is not very creative, but this is a method worth mentioning nevertheless. Why? Not only will this password be required when the computer is booted, you can also protect an active session in many different ways.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/ChangeDefaultPassword02.png" alt="how to password protect computer" border="0" />

To set an account password in Windows 7, go to your User Accounts via the Control Panel and ‘change’ your password. Moreover, you should make sure a password is set to title="3 Default Passwords You Must Change & Why" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-default-passwords-change/">protect your Administrator account.

Note that a Windows logon password is a very weak defense since it is rather easy to crack, as outlined in these articles:

title="3 Ways to Reset Forgotten Windows Administrator Password" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-to-reset-the-forgotten-windows-administrator-password/">3 Ways to Reset Forgotten Windows Administrator Password
title="5 Tips To Reset The Administrator Password in Windows XP" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-tips-to-help-you-reset-a-forgotten-windows-xp-password/">5 Tips To Reset The Administrator Password in Windows XP

Lock Active Session

Clicking the [Windows]+[L] keyboard shortcut will lock your active Windows session. To get back to your desktop requires the Windows password.

For a more ‘transparent’ desktop lock, check out title="ClearLock" href="http://www.swanrivercomputers.com/programs/clearlock">ClearLock, which was reviewed in title="ClearLock – A Cool Transparent Desktop Lock For Windows" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/clearlock-cool-transparent-desktop-lock-windows/">this article.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/02a-The-computer-is-locked.jpg" alt="how to password protect your computer" border="0" />

Enable Wakeup Password

Do you use Hibernate or Sleep? Enable a password on wakeup in your title="Windows 7 Power Options And Sleep Modes Explained" href="Windows 7 Power Options And Sleep Modes Explained">Power Plan’s advanced power settings.

Search and open > Power Plan from the Windows 7 start menu, then click > Change plan settings on your present Power Plan, click > Change advanced power settings in the bottom left. Expand the first item within the Power Options advanced settings and select > Yes. Click > OK and > Save changes.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CreativePassword02.png" alt="how to password protect computer" border="0" />

Enable Screen Saver Password

To set a password when returning to the desktop from the screensaver, right-click your desktop and select > Personalize. Click on > Screen Saver in the bottom right. In the Screen Saver Settings check the box next to > On resume, display login screen. Click > Apply or > OK to save changes.

class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/CreativePassword03.png" alt="screen saver password" border="0" />

Password-Free Lock Options

If you’re not keen on using passwords, but do want to lock your computer, have a look at these alternative methods:

title="Two Unique Ways To Log Into Your Windows Computer Without Typing A Password" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/unique-ways-log-windows-computer-typing-password/">Two Unique Ways To Log Into Your Windows Computer Without Typing A Password
title="Lock Your Computer with Bluetooth Proximity Lock Utility" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/lock-windows-computer-bluetooth-proximity-lock-utility/">Lock Your Computer with Bluetooth Proximity Lock Utility
title="3 Ways To Lock Your Keyboard & Mouse And Keep Your Computer Safe From Unwanted Guests [Windows]" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-ways-lock-keyboard-mouse-computer-safe-unwanted-guests-windows/">3 Ways To Lock Your Keyboard & Mouse And Keep Your Computer Safe From Unwanted Guests

Conclusion

There are many ways and places to set passwords. They will certainly keep the average user from accessing your computer and getting hold of your data. However, as mentioned above, it’s possible to hack, crack, or circumvent passwords and often this is an easy task for an experienced user. The following articles highlight this dilemma:

title="Ophcrack – A Password Hack Tool to Crack Almost Any Windows Password" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/hack-windows-passwords-with-ophcrack/">Ophcrack – A Password Hack Tool to Crack Almost Any Windows Password
title="How To View Passwords Hidden Behind Asterisk Characters" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-recover-passwords-from-asterisk-characters/">How To View Passwords Hidden Behind Asterisk Characters
title="6 Free Password Recovery Tools for Windows" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-free-password-recovery-tools-for-windows/">6 Free Password Recovery Tools for Windows

Rather than depending on a single password, be sure to secure your data in many different ways and consider to title="TrueCrypt" href="http://www.truecrypt.org/">encrypt your confidential and sensitive data.

Do you even bother settings standard Windows passwords? Do you use any alternative or creative methods of securing your computer?

Image credits: title="Password Lock" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=44569345">myVector

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4 Common YouTube Annoyances & How To Get Rid Of Them With Userscripts

Posted on 20 February 2011. Tags: Annoyances, Common, them, Userscripts, YouTube

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances.jpg" alt="youtube annoyance" width="260" height="223" />We do love YouTube and the awesome user-generated resource of cool timely videos it has grown into over time. We love its variety and flexibility: we have seen already how to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/search-youtube-pro-google-advanced-operators/">search YouTube like a PRO, how to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/comprehensive-guide-youtube-player-keyboard-shortcuts/">control the player using keyboard shortcuts and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/youtube-video-editor/">how to use YouTube Editor. There is really something for anyone there.

However you can’t please everyone all the time and there are many people who find some of YouTube’s features annoying (while loving the resource overall). Let’s try to cope with the most popular YouTube annoyances:

id="more-65431">

1. Autoplay

As well as the buffering feature which forces the video to play immediately once the page loads, and then stops the video frequently to buffer it.

2. Video quality

There is no good way to choose the default quality of a video (based on your preferences and connection settings).

3. Advertisements Embedded Within A Video

Clicking X to close an advert again and again in each video you watch is really disturbing.

4. No Way To Easily Access Some Great Built-In Features

For example, there is no way to loop videos selectively.

Here are a few userscripts that cope with all of these annoyances effectively:

YouTube HD Ultimate

href="http://userscripts.wikia.com/wiki/YouTube_HD_Ultimate">YouTube HD Ultimate is a userscript which forces YouTube to select the highest video quality a user’s computer can handle (with options to lower it if the computer has problems playing 1080px videos).

Supported Browsers

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey) and Opera.

Options

Options can be found in the upper-right-hand corner of a YouTube page:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-01.jpg" alt="youtube annoyance" width="540" height="416" />

From there (among other things) you can:

Set the default quality of each video;
Enable / disable autoplay;
Hide / show annotations.

If you hover over any option settings, you’ll see a short explanation as well as the general recommendations as to how to use each one:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-02.jpg" alt="annoying things about youtube" width="531" height="110" />

YouTube Enhancer

href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/33042">YouTube Enhancer is a feature-rich userscript similar to the above one with more cross-browser compatibility options and a different feature layout.

Supported Browsers

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey), Opera, Google Chrome (the latest version), Flock, Safari, SeaMonkey ( href="http://userscripts.org/topics/38360?page=1#posts-197377">with a patch).

The script installs its own player controls that allow to play, pause, loop, rewind, download and even convert the current video as well as set the quality:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-05.jpg" alt="Youtube Enhancer" width="540" height="268" />

The script also has global options for all YouTube videos accessed via the “General options” link on top of the video:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-06.jpg" alt="annoying things about youtube" width="540" height="319" />

YouTube Auto Buffer & Auto HD & Remove Ads

href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/49366">YouTube Auto Buffer & Auto HD & Remove Ads is a userscript whose name speaks pretty much for itself. Its main feature is removing adverts embedded into the videos. Besides that, it buffers the video without autoplaying and puts it in HD if the option is on.

Supported Browsers

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey) and Opera (with some href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/reviews/49366">reported issues with Autobuffer Options).

