How to Make Your Old PC Hardware Act Like a Brand New Super-Fast SSD

When your PC’s performance winds down to a slow crawl it’s tempting to toss your old hardware for a shiny new tablet or laptop, especially with the latest solid-state drive technology to run circles around your old hard drive’s speed, but that can be quite expensive. There are more cost-effective ways to achieve like-new PC speeds, and in some cases, even better speed than an SSD can provide.

“If a once-fast computer has slowed to a crawl, you can’t really blame the hardware. Sure, you may be able to improve speed by adding RAM, upgrading the CPU, or replacing the hard drive with an SSD. But none of those solutions–all of which cost money–address the underlying problem. Your hardware isn’t underpowered. It’s overloaded.”

Last month in PCWorld, Lincoln Spector explained how to speed up a slow PC without buying new hardware. Tips included closing resource-hogging processes, disabling auto-loading programs from startup, and multi-tasking less often.

3 Cost-Effective Steps to Get Your Old PC Behaving Like a Super-Fast SSD

Cleaning out Windows can help with your system speed but Raxco’s got some permanent speed boosters for your PC, and they’re inexpensive alternatives to buying new hardware or scrapping your old PC. They all address different areas of your system to provide multi-level PC speed improvement.

1. RamDisk Plus (Download a 14-Day Free Trial)

The ultimate immediate speed-boost. Create a single or multiple RAM disks on any Windows PC – including Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1 – and use it to speed up everything you do. RamDisk Plus is also the only RAM disk software that can access and use RAM trapped above 3.2-4GB in 32-bit systems, so you get access to all that extra RAM — which would otherwise be hidden from your system and unusable — to speed up your PC.
RamDisk Plus gives you 50 times faster random read and write speeds on HDDs (PCs with traditional hard drives) – 10 times faster than SSDs! Solid-state drives are known for their amazing speeds…and high prices. So if you’re considering buying an SSD, you can get 10 times better-than-SSD speeds with RamDisk Plus without shelling out the big bucks.
*If you have an SSD, RamDisk Plus can help extend the life of your drive by reducing write amplification, redirecting writes to the RAM disk instead of your SSD.

2. PerfectDisk (Download a 30-Day Free Trial)

Fragmentation slows down drive performance on old and new PCs, including read/write speeds on HDDs and write speeds on SSDs. Fragmentation is an inevitable on all PCs. No system – not Windows 8.1, 8, 7, Vista or XP – is immune to it.
If your system is slow to open or edit files in photo editing or video editing software, document or spreadsheet programs, or you’re experiencing texture pop-in with PC games, fragmentation is most likely the culprit.
PerfectDisk, Raxco’s flagship defragmentation and optimization software trusted by thousands of power users and IT professionals, prevents fragmentation with zero impact on system performance and eliminates existing file and free space fragmentation with an intelligent, energy-efficient optimization strategy designed to reduce the rate of refragmentation. PerfectDisk ensures your hard drive or SSD is running as fast as it possibly can.

3. PerfectRegistry (Start Free Scan)

Some Windows registry cleaners are a dime a dozen, promising to speed up your PC and eliminate registry errors. PerfectRegistry is an aggressive registry cleaner, it will eliminate more invalid registry entries than your typical registry cleaner, and it provides a backup and restore feature that allows you to undo a cleaning but it also defragments your registry from the inside – a different type of defrag than PerfectDisk provides – and compacts the registry, resulting in faster boot times and generally quicker Windows operation.

How to Make Your PC 50 Times Faster with RamDisk Plus

With RamDisk Plus, random reads and writes can be performed 50 times faster than your hard drive allows.
Last week we announced the addition of RamDisk Plus to our PC performance lineup. Some customers gave glowing reviews of the product:

“…RamDisk Plus sped everything up, from the display of web pages to the loading of Microsoft Word.  It seemed to breathe a new life into it.  I did run 2 or 3 days of the trial before I decided it would help me out, and it did, a lot. Thank you,”

-Al L.

