Defragging Your Hard Drive in Windows XP

When you save a file or program (a program is just a collection of special files anyway) to your hard drive, it is not generally stored as a single entity. Instead, it is divided up into a number of small pieces. When you retrieve the file, the computer puts all the pieces back in the correct order so that you can view your file or run your program.

As you save more files, delete unwanted files, install new programs and uninstall others the disk can become more and more fragmented. That is, the small file pieces will become more and more scattered throughout your hard drive. Deleting files and uninstalling software can leave empty pockets of various sizes amid your remaining data. Now, when you save new files, bits of these files will be placed in these empty sections. Simply put, little bits of your file might end up spread all over your hard drive. This means that your computer will take longer to find all the little file bits and put them back together when you need them.

If your computer's hard drive becomes heavily fragmented, the computer's performance may be significantly affected. The computer may become sluggish and unresponsive. Luckily, Windows XP has a built in tool that can easily remedy problems caused by a defragmented hard drive. This tool is the Disk Defragmenter. The tool "defrags" your drive by re-ordering all the little bits of data so that files and programs can be retrieved more efficiently. This means that your files and programs will load faster.

To use the Disk Defragmenter in Windows XP:

1. Shutdown any programs that you have running.

2. Click Start / All programs / Accessories / System Tools, and then click on Disk Defragmenter. The Defragmenter interface should open.

3. In the top part of the interface, make sure your primary drive is highlighted. Depending on how your computer is set up, there may be one or more drives that you can choose from. The available drives will be listed under the column labelled "Volume". Your primary drive is most likely your "C" drive and this is the one that is probably most in need of defragging.

4. Click on the button labelled "Defragment" to start the process. The process might take quite some time, depending on how big and how fragmented the drive is.

5. When the process is complete, a message box will pop up to inform you. You can then exit out of the Disk Defragmenter and resume normal computing.

To maintain peak performance, your computer's hard drive should be defragmented on a regular basis. Just how often defragging is necessary will depend on how much you use your computer and the sort of activities you use it for. In Windows XP, the Disk Defragmenter has an "Analyse" button. Clicking the button will rapidly generate a report that informs you if the disk needs to be defragged.

..."Tip by Brett M.Christensen"

What do my speed test results mean?

 

The basics

1. 8 Kilobits (Kb) = 1 Kilobyte (KB)
   8 Megabits (Mb) = 1 Megabyte (MB)
   KB and MB are measurements of data file sizes and storage.
2. Kbps and Mbps are short for "Kilobits per second" and "Megabits per second" and are measurements of data transfer rates (also known as connection speed).
3. To estimate how long it would take to download a large file based upon your connection speed, you can use the following simple mathematical equation:(Convert file size to Mb) / coneection speed (in Mbps) = # of seconds to complete download.
   So if your connection speed is 16 Mbps then, then you could theoretically download a 2 MB file, such as a high-resolution digital photo, in approximately one second.
   (2 MB x 8 Mb) / 16 Mbps = 1 second

Bandwidth Calculator

How long does it take to download a file at different connection speeds?

Instructions: Our calculator measures the estimated time needed to download a file at different connection speeds. Simply type in the file size in the field below and choose a measurement unit. The fields below will automatically populate with estimated download times *based on connection speed.

FILE SIZE

test your bandwidth speed

KB(Kilobytes)

MB (Megabytes)

GB (Gigabytes)

TB (Terabytes)

Connection	Capacity	Time
33.6 K (Modem)	33,600 bps	41 mins, 36 secs
56 K (Modem)	56,000 bps	24 mins, 57 secs
64 K (DS-0)	64,000 bps	21 mins, 50 secs
128 K (ISDN)	128,000 bps	10 mins, 55 secs
256 K (DSL)	256,000 bps	5 mins, 27 secs
640 K (DSL/Cable)	640,000 bps	2 mins, 11 secs
768 K (DSL/Cable)	768,000 bps	1 min, 49 secs
T1, DS-1	1.544 Mbps	54 secs
T3, DS-3	44.736 Mbps	1 sec
OC-1	51.840 Mbps	1 sec
OC-3	155.520 Mbps	Less than a second.
OC-12	622.520 Mbps	Less than a second.
OC-48	2.488 Gbps	Less than a second.
OC-192	10Gbps	Less than a second.