The script options are nicely integrated into the YouTube interface allowing you to:

Choose between autoplay / autobuffer options;
Set the default quality;
Hide in-video ads:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-03.jpg" alt="youtube annoyance" width="412" height="293" />

Note: there’s one minor annoyance with the tool which you may notice: the script allows the video to play for a second and then pauses it.

Endless YouTube

href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/38011">Endless YouTube: If you are one of those people who tend to watch or listen to one and the same music / video clip over and over again, this script is right for you. It enables you to loop the whole video or a part of it for it to play over and over until you close the tab.

Supported Browser

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey).

Just set the time interval you want to loop or click “Loop video” to play the whole clip again and again:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-04.jpg" alt="Endless Youtube" width="489" height="189" />

Are there any other YouTube annoyances you wish you could cope with? Let’s try to find the solutions together!

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/&title=4 Common YouTube Annoyances & How To Get Rid Of Them With Userscripts&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

4 Common YouTube Annoyances & How To Get Rid Of Them With Userscripts

Posted on 20 February 2011. Tags: Annoyances, Common, them, Userscripts, YouTube

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances.jpg" alt="youtube annoyance" width="260" height="223" />We do love YouTube and the awesome user-generated resource of cool timely videos it has grown into over time. We love its variety and flexibility: we have seen already how to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/search-youtube-pro-google-advanced-operators/">search YouTube like a PRO, how to href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/comprehensive-guide-youtube-player-keyboard-shortcuts/">control the player using keyboard shortcuts and href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/youtube-video-editor/">how to use YouTube Editor. There is really something for anyone there.

However you can’t please everyone all the time and there are many people who find some of YouTube’s features annoying (while loving the resource overall). Let’s try to cope with the most popular YouTube annoyances:

id="more-65431">

1. Autoplay

As well as the buffering feature which forces the video to play immediately once the page loads, and then stops the video frequently to buffer it.

2. Video quality

There is no good way to choose the default quality of a video (based on your preferences and connection settings).

3. Advertisements Embedded Within A Video

Clicking X to close an advert again and again in each video you watch is really disturbing.

4. No Way To Easily Access Some Great Built-In Features

For example, there is no way to loop videos selectively.

Here are a few userscripts that cope with all of these annoyances effectively:

YouTube HD Ultimate

href="http://userscripts.wikia.com/wiki/YouTube_HD_Ultimate">YouTube HD Ultimate is a userscript which forces YouTube to select the highest video quality a user’s computer can handle (with options to lower it if the computer has problems playing 1080px videos).

Supported Browsers

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey) and Opera.

Options

Options can be found in the upper-right-hand corner of a YouTube page:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-01.jpg" alt="youtube annoyance" width="540" height="416" />

From there (among other things) you can:

Set the default quality of each video;
Enable / disable autoplay;
Hide / show annotations.

If you hover over any option settings, you’ll see a short explanation as well as the general recommendations as to how to use each one:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-02.jpg" alt="annoying things about youtube" width="531" height="110" />

YouTube Enhancer

href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/33042">YouTube Enhancer is a feature-rich userscript similar to the above one with more cross-browser compatibility options and a different feature layout.

Supported Browsers

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey), Opera, Google Chrome (the latest version), Flock, Safari, SeaMonkey ( href="http://userscripts.org/topics/38360?page=1#posts-197377">with a patch).

The script installs its own player controls that allow to play, pause, loop, rewind, download and even convert the current video as well as set the quality:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-05.jpg" alt="Youtube Enhancer" width="540" height="268" />

The script also has global options for all YouTube videos accessed via the “General options” link on top of the video:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-06.jpg" alt="annoying things about youtube" width="540" height="319" />

YouTube Auto Buffer & Auto HD & Remove Ads

href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/49366">YouTube Auto Buffer & Auto HD & Remove Ads is a userscript whose name speaks pretty much for itself. Its main feature is removing adverts embedded into the videos. Besides that, it buffers the video without autoplaying and puts it in HD if the option is on.

Supported Browsers

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey) and Opera (with some href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/reviews/49366">reported issues with Autobuffer Options).

The script options are nicely integrated into the YouTube interface allowing you to:

Choose between autoplay / autobuffer options;
Set the default quality;
Hide in-video ads:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-03.jpg" alt="youtube annoyance" width="412" height="293" />

Note: there’s one minor annoyance with the tool which you may notice: the script allows the video to play for a second and then pauses it.

Endless YouTube

href="http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/38011">Endless YouTube: If you are one of those people who tend to watch or listen to one and the same music / video clip over and over again, this script is right for you. It enables you to loop the whole video or a part of it for it to play over and over until you close the tab.

Supported Browser

FireFox (via href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/greasemonkey/">Greasemonkey).

Just set the time interval you want to loop or click “Loop video” to play the whole clip again and again:

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/youtube-annoyances-04.jpg" alt="Endless Youtube" width="489" height="189" />

Are there any other YouTube annoyances you wish you could cope with? Let’s try to find the solutions together! />
/>Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on href="http://www.makeuseof.com/answers/">MakeUseOf Answers! />
/>

href="http://api.tweetmeme.com/share?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://api.tweetmeme.com/imagebutton.gif?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> href="http://digg.com/tools/diggthis/login?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/diggme.png"> href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/fb.jpg"> href="http://www.google.com/reader/link?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/&title=4 Common YouTube Annoyances & How To Get Rid Of Them With Userscripts&srcTitle=MakeUseOf.com"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/gbuzz-feed.png"> href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-common-youtube-annoyances-rid-userscripts/"> src="http://www.makeuseof.com/images/rss-buttons/stumble.png">

12 Most Common iPod Sync Problems & How to Fix Them

Posted on 03 February 2011. Tags: Common, iPod, Most, Problems, sync, them

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/shutterstock_52271518-300.png" alt="ipod sync problems" width="260" height="190" />Are you having iPod sync problems? Does iTunes keep giving you a weird error number that you don’t understand? Have you searched through many an iPod/iTunes forum looking for answers and yet still don’t know what’s wrong? Yeah, I’ve been there before. I know it well.

The most frustrating thing is to wade through idea after idea, gradually considering the XYZ things you might need to do just to get your iPod to sync. You think there has to be an easier way. Surely someone at iTunes had this version of iPod and used XP too? Surely they didn’t have to resort to registry hacking to fix this? Well, we can hope. In the meantime, here’s a compiled list of the most common iPod sync problems and the easiest steps you can take to work out how to fix them. Hopefully it will have you sorted out in no time.

id="more-64461">

1. Back Up Before You Try Anything

It’s advised that you do an iTunes backup and an class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1766 ">iPod/iPhone backup before you try any fixes.

2. Are You New To iPods?

If you’ve never had an iPod before, quickly check this class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/ht1351">basic user guide to make sure you know how it’s supposed to be syncing.

3. Restore & Update

iTunes encourage users to class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1481">restore and update their iPods if there are any sync problems. Often your problem can be resolved easily this way, so give it a go. Connect your iPod, open iTunes, then choose “Check for update” to ensure you have the latest version of the software.

To back up your iPod, Right-Click (or CTRL-Click) your device in iTunes when connected and choose “Back Up“.

4. Beware Of Applications Which Change Computer Appearance

Skins and other class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1539 ">appearance-changing software can have undesired consequences with iTunes, so try uninstalling them. You might find a quick fix to your problems!

5. Enable Disc Use

This might help if you’ve seen any of the following errors:

Unknown iPod Error (-50).
An unknown error occurred (-50)
The iPod cannot be synced. The required disk cannot be found.