“I liked your product so much after only a couple of days trial I purchased RamDisk Plus. Installation is easy and the biggest help was the email you sent explaining how to cache the web browser pages and the windows temporary storage. Without this help I would have spend lots of frustrating time trying to find the correct place to make these adjustments. It does make a dynamitic improvement in web page loading. I know your product creates storage in memory that looks like disk drives to the system, very nice.”

- Douglas B.

“I downloaded the free trial first. I showed it to my son, who is going to the University of Kansas for IT and who has a part-time job in IT. He was very favorably impressed with what he saw in the trial edition and he is not easily impressed….My experience with RamDisk Plus is still rather limited but one very immediate and noticeable effect is the increase in the browser speed.  After installing it, my son looked at me and said “I doubt you’ll ever have to wait for anything to download again.”

-Mike S.

Some people had a little trouble putting RamDisk Plus to use. So we’d like to share some tips on how to use RamDisk Plus.
Here are instructions on how to configure RamDisk Plus to speed up everything on your PC!

First, create a RAM disk using this getting started guide. Then follow the instructions below:
HOW DO I SPEED UP WEB BROWSING?
Point your browser cache to RamDisk Plus. Not only does this speed up web browsing, it also increases the security of your Internet history. Because it is located on the RAM disk, your browser cache is automatically cleared at shutdown.
Follow the instructions for your web browser (after adding a RAM disk using RamDisk Plus).
HOW DO I SPEED UP PRINTING?
Move the print spool folder to RamDisk Plus.
If you’ve set up a Windows XP system to act as a print server on your network, you can improve the print server’s responsiveness. All you need to do is move the print spool folder from its default location to RamDisk Plus. The performance gain comes from separating the management of the potentially huge spool file from the same drive on which the Windows system files exist.
To move the print spool folder to RamDisk Plus:

• Create a RAM disk of sufficient size to hold the spool files.
• Go to Start -> Printers and Faxes. (Or, in classic view: Start -> Settings -> Printers and Faxes).
• From the top menu select FileServer Properties.
• Select the Advanced tab. Enter the RAM disk’s drive letter (e.g. S:) in the Spool Folder text box, and click OK.
• In the warning message dialog box, click Yes.

HOW DO I SPEED UP WINDOWS PERFORMANCE?
Point where temporary files are stored to RamDisk Plus.
To change the location of the System Temp folder, follow the steps given below:

• Right click on Computer
• Click on Properties (or System Properties)
• Click on Advanced system settings
• Click on the Advanced tab
• Click on the button near the bottom labeled Environment Variables
• You may see both TMP and TEMP listed in the section labeled User variables for (account). That’s the common location; each different login account is assigned its own temporary location. In the Variable value Edit box you may specify the path to the directory that Windows and many other programs will use for temporary files.

Be sure and repeat that process for both TMP and TEMP.
You’ll need to restart any running programs for the new value to take effect. In fact, you’ll need to restart Windows for it to begin using the new value for its own temporary files.
HOW DO I PUT A PAGEFILE ON THE RAM DISK?

• Right-click on My Computer and click on Properties.
• Click on the Advanced tab.
• Click the Settings button in the Performance box.
• Click on the Advanced tab in the Performance Options dialog window.
• Click the Change button in the Virtual Memory box.
• In the Virtual Memory dialog window
  • Select RAM disk drive
  • Select the Custom size: radio button
  • Set initial size and maximum size to be just a little smaller than the size of the RAM disk. Tip: Immediately above Custom size: is Space available: which is the size of the RAM disk.
  • Select the drive that currently has the paging file.
  • Select the No paging file radio button.
• Click OK.
• Restart the computer for the new settings to take effect.