*Note: these calculations assume a "perfect" connection at the stated speed. Actual performance will vary due to retries, latency, transmission protocol requirements, and other concurrent traffic.

Get the most from your Internet service

Introduction

Maximize your Internet experience.           

 

The equipment you use to access the Internet affects your Internet speeds. Find out how to maximize your online experience below.

Your Computer

Our Recommended System Requirements Your computer's processor speed (CPU), memory (RAM), operating system, and your browser all affect how fast your computer performs.

Processor Speed (CPU)
The faster the processor, the faster your computer runs. We recommend a minimum of 1.5 GHz for PCs, and at least 800 MHz for Mac.

Memory (RAM)
RAM is the temporary storage place your computer uses to do its calculations. The more RAM you have, the faster your programs run. We recommend at least 1GB for PCs and Mac. More is better.

Web Browser
We recommend using the latest version of your favorite browser.

• Internet Explorer
• Firefox
• Safari

Optimize your computer's Internet connectionThe Comcast TCP Optimizer is a free, easy-to-use tool that helps you make the most of your Internet connection by modifying your network settings. The Comcast TCP Optimizer is designed for Windows XP computers.

Optimize Now

Remove Spyware from your computer
Spyware is a form of malware that transmits personally identifiable information from your computer over the Internet to another party — without your knowledge. What’s more, spyware can slow your computer down. Spyware is installed secretly on your computer when you surf the Internet.

Remove spyware from your computer by downloading and installing our Comcast Toolbar. This includes Spyware Scan, which provides you with spyware detection, cleaning, and quarantining capabilities.

Get rid of computer viruses
Included with the Constant Guard Protection Suite we offer the top-rated Norton™ Security Suite, which helps protect your computer from viruses, hackers, and online predators, and keeps your identity protected online.

Download the Constant Guard Protection Suite.

Free up hard drive space Your web browser has a Temporary Internet Files cache, which contains a record of everything you’ve downloaded, such as images, web pages and cookies. This takes up space on your computer, and causes it to run slower. We recommend clearing your cache on a regular basis.

Run a Windows Defrag and Scandisk If you use Microsoft Windows, tune up your filesystem to ensure it’s running properly, with Defrag and Scandisk. Defrag defragments your disk, and organizes your filesystem to help Windows read files faster. Scandisk checks your hard drive to make sure it has no problems. We recommend running these two tools once a month to keep your computer running at peak speeds.

Your Modem

If your Internet connection seems slow, check to make sure you’re using a Comcast Approved modem. Ultra and Extreme 50 customers should use a DOCSIS 3.0 compatible modem. Then power cycle (reboot) your modem, which will also download any available updates.
Find out how to power cycle your modem. If you use a digital voice modem to access the Internet and make phone calls, here’s how to power cycle your voice modem.

Your Wireless Network Equipment

The three major wireless standards are b, g and n, with n being the newest and fastest. We recommend using an 802.11n-capable router as it provides the best coverage and fastest wireless speeds.

EasySolve - Free for XFINITY Internet Customers

Now you can download EasySolve, a troubleshooting application for XFINITY Internet. It optimizes your PC, provides outage resolutions and more, giving you a smooth Internet experience.