These errors occur a lot under Windows XP and are often fixed by class="vt-p" href="http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=653201&tstart=30 ">enabling disk use on your iPod.

You need to click “enable disc use” then “apply” really quickly. Then you need to do something to make XP recognise the drive ASAP. The easiest way is to have Device Manager open and ready, then click class="vt-p" href="http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=6854405&tstart=0">“Scan For Hardware Changes” or “Add New Hardware“.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/iPod_Scan_For_Hardware_Changes.png" alt="ipod sync problems" />

6. Deselect Music Sync / Deselect Voice Memo Sync

You may be able to pinpoint the problem by class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2830 ">deselecting various sync checkboxes (eg. Voice Memo or Music Sync) before attempting a sync.

7. Try Syncing With A New Admin Account

Create a new admin account on your machine, open iTunes (which will be a new library), then attempt to class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/TS2830 "> sync your iPod with this new library. If it works, you can at least eliminate hardware conflicts and iPod failure. It is likely to be a problem with the library, a corrupt file you’re trying to transfer or a program automatically running in your normal profile.

8. Run Disc Utility / Repair Disc / Error Checking

It might be the case that your iPod needs to have the class="vt-p" href="http://www.chromewalker.com/cw_six/?p=148 ">disc repaired. Make sure the iPod is set to “enable disc use” but not to start iTunes when plugged in, then shut iTunes and eject the iPod. When you re-connect, run Disc Utility / Repair Disc on the iPod. Then try syncing in iTunes – you might have to run Repair Disc again.

Also try going to the iPod in My Computer. Right click and choose Properties > Tools > Error Checking.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Ipod_Error_Checking.png" alt="ipod sync problems" />

9. Fix Digital Signing Of Windows Drivers

This might be required if you’ve seen one of the following errors:

The iPod could not be restored. An unknown error occurred (-124 , 1418, 1429, 1430, 1436 or 1439).

It’s possible that your registry files have been corrupted in some way. So, class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1539 ">iTunes have written out the content of a batch file for you to create and run. Don’t forget to back up first! They also suggest doing a virus check afterwards just in case that was what caused your problem in the first place.

10. Verify MobileMe Settings

To class="vt-p" href="http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1672 ">verify your MobileMe settings are correct, ensure your Internet connection is working then connect for a sync. If it’s not syncing (or has finished) check that the MobileMe contacts and calendar data is correct. Also check your MobileMe email as that will let you know if your password is correctly entered. Then click on “fetch new data” and ensure push is turned “ON”.

11. Corrupt Files and Hardware Conflicts

Have you seen “sync error -69″?

Every now and then, you might find a corrupt MP3 file or photo in your collection. If that happens, iTunes will throw an error message at you, but not necessarily explain why. Check to see if you can pinpoint a particular song it’s trying to transfer. Or, try class="vt-p" href="http://forums.ilounge.com/itunes-mac-pc/12262-error-69-cant-sync-ipod.html ">deleting your photo cache. Note, this could also be caused by a hardware conflict.

12. It Might Just Be iTunes

Don’t forget that it might just be a problem with iTunes itself. Try going through these class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-top-itunes-troubleshooting-tips-tricks/">iTunes fixes to see if you can get your iTunes working properly.

More on iTunes

If you love class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tags/itunes/">iTunes, here’s some more articles for you to read:

class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/the-big-book-of-itunes/">The BIG Book of iTunes [Free PDF Download]
class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/5-itunes-tips-ipad-mac/">5 iTunes Tips For Your iPad [Mac]
class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/6-ways-to-sync-music-to-your-iphone-without-itunes/">6 Ways To Sync Music To Your iPhone Without iTunes
class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/itunes-genius-mixes-personal-music-dj/">Use iTunes Genius Mixes As Your Personal Music DJ
class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/basics-syncing-ipad-itunes-part/">The Basics Of Syncing Your iPad with iTunes
class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/effectively-remove-duplicate-tracks-itunes-windows/">How to Easily Remove Duplicate Tracks on iTunes [Windows]
class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/automatically-import-downloaded-music-itunes-mac/">How To Automatically Import Downloaded Music To iTunes [Mac]

Image Credit: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-52271518/stock-vector-note-and-sound-waves-music-background.html">Shutterstock

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The 3 Most Common Solutions To Fix A Windows Computer That Is Always Freezing Up

Posted on 31 December 2010. Tags: Always, Common, Computer, Freezing, Most, Solutions, Windows

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ComputerFreeze01.png" border="0" alt="fix computer freezing" width="245" height="228" />Does your computer freeze randomly? Do you face the class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-tips-fix-blue-screen-error">Blue Screen Of Death almost every day? Don’t let your computer terrify you!

Take action, track down what causes your computer to lock up on you and how you can stop it from happening. We have previously introduced class="vt-p" title="Common Reasons Why Windows Can Get Unresponsive" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-common-reasons-why-your-system-is-irresponsive-how-to-solve-them/">7 Common Reasons Why Windows Can Get Unresponsive. This article examines how you can troubleshoot the causes for a freezing computer and what you can do to fix it.

If you’re struggling with a slow and unresponsive system, we will shortly be publishing a PDF manual called Windows on Speed which will help you learn what makes your system become sluggish and how you can regain a top Windows performance. Make sure you subscribe to MakeUseOf so you don’t miss the manual when it comes out!

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Prelude: Make a Backup

The very first thing you need to do when your computer starts acting up is to create a backup of your personal data. Don’t waste time trying to troubleshoot or fix anything. Just make a backup. Right NOW!

class="vt-p" title="Best Backup Software" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/3-backup-tools/">The Best free Backup Software for your PC by Aibek
class="vt-p" title="Top 10 Backup Software for PC" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/top-10-backup-software-for-pc/">Top 10 Backup Software Apps For Your PC by Justin

You should consider logging into Safe Mode to perform the backup. You may find that it makes your system a lot more stable! That would also be a first step in troubleshooting.

class="vt-p" title="How To Start Windows in Safe Mode and Why" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/start-windows-safe-mode/">How To Start In Windows Safe Mode & Its Uses by Tina

Now that you have your personal data backed up, let’s start troubleshooting and resolving the issues.

1. Troubleshoot Software Issues

A freezing operating system may have a lot of underlying issues. To verify whether or not your freezes are software-induced, boot your system into Safe Mode.

Safe Mode is a boot option that launches your computer in a very limited state. Only the most basic files and drivers absolutely necessary to run the operating system are loaded. If your system appears stable in Safe Mode, it is very likely that you have software issues, like driver conflicts or malware.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bluesafe.jpg" border="0" alt="fix computer freezing" width="575" height="429" />

The article below explains how to boot into Safe Mode:

class="vt-p" title="How To Start Windows in Safe Mode and Why" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/start-windows-safe-mode/">How To Start In Windows Safe Mode & Its Uses by Tina

If you do not see an improvement in Safe Mode, proceed to point 2.

If you do see an improvement, try the following:

uninstall recently installed devices and their drivers.
make sure you only have one antivirus program installed.
perform a Windows upgrade.
update any programs you are using regularly and all hardware drivers.
if running a specific program causes the freezes, try to update, uninstall, and reinstall the program.
in Safe Mode, scan your system for malware and remove anything you find.
perform general system maintenance.