HOW DO I REDUCE WRITES ON SOLID STATE DRIVES?
If your computer only uses a solid state drive (SSD), use RamDisk Plus as a cache to store data – including:

• The pagefile
• Temporary Internet files (located in your web browser cache)
• Temporary files

Follow the instructions above for the three types of data listed here.
HOW DO I TURN A FOLDER ON THE RAM DISK INTO A NETWORK SHARE?

• Right-click on the disk or folder you wish to share, and select Sharing and Security.
• Select Share this folder or, if already shared, click on New Share.
• Enter the new Share name and a Comment.
• Set User limit, Permissions, and Caching as required.
• Click OK to create the share and close the property page.

HOW DO I MOUNT THE RAM DISK AT A MOUNT POINT?
RamDisk Plus supports mount points. However, it is not configurable in Disk Management. Instead you must use the command-line interface mountvol.
Open a command-prompt window and enter mountvol. Suppose it lists RamDisk Plus with drive letter R: as follows:
To mount RamDisk Plus R: at c:mountpointsramdisk enter:
mountvol c:mountpointsramdisk \?Volume{8c4f2cc4-20d71-11ed8-80c9-806d6172696f}
Placing a file in the root of R: and placing the file in c:mountpointsramdisk will now accomplish the same thing, as both paths point to the same object.
To remove the above mount enter:
mountvol c:mountpointsramdisk /D

How to Extend the Life of Your SSD Hard Drive, Part 2

In Part 1 of this 2-part series on how to extend the life of your SSD hard drive, we discussed the issue of write amplification and how it negatively affects flash memory and SSD performance.
The basic explanation of how to extend the life of your solid state drive is to reduce writes to it. Your SSD’s flash memory must be erased before it is written to, so the multiple writes required for a single write “amplify” the effect of your attempted write. This wear on the drive reduces the lifespan of your SSD plus it decreases random write performance.
As discussed in Part 1, the first way to combat this is through a process designed specifically to improve SSD performance by consolidating fragmented free space, resulting in more efficient TRIM operations, subsequently reducing write amplification. But there is another way to accomplish reduced writes to your SSD.

The 2nd Way to Combat SSD Write Amplification

If the goal if to reduce writes to your SSD, in some cases, why not avoid writing to your SSD at all?
Random Access Memory is inherently faster than an electromechanical physical drive. Using a RAM disk on a traditional hard drive speeds up random reads and writes up to 50 times faster than a traditional drive would allow. Because an SSD uses flash memory and is already faster than traditional disk drives, the speed of reading data is not an issue for SSDs, but using the RAM disk on a solid state drive would serve these two significant purposes:

1. Reducing writes to the SSD
2. Improving random write performance

With RamDisk Plus, you can create multiple high-speed RAM disks to be used as caches to store data. Creating a RAM disk and setting common PC activities to write to that disk eliminates unnecessary writing to your SSD. Some options that would eliminate writing to the SSD include:

• Pointing TEMP files to the RAM disk
• Setting your web browser cache to your RAM disk
• Placing the pagefile on the RAM disk

Follow these instructions on configuring RAM disks with RamDisk Plus or download a free trial and get the instructions in your inbox!

How to Customize Windows 8 and 8.1: 25 Tips for Tweakers

Introduction

How do you spruce up the Windows 8 Start screen? How do you change your password options? How do you populate the desktop with shortcuts to all your favorite programs?
Whether you’re a Windows 8 maven or you're still getting your feet wet, you’ve probably bumped into a host of screens, commands, and other features that you’d like to control or adjust. And those of you who checked out Windows 8.1 via the Preview edition, got it preinstalled on a new PC late in 2013, or received it via a Windows update in mid-October or later may feel the same way.
Well, don’t worry. More than most pieces of operating-system software, Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 lend themselves to customization—though it may not be readily apparent. You can tweak various parts and pieces to make them more user-friendly—or simply more your own. Microsoft purposely offers options to customize the Start screen, the desktop, the Taskbar, and more. Some other features that are not as easily customizable can be renovated through a Registry hack, a Group Policy setting, or a special bit of code.
Windows 8.1 provides more options for tweakers than Windows 8 does. Just a few examples? The 8.1 update lets you match your Start screen background with that of your desktop, organize the Apps screen, and use your fingerprint as your password (assuming your PC has a fingerprint reader).
Most of the 25 tips offered here work in both Windows 8 and Windows 8.1, but some support only one or the other. We've indicated the supported versions under the name of each tip. That way, you won’t get frustrated trying a particular tweak in your edition of Windows only to later learn that it’s not supposed to work in it.

