How To Get Rid Of Pop Ups

Pop ups are generally any web browser window that comes up without your permission. There are three types of pop ups. Typical pop ups are generally advertisements that are run when you visit certain websites. Pop unders are pretty much the same as pop ups, except they come up behind the current web browser window. These are also usually advertisements. Finally, there are exit consoles. These are pop ups that come up when you try to leave a web page. They generally try to keep you on the page, or get you to enter personal information. There are also floating ads, which are not a separate window but float around the screen while you are on a website.

Causes of Pop Ups

All pop-up windows are the result of running a program, usually from a website or a program on your computer. The most common type of pop ups are run when you open a website, as this is a common form of advertising. There are also pop ups that are caused by spyware or adware. These programs are installed on your computer, usually without your knowledge, and they cause pop ups to come up constantly no matter what website you visit.
Other pop ups are caused by viruses. They are called viruses because they are transmitted from one computer to the next. These acts similar to spyware or adware, popping up windows for advertisements or that spy on your computer usage.

Getting Rid of Pop Ups

If you are getting pop ups caused by websites, you have a few options. First, update your internet browser. This will get you the best pop up protection available to ward off most of them. You might also add a tool bar that blocks pop-up windows from appearing, such as Google, Yahoo or Windows Live. Be careful which tool bars you install, however, as some of them are spyware or adware and can actually be causing your pop ups.

If you still see pop ups everywhere you turn, you probably have adware or spyware on your computer. This is very easy to remove. First, check for viruses by running antivirus software. If this doesn’t turn up anything, run spyware checking software. Whichever one turns up the program causing the pop ups, the software should give you step by step instructions for removing it.

How To Get Rid of Dirt In Your Keyboard

As technology continues to conquer all parts of the world, more and more people are getting exposed to the use of computers even in the middle developed and poor nations. A computer is indispensable nowadays in any working organisation or office with the developed seeing the need to have a personal computer. A keyboard is therefore a common gadget that almost everyone encounters since even those without private computer access can do so in cybercafés.

It is of uttermost importance to have and maintain a clean keyboard. Many people forget to handle their keyboards with care and their end up blocking the spaces in between the keys with dust and food particles which can bring about a lot of problems. Not only will those dust and food particles affect the functioning and responsiveness of your keyboard, but also do they pose a health hazard, as those dirty spaces between keys may become a breeding ground for bacteria that may result to ill health.

The computer fraternity came up with the name E-gunk which refers to these particles and dirt that collect in between the keys of your keyboard. It is normally comprises of food remains, dirt particles, sticky liquids, dead skin cells and sweat or water from dirty or wet hands. Some people even in offices will tolerate working with such a dirty keyboard but any normal hygienic person will clean it up as a healthy working environment also makes a healthy you. Letting E-gunk collect in your keyboard is not only disgusting but also will it expose you harmful viruses and bacteria as well as cockroaches.

Importance of regular keyboard cleaning

• General keyboard functioning. A well maintained clean keyboard will function way better than a dirty one with keys responding properly to the touch. The keys of a dirty keyboard may get stuck or develop unresponsiveness.
• Good look and appeal. Any clean well kept machine or instrument attracts the user and makes him or her feel comfortable, especially when one is entitled to use it for an extended period of time like at home or in the office.
• General hygiene. While using a dirty keyboard, food particles may for instance attract cockroaches which can in turn lay eggs in between the keys therefore posing a health hazard to you the user. Housing harmful bacteria in your keyboard may result to unexpected infections and diseases.

Regular keyboard Cleaning Tools

Commonly used tools in keyboard cleaning include:

• Toothbrush
• Isopropyl alcohol or cleaning fluid
• Soft, dry cotton cloths
• A can of compressed air
• Vacuum cleaner
• Screwdriver
• Cotton buds

The tools you need for a nice and thorough keyboard cleaning process will vary depending on how dirty your keyboard is. An extremely dirty keyboard may for instance call for removal of some or all the keys hence the inclusion of a screwdriver.

