How to Install and configure Microsoft Outlook

Are you a new or existing Microsoft user experiencing problems with Microsoft Outlook setup? If yes, then you are in the right place. Having purchased or installed Microsoft Outlook at your computer, you are sure to get everything going related to your emails, attachments, messenger, address book import from other email accounts, and document recovery etc. You might be a common user or a big enterprise that feels stuck with the complexity of Microsoft Outlook installation and configuration.

Microsoft Outlook being one of the popularly used email applications allows users to manage virtual folders, maintain calendar and tasks, search faster, scan and download email attachments, block spam messages, and send/receive & archive mails etc. Such features enhance a user’s productivity and efficiency by saving a great deal of time and money. Loaded with so many inbuilt features, Microsoft Outlook might give you solid and recurring troubles that prompt you to look around for reliable, online Microsoft tech support.

Below are the easy steps that will help you install your Microsoft Outlook:

·         Before you start setup process, close all the windows/programs active on the PC

·         Click on ‘start’ button, then go to ‘control panel’

·         Click on ‘add or remove programs’, a list of all the programs to be changed or removed will be populated 

·         Select ‘Microsoft Office’, viz. enterprise or home edition, and click on ‘change’

·         After a dialog box appears, select ‘add or remove features’ and thereafter click on ‘continue’ at the bottom right hand side

·         When a list of all the programs is populated, select Microsoft Outlook. Click on ‘run from my computer’ and then click on ‘continue’

·         Your Microsoft Outlook will be installed on your computer automatically and will ask you to create a new email account or newsgroup as you are running it for the first time

Below are the steps that will help you configure your Microsoft Outlook:

·         When a prompt comes to ‘create a new email account or newsgroup’, select ‘manually configure server settings or additional server types’

·         Click ‘next’, then a new window will pop up saying ‘add new e-mail account’

·         You can either follow the email setting wizard or manually create an email account by changing settings or preferences

·         For manual settings, click on ‘Tools’ on the top first bar of your Microsoft Outlook window

·         Select ‘Account Settings’, a window will pop up

·         Click on ‘New’, then ‘Mail’, and then ‘Next’, it will direct you to ‘Add New E-mail Account’ window’

·         Key-in your name, email address, and password wherever required; click on ‘remember password’ so that your password is saved and you don’t have to type it again while opening Microsoft Outlook

·         Select ‘POP3’, ‘IMAP’, or ‘Microsoft Exchange’ etc. from the drop-down list in ‘Account Type’ type

·         Key-in incoming and outgoing mail server addresses as ‘imap’ and ‘smtp’ respectively followed by relevant extensions, provided by your ISP (internet service provider)

·         Key in the port numbers for IMAP and SMTP servers, provided by your ISP

·         Click on ‘Require logon using Secure Password Authentication (SPA)’ if you desire to log on using SPA

·         Click ‘Test Account Settings’ for testing that an email account has been created and the servers are logged on and active, a test message will be sent to check the settings

·         To make more changes to your email account, click on ‘More Settings’ and key in the desired information

·         Click on ‘Next’ and then ‘Finish’

How to Upgrade Your Web Browser

A web browser is a software program used to enable computers for retrieving, presenting, and traversing information resources on the World Wide Web (www) including Web pages, images, video and other files. There are several types of browsers but the one thing they have in common is that they carry out the same function; they transfer hypertext. Surfing the Web on an old browser can be a lot like running a steam engine along the tracks of a bullet train--it may still work, but it doesn't take advantage of the speed and security of the new technology. Every time you upgrade your Web browser, you'll find that it is even more customizable, much faster and even more secure. With every upgrade, you'll be able to benefit from better service and quick, easy updates. Ignoring updates can actually leave you vulnerable to security breaches.

Upgrade Your Internet Explorer

•    Go to Internet Explorer home page and click on the 'Download' button.
•    Click on the “Continue” button to begin the validation process.

•    Right-click the “Internet Explorer” Information Bar and click on the “Install ActiveX Control” option.

•    Click “Install.”

•    Click 'Download' after your Microsoft program has been validated.

Upgrade Your Mozilla Firefox

•    Go to the Mozilla Firefox home page (see Resources).