   

   

We've broken out the 25 tips into five categories. The first category shows you how to tweak the Start screen. The next one covers your Windows environment in general. The third shows you how to refurbish the Windows desktop and Taskbar. The fourth one focuses on File Explorer. And the final category shows you how to take control of Windows by using the Registry, the Group Policy Editor, and other power tools.
Hard to believe, but at the time of this writing (just before the Windows 8.1 launch), Windows 8 was officially almost a year old. (Time flies, whether or not you’re having fun.) Windows 8.1 will be the new normal by the end of 2013, unless you consciously keep your Windows 8 PC from updating to it. Whichever version is nestled on your PC or tablet, these tips and tricks should help you control and tame Windows so it looks and works just the way you like it.

The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Wireless Home Networking

Fix Connectivity Issues

It sounds crazy, but 95 percent of all Internet connectivity problems can be solved by power-cycling both the router and the modem. Turn them both off, and then turn the modem back on first. Once its "sync" or signal light comes on, turn on your router.

Use Encryption

You've probably heard this before, but it bears repeating: Always enable your router's wireless security! Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption is the oldest (and weakest) form of security; the newer (and stronger) Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and WPA-2 are the best protection available today for home users.

Update Your Router's Firmware

All routers include internal read-only chips with embedded instructions that can be updated by the manufacturer. Router manufacturers generally update a product's firmware to increase performance as well as to resolve bugs and security issues, so it's wise to keep your router's firmware up-to-date. Check the manufacturer's Web site for the latest updates.

Boost Your Wireless Signal

If walls and distance are causing wireless signal degradation, you can do a few things to boost it. Move your router to higher ground—the signal radiates downward. You can also try a signal extender (or repeater), which boosts the signal. Finally, high-gain antennas will work, but they only focus the signal in one direction.

Change Admin Password

Every router has a well-known default password that's used to access the router's browser-based configuration page. Most setup wizards will make you change this password, but not all do. If not, be sure to change it yourself to prevent unwanted hangers-on from changing your network's settings.

Go Back to Factory Settings

If you've lost or forgotten your router's login credentials, you can get around this predicament by resetting the router to its factory settings. Do this by holding down the button on the back of it for 30 seconds. Next, look in the manual for the default user name and password, and then change them on your router's browser-based configuration page.

Disable SSID Broadcast

Unless you disable it, your router broadcasts its service set identifier (SSID)—the name of your network—which allows your neighbors to see (and attempt to gain access to) your network. Instead, disable broadcasting, making the network appear as "SSID not broadcast." Access the unnamed network by typing in the SSID name when prompted.

Change the Default SSID

Change your pre-defined, default SSID—leaving it as "Linksys," for example, tells the world that you haven't configured your router, which invites attackers.

Filter by MAC Address

Every piece of networking gear includes a unique "fingerprint" called a media access control, or MAC, address. You can configure your router to filter connections using these addresses so that only your computers can connect to your network. Most routers will show you connected devices, so adding an adapter's MAC address is a one-click process.

Step Up to 5GHz

The majority of today's networks operate in the crowded 2.4GHz frequency range, which is shared by microwaves, cordless phones, and other home networks. To avoid possible interference, many new routers are capable of broadcasting at 5GHz, which has 23 wide-open channels as opposed to 2.4GHz's three non-overlapping channels.