Regular Cleaning Steps

• Switch off the computer and unplug the keyboard cable from the CPU.
• Use your can of compressed air to spray in between the keys in order to dislodge any E-gunk collected there.
• Overturn the keyboard and shake it gently so that all particles can fall.
• Add 2-3 drops of isopropyl alcohol or the cleaning fluid you are using to a cotton bud and use it to clean the keys.
• Take a soft, dry cloth and add a little amount of isopropyl alcohol or cleaning fluid and then use it to gently wipe the keyboard surface.
• For a thorough cleaning, remove the keys gently using the screwdriver. It is important you take a close still picture of the keyboard before removing the keys so as to mark the exact location of every key.
• Use the vacuum cleaner to remove the collected dirt particles from the frame.
• Take the keys one at a time and clean them using the toothbrush and the cleaning fluid.
• Wait for the keys to dry up and put them back to their position. You can use the keyboard picture as a guide to the correct key positions.

As they put it, cleanliness is second to Godliness. A clean keyboard will give you a serene working environment while at the same time protecting you from the harmful effects of having a dirty keyboard.

How To Get Rid of Old Computers

So you have finally upgraded your system and are ready to get rid of your old computer. But you do not want to just throw it away. Here are some tips on how to get rid of your old computer safely so you can enjoy your new computer with peace of mind.

Before You Get Rid Of It

Before you get rid of any computer it is a good idea to wipe the hard drive. This way no one can steal your identity or access your accounts with the personal information you store on your computer. There are three ways you can protect yourself.

The first method is to format your hard drive. This has been a popular way to destroy data for years. Unfortunately, it is no longer effective. As technology advances there are more and more ways to recover data from a computer. There are services and software programs available to anyone with or without computer knowledge that will recover data from a formatted hard drive. These are very reasonably priced, which makes them a good investment for someone looking to steal thousands of dollars with identity theft.
The second method is to use disk wiping software. These software programs are supposed to wipe your data from your hard drive completely. However, most of them do not do as they claim. Instead, the software will delete and overwrite your hard drive repeatedly, making data harder to retrieve, but not making it impossible. If you are going to buy software to wipe your hard drive, do your research into the software to see what it actually does. Make sure that it is actually going to wipe your hard drive permanently, not just erase the contents.

Finally, the most effective method of protecting yourself is to destroy the hard drive. This is not as bad as it sounds. In fact, the hard drive makes up less than ten percent of the total value of a computer. So even if you are going to sell the computer, it will still be worth money if you physically destroy the hard drive. However, when destroying the hard drive keep in mind that data can still be retrieved off of a damaged hard drive. You need to completely destroy the hard drive beyond recognition to protect your data. The best way to do this is to open up the hard drive, remove the ceramic discs inside, and smash them with a hammer.

Getting Rid of Your PC

There are five main ways to get rid of a computer. You could donate it, although this isn’t as easy as it used to be. If your computer is new enough to be of use, you might try local schools, Goodwill or Salvation Army, or posting it for free on Craigslist.

You can, of course, sell your old computer if it is in good enough condition (even without the hard drive). This helps offset the cost of your new computer. Recycling your computer is also an option. Check your local yellow pages or do Google searches to see what companies in your area take old hardware. Some computers companies allow trade- in, taking your old computer off of your hands for free when you buy a new one. Finally, you can reuse the computer. Load it up with music and connect it to your home theater system for a cheap stereo replacement.

How To Get Rid Of Desktop Toolbars

Maintaining a personal computer is normally a very big priority in the minds of many computer owners as that good look on your desktop will give you a good feel even when you are working. It is a very annoying experience therefore when unwanted programs or files show up such as web browser toolbars. Toolbars can pose quite a big problem to computer users with desktop toolbars also very prevalent.