Tutorial:Recording Screen Cap Videos w/Windows Media Encoder and Camstudio

How to record a video

Tutorial:Recording Screen Cap Videos w/Windows Media Encoder and Camstudio

Index: Camstudio Windows Media Encoder Jing project AVS video recorder HyperCam

We have 3 methods, using either the free Windows Media Encoder , the open-source software Camstudio or Jing available for the Mac (also PC). There are some audio-sync issues with Camstudio that don't exist with Windows Media Encoder, so we recommend WME! Tutorial:Recording Screen Cap Videos w/Windows Media Encoder Camstudio is a great piece of open-source software for screen recording, but Microsoft's Windows Media Encoder is a much more user friendly and consistent piece of software. I recommend using it for making recordings due to both it's ease of use and file size (about 5x smaller than the camstudio produced moves = 5x shorter upload times!). Step 1: Download and install Windows Media Encoder. It is free as long as you have a genuine copy of Windows. Step 2: Open the program and select File -> New, then select Capture Screen and click Next Step 3: This tutorial is going to focus on recording with the Region of the screen setting, but feel free to use Specific Window if you are only recording 1 window. So with that out of the way, select Region of the screen. If you are recording audio with your video, check the box Capture audio from the default audio device, then click Next. (If you use Specific Window, skip to step #5). Step 4: Click the Selection Button (top button highlighted in the picture), then drag the cursor around the window you want to record. Since all videos are displayed on the site in a 640x480 window, try to capture an area with an aspect ratio of around 4:3 for best viewing. Also make sure to check Flash border during capture so you can see exactly what is being captured! Step 5: Select any output file (just make sure you remember where you saved it!), and make sure it ends in .wmv, then click Next. On the next page select High Quality for the quality setting and click Next. On the next page you can type in your user information if you want, but it will all be lost during conversion, so to save time just leave it empty and click Finish. Step 6: Once you are ready to start recording, click the button entitled Start Encoding! Step 7: As soon as you are done click on the Stop button and then upload your video using the Chess-videos.com video uploader Tutorial: Recording Screen Cap with Camstudio We recommend recording using the open source screen-capture program CamStudio. Step 1) Download and Install CamStudio Step 2) Open "CamStudio," then go to Options-->Video Options: Change your settings to match these. Since videos displayed on the site only have 15 frames/second, you will save uploading time by using these settings. Step 3) If you plan to record audio (recommended), then go to Options-->Record Audio From Microphone Then go to Options-->Audio Options-->Audio Options for Microphone, and click the volume button at the top. Ensure the microphone volume is loud enough to record properly. You do not need to mess with any of the other audio settings. If you are not recording audio, make sure to check Options-->Do Not Record Audio, as it will make the file size much smaller. Step 4) You are now ready to record! Go to the Region menu and select Region, which indicates you will set the recording size when you start recording. When your match is about to start, go to File-->Record and then using the mouse icon, draw a box around the region you want to record: Helpful Hint: All videos posted on the site are shown at 640 x 480 pixels, so try to make your region around that size or slightly larger to ensure best video quality. Step 5) Go to File-->Stop when you are doing recording and save the file to whatever directory you would like. Step 6) Upload your video! If you are still having trouble, be sure to visit our Technical Support forum What is it? CamStudio is able to record all screen and audio activity on your computer and create industry-standard AVI video files and using its built-in SWF Producer can turn those AVIs into lean, mean, bandwidth-friendly Streaming Flash videos (SWFs) Publisher's Description From Hyperionics Technology: HyperCam captures the action and sound from any part of Windows desktop and saves it to standard AVI movie files. Captures cursor movements, menus selections, windows popping up, and everything else you see on the screen. Correctly handles color palette changes if recording in 256 color mode. Allow you to pan the recorded area around the screen. Optionally annotates recorded movies with text. What's new in this version: Version 2.27 has fixed for selecting screen area (region or window), which did not work correctly under 150% or larger screen magnification.