•    Click on the 'Download Firefox' button to download the newest version.

•    Click on the 'Save File' button.

•    Click on the 'Open' button after downloading is complete.

•    Click 'Next' on the Firefox setup to install the latest version of Firefox.

•    Read the Terms in the field and click 'I Agree' in the radio buttons.

•    Click 'Next' and then 'Finish.' Your upgrade is complete.

How to Update the Drivers for HP G55 Printers

Drivers are the software applications that establish communication between a computer and a hardware device like printer. Driver updates can help you make best use of your HP printer by improving its efficiency and print quality and on the other hand fixing most of the common issues that may occur due to the regular or irregular use. Though the procedure of driver update is simple, you may stumble upon problems that may trigger the need of looking for HP printer support options. 

Instructions:

• Open your web browser and navigate to www.hp.com.

• Select "Support," then "Drivers and Downloads."

• Type in "HP G55" as the model device. Once an image of your printer appears, choose "Drivers."

• Select your operating system, then click "Download." The updated drivers for the HP G55 printer download directly to your computer's hard drive.

• Double-click the downloaded file to load the driver installation wizard. Accept the license agreement, choose "Next" twice, then select "Install" to install the updated HP G55 printer drivers.

How to Fix Dell Computer Audio Problems

The article describes the procedure of fixing common audio problems in a Dell computer. The methods compiled here are reliable and correct until date. However, it is recommended that these should be followed carefully to avoid encountering problems. If you face any problem while performing below mentioned steps you can contact Dell technical support at their toll free No. 1-877-452-9201.

Steps to Fix Dell Computer Audio Problems

Check the physical connection to make sure that no wire is loose or damaged. You must also ensure that the computer is working fine. If everything else is working fine on your computer except sound, then check that your speakers are not on mute. It is possible that your audio speakers went on mute while you were fiddling with the settings.

Check that the sound card (adapter) is working fine. To do so, click on the Start button, right click on My Computer and click to choose Manage. The Computer Management window will open up. Click on the Device Manager option and you will see different options listed in the right hand side pane. Click on the + sign next to Sound, video and game controllers and check whether any audio device has a yellow triangle mark on it. If there is one, right click on the device and go to Properties. Choose from the various options to either update driver, rollback a driver, or uninstall etc.

If you haven’t updated the sound drivers for some time, then do it now by clicking on the Update Driver button. Wait until the process finishes. If the sound problem started after the installing a particular latest driver, then click on the Rollback Driver button to undo the recent changes. You can also use the Uninstall button to completely remove a driver and install a new one. Thereafter, go to the Drivers & Downloads page on Dell’s website and download latest, compatible drivers for your operating system. You must provide all the prompted details to continue to download page.

You must also keep your Windows version updated by downloading and installing latest updates. You can either run Windows Update or visit Microsoft’s official website for updates. Doing this resolves many common issues including sound.

If everything is fine and you still can’t get nowhere with the problem, download and install Microsoft’s automatic troubleshooter viz. MicrosoftFixit.AudioPlayback.Run.exe either from Google searches or Microsoft’s official website. Save the file to your desktop and open it to run troubleshooting and fix the problems. You can also download and run another troubleshooter namely MicrosoftFixit.devices.Run.exe to run a check on hardware & sound devices. These two tools will diagnose and fix the common problems with playback software and hardware\devices respectively.

If your music breaks or skips during play, then use this tweak. Click on the Start button and navigate to Control Panel and then Hardware and Sound. Click on the Sound option. Click on Speakers under the Playback tab and then select Properties. Click to highlight Enhancements and then check the box next to Disable all enhancements. Click on the Apply and/or OK button to save the changes and close the windows.

If the issue persists and you continue to get a specific error message, note it down and Google it. Try the fixes that match to your problem. If nothing works for your problem, then contact professional dell technical support for Dell computers.