Limit Your Number of DHCP Clients

Most people use their router as a DHCP server; when clients connect, the router dynamically assigns IP addresses from a large pool of addresses. Limiting that list to the number of clients in your home, however, will help prevent interlopers from hopping onto your network.

Use Your Router's Firewall

Two features make most hardware firewalls more powerful than software firewalls: stateful packet inspection (SPI) and network address translation (NAT). SPI examines packets' content and behavior before granting access, and NAT hides all PCs connected to the router from the Internet, "translating" their IP addresses into private ones that are unreachable from outside the firewall.

Change Your Channel

Wireless B and G (and some N) routers operate at the 2.4GHz frequency, which only has three non-overlapping channels: 1, 6 and 11. By default, your router will most likely be using one of these channels, and the bad news is so your neighbors' routers as well. If you experience dropped connections, sluggish performance or both, a good first step is to switch the channel. If it's set to channel 1, go to 11. If it's set to 6, try either 1 or 11 for best results.

Let Windows Control Your Wireless Networks

If a network adapter's software takes control of your wireless network, it can be difficult to put Windows back in charge. First, click Start, then Run, then type services.msc. Scroll down to Wireless Zero Configuration and start the service. Right-click your wireless connection, select view available networks, and then click advanced settings on the left. Click the wireless networks tab, and check "Use Windows to Configure my wireless network settings."

Disable File Sharing in Public

If you're in a public place with a Net connection, it's a good idea to disable File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. In the properties of your network adapter, uncheck the appropriate box. It's also a good idea to switch your notebook's wireless radio off if you aren't using it.

More Wireless Home Networking Tips and Tricks on ComputerShopper.com

The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Laptops

Make Your Own Power Plan

Windows laptops include a few preset power plans for maximizing battery life, but you can also customize your operating system's power-management features (in Windows XP, under Power Options in the Control Panel; in Vista, under Mobile PC in the Control Panel). Setting aggressive targets for when the display turns off and when the machine goes into sleep or hibernate mode will help your battery last longer.

Limit Your Connection

When you aren't actively using your notebook's Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, WWAN, or other wireless connections, turn the radios off (via the hard switch, if your PC has one, or using the appropriate utility), so they don't run down the battery while they keep searching for a signal. Also, use USB-attached devices sparingly while you're mobile.

Track it down

Thousands of laptops are reported stolen every year. Our advice? Prepare for the worst by investing in tracking software like Absolute Software's Lojack for Laptops, CyberAngel Security, or the free TheLaptopLock. These utilities can pinpoint a registered notebook's location once it connects to the Web, increasing your chances of recovering your system.

Dim the display

A laptop's biggest battery-life-sucking component is its LCD display. To eke out more juice when you're off the plug, turn down your panel's brightness to the lowest level your eyes can stand. Most notebooks have a Function key combo—or even a dedicated hot key—for a quick crank-down. (You can also adjust brightness in Display Settings under Control Panel.)

Keep It Cool

Thanks to their small, cramped cases and tiny vents, laptops are prone to overheating. Unfortunately, using your notebook on your lap—or on top of a blanket that protects your lap from your scalding-hot notebook—can seriously stifle ventilation and make matters worse. To help keep temperatures in check, opt for a lap desk or a laptop cooling pad that won't conduct heat or block your laptop's vents.

Back Up Everything

Constant movement puts computer components at risk, and because of their portability, laptops suffer a lot more wear and tear than desktops. All of that on-the-go use increases the risk of hard drive failure, so make sure you back up the data on your laptop to an external hard drive, thumb drive, or home server on a regular basis. Portable hard drives like the Western Digital Passport Elite make it easy to back up your data on the road.

Cover Your Keyboard

Keep liquids away from laptops at all times. That rule often gets broken, of course, and accidents happen. Should that accident end up on your laptop's keyboard, however, you could end up with more than just a mess: Liquids that seep through your notebook's keys can fry its components. Protect your notebook from spills with a custom-built, plastic keyboard cover from ProtecT Laptop Covers.