Internet browser review

Internet browser review

2012 Internet Browser Software Product Comparisons Rank #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 #6 #7 #8 #9 #10 Excellent 5/5star Very Good Good Fair Poor 0/5 Google Chrome Firefox Internet Explorer Opera Safari Maxthon RockMelt SeaMonkey Deepnet Explorer Avant Browser Reviewer Comments Lowest Price Internet Browser Software Review Why Internet Browsers? An internet browser is a software application that enables you to browse the world wide web, locating and accessing webpages. Browsers translate HTML code, allowing you to read text, view images, play videos and listen to audio clips on websites. They also interpret hyperlinks that allow you to travel to different webpages when clicked on. While internet browsers are primarily intended to access the internet, they can also be used to access private information on web servers or through file systems. Zero to web in 8 seconds. Get online faster with a Chromebook. Buy now. google.com/chromebook Ads by Google Internet Browsers: What to Look For Heavy web users need an internet browser that is both fast and secure, and though all browsers enable internet access, not all are created equal. Different browsers can render webpages differently, and there can be a large disparity in performance between the top competitors. The three main things to consider when choosing an internet browser are simplicity, speed and security. Excelling in each of these areas, Google Chrome, Firefox and Internet Explorer are among the current best internet browsers. To learn more, check out our side-by-side comparisons and articles on internet browsers. The following is the in-depth criteria we used to evaluate the best internet browsers on the market. Feature Set – A web browser should provide practical, convenient features that make surfing the web easy and fast. For instance, a browser should offer tabbed browsing, a customizable toolbar and an integrated search engine. For a more personalized web experience, the browser should also provide the ability to save bookmarks, set parental controls and create RSS feeds. Generally speaking, the more features an internet browser provides, the better. Security – While online security measures have come a long way since the inception of the internet, the web is still rife with security risks, namely small-scale attacks to hack electronic data. Security features such as privacy settings, a pop-up blocker and antispyware enable safe internet surfing and help keep personal information such as passwords secure. Speed & Compatibility – Web browsers should load quickly and be compatible with all major operating systems. We tested the speed of each browser in our lineup using the same Windows 7 system and a stopwatch, timing how quickly each one initially started up and was able to navigate between websites. A top internet browser will load and navigate between pages within just a few seconds. Ease of Use – The best internet browsers are those that strike a seamless balance between features and ease of use. While features on a web browser are important, they become worthless if a browser’s interface hinders your ability to utilize them. Web browsers should boast an intuitive layout that fosters easy and convenient navigation. Help & Support – Although some internet browsers are open source and therefore not supplemented with dedicated technical support, we still considered the quality of support options available. When it comes to internet browsers, available support can come in many forms, ranging from FAQs to tutorials, email support to a product manual. While all internet browsers will provide access to the internet, selecting a fast and secure one will ensure safe and enjoyable online browsing. At TopTenREVIEWS We Do the Research So You Don't Have To.™

Check your password—is it strong?

Check your password—is it strong? Check your password Your online accounts, computer files, and personal information are more secure when you use strong passwords to help protect them.

Test the strength of your passwords: Type a password into the box. Password: Strength: Weak Not ratedMedium Strong Best

password-checker
Note: This does not guarantee the security of the password.
This is for your personal reference only.
What is a strong password? The strength of a password depends on the different types of characters that you use, the overall length of the password, and whether the password can be found in a dictionary.
It should be 8 or more characters long. For tips about how to create passwords that are easy for you to remember but difficult for others to guess, read Create strong passwords.
About this password strength checker Microsoft does not retain information entered into this password checker. The password you enter is checked and validated on your computer. It is not sent over the Internet.

Tutorial of: How to create strong password?

Create strong passwords

Create strong passwords

A strong password is an important protection to help you have safer online transactions. Here are steps you can take to create a strong password. Some or all might help protect your online transactions:

• Length. Make your passwords long with eight or more characters.
• Complexity. Include letters, punctuation, symbols, and numbers. Use the entire keyboard, not just the letters and characters you use or see most often. The greater the variety of characters in your password, the better. However, password hacking software automatically checks for common letter-to-symbol conversions, such as changing "and" to "&" or "to" to "2."
• Variation. To keep strong passwords effective, change them often. Set an automatic reminder for yourself to change your passwords on your email, banking, and credit card websites about every three months.
• Variety. Don't use the same password for everything. Cybercriminals steal passwords on websites that have very little security, and then they use that same password and user name in more secure environments, such as banking websites.

There are many ways to create a long, complex password. Here are some suggestions that might help you remember it easily:

What to do	Example
Start with a sentence or two.	Complex passwords are safer.
Remove the spaces between the words in the sentence.	Complexpasswordsaresafer.
Turn words into shorthand or intentionally misspell a word.	ComplekspasswordsRsafer.
Add length with numbers. Put numbers that are meaningful to you after the sentence.	ComplekspasswordsRsafer2011.

More strategies for strong passwords

Test your password with a password checker

A password checker evaluates your password's strength automatically. Try our secure password checker.

Avoid common password pitfalls

Cyber criminals use sophisticated tools that can rapidly decipher passwords.
Avoid creating passwords that use:

• Dictionary words in any language.
• Words spelled backwards, common misspellings, and abbreviations.
• Sequences or repeated characters. Examples: 12345678, 222222, abcdefg, or adjacent letters on your keyboard (qwerty).
• Personal information. Your name, birthday, driver's license, passport number, or similar information.