Some desktop toolbars are genuine and come from software companies with the main task of monitoring and recording data of your online habits and search questions. The collected private information is then sent to the host site of that toolbar and can be exploited so as to send you some target online ads. The information may also be very sensitive for instance user names and passwords or online bank account numbers which can be used in fraudulent activities. However, some may be caused by harmful adware or software that you may have installed on your computer either knowingly or unknowingly.
Desktop toolbars can be very irritating to the user and so an individual ought to totally uninstall or hide them. Removing a toolbar completely is normally not an easy task as most get downloaded and installed on your computer’s hard drive without user knowledge or consent. You may also encounter sophisticated toolbars with the ability to block uninstallation or even re-install on your desktop after you have removed them. Such smart toolbars will normally have concealed re-installers. It is therefore quite impossible to completely remove a toolbar manually. Some may hide from the possible detection by antivirus software or the possible blocking by firewalls as they can deeply attach themselves with the major parts of your default browser.

Hiding a Desktop Toolbar in Windows XP and 2000

In order to hide a desktop toolbar in windows 2000 and XP, open the task bar and try to right click on an empty part in it. You should then use your mouse to select “Toolbars” where you should choose the specific toolbars you wish to hide.

Removing a Desktop Toolbar from Windows XP and 2000

Uninstalling a desktop toolbar from your computer can either be done from you browser or from your control panel.

When using your browser, select “View” and then choose “Toolbars”. A list of all the toolbars you have will appear you can uncheck the ones you don’t want.

When using your control panel, click on the “start” button and then select “control panel”. Go straight to the “Add/Remove Programs” option and click twice. All the current software installed on your computer will appear. Select the name of the specific toolbar that you wish to get rid of and enter “Remove”.

A desktop toolbar can therefore pose a big security concern to any computer user and so an individual should always ensure proper measures are put in place. It is important to regularly update proper anti-adware, anti spyware and anti-virus softwares as well as putting up effective firewalls to shield your computer from threats and alien programs.

How To Get Rid Of Cookies

Web cookies also known as HTTP cookies, are message files derived from a user’s browser and stored in the hard drive, containing personal information of a web user and their surfing practices. The web server or specific website visited sends these files to your browser.

Main Uses of Cookies

• They authenticate sessions.
• Maintain individual settings and preferences page layout and the size of text.
• In websites requiring the user to log in, cookies do the work of tracking individual sessions.
• They memorise specific user details like passwords and user names thus differentiating users.
• Enable customisation of web pages for instance setting the preferred number of search results per page or the preferred user language.
• Saves specific user result filtering information such as whether the user wants filtered results or not.
• Tracking previously visited websites.

Security Risks of Using Cookies

• A website that uses cookies constantly sends them to and from the user’s computer to the server. This is very risky since the cookies may be carrying delicate user information like passwords and usernames which if intercepted can expose the user to internet fraud.

 

• Cookies have the ability of tracking the specific websites that a user visits which is also a major security concern as someone may track your online dealings and transactions and use the information against you or to rob you.

Nonetheless, a user may not be able to permanently reject cookies since some crucial websites and applications that the user visits and uses regularly such as Myspace, Twitter, Facebook, email and online banking all use cookies. The best thing therefore is to be careful while browsing and to discard all cookies that have been stored in your computer immediately after surfing.

Getting Rid of Cookies

Unlike dangerous malware like Trojans and viruses, cookies can be easily discarded without having to access or download other software or changing computer settings. All you have to do is to go through all the individual user accounts and different web browsers in your computer as cookies are stored differently in each one of them.

In the case of Internet Explorer (IE), you should right-click on the IE icon which appears on your desktop and once there choose “properties”. Select the “General” option followed by “Delete Cookies” and then click OK.

In the case of Mozilla Firefox, launch the browser and select “Tools” followed by

“Options”. Once there, click on the “Privacy Tab” and then select “Clear Your Recent History” where you should choose “Cookies” and enter OK.