How to Access an Outlook PST File in Lotus Notes with Perfection

Both Outlook and Lotus Notes are email clients. However, the latter offers advanced, better utilities and features than the former due to which users want to switch over to it. Since both are different databases and have different file formats (.pst for Outlook while NSF for Lotus), it is not possible to manually switch over the entire data as it carries the natural risk of being damaged and lost. Even if it is tried being converted to Lotus Notes, a great amount of time will be consumed during the procedure without guaranteeing that it will be done safely and without damage. The below mentioned guide has been designed to help you perform the task on your own. If you face any problem while performing below mentioned steps you can contact  Microsoft outlook support at their toll free No. 1-877-452-9201

So what’s that should be done to convert Outlook .pst file data to Lotus Notes? 

Download and run an Outlook to Lotus Notes conversion tool from a torrent but safe website. There are many free and paid tools available on the internet that can be downloaded and installed with ease. One such great tool is SYSTOOLS Software’s Outlook to Notes that allows migration of the entire Outlook data including inbox, outbox, drafts, distribution lists, attachments, calendars, email properties, journals, and to-do-lists among other things to Lotus Notes. The tool is safe and fast to use and does not compress or modify any .pst file data during conversion process. The tool supports most of the versions of Microsoft operating systems, MS-Outlook, and Lotus Notes.

Save the file to your desktop or a location where the file is easily accessible from. When done, browse to the location where the file is saved, double click on the icon and open it. Follow the automated wizard instructions and complete the setup of the program. When finished, open the program and start converting your Outlook data to LN. Wait until the process finishes and shows you a success message. Do not close window until the process completes.

How to Restore Windows XP MBR

In this blog I have tried to describe how MBR (Master Boot Record) can be restored in Windows XP. The methods compiled here are simple and correct until date. It is, however, advised that these should be followed correctly to avoid facing problems. This will eventually save their time as well as money that would otherwise be spent looking for Microsoft technical support.

Before you begin, keep the original Windows XP installation\setup media (CD\DVD) and the manuals handy. Manuals are needed only for your assistance. If you don’t have the original disk, then download one from the official Microsoft website or a torrent one and burn it to a disk or floppy drive of your choice.

Instructions:

Insert the disk into the drive and boot computer. When prompted, choose to boot from the desired drive like CDROM or Floppy Drive etc. When the Window setup appears, hit the R key on the keyboard. This will bring up the black Command Prompt window.

If you have multiple operating systems (OS) installed on your PC, choose the desired one from the list using the Up or Down arrow keys on the keyboard. If there is only one OS loaded, then type 1 (use the number one key) on then hit the Enter key.

When prompted, type the admin password and hit the Enter key again. Remember, if you entered a wrong password, you will not be able to make changes at all. Now when you see the normal prompt like C:\WINDOWS (after entering a correct password), type ‘fixmbr’ (without quotes and as is) and then hit the Enter key.
If prompted with warning messages and confirmation, type ‘y’ (use the Y key on the keyboard) and then hit Enter. It will make way for creating a new MBR by replacing the damaged one. Wait until you see a success message. Type ‘exit’ and then hit Enter to exit the Command Prompt window or click on the ‘X’ button at the extreme top right hand corner.

The abovementioned procedure will work only if your Windows XP OS came preinstalled with the Recovery Console tool. However, if your OS didn’t come preinstalled with this feature, then you can use it directly from your original Windows XP setup disk. Follow the same abovementioned procedure to boot from disk and reach Command Prompt. Select the OS or type 1 for single OS selection and then type the password. Thereafter, type ‘recovery console’ and hit Enter. It will bring up the list of Recovery Console commands that can be used to fix the MBR problem. You can also add the Recovery Console feature to the Windows Startup screen.

Steps to Diagnose Connection Problems in Netgear Wireless Router

Netgear wireless routers are known for their excellent wireless speed and performance. Despite that, these may create internet or wireless problems at times due to several reasons including recently made changes to the computer or device settings, connection problem, and outdated drivers among others. The below mentioned guide will help you scan as well as fix the connection issues on your own and without the help of Netgear router support. 

Instructions:

Turn off all the devices including computer, router, and the modem respectively in the order and wait for a few seconds (20-30 seconds). Thereafter turn them back on in the same order. Connect to the internet and check whether the problem has been fixed or not. This is the simplest and most widely used method to resolve common connection problems as it clears up the existing settings and starts a fresh connection. 