Buy a Bag

If you plan to carry your notebook with you, the most useful accessory you can buy is a laptop bag. They're available in a number of styles and prices; for maximum protection, we recommend investing in a model with a built-in padded sleeve. If you want something less conspicuous (thieves have been known to target obvious-looking laptop bags), cover your laptop in stand-alone sleeve and stow it in your backpack or briefcase.

Let It Accumulate

When you move your laptop from a cold to a warm environment, and vice versa, don't boot up until your system reaches room temperature. Sudden temperature changes can cause condensation to build up inside the notebook case; turn it on too quickly, and the moisture could damage your system's inner components.

The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Data Security

Disable Remote Registry Editing

Only you should be editing your Windows registry, so make sure this service is disabled by clicking Start, Run, and then typing "services.msc." Scroll down to Remote Registry and make sure the service is stopped, and then set it to either manual or disable.

Lock It Down

It's always a good idea to lock your PC if strangers are nearby and you step away for a few minutes. Just press Windows key+L to lock your PC. Alternatively, you can set your screensaver (via the Screensaver tab in Display Settings under Control Panel) to require a password if it's deactivated by checking the box in "Settings" that says "On resume, password protect."

Prevent Phishing Attacks

Protect yourself from identity theft and phishing attacks by using the the latest versions of Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Opera. These browsers include protection that double-checks URLs against a blacklist, and will notify you if you're about to visit a known phishing site.

Keep Your Software Up to Date

Hackers and crackers love to take advantage of exploits found in software, which causes the developers to release a patch to plug up the holes. Therefore, it's imperative you not only enable Windows Update but also download the latest version of any software on your system, especially your Web browser and antivirus program.

Be Wary of P2P Files

Virus makers love peer-to-peer file-sharing services. They name their virus "Angelina Jolie Wallpapers" or something similar and upload it. Then millions of people download it, launch it, and wonder why their computers are infested with viruses. Download with caution, and always use antivirus software. If you need an effective, free antivirus solution, we recommend AVG Free.

Wipe the Drive Before Donating Your Old Computer

If you are getting rid of a hard drive and want to render all or some of its data unrecoverable, you have two options. You can download Eraser to securely wipe any file or folder, and you can use Darik's Boot and Nuke SE (DBAN) to write over the entire drive. To use DBAN, download it and burn it as an ISO disc, then boot from it. It will provide you with instructions on the welcome screen.

Encrypt Sensitive Files

If you want to encrypt sensitive data, you can buy a portable USB drive with built-in encryption like the CMS ABS-Secure Encrypted Backup System, but if you just want to protect a specific folder or group of files, we recommend Truecrypt, which is free. It encrypts a custom-sized volume with 256-bit AES encryption, so it's extremely secure.

Verify Your Backups

Many people have a "set it and forget it" mindset when it comes to backups. Even after you establish a regimen, however, it's critical that you check the target folders periodically to ensure the proper files are being backed up. If not, re-configure your backup routine to make sure it's working properly.

Back Up Your Data

You must back up your data, period. If you have the means, we highly recommend an external USB drive like the Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus. If you already have an extra drive in your system—but just need some good backup software—try the free version of 2BrightSpark's Syncback, which is sublimely easy to configure.

Turn Off Your PC During Lightning Storms

Even surge protectors can be overwhelmed during electrical storms, and we've seen the results first-hand—fried motherboards, processors, hard drives and power supplies. If you're experiencing a heavy-duty electrical storm, take our advice and unplug your computer from the wall socket—just in case. And buy a laptop to use until the crisis passes.

Enable S.M.A.R.T for Your Hard Drives

S.M.A.R.T (self-monitoring analysis and reporting technology) allows your drive to report whether it's about to fail, which can give you a heads-up to replace it. All the modern hard drives have it—go into your PC's BIOS (press Del or F2/F10 during bootup) and enable it.