Cookies can therefore be termed as “necessary devils”; text files posing serious security threats yet you cannot avoid them, as you will require regular access to crucial cookie-enabled websites such as online bank accounts and email. The best thing is to be cautious when accessing different websites and online destinations and make sure you don’t leave behind any trace in the form of cookies. Always avoid using public computers to access private online details and services and when you have to always delete cookies after you are done surfing.

How To Get Rid Of Old Computer Files

You certainly enjoyed that new computer when you first took it out the box. Why? It allowed you to place all of your photos of celebrations and kids, videos, and all of your favorite music so as to make the computer truly your own. You could also play your favorite games. But after a while your computer can begin be a bit sluggish. Maybe it’s due to all of those old computer files. So what exactly are old computer files?? Well to simply put it, they are files that occupy space with no function. Some of these files could include old photos, videos, programs, or documents. Even files that have been downloaded from browsing the Internet, temporary files, could be slowing down that once very fast computer. So how exactly can you remove those old computer files to make your computer what it once was??
Before any deleting and removing occurs, check your files several times to make sure that it is something that can be remove permanently from your computer.
Removing Unused Software: Removing old or trial software is easier than some think. If you are a Windows XP, Vista, or Windows 7 user, you can go to the Control Panel from the Start menu, and click on “Add/Remove Programs”. From there follow the instructions of the uninstalling program.

Use Deleting Programs: If you are not at all confident enough to old computer files yourself, you can use cleaning programs such as CC Cleaner or Microsoft’s built in program, Disk Cleanup. The programs clean out old files from your Recycle Bin, as well as browser cache files so you won’t have to.

Alternatives: If there are old computer files that you don’t use now, but want to keep for a rainy day you can always back them up using CD’s or Rewritable DVD’s. Another way to keep those file but to also clean your computer is to use a high capacity USB drive or external hard drive.

How To Get Rid Of Computer Viruses

A computer virus is a small program that infects your computer and replicates itself to distribute to other computers. The internet connects so many computers, and we often share files with others, that a virus can quickly spread from computer to computer unknowingly. Depending on the virus the effects can be devastating, from deleting or corrupting files to disabling security so that you are left vulnerable to a hacker.

Types of Viruses

There are many categories of computer viruses. These are just the six most common. The first is resident viruses. These are viruses that hide in your RAM on your computer controlling or intercepting operations. Most often these viruses are used to capture passwords or credit card information, and can corrupt programs or files.

The second type is direct action viruses. These are viruses that take direct action and replicate when they are run. When certain conditions are met, the virus becomes alive and begins replicating itself. It will generally attach itself to files on your computer so that when the file is run the virus is activated. These files can be recovered using anti-virus software.

The third type is overwriting viruses. These viruses delete the information for a file then copy themselves into the file. The only way to get the file back is to get it from a previous back up.

The fourth type of virus is the boot virus. This type of virus infects the boot sector, or the part of the hard drive that stores basic system information and is used to start up your computer. When the computer is booted up, the virus activates.

The fifth type of virus is a macro virus. These viruses hide out in macro files, or mini programs used to help you in Microsoft Word, Excel, Access or PowerPoint. When you run the macro in its respective program, the virus runs as well. Finally, there are file infectors. These are viruses that infect your executable files or programs. Each time you run the program, the virus is activated.

If You Think You Have a Virus

…don’t panic! You can probably fix the problem quite easily with anti-virus software. If your computer is acting funny, booting slowly, having a lot of errors or giving you lots of pop-up windows, you probably have a virus.

As soon as you suspect you have a virus, stop what you are doing and close everything you have open. Run your antivirus software to make sure it is working. Update your virus definitions and run it again to be certain there are no viruses lurking in your computer. If your computer is still messing up and you don’t come up with any viruses, check it for spyware. If your antivirus software does come up with a virus, simply follow the instructions on your screen to get rid of it.