Here are some useful resources for the above steps:

class="vt-p" title="How To Uninstall Applications Efficiently" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-uninstall-applications-efficiently-and-remove-obsolete-files/">How To Uninstall Applications Efficiently And Remove Obsolete Files by Stefan
class="vt-p" title="Malwarebytes Spyware Removal Tool" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/stop-and-delete-spyware-with-malwarebytes-windows-only/">Stop & Delete Spyware With Malwarebytes [Windows] by Jimmy
class="vt-p" title="Essential Must Have Security Tools" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/7-security-tools-you-absolutely-must-have/">7 Essential Security Downloads You MUST Have Installed by Aibek
class="vt-p" title="Quick Fixes to Make your Windows Computer Faster" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/10-quick-fixes-to-make-your-windows-computer-faster/">10 Quick Fixes to Make your Windows Computer Faster by Shankar
class="vt-p" title="How To Speed Up Windows 7" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/guide-speeding-windows-7-machine/">Speeding Up Windows 7: Everything You Need to Know by Mahendra

2. Troubleshoot Hardware Issues

The Blue Screen Of Death (BSOD) is a strong sign for a hardware incompatibility. The displayed error code provides a clue for what caused the computer to crash. Subsequently, you should analyze the error reports that Windows stores in response to a BSOD crash.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0px initial initial;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/ComputerFreeze02.png" border="0" alt="computer freezing" width="406" height="302" />

The following resources will help:

class="vt-p" title="How To Fix Windows Blue Screen Errors" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/4-tips-fix-blue-screen-error/">4 Tips To Help You Fix The Windows Blue Screen Error by Ryan
class="vt-p" title="How To FInd BSOD Error Messages" href="http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/topic74712.html">How to Find BSOD (Blue Screen) Error Messages
class="vt-p" title="How To Use Windows Debugging Tools to Analyze a Crash Dumb (BSOD)" href="http://thebackroomtech.com/2008/01/31/howto-use-the-windows-debugging-tools-to-analyze-a-crash-dump-bsod/">How To Use the Windows Debugging Tools to Analyze Crash Dump (BSOD)

If updating or removing hardware drivers didn’t work and in case you don’t get a BSOD, you need to examine potential physical causes. Your computer could be overheating, a device could be damaged and dying, or a cable could be loose. Before you touch your hardware, however, make sure your class="vt-p" title="How to Turn Off Your Computer" href="http://www.ehow.com/how_4731202_turn-off-computer.html">computer is properly turned off to protect yourself. You must also class="vt-p" title="How To Ground Yourself when Working on a Computer" href="http://www.ehow.com/how_5899400_ground-yourself-working-computer.html">ground yourself to avoid a discharge of static electricity, which could (further) damage your hardware.

The best way to troubleshoot hardware issues is to…

physically clean your hardware, i.e. free fans and power supply from dust.
check all cables for damage or loose connections.
check whether hardware components like the graphics card are properly plugged into the motherboard.
remove or replace single components like RAM modules and boot the computer without them.

The last point will reveal whether one of these components is broken.

3. Restore Windows

Windows can create restore points that allow you to roll back your entire system to a previous stable state. Make use of this feature and go back to a restore point where your system did not freeze or crash. The best thing is that you won’t lose your personal files.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/bluescreen1.jpg" border="0" alt="fix computer freezing" width="575" height="457" />

This articles explains how it’s done:

class="vt-p" title="Fix Yor PC Using Windows Restore in XP, Vista, and 7" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fix-computer-windows-restore-xp-vista-7/">How To Fix Your PC Using Windows Restore in XP, Vista & 7 by Jack

Last Resort: Repair Or Reinstall Windows

The easiest way to resolve issues with a Windows operating system that constantly freezes is a fresh installation. It is normal to reinstall Windows every 6 months to 2 years. If you’re running an older installation, it’s about time that you give it a fresh start!

class="vt-p" title="How To Reinstall Windows Without Losing Your Data" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-reinstall-windows-without-losing-your-data/">How To Reinstall Windows Without Losing Your Data by Jorge
class="vt-p" title="Prepare for a System Restore and Reinstallation" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-prepare-yourself-for-system-restore-from-scratch/">How to Prepare Yourself for System Restore From Scratch by Tina

Did this article help you to fix your computer from freezing? Please report your experiences!

Image credits: class="vt-p" title="Freeze Button" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-60852817/stock-vector-snowflake-vector-computer-key.html?src=8347a808e43cf750db807ee7cad6b639-1-22">vladislav_studio, class="vt-p" title="Sick Laptop" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-67233226/stock-photo-a-broken-laptop-computer-with-an-icepack-and-thermometer.html?src=05ac5c2d6b3ba1f3a5eb465f8f046478-1-0">iQoncept />
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1. Windows 7 Seems Slow

Windows 7 is hungry for resources. It features many visual effects that draw heavy on your graphics card and system memory. If your system was slow out of the box, chances are you can easily fix that by turning off superfluous effects.

Go to > Start and type ‘performance‘ in the search field. Select > ‘Adjust the appearance and performance of Windows‘ from the results. The > Performance Options window will open. Under > Visual Effects select > Adjust for best performance. If you would like to retain a nice interface, select > Custom and check > ‘Use visual styles on windows and buttons‘.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Windows7Issues01.png" border="0" alt="windows 7 problems" width="377" height="365" />

2. Windows Aero Not Working

I recently wrote an article on title="Troubleshoot Aero Effects in Windows 7" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/enable-troubleshoot-aero-effects-windows-7/">How To Enable & Troubleshoot Aero Effects In Windows 7.

In addition to this article, you should make sure that your graphics card supports Aero and that graphics driver is up to date. However, if your computer came with Windows 7 this should not be an issue.

Finally, Aero could be disabled in your registry. Before I proceed to explain how to check and edit your registry, I must warn you! Editing the registry can cause permanent damage to your Windows installation. Please title="How To Backup and Restore Windows 7 Registry" href="http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html">backup your registry and know what you’re doing.

Go to > Start and type > ‘regedit‘ into the > search option. Launch regedit and browse to > KEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM. The value of the entry > ‘EnableAeroPeek‘ should be set to 1, rather than 0.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Windows7Issues02.png" border="0" alt="windows 7 problems" width="580" height="64" />

3. Older Programs Not Compatible

Before upgrading to Windows 7, it is advisable to check which of your programs will be compatible. The Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor checks the most common programs. However, as I have outlined in my article title="How To Use Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/windows-7-upgrade-advisor-check-pc-compatibility/">How To Use Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor To Check PC Compatibility, you may have to do a manual check at the title="Windows 7 Compatibility Center" href="http://www.microsoft.com/windows/compatibility/windows-7/en-us/default.aspx">Windows 7 Compatibility Center for many other programs. Now, if you have already upgraded and if it turns out that a dear program of yours is not compatible, there is a way out: Windows 7 Compatibility Mode.

To install a program in Compatibility Mode, right-click its > installation file and select > Properties. In its > Properties windows switch to the > Compatibility tab, check > ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for:‘ and from the > pull-down menu choose the latest version of Windows of which you know that the program was running on.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Windows7Issues03.png" border="0" alt="problems with windows 7" width="419" height="207" />

You may have to repeat this step with the program itself once it is installed. Right-click the > program icon, select > Properties, switch to > Compatibility tab, check > ‘Run this program in compatibility mode for:‘, and choose the respective Windows operating system.

Furthermore, you can change the settings for the respective program and you should explore these, depending on the issue you’re facing.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Windows7Issues04.png" border="0" alt="problems with windows 7" width="376" height="150" />

Finally, if you went with Windows 7 Professional or up, you can use Windows 7′s XP Mode. It runs Windows XP as a virtual machine and you can install all programs that worked on Windows XP in this environment. Ars Technica has a very decent article on title="What is Windows 7 XP Mode and How Does It Work" href="http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/reviews/2010/01/windows-xp-mode.ars">Windows 7′s XP Mode.