Enable Extension Viewing

By default, Windows hides file extensions, and virus-makers exploit this feature by giving their executable program names like Popularsong.exe, which appears as a harmless audio file if you have extensions hidden. To enable extension viewing, open any folder and click Tools, Folder Options, and uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types."

The Best Computer Tips and Tricks: Keyboard Shortcuts for Windows Vista and XP and Microsoft Office

Windows Key+E

The best part about shortcut keys is letting your keyboard do half the work. This is a perfect example: This shortcut allows you to open Windows Explorer with one quick keystroke.

Windows Key+M

This is the shortcut to keep in mind when you are at work doing anything but working—it allows you to minimize all of your open windows, leaving just the desktop left exposed. To restore the windows, hit Windows key+Shift+M. Another quick way to do this is Windows key+D, which shows your desktop; to restore, just repeat the same keystroke. This is a handy shortcut to have around the next time your boss is wandering through the office.

Alt+Tab

This allows you to easily scroll through all the windows you have open. If you're working in Word and referring to something in Explorer, for example, you can toggle back and forth between the two programs. You can also use this to switch between windows in the same program, making multitasking a breeze. Very similar is Windows key+Tab: In XP, it lets you scroll the items on the taskbar, and in Vista, it starts Flip 3D for a fun graphical spin on the same idea.

Alt+F4

This shortcut is a quick way to close a window in any program. Alt+Spacebar+C (which requires less stretching, but more keys) and Ctrl+W do the same thing. Any of the ways will allow you to close a window without using your mouse to hit the X in the upper-right corner.

Ctrl+Arrow Keys

In Microsoft Word, the left and right arrows allow you to move the cursor to the beginning of the previous word or the next word; the up and down arrows will do the same with paragraphs. This is very helpful when editing a document or scanning for any reason.

Shift+Delete

If you want to delete a file—and you don't want to deal with it later in the Recycle Bin—this is the way to go. Just be absolutely sure that this is a file you won't want back!

Hold Shift While Inserting a CD

Have you ever wanted to insert a CD and not use it right away? This shortcut allows you to bypass Autorun when inserting a CD so you can control exactly when you will use a CD you've inserted.

Ctrl+Drag

There are many ways to copy a file, but this just might be the easiest. All you have to do is click on the file, hold, and drag it into its desired location. This works the same as another handy shortcut, Ctrl+C.

Windows Key+U+U

Quickly shut down Windows by hitting the Windows key (don't hold it down), hitting U to reach the shutdown menu, and then hitting U again to shut down.

Windows Key+Pause

Need a quick way to get to the Systems Properties menu without too much thought? Just press these two keys and you'll be brought right to it.

Ctrl+Z, Ctrl+Y

Undo an action by hitting Ctrl+Z; if you change your mind, Ctrl+Y will redo the undo.

Shift + Arrow Keys

Holding shift and pressing one of the arrow keys will highlight text in Word (or a group of Excel cells) without the mouse, selecting in the direction the arrow points.

Ctrl+U, Ctrl+B, Ctrl+I

This one's for Office newbies. It's a snap to underline, bold, and italicize without the mouse if you press Ctrl+U (underlining), Ctrl+B (bolding), or Ctrl+I (italicizing).

Free Internet Trick

Free Internet Trick

Using Internet For Free !

Filed under: Internet 

Yes ! Everyone wants to use Internet for free. It is a necessity today. No one can ignore the world of information, entertainment. It is up to you what kind of use you put it in. Well, it is not free. ISP charges money for providing you the access the internet. Lets Begin !

So,  What is the first thing you need to have access to the internet, yes it is the ISP.  Obviously, there is not only one ISP on the planet working to provide access to the internet. There are a large number of them. Presently, you can call them a Network connected to internet.  There are Virtual Private Networks called VPNs.  Some are prepaid, free and fully paid.  Get a Free VPN you will need that.