When You Can’t Use Antivirus Software

Sometimes antivirus software is not allowed to run by a virus. You have three options if that happens. You can use an online antivirus scan to find and destroy the virus. You can use a rescue disk created when you first installed the antivirus software. Instructions for how to use the disk should come up when you insert the disk and run it from the drive. Finally, you can remove your drives, install them on another pc or network, and use another computer to scan and fix the drives.

How To Get Rid Of Windows Vista

Windows Vista is potentially the most hated operating system ever. The operating system from Microsoft has been out for nearly four years now. While a lot of people switched to this OS, most of them wish that they had not done so. They would much rather go back to Windows XP, or try a new operating system like Linux.

Released in January of 2007, Vista was supposed to be easier to use, more secure and more up to date than Windows XP. However, Vista failed to uphold its promises. Even Bill Gates admitted that Vista, originally known as Microsoft Longhorn, was the worst product they had ever created. Proof of this failure is shown in the number of people that do not want to stay with Vista, or refused to switch in the first place.

Reasons for Failure

There are many reasons Vista failed. One of the biggest reasons it failed is that there were so many editions it confused users. To make it even more confusing, different editions had different system requirements. The most commonly known reason for its failure was the user account control, or UAC. The UAC was supposed to offer more security, but instead became an annoying nag. Another annoying feature was the digital rights management technology, which prevented users from copying digitally protected material.

Another reason Vista failed is that a lot of hardware that came out before Vista was incompatible or would not work properly. Many versions of hardware did not even have compatible drivers available for Vista. This made most users have to choose between upgrading their system or ditching Vista altogether.
Overall there were no ground breaking improvements to Vista, other than the pleasing appearance of it. There are slow file operations problems, with many users complaining that it takes several minutes if not hours to copy and delete files or burn CD ROMs. Booting the system even took longer than XP, even if the system exceeded requirements. Overall, the system was so much different in appearance from XP and other earlier versions of Windows operating systems that it made it difficult to use.

How to Get Rid of Vista

A lot of people who wanted to try Vista now want to switch back to XP or even Linux. It is very easy to upgrade to Vista from XP, but going backward can be tedious and difficult. The longer you use Vista the harder it is to go back. You have two options on how to do this.

Option one is to reformat your hard drive and reinstall your old operating system. This is fairly easy to do, because reformatting of the hard drive is fairly automated in most systems. However, reformatting your hard drive means losing all of your files, documents, mp3s, pictures, and anything else you have stored on there. Make sure you back up everything you want to keep before your reformat.

First, insert the Windows XP CD in the drive. Next you need to boot into the XP installation program. To do this you have to set the BIOS to boot first from the CD ROM drive. To access the BIOS, press the first key you see on the first screen you see when you boot up your computer, usually F1, F2, or Delete. Go to boot priority or options and tell it to boot first from CD. Save your settings and reboot your computer to boot from the CD.

Follow the basic instructions provided by the CD. Select the drive that you have Vista on when it asks where to install XP. Next it will tell you to reformat your hard drive. Tell it to use NTFS as your file system and choose the quick format option. After the formatting is complete, XP will begin loading on your system. You can now leave your computer and come back in thirty to sixty minutes. Next you will have to enter your product key. Within a few minutes, you’ll be finished and have XP back again.

Option two is to run Vista and another OS on a dual boot. The advantage to this is that you can keep your files. Running dual operating systems is easy. You simply follow the same instructions as the first option, but choose a different hard drive or partition. You should consult the operating manual for Vista to better understand how to dual boot systems.

How To Get Rid Of Messy Computer Cables

Isn’t it an eyesore to have messy computer cables at the back or side of your computer? Don’t you just hate it when you are left with a mess to deal with when you’re trying to disconnect a device from your computer? Messy computer cables can cause damage to your computer indirectly; however, the sight of that mess may instantly turn you off. Getting rid of these eyesores of a mess can improve organization; make the space safer, and the office/entertainment space in which it inhabits. So follow these ideas and tips to get those messy computer cables in order.