4. DVD Drive Not Found

Windows 7 can not find your optical drive? This is another issue that involves editing the registry. The warning from point 2 applies!

Click > Start, search for > ‘regedit‘ and launch it from the > results. Navigate to > ‘HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class‘. In the > right-hand panel delete > ‘UpperFilters‘ and > ‘LowerFilters‘, restart Windows and see if the problem was resolved.

If not, click > Start, type > Disk Management, and select > ‘Create and format hard disk partitions‘. In the > Disk Management window right-click on the > optical drive icon and select ‘Change Drive Letter and Paths‘. In the > Change Drive Letter and Paths window click the > Change… button and choose a new drive letter. Restart Windows and hope the issue was fixed.

5. New Themes Change Custom Icons

So you switched themes and found that some of your custom icons where changed? That’s quite annoying, but it’s easy to prevent. Right-click > desktop, select > Personalize, in the control panel windows that opens switch to > Change Desktop Icons, and in the > Desktop Icon Settings window uncheck > ‘Allow themes to change desktop icons‘.

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" style="border: 0pt none;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Windows7Issues05.png" border="0" alt="problems with windows 7" width="414" height="158" />

Another common issue, which only seems to occur in older laptops, is that Windows 7 falsely reports an empty battery and subsequently shuts down. title="Laptop Battery Issue on Windows 7" href="http://itexpertvoice.com/home/fixing-five-common-windows-7-annoyances/">ITExpertVoice provides a workaround, preventing Windows 7 from shutting down when it thinks the battery is empty. Unfortunately, this may leave you with a sudden laptop death when the battery really runs out.

Finally, many Windows 7 problems can be fixed in an instant using handy tools. MakeUseOf has reviewed title="FixWin Windows 7 Fixes" href="http://fixwin.en.softonic.com/">FixWin in the article title="Fix Commone Windows 7 Problems" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fix-common-windows-problems-in-a-snap-with-fixwin/">How To Fix Common Windows Problems In A Snap With FixWin. Another option is title="Windows 7 QuickFix" href="http://leelusoft.blogspot.com/2009/12/7-quick-fix.html">QuickFix, which contains 21 common Windows 7 fixes. Since it is a portable app, it could one day help you out of a virus attack or restore default Windows 7 behavior.

Which other issues did you run into on Windows 7 and how did you fix them?

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How To Fix Common DVD & Blu-Ray Drive Errors

Posted on 23 September 2010. Tags: Bluray, Common, Drive, Errors

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-left: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: right;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/dvddrive.png" alt="fix dvd drive errors" width="280" height="177" />Every once in a while, a DVD or Blu-Ray drive starts to go on the fritz. Sometimes video gets choppy or a brand new disk doesn’t even get recognized. Maybe once you put in a disc the drive starts spinning but the disc is never available on your computer.

Whatever the problem, we have some simple tips to try to fix DVD or Blu-Ray drive errors.

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Dust – An Optical Drive’s Worst Enemy

class="align-left" style="border: 0px none; margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px; float: left;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/dvd-dust.jpg" alt="fix dvd drive errors" width="376" height="225" />Even though a DVD or Blu-Ray drive is mostly enclosed, dust still has an opportunity to invade through small openings and also while the drive is open. This depends heavily on how dusty the environment is but it can really wreak havoc on a drive.

In my experience, when a drive gets dusty, a disc will either take a long time to read initially or it will show random errors and slowdowns while the disc is being read from.

It helps to know how a optical drive, such as a CD, DVD or Blu-Ray drive works to know why this happens. The disc is a round plastic disk with a shiny reflective coating on the top and several layers of plastic. The way data is read from the drive is that there is a tiny laser which shoots up onto the disc, and depending on the configuration of the plastic and reflective layer, data is returned and read back to the drive. In reality it is much more complicated than that, but at the core this is what is happening.

When dust gets into the drive, specifically around the laser, it can block or refract that light causing a number of errors to be returned, and make the drive and/or disc unreadable.

There are several ways to get rid of dust. The first is with compressed air. It is available at many stores and is very cheap to buy. You can also get a special optical drive cleaner disk. This is comprised of a disc with tiny little brushes on it. The DVD disc usually has a program on it to ensure that the laser read head will move over the brushes several times to clean off any dust.

Disc Scratches

style="text-align: center;"> class="aligncenter" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/dvd-scratch.jpg" alt="how do i fix my dvd player" width="500" height="193" />

Most of the time, the drive isn’t even the problem! Discs become class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/fix-unreadable-cds-or-dvds-in-windows">scratched fairly easily and this can cause a lot of read problems on the drive. The way to check is two-fold:

visually inspect the disc to see if there are any scratches.
check the drive with another disc, alternatively try the disc in another drive.

Once you have confirmed the disc is scratched you can try a few things to fix the problem.

The first is to use a wet or dry cloth to clean the disc. Use circular motions to clean it, or wipe from out-to-inside or inside to out. Never wipe in the direction around the tracks, as this can cause track skippage and actually make the problem worse.

The second is to use some sort of abrasive compound, such as class="vt-p" href="http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/geeks-weigh-in-can-you-fix-a-scratched-cd-with-toothpaste-nb">toothpaste (not gel) to grind out scratches. I’ve never actually used this method but I have heard it works well.

The final one, and preferred, is to use a motorized disc cleaner. They are available from retail stores for about $20-$30 and automate the above procedures for maximum effect. I think this is the safest way to clean a disk, as there is less chance of human error.

Is Your Firmware Old?

Sometimes there are bugs within the firmware of the optical drive. The firmware is like an operating system for the drive, telling it when to spin, where to move the read/write head, and so on. Sometimes this is a last ditch effort but updating the firmware has raised several drives from the dead for me.

Check the manufacturer’s website to see if there are firmware updates. It might involve burning a CD with the firmware and rebooting the computer or player off of the disc, or there might be a way to update it right in your normal OS – it just depends on the manufacturer’s process.

If you have a Blu-Ray drive – in your PC or as a Home Theater component – then there is a good chance you will need to flash new firmware. This is due to the encryption keys stored on the drive. New protections are put out all of the time on new discs and if you have an older drive you simply might not have the right keys to decrypt the disc. A sign of this is if you have no problem playing older Blu-Rays, but new ones simply don’t work.

Is It A Hardware Problem?

class="alignleft" style="margin-right: 20px; margin-top: 5px; border: 0px none initial;" src="http://main.makeuseoflimited.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/monitorsmash.jpg" alt="fix dvd drive errors" width="138" height="267" />Finally if all else fails, you could simply have a hardware problem. This goes anywhere from a cable that was unseated, to a bad drive or motherboard connection somewhere down the line.

The first step is to try a new cable and connection port on the motherboard to see if that fixes your problem. If it doesn’t you can try to plug another know-good drive in to see if the problem is coming from the old drive or the motherboard.

If it turns out that your DVD or Blu-Ray drive is bad, then it is bad. You can try to send it in for warranty service, but depending on the age of the drive and how much it would cost to replace it, it could just make sense to buy a new one. Buying a new one has other benefits: faster access times, transfer speeds and new features.

Whatever the issue, the steps above should be enough to try to fix your DVD drive on your own. Let us know your own tips and tricks to reviving zombie DVD drives!