After a free VPN, you need a internet connection to reach to that free VPN. VPNs are not ISP, they depend upon your implemented technology.

Again, as I have mentioned the implemented technology. It means that if your speed is slow, it is not good. The better the speed, the better the speed you get. So, I can say that it is for a special class of internet users which is increasing day by day.  Get the answer by yourself.

You would need a software for connecting to that VPN, Well the software depends upon the VPN. Generally, it could be an OpenVPN Software.

After all the theory that I have mentioned have a flaw. All the ISPs can not be used to get the free internet. The OpenVPN software routes all of your iinternet traffic to another Internet Server (VPN Server). If the your ISP  does not come to know about this routing, then you will be using free internet, otherwise you have a bad day.

The transfer protocol also matters, may be TCP packets may be traced by ISp and UDP may not. Again, it is the ISP only and of course, you luck.

Well, I told you everything and nothing. 

Intelligent will find a way. 

Good Luck

speed up our computer/laptop superb speed trick

Three Easiest Tips to Keep Your PC as Fast
as New
When we install windows operating systems
in our computers, it looks very fast for few
days. But day by day the speed decreases. It
takes long time to boot the operating
system. Furthermore, sometimes it hangs to
load the anti-virus software and other
startup items. So, let us learn how to keep
your windows as fast as newly installed
operating system.
Using msconfig
First of all, Omit or uncheck the unnecessary
items from the startup programs. For it you
got to turn on your pc and let it be booted.
When the loading completes, Press
“Windows+R”. It will open the run menu.
Write “msconfig” in it and press enter. You
will see a new window which will appear
“System configuration utility”. Change the
tab to “startup” on the top right of the
System Configuration Utility window. Here,
you will see a list of programs which run
when computer starts. Uncheck the items
which seems irritating or unnecessary to
you. Now click on apply and then close the
window. It will ask for a reboot. Click on
restart to reboot your pc. When it reboots
you won’t see the unnecessary items
loading with your log on and your log on
process has become faster than before. Isn’t
it cool?!!
Using regedit
Secondly, we can speed up our computer by
registry editing. It will cure the slowing
problem of start menu programs. Once
again you need to open the run menu by
pressing “Ctrl+R”. Now write “regedit” in it
and press enter. It will open a new window
which is called “Registry Editor”. Here you
may change the registry value of the
programs installed in your computer. Now
click on HKEY_CURRENT_USER folder on the
registry editor window. Find Control panel >
Desktop > MenuShowDelay. Double click on
MenuShowDelay on the right box to amend
its value. You will see 400 is the default value
in the edit option. Delete the 400 from it and
let it remain blank. Click on ok. Remember,
the more you reduce this value the more
speed you may get in Start Menu program
loading.
Deleting Temprary Files
Thirdly, we can speed up our computer by
deleting temporary files form our hard disk.
Temporary files accumulate when we install,
run or download something in our pc.
Keeping these files for so long may decrease
your pc running speed. So, deleting these
files is the best to get rid of this upcoming
slow-problem. In this case, again we will use
run menu. Please, follow the steps. Open the
run menu with “Windows+R”. Write “temp”
to open the directory “C:WINDOWSTemp”.
Delete everything you found in this directory
and close the folder. Again open the run
menu. Write “%temp%” to open the
directory “C:DOCUME~1User
LOCALS~1Temp”. Delete everything you
found in this directory. If any file denies to
be deleted, let it be there. Not need to delete
them. Close the window. Now again open
the run menu. Write “prefetch” to open the
directory “C:WINDOWSPrefetch”. Delete
every file you found in this folder.
In conclusion we have come to know the
three easy steps to speed up your computer.
If your pc still reacting slow, may be the
problem is on somewhere else. In this case,
I recommend you to install a fresh copy of
Operating System