If the previous method didn’t fix your problem, then check this out. Update the router driver(s) by visiting the Netgear website. Check if any updates are available to download for the drivers. If there are, download and install them. If prompted, reboot all the devices. Besides, run Windows Update and similarly download and install all the latest updates. Restart the computer when prompted. Upgrade the router’s firmware also. 

First check, whether you can connect to the internet on a wired connection or not. Make your wireless computer a wired one by connecting the Ethernet cable to your computer and router. If internet works on the wired one but not on the wireless, then you can follow any of these steps mentioned here. However, if internet doesn’t connect on the wired computer, then this can be considered as the root cause of the problem. Take corrective steps to resolve this problem and then move on to the wireless connection problem. One of these steps include checking the cables etc. whether these are firmly placed in or not. These should not be broken or damaged that may be causing your connection to drop repeatedly. If everything is fine on your end and you are still not able to go online, contact your internet service provider (ISP). 

Login to the router’s interface (you will be required to make a wired connection to logon) and review the settings. To do so, open your internet browser and type ‘192.168.2.1’ (without quotes) in the address bar. Hit the Enter key on the keyboard to proceed. When prompted for login credentials, enter this in and hit Enter again. Review the settings and if required modify them. For example, assign or change SSID, channel numbers, mode, security key WEP or WPA, and/or access point etc. 

If you recently made changes to your computer, undo these by restoring the computer to an earlier point in time when things were fine. It should resolve the issue caused by the changes.

How to Find Your IP Address in Windows 7

An Internet Protocol Address (IP Address) is a numerical designation assigned to each computer on a network to allow it to communicate with other computers or devices. Your location on the internet and how your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and websites find out who you are. Without the IP Address there would be no internet.  Whether you're talking to tech support, doing your on troubleshooting, or configuring, you might need to know your IP. Finding your IP address under Windows 7 is a very simple process.  The process is actually exactly the same whether you’re using Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP or even Windows Serer 2003/2008.

Call 1-877-452-9201(24x7) for Windows 7 Support

Steps to Find Your IP Address in Windows 7

There are several different ways to access your IP address. One is through the Windows Command Prompt interface. To access this interface

click "Start" and then click  "All Programs" and click  "Accessories" and then click   "Command Prompt."

•    A black windows with a prompt will appear at the prompt, type "ipconfig" without the quotes, and hit "Enter."

•    The window will display a long list of information. Look for IP4 Address. You will see a numerical representation that looks something like this: 192.168.1.100. This is your internal IP address that is used to communicate with your local network.

•    If you don't want to use the command line interface, you can also find your IP address by going to Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center, and clicking on "Change adapter settings" at the top left.

•    Double-click on your "Wireless Network Connection" or "Local Area Connection," depending on which you are using.

•    On the Connection window that pops up, click on the "Details" button.

•    Look for the IPv4 Address.

•    If you need to find your "external" IP address, which is the IP Address that is used to communicate with Web Servers and other devices on the internet, just browse to one of the following web sites.

How to Install EXE Files in Windows XP

Call 1-877-452-9201(24x7) for Windows XP Support

An executable is a file that used to perform various functions or operations on a computer. an executable file usually has a file name extension of .bat, .com, or .exe. Unlike a data file, an executable file cannot generally be read because it has been compiled. An exe file is just one of several file format types that are recognized by various operating systems. Most programs come packaged as an executable file, which Windows uses to install the application. While most executable files install similarly on all Windows versions, there are a few differences. For example, you'll encounter fewer operating system security features when installing an executable file on Windows XP compared with Windows 7, as well as minor differences in installation setups and button placement.

Steps to Install EXE Files in Windows XP

• Double-click the .exe file. Click "Run" if prompted by the security pop-up box.

• Select which features you wish to install with the program, if any are offered, such as Internet toolbars or free trial utilities.

• Choose where on your computer you wish the program to install, such as "Program Files" or "My Documents."

• Click "Next."

• Read and choose which options to include with the installation of the program and click "Next." For example, a picture viewing program may prompt you to check which picture files to automatically open with the program.

• Click "Finish" and restart your computer if prompted.