Photo Credits: class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamhook/513845749/">William Hook, class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/czarcats/2763944155/">czarcats, class="vt-p" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/7762644@N04/2533281806">nickwheeleroz, and class="vt-p" rel="nofollow" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/ultimateslug/109566859/">Don Fulano. />
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6 Quick Fixes To Common Cell Phone Camera Problems

Posted on 27 July 2010. Tags: camera, Cell, Common, Fixes, Phone, Problems, Quick

common cell phone problems Back in May, MakeUseOf published 10 Tips to Take Better Digital Pictures With Your Phone’s Camera.

In this article, I will address some particular common cell phone problems that users run into when taking photos with a cell phone camera; and we all know, there are plenty.

The problems addressed in these article will apply to most any cell phone camera, though I use the iPhone 3G camera for illustration.

Blurry Images

The easiest and probably most common cell phone problem with cell phone photos is they end up blurry. This occurs for a couple of reasons.

Cell phone cameras need to be properly held. You always want to hold the camera steady with both hands. The tricky part is clicking the shutter button after holding and composing a shot. So one thing to remember is that typically the shutter of the camera does not activate until the button is released. That means you can first push and hold down the button, frame your shot, and then release the button to release the shutter. Avoid trying to frame the shot while you push down the button.

Also try to rest part of your phone on one of your fingers or in the palm of your hand to get a firm grip.
You might also try bracing your camera against a wall or on a table to help you steady a shot. Even setting up a tripod for your cell phone camera is a useful idea for portrait and group shots.
The less ambient light you’re shooting in, the more likely you’re going to get blurry photos. Because you can’t increase the shutter speed or open the aperture wider on a cell phone camera, you need to shoot in the brightest area possible, or use a flash if your camera has one.
If the shot is not blurry but still not as sharp as it needs to be, you can try using an image editor to sharpen the images — but this is less than ideal.

Shooting Moving Subjects

Because cell phone cameras have slow shutter speeds, it’s nearly impossible to capture moving subjects. To address this problem, you might try using an iPhone camera application that delivers multiple shots (or what is called burst mode) after the shutter is pressed. Check out this article for a couple of great iPhone photography apps: The Best Free Alternatives To Top Commercial iPhone Photography Apps

Furthermore, to shoot moving subjects like children you definitely want to shoot in the brightest possible light to compensate for the slower shutter speed. The photo below is an example of the type of moving subjects that are nearly impossible to freeze capture using a cell phone camera.

common cell phone problems

Photos Lack Contrast

As with most digital photography, photos typically lack good contrast especially when shot in low light settings. The best solution for this is using an image editor and processing photos after they are taken.

how to fix cell phone camera

Image editors such as the free iPhone app, Photoshop Mobile, have automatic brightness/contrast tools that can make the colors in your photos pop.

how to fix cell phone camera

Subject Looks Too Small

There’s an easy solution to this one. Shoot close. You need to zoom in with your feet, even if you camera has a digital zoom. Fill the frame with the subject of the image. This is something that you do no matter what you’re using. In an image editor, you can also crop your images to make the subjects closer; however, because cell phone cameras have lower resolution than many point-and-shoot cameras, cropping too much may result in increased pixilation, especially when photos are printed. So zoom with your feet, instead of the lens, to get the best close-up you can. Experiment with shooting from different angles to get a better shot.

Images Are Dark

The obvious problem with dark photos is that there was not enough light when you took the shot. If your camera does not have a flash and you’re shooting in a low light area without a flash, there’s really nothing you can do to address this problem except get more light on the subject. Indoor lights at night are typically not enough light for cell phone cameras. You will need a flash.

common cell phone problems

Backlight

Also, watch for what is called backlighting. That is, when there’s more light in the back of the subject than there is facing the subject. So make sure the light is coming from behind you and is facing the subject.

In my experience, camera apps like the free and pro version of Camera Plus for the iPhone address some the problems described above. While cell phone cameras may never be a good replacement for point-and-shoot cameras, the portability of mobile cameras make learning how to use them more effectively worth the effort.

Let us know how you fix particular common cell phone camera problems. Have you found an application or two that is helpful for your camera photography?

Got Questions? Ask Them Now FREE on MakeUseOf Answers!

Common Sense on Anti-virus Software

Posted on 21 July 2010. Tags: Antivirus, Common, Sense, Software

Many people have anti-virus software installed on their computers. They trust their anti-virus software and rely on these intelligent and powerful tools to protect their system security. However, how do you know about anti-virus software? Is anti-virus software always mighty in protecting your computer? See what you will get here.

Anti-virus Software, or Safe-defend Software, is a kind of program tool being able to get rid of all the program codes, such as virus and Trojans, etc., which are harmful to a computer.

In recent years, many terms such as Internet Security Suite, Overall Security Suite appear one after another, are also a kind of software used to clean computer viruses, Trojans and malicious software. Anti-virus Software usually integrates utilities including monitoring and identifying, virus scan and removal, as well as automatic update, etc., while some other anti-virus software also has utility on data restoring.

1. It is impossible for anti-virus software to remove all the viruses.

2. The anti-virus software is not always able to remove any virus it has found.

3. On a computer, for each operating system, there should not be two or more anti-virus software installed at the same time.(Exception is for anti-virus software that are compatible or produced by the same developer.)

4. At present, there are several ways that anti-virus software may use to deal with the infected file:

1) Clean up. The anti-virus software does not delete the infected file, but tries to clean up the virus codes from the infected file. Therefore, this way is also called Repair.

2) Remove. The anti-virus software removes the infected file detected completely.

3) Rename. The anti-virus software renames the infected file, so that the virus program won’t be able to execute as it can’t find a corresponding file.

4) Ignore. The anti-virus software can not clean up the infected file with different methods, or users choose not to deal with the file.)

To sum up, users should be clear that the anti-virus software is always lagging behind the computer viruses. Therefore, along with updating the version of anti-virus software at real time and scanning your computer regularly, users should learn more about the computer security and network security. And, do not open an unknown file or an unsafe website; do not visit the unhealthy website; remember to update your own private password if necessary, etc. Only in this way can your computer and network security be protected and guaranteed.

Specifically for the rapid growing of all kinds of viruses, Trojans or spyware, etc., there are many anti-virus/anti-spyware software in the security market. Kaspersky, AVG are some of them which lead ahead, while there are also some new growing star, such as Spyware Cease, which has impressed many computer users by its profound security utilities and dedicated after-sales service.

Posted in UtilitiesComments (0)

Common Windows XP Errors

Posted on 20 July 2010. Tags: Common, Errors, Windows

Experiencing Windows XP errors? You are not alone. For most of us who upgraded to Windows XP from our old days of ’98 and even ’95, we expected the new operating system to be problem free. I mean the company touted the new upgraded operating system as a more ‘efficient’ and ‘reliable’ operating system with newfangled security and safeguard messages that will eliminate those buggy crashes and blue screens that Windows is so famous for.

Of course we all took that corporate marketing with a pinch of salt, as no sooner were we riding on the waves of a new shell, new technology and new possibilities, did we find ourselves in a deep sea of the all familiar blue, followed by the all annoying, siren of the sea ‘ding!’, that accompanies every other error message on Windows. This article will discuss some of the more common Windows XP errors, and how you can go about avoiding them. Many technical and support forums for Windows XP users list down more than 800 known problems with this operating system and that is a long, long list. I think one of the most common problems anyone will encounter is the infamous Rundll errors.

Till this day, there are more than 318 known rundll errors that run commonly across most platforms using Windows XP. The root of the problem lie in corruptions in the Visual Basics Library, Active X files, Java, device driver signatures and corrupt or missing command lines for programme execution. The second tier of problems lie when Windows updates itself with new security fixes and programme updates, which then will eventually turn into conflicts with existing signature and system core files.