• Safety: Safety first!! Carefully shut down all electronics. Making sure all electronics are shut down, begin to carefully remove unplug and remove the cables. *If you own a surge protector, it is important to unplug them first before unplugging any other cables. Once everything is safely unplugged, clean the cables free from dust and dirt with a damp soft rag. For anything stubborn dirt and dust, use a soapy rag. * Be careful to not come in contact with the ends.

Arrange: Before any reorganizing can occur, figuring out how to organize the cables is the first step. Analyze and determine how you will place cables in a nice and orderly way. Once the plan to rearrange your cables is in place, be sure to straighten out the cables. This will not only make organizing the cables easier, but will save you tons of money from the cables becoming damaged. One of the easiest ways to begin grouping cables is to bundle them. Bundling all of your cables and tying them with a strong cable tie will keep organization and order to your cables.

• Reconnect: Once the cables have been cleaned, rearranged, and bundled; reconnecting the cables will be a piece of cake. Plug in the cables accord to the electronics. Do not force any cables that may not fit. Also make sure the cables are tightly secured. Giving them tug or two will make sure they will not break away from their port and the bundle.

Another Alternative: Go wireless!!

How To Get Rid Of Computer Files

Deleting computer files is a process of removing files from a computers file system. This is normally done using the “Delete” or “Backspace” keys on the computer keyboard.

Basic Reasons of Deleting Computer Files

• Discarding unused or irrelevant data from the computer system.
• Creating free disk space.
• Getting rid of personal private information that you may not wish to expose to other people.

A person may however delete files accidentally or need some deleted files later. A “recycle bin” or “trash folder” is therefore important to help restore important files to your computer. One can also form a habit of backing up files regularly to be protected against such occurrences. There are rare applications like MS-DOS which provides the user with the ability to “undelete files”. Instead of the actual deleting of files, it only marks them as deleted while in real sense preserving them for future “undeleting”. You can also adopt a system of marking the files that are very important to you as read only.

Sensitive Data

Sensitive data normally poses a problem since the data you choose to delete is only virtually deleted and any interested individual or party can recover or restore it. What is actually deleted is only the link to the data but not the data itself. Even if you decide to format the hard disk or overwrite it with some other data, that will not be a sure guarantee of having completely discarded the sensitive data.

This process where data deleted by the user is retained by the system is called data remanence. It makes it possible, the discovery of very sensitive or important information. Nevertheless, the advent of sophisticated technology has made it possible the creation of smart data remanence countering techniques such as encryption, physical destruction, purging, overwriting and degaussing.

Encryption
This is a careful and strong method of countering data remanence where the data to be saved b y the system is countered before being stored in the medium therefore making it impossible to recover. It can be done collectively on the whole disk or from file to file.

Physical destruction

Although this method is very expensive, it is arguably the most effective way of countering remanence of data. It is also a very lengthy and complicated process. It may involve:

• Applying concentrated chemicals with the ability to cause corrosion for example acids to the surfaces used for recording.
• Over raising temperatures above the Curie point in the case of magnetic media.
• Vaporizing or liquidifying solid disks.
• Burning the disks.
• Breaking the disks physically for instance through grinding.

Purging

This method is also known as sanitizing and involves removing the sensitive data from the specific storage device in a way that no known method or technique can reconstruct it.

Overwriting

This technique is also referred to as file shredding or disk wiping and involves the overwriting of the storage device with some other data. It is a cheap method and is mostly implemented on software.

Degaussing

This refers to reducing or completely removing a magnetic field. It is a quick and effective method that makes use of a special device known as a degausser, hence the name degaussing. It erases the formatting on hard disks making them unusable.

There are therefore many techniques to choose from when deleting computer files. It is only a matter of selecting the most appropriate and effective method to suit individual needs.

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