How to Connect a PC to a Mac Via Ethernet

Call 1-877-452-9201(24x7) for Online Computer Support

 There are many ways to connect your PC to a Macintosh computer. With the help of a direct connection using your Ethernet cable, you can transfer information from your PC to your Macintosh computer to enable an easy transition to a new computer. The Ethernet cable provides fast data transfer between computers, and can be purchased at computer hardware stores or online. Once both computers are connected to the Ethernet cable, you must manually mount the PC's volume to your Macintosh computer by connecting to the PC server.

Steps to Connect a PC to a Mac Via Ethernet

•    Turn on your PC and your Mac, plug the Ethernet cable on the back of the computer. Plug the other end of the Ethernet cable into your Macintosh computer's Ethernet port.

•    Click the "Finder" icon on your Mac computer's screen dock, and click "Go".

•    Select "Connect to Server" from the drop-down menu.

•    On the Server Address field type "smb://IPaddress/ShareName". Replace the "IPaddress" with your PC's network address and shared user name. Click the "Connect" button to continue.

•    Enter the work group, user name and password for your PC, and select the access folder. Press the "Return" key on your Mac keyboard.

•    Double-click the PC volume on your Mac's desktop screen, and click the file you wish to transfer. To highlight multiple files for transfer, hold down the "Shift" key while clicking the file.

•    Drag and drop the files from the folder to your Mac's desktop screen to transfer them.

•    Click and drag the PC volume icon from the desktop to your screen dock's Trash icon to disconnect from your PC.

Tips to Transfer Outlook Folders to a New Computer

If you are preparing to either discard your old computer or reformat it and you want to move your Microsoft Outlook folders from an old computer to a new one.  The below mentioned guide will help you perform the desired task on your own. The best way to fix this issue is to contact for Microsoft Outlook support.

 Steps to Transfer Outlook Folders

•    First copy all your Outlook data to a new folder and place it on the desktop.


Steps to copy Microsoft Outlook Data

a.    Click on the “File” and then select “Import and Export”.

b.    This will launch the Import and Export wizard. Click on Export to a file and then hit the Next button.

c.    Highlight Personal Folder File (.pst) then click on Next.

d.    Click to select the folders that you want to export to the .pst file. Click to check the box Include Subfolders and then hit Next. If you want to copy the entire Outlook data, then click on your mailbox account (it should be like Mailbox – John Smith), similarly include subfolders and then hit the Next button.

•    Now insert a DVD\CD or flash drive to your computer and copy (burn) this newly created .pst file data to it. When you are finished taking backup to the CD, remove it and keep it to a safe place for further use.

•    Now setup your new computer if you haven’t already done so. Setup and configure Outlook also. When done, insert the flash drive or CD that you copied the .pst file to and copy it to the desktop either in a new folder or as is it (it will show the default name of the file).

•    When done, remove the drive and open Outlook.

•    Click on the File tab and select Import and Export. When the wizard opens up, click on Import from another program or file and then click on Next.

•    Select Personal Folder File (.pst) and then press Next. Click on the Browse button and navigate to desktop or the location you saved the .pst to (from the DVD etc.).

•    Double click on the file, leave the Allow Duplicates to be created option checked, select subfolders too and hit the Next button. Click on the Finish button to close the wizard. You shall now have your Outlook data copied into the new computer.

How to Configure Ports on Windows XP Firewall

With Windows XP, Microsoft introduced a firewall included with its operating system. Providing a firewall with XP was an attempt to assist users in securing their computer from Internet security threats. Not using a firewall allows all ports to be open to intruders. The firewall allows both TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) and UDP (User Datagram Protocol) to be opened for specific ports. Applications that communicate to users or to a central computer over the Internet require one or more ports to be opened in the firewall.

Steps to to Configure Ports on Windows XP Firewall

• Click on the "Start" button on the Windows menu bar. Select "Network Connections"

• Right-click on the connection you use for the Internet and select "Properties."

• Click on the "Advanced" tab of the window and click on the button labeled "Settings."

• Click on the button labeled "Add" to open the form to enter the new port information.

• Enter a description of the what the port is used for in the text field labeled "Description."

• Enter "127.0.0.1" in the field labeled "Name or IP Address of the Computer Hosting the Service."

• Enter the port number required by the application in the text boxes labeled "External" and "Internal."