Any install of new hardware or external devices can also lead to common Windows XP errors, which can range to icons missing, explorer hanging and a refusal to shut down. Inevitably, any and all of these problems will result in a global slowdown of the system, which is the most common problem in any platform and computer running any version of Windows. This problem affects the entire family of the Windows range, and is always found to be more of a software problem than a hardware one. Sure, installing innovative software with mismatched hardware will cause specific slowdowns, but build-up of clutter and errors in the computer memory banks and registry will lead to a universal slowdown of all critical systems.

Truth be told, resolving common Windows XP errors is really easier than you might think. All you need to do is get a good PC cleaner or a good registry cleaner. Once you have swept your system areas with a good cleaner and removed all the corrupt and bad data from your registry, you will definitely feel a difference in the speed and responsiveness of your computer. It is all down to maintenance, just like you would your car or your house – ensuring it runs smoothly, and devoid of errors.

So what are you waiting for? Download a reliable registry cleaner today to avoid encountering common XP errors.

Posted in WindowsComments (0)

Common Errors In Windows Xp

Posted on 16 July 2010. Tags: Common, Errors, Windows

It has been almost six years since Windows XP has introduced to the market by Microsoft’s Windows. Since then a number of operating systems such as Windows Vista and Windows 7 have made their appearance in the world of computer and technology but Windows XP still remains the favorite of the PC users all over the world. As it is quite simple and user friendly Windows XP is the most popular operating system among the PC users.

In spite of all these features all are not good with Windows XP. There are many people who have to go through a lot of problems with XP. PC users who have upgraded themselves from Microsoft Office 98 or 95 to XP expecting that they will be free from all trouble are not completely satisfied. Though it was initially promoted as a reliable and efficient operating system it has some common errors that may sometimes create disturbance. One of the most common errors is Riundll errors.

Till date there are around 320 Rundll errors that commonly run across all the platforms that use Windows XP. This problem occurs mainly due to the corruption in the Active X files, device driver signature, visual basics library, missing or encrypted command lines to execute the program. The second level of the problem happens if the Windows updates automatically with latest safety fixes as well as program updates that will ultimately conflict with the existing system core files and signature.

Installation of new devices or hardware may also create these errors starting from missing icons to slowing and shutting down of the system. Slowing down of the system is probably the most common problem that affects excessively not only the XP but the all operating system coming out of the family of the Microsoft Windows. These problems are mainly related to software than hardware. It is quite predictable that installing an innovative software or application or an external device and running it with the existing hardware will create problem as they do not match with each other in any way. Therefore, the computer will not only become slow but will create lots of errors in the memory bank of the computer and last and the registry will become slow like a snail.

May be surprising but the truth is fixing the common errors of Windows XP is not at all a very difficult job as you and many other people thinking. You just need to have a good registry or PC cleaner. As you clean the system areas of your PC using a good registry cleaner all the bad data and encrypted files and applications will be removed and you will certainly feel the difference in speed and overall performance of your computer. Fixing of Windows XP errors in many ways depend on the maintenance of computers. As we take care of our personal belongings such as house, cars and other items we should take care of our PC as well so that it can run smoothly and uninterruptedly.

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All You Need to Know About Common Windows Xp Error Codes

Posted on 05 July 2010. Tags: about, Codes, Common, Error, Know, Need, Windows

Runtime errors in Windows XP usually occur when the program that is being used is having some problems. Likely, when you get a runtime error, the program will automatically shut down and you will lose all unsaved data. This can be very frustrating and can create much stress especially if you were doing something important. For most people, it is imperative that these problems get fixed as soon as possible. So, to help you better understand what these runtime errors are, I will discuss a couple of popular ones and explain how to fix them.

The fist common runtime error is runtime error 424. Error 424 is just one of the many errors that you may come across when using Windows XP operating system software. The message is displayed as “Run-time error ’424′: Object required”, means that the program you are trying to run has experienced a programming error that has resulted in the program’s failure. You will find that this message is often displayed when someone is trying to use Microsoft Access 2000 while attempting to run MS Office Chart Wizard. This takes place when he is still on the data access page.

There are a couple of different ways that you can fix runtime error 424. If you really need to use the Office Chart, then the best thing to do is to uninstall Internet Explorer 6.0 or use a computer that does not have IE 6.0 installed on its hard drive. There are other Internet browsers out there that are just as good as IE, if not better, such as Firefox. Another way to fix this error would be to avoid using the chart wizard at all, if possible. You can do this by right clicking on the chart that you are working on and selecting the “Property Toolbox” that is found in the corresponding menu.

When runtime error 53 appears on your screen, this means that the file you are looking for cannot be found. Error 53 is one of the most common errors that Windows XP users get. Most people get this error when they are trying to use a new software or hardware, after it has been successfully installed into the computer. This is because one of the files that is needed to run the program could either be missing, corrupted or not installed. The unavailability of this file results in the program producing the runtime error, thus, preventing the program from opening.

There are a couple of easy ways that you can fix runtime error 53. One way to fix this error would be to completely uninstall and reinstall the program you are trying to run. You can do this by going into the control panel and selecting add/remove programs and then clicking on the program and clicking remove. You can also fix this error by updating the software or the drivers for the new hardware you are trying to use. If neither of these methods work, contact the company you bought the hardware or software from.

These are only two of the many runtime errors that can occur when using Windows XP. Most runtime errors have easy fixes, but if you run into a problem that you cannot find a solution for, it is time to call in the professionals. Remember, if your computer is under warranty, do not attempt to open it. Doing so could void your warranty. If you find that the computer is not working, send it in for repairs.

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Adware Havens: the Most Common Sources to Find Adware

Posted on 28 June 2010. Tags: Adware, Common, Find, Havens, Most, Sources

Adware is all over the Internet. From websites, to downloads, it seems there is no escaping its presence. While this may be the case, this article will discuss the primary areas where adware lurks, thus giving you a better chance of preventing it from being installed on your computer.

Freeware:

It can be argued that the most common area that adware can be found in is freeware. The reason being is because freeware is free to use and is usually supported by adware and pop up software. In short, freeware is software which can be downloaded and used for free by anyone. All the author usually wants is credit for their work. This is not to be confused with open-source software, even though they are very similar. The main difference between freeware and open-source software is that users can download and modify the code in open-source software, unlike in freeware.

Since freeware is supposed to be free to use, the author will not ask users for money. Instead, they can pay for any expenses using their own money, asking for donations, or bundling adware with their freeware. Most likely, freeware developers go with the adware option because they don’t want to spend their own money and getting donations can be difficult.

Shareware:

Shareware is probably the second most-common place adware can be found. Shareware has many similar characteristics as freeware, including the adware aspect. Both are free to download and use, but when it comes to shareware, the author usually requests that you give them a donation for using the software. While this is not mandatory, it helps keep the shareware project alive and updated. Metaphorically speaking, shareware can be categorized as using an “honor system”.

This “honor system” is primarily the reason why adware shows up in shareware. A lot of times, people will not donate for using the software and continue to just use it for free. To help prevent shareware from being discontinued, advertisers are willing to pay money to allow their adware to be bundled with the software. While adware does not show up as much in shareware as it does in freeware, you will still find adware in a lot of shareware programs today. When you think about it, adware is responsible for a lot of shareware’s survival.

Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Applications:

While adware is not bundled with P2P software as much as it used to, it can still be found in these applications. A prime example where adware was bundled with P2P software is Kazaa. In the past, there was a lot of controversy in terms of bundling adware with Kazaa but, just like shareware, the adware was necessary so the Kazaa project could continue to be funded.

Now that you know about the primary areas where adware can be found, you can take more caution in downloading these free programs. It is important to know that just because adware is bundled with these various forms of software that you should not be afraid to download them. After all, there are some very good programs that you can download for free that rival similar commercial solutions. Plus, if the adware bothers you that much, you can always pick up an adware removal tool or other security solution.

Posted in Cell PhonesComments (0)

Common Windows Vista Error Messages and How to Troubleshoot Them

Posted on 24 June 2010. Tags: Common, Error, Messages, them, troubleshoot, Vista, Windows

Windows Vista was introduced a while ago as an upgrade to the Windows XP and 2000 users as something more tactile, easier to use – packed with security features that will ensure the safety of your work and your operating system experience. It was also more flashy, more user friendly and gained a lot of popularity because of its more palpable interface. Though it had some compatibility issues when it was first released, Windows Vista has really come ahead in the game and has become the solution for many computer users all over the world. But of course, Windows Vista is built on the same principles as the previous versions of the OS and because of that, it is inevitably an imperfect superstructure. A word of caution here – no OS is perfect because of the degradation effects of technology and the human element in the mix. There are actually quite a few common Windows Vista error messages and this article will discuss how to troubleshoot them if you ever encounter any of them.

The solution is no different from the solution that was available for previous editions of Microsoft’s incarnations. The common element here is the registry, and Windows Vista still operates with the registry as the integral matrix that it uses to ensure that all operations within its operating system environment run smoothly. With the registry, no matter how advanced the OS, common problems will always occur. When ever you introduce third party software and programs in Windows Vista, you will introduce the potential of new problems, especially in the registry. Bad registry keys left by rogue programs, invalid entries left by incomplete uninstalls and orphan keys are still features of an unhealthy Windows registry – be it XP or Vista. Surprised? Don’t be. Microsoft invented the registry for the simple fact that all executions in the computer need a reference point and all instructions for the different programs need somewhere to be stored. It hasn’t changed at all.

The same problems that made those runtime errors, mediahub errors and Active X errors still exist in Windows Vista, and would most likely still exist in future incarnations of Windows. The good thing about most of the registry cleaners is that they have adapted to the new operating system and is compatible with the new code and language that Vista is using. A quick look on the internet reveals many registry cleaners that have the ability to interface with Windows Vista and solve the problems that its registry might incur. Another good thing is that Vista has some bespoke problems that did not exist in XP, mainly because of the new security code and program structure that is being used by the operating system. Registry cleaners have adjusted to this and responded with more feature packed cleaners. Troubleshooting common Windows Vista error messages is now easy with the new stable of registry cleaners out there. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that a new OS means a trouble free registry; you still need dedicated programs to deal with the problems associated with it.

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5 Common Windows XP Recovery Techniques

Posted on 29 January 2010. Tags: Common, Recovery, Techniques, Windows

Microsoft Windows XP is considered to be a reliable and stable version of Windows operating system. However, it is still possible that it unexpectedly crashes and dies. It can occur due a number of reasons, and is quite possible to avoid. You need to be prepared for the same to save your mission-critical data in such situations. In case if you can not handle the situation and data loss occurs, Windows Recovery is the way to go.

Following are some general steps that you can follow if your MS Windows XP computer is looking dead. All the below steps need to be followed in a proper order:

Check out your system hardware. Verify that the power cables are properly connected, CPU ventilator is functioning properly, and the hard drive is spinning up. Hard drive is one of the most sensitive components of your computer system, which may fail over time due to various reasons like power outages and accidental drop down.
Check whether your system displays the BIOS (Basic Input/Output Systems) screen. If you can not see anything, check monitor cable to make sure it is attached properly.
Check that the MS Windows XP boot window is displayed. If it is not displayed and you encounter some error message, the problem may with system boot sector. You have to repair Windows XP bootloader or MBR (Master Boot Record).
Revert the changes if you have recently installed a hardware or softwre, or made any changes to BIOS.
If Windows XP is booting, but it crashes over time, the problem may be due to a damaged system file. Copy the affected file from Windows XP boot CD and reboot your system.

If none of the above helps you to fix the problem, file system or any other system metadata structure corruption may be the cause of this problem. In such cases, you need to format the hard drive and reinstall operating system. Though, formatting helps you to fix most of the hard drive related problems, but it also removes all data from hard drive and need Windows Data Recovery to be sorted out.

It is possible to recover windows partition with the help of powerful third-party tools, known as Windows Recovery Software. The applications methodically scan the entire Windows hard drive and extract all lost data from it. With read-only behavior and simple graphical user interface, the tools are safe and easy to use.

Stellar Phoenix Windows Data Recovery is an efficient software to ensure absolute recovery of all lost Windows data. It recovers data from FAT16, FAT32, VFAT, NTFS, and NTFS5 file system partitions. The software is designed for Microsoft Windows 7, Vista, 2003, XP, and 2000.

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Common Myth: Windows Vista Does Not Support Ntbackup Tool

Posted on 27 January 2010. Tags: Common, Myth, Ntbackup, Support, Tool, Vista, Windows

NTBackup is an inbuilt utility in Windows that enables you to create a .bkf file to backup your data. Earlier, the NTBackup was only available in Windows XP, but now it is also supported by Windows Vista. Thus, you can create a backup of your data using an earlier Windows version and upgrade your system to Windows Vista without worrying about your backed up data as it shall still be available. However, in case of any corruption issues occurring due to BIT difference between the two versions of Windows, the data stored in the .bkf file may become inaccessible. To resolve such issues, you need a powerful BKF repairtool to retrieve your data.

There is a common myth among people related to .bkf file. That is:

· Windows NTBackup tool is not supported by Windows Vista. If a .bkf file is created using Windows NTbackup tool in any version of Windows and then upgraded to Windows Vista, the backup up data may get deleted or corrupted..

As stated, these are common notions believed by people. Unless these people come across the reality, they will go on believing these myths. However, in contrary, the reality lies way beyond. The fact is that Windows Vista now supports NTBackup tool. Thus, you can create a .bkf file any earlier version of Windows and use it in Windows Vista.
There is no harm or danger in using the .bkf file in Windows Vista unless the .bkf file gets corrupted due to BIT difference between the two version of Windows. If the .bkf file gets corrupted, you may not be able to use the file to restore the data. The situation may worsen if you lose your backed up data from the .bkf file.Thus, to avoid such situations, you need to repair BKF file using a third-party BKF repair application. These are sophisticated utilities that employ highly influential scanning mechanisms to retrieve the data from the corrupted .bkf file completely. These utilities restore the .bkf file without altering the original contents of the file. In addition, the interactive graphical user interface of these tools make them user-friendly and self-explanatory.

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Tag Archive | "Common"

Set Windows User Account / Logon Password

Lock Active Session

Enable Wakeup Password

Enable Screen Saver Password

Password-Free Lock Options

Conclusion

1. Autoplay

2. Video quality

3. Advertisements Embedded Within A Video

4. No Way To Easily Access Some Great Built-In Features

YouTube HD Ultimate

Supported Browsers

Options

YouTube Enhancer

Supported Browsers

YouTube Auto Buffer & Auto HD & Remove Ads

Supported Browsers

Endless YouTube

Supported Browser

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Supported Browsers

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Supported Browsers

Endless YouTube

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