• Select the desired protocol for this port of either "UDP" or "TCP" and then click on the button labeled "OK."


Source:- http://www.ehow.com

How to Partition Hard Drive in Windows 7 Computer

Windows 7 is truly an advanced operating system as it offers so many features and utilities that never existed in the previous versions. Disk partitioning is one among those features that allows users to resize, create, or delete hard drive partitions. The below mentioned guide will help you do the desired task on your own. This essentially means that you don’t need to call up Microsoft tech support for help.

Steps to Partition Hard Drive in Windows 7 Computer

• Click on the Start and then right click on Computer and then select Manage.

• Go to option Storage, click on it and then click on Disk Management.

• This will show you all the drives listed currently in your computer. Point your mouse to the drive that you want to partition, right click on it and choose Shrink Volume.

• Type the desired amount that needs to be shrunk in the box next to Enter the amount of space to shrink in MB.

• Click on the Shrink button. When completed, you will be shown Unallocated space in a dialog box. This is the size of shrunk volume. Right click on Unallocated space and then select New Simple Volume from the dropdown menu.

• A New Simple Volume Wizard window will open. If you don’t want to format the newly create volume, you can choose the first option saying Do not format this volume. If you want to format, click on Format this volume with the following settings. Choose NTFS from the File System dropdown menu. Type a drive letter in the box next to Volume Label. Leave the Allocation unit size to Default. Click on the Next button and then the Finish button to close the window.

How to Reset Admin Password in a Linksys Router

All the Linksys routers (generally all the routers) come with the utility of password protection. It helps keep unauthorized users away from accessing your router interface and make changes to the configurations. Though it is easier to reset password on a Linksys device, you may stumble upon problems. Don’t worry! The below mentioned guide will help you perform the password reset task on your own and without the help of Linksys technical support.

Reset password using the existing password –

• Simply connect your computer and router using an Ethernet cable. Plug its one end into the computer and another into the router (into any of the 4 ports located at the back)

• Unplug the modem if it is connected between the above two devices. Power on the router and computer and wait until these have fully rebooted.

• Launch your internet browser (Firefox or Internet Explorer etc.) and type ‘http://192.168.2.1’ (without quotes and as it is) in its address bar. Press the Enter key on your keyboard to proceed.

• When prompted, enter your existing username and password in the relevant boxes and click on the OK button. If you never changed your credentials, then these must be the default ones that came with the router docs.

• When logged into the router setup screen, click to highlight the Administration tab and then click on Management (the sub tab). Enter the new password of your choice in the Router Password box and retype it in the relevant box to confirm. When done, click on the Save Settings button. Exit the router’s interface and make your connection as it was previously by disconnecting the Ethernet cable. This will be your new password from now to login into the router interface.

Reset password when the existing admin password is lost or forgotten –

• Since it is completely impossible to pull the lost password through the router, we will reset it by performing hard reset on the Linksys router. This will restore the device to its factory (default) settings.

• Unplug the computer and modem from the router. Now take a thin, sharp object (like a paper clip) and insert it into the Reset button (it will be a small hole) into the back of Linksys router.

• Press the button and hold it for around 30 seconds. Thereafter, release the button and wait for the router to fully reboot.

• When you see all the lights are lit on the router, connect your computer back using the Ethernet cable (see above how to connect the Ethernet cable). Do not connect the modem. Open your web browser and login to the router’s interface using ‘http://192.168.2.1’ (see the procedure mentioned in 1st scenario)

• When prompted for username & password, enter the default ones (that originally came with your router). Click on the OK button and reset the password as desired. (see the procedure mentioned in 1st scenario)

New Trojan Threatens Mac Users

Traditionally, Mac PC users have been more secured from any Trojan virus or malicious software threat than the typical Microsoft Windows-based PC users. The reason has been the obvious difference between their nature of make and mechanism. Mac PCs work on Unix-based programming language while the Windows operating systems (OS) work on DOS. However, the security of Mac PCs seems to be at stake as a new variant of Trojan, which usually targets Windows-based PCs, has surfaced out of the blue to attack them thwarting Apple's old and highly popular tagline "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC".

The new Trojan is a version of darkComet, a well-established Windows-based remote access Trojan (RAT). The Trojan is called as BlackHole RAT or malware OSX/MusMinim-A (MusMinim). BlackHole RAT launches a full-screen window that bears a somewhat funny text message. See below

"I am a Trojan Horse, so i have infected your Mac Computer. I know, most people think Macs can't be Infected, but look, you ARE infected! I have full controll over your Computer and i can do everything I want, and you can do nothing to prevent it. So, I'm a very new Virus, under Development, so there will be much more functions when I'm finished"

Besides the above message, the full-screen window bears just a 'Reboot' button for a user to click and proceed. The message is surely intended to defame Apple's famous and long-running advertisement line and affect its increasing share in the OS market.

Reported by SophosLabs first,BlackHole RAT looks like a blend of English and German user interface version.

How dangerous is BlackHole RAT?

Despite being in the early development stage, BlackHole RAT can shoot random shell commands; place text documents on the desktop; give URLs access to a remote client to browse websites; open a false Administrator Password window for scam purposes; and send shutdown, restart, and sleep commands among others.

BlackHole RAT and other such Trojans are usually spread via torrent websites and pirated software downloads. So one, should be quite careful about not to run pirated software versions and explore unreliable websites.

BlackHole RAT is removable with Mac's updated antivirus software and does not seem to cause major problems if taken care of in time. However, it necessarily opens the platform for discussion that no OS mechanism is resistant to virus or malware threats. The new Trojan may diminish Macs' popularity; however, they still hold an edge over Windows-based OS at least in terms of security.

How to Reset Dell Computer Password

It often happens that we misplace or forget our password(s) due to busy schedules and have hard time remembering these. Things like these often occur at the most unfortunate times and users feel at a loss. If you are one of those users who have suffered from this type of situation, then the blog is for you. The below mentioned guide will let you know the ways to reset your password on your own. This essentially means you won’t need to spend time on phone or chat with your Dell technical support services. Though the instructions have been designed in a simple manner, it is still advised that users follow them accurately to avoid getting into common Dell PC problems.

Steps to Reset Dell Computer Password

• Login to the computer using your admin password, click on the Start menu, and go to Control Panel.

• Double click on the User Accounts icon. When the window opens, reset the password of that particular account. Retype the password in the respective field. When done, click on Apply if it is there or else click on the OK button to exit the window.

• Close all the windows.

If it is the Admin password that you want to reset the password for, then it can be done in two ways.

• Log in to your computer from another admin account (if there is more than one admin account on your computer) and reset the password for your admin account. The other way is to use the password reset disk and reset the password. It is to be noted that this password reset disk must have been created in advance. Insert it into the drive of your computer. When prompted for a password to login, type any wrong password in the box and hit Enter on the keyboard. Having recognized that you have entered a wrong password, it will prompt you to reset the password. Now you can reset your password as desired. Retype the password to confirm and get going.

How to Disable Add-ins in Microsoft Outlook 2010

Add-ins are third-party programs that allow users to customize their Outlook or other MS-Office applications to add or run several features or commands. These tools enhance a user’s productivity by seamlessly integrating into Outlook and providing access to different features with just a click. Since there several add-ins available on the internet, it might possibly happen that some of them work flawlessly while others create problems. Having experienced this, you might want to disable some of the add-ins installed on your computer. Well, this is easy, but you might still face difficulty doing so. Don’t worry as this comprehensive guide will help you perform the desired task on your own.

Steps to disable Add-ins in Microsoft Outlook 2010

• Open Outlook. Click on the “File” and then select “Options”, and then click on Add-ins.

• Scroll down to the option Manage. Click on the dropdown menu next to Manage, select COM Add-ins, and click on the Go button. This will open up the COM Add-ins dialog box.

• Remove checkmarks from the boxes next to add-ins that you want to disable and then click on the OK button. Restart Outlook to let the changes take place.

If you want, you can also remove the add-ins from the same COM Add-ins window.

• Select the add-ins that you want to remove and then click on the Remove button. Click on the “OK” button and exit all the windows. Restart Outlook.

How to Uninstall McAfee Legacy Programs

A McAfee legacy program is a small built-in component (file) of the McAfee antivirus or other McAfee programs. Being an integrated component, the legacy program gets automatically installed on your computer when you install the intended McAfee program. The legacy program often interferes with other applications running on your computer, hampers the internet connectivity, or downloads and installs other programs without your consent. Since it is understood that you have already decided to remove the program from your computer, let’s get started. The below mentioned self-help guide will allow your to get rid of the desired program without facing any problem.

Instructions:

First, ensure that you have uninstalled all the desired McAfee programs from your computer using the standard procedure. This essentially means clicking on the Start menu, going into the Control Panel, and using the Add or Remove Programs utility.

Open your internet browser viz. Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, Firefox etc., and go to McAfee’s official website.

Click on the Downloads link, log into your account (if prompted) and then download McAfee’s removal tool (the MCPR.exe or VSCleanupTool.exe). Save the file to a location in your computer where it is easily accessible from.

When done, locate the file, double click on it and run. The program will automatically start removing all the hidden McAfee legacy programs from your computer. Wait until the process finishes, be patient. Do not press any key while the removal is in progress or turn off your PC. Doing so may not let these programs be fully removed from your PC.

When done, click on the Yes button or whatever option you see there to proceed and let the computer reboot. When the computer has restarted, locate the file named as ‘mccleanup.log’ (it might be there on your desktop or you can search for it using the Windows Search utility), right click on it and select Delete from the dropdown menu. This will completely remove the legacy program(s) from your computer. If you want, go to the Recycle Bin and delete it from there also. You can also contact your McAfee help & support service, give them the log details of the file (before removing these), and confirm that it has been totally removed from your system.

How to Make Dell Computer Run Faster

Dell computers are ranked among the leading computing devices across the world. However, after years of continuous use, a computer tends to perform sluggish or create difficulty when you install and run a new program among others things. Problems like these are unavoidable, but you can apply some tweaks to get rid of them and make your computer perform like never before. The below mentioned comprehensive guide will help you do the desired tasks on your own and without even the help of Dell computer support.

· Instructions:

• If there are too many programs running on your startup menu, these may slow down your computer like anything. Keep the necessary programs only and disable others to accelerate the startup and shutdown time as well as performance. Click on the Start menu and click on Run. Type ‘msconfig’ (without quotes and as is) in the Run window and hit the OK button on Enter on the keyboard.

• Highlight the Startup tab (if it’s not highlighted by default), uncheck the boxes next to processes or programs that you don’t use normally, click on the Apply button (if it is there) and click on the OK button to close the window. If you don’t see the Apply button, just click on OK. This will stop these processes from running at Windows startup and thence speed up the computer’s performance.

• Update your antivirus program and then run a full system scan. Wait until the scan finishes and detects the presence of any unwanted program that might have been secretly residing in your computer for some time. When the scan has detected and eliminated such infection(s), you can view its history. Virus, malware infections are the biggest threats that penetrate into your computer’s security and eat up memory resources, leading to slow down, data loss, or system crash among other problems. It is strongly recommended to update your antivirus programs on a regular basis. If you don’t have an antivirus or anti-spyware program installed, then download one from a trusted company’s website. Choose from a wider range of free or paid tools like Microsoft Security Essentials, Norton, Avira, Avast, McAfee, Panda, and Malwarebytes’ Anti Malware among others.

• Run the built-in disk defragment utility in your Windows XP and defragment the scattered files or programs on the hard drive. Click on the Start menu and go to My Computer. Right click on the drive that you want to defrag and select Properties from the dropdown menu. Highlight the Tools tab in the Properties window and hit the Defragment Now button. Click on the Defragment button again in the Disk Defragment window. Wait until the process finishes. When done, click on the Apply button, and then click on the OK button.

• Update drivers of your Dell computer. Or download and install latest drivers. Go to the Dell website to download or update drivers.

• Replace the memory stick (RAM) if it has corrupted or become very old as some Dell PC models tend to experience problem due to old memory stick. Do not forget to backup your data before replacing the RAM stick. Otherwise you will lose all the stored data inside the RAM.

How to Disable Microsoft Security Essentials

Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is a free antivirus program developed by Microsoft that provides protection against spyware, rootkits and trojan horses. Microsoft Security Essentials runs on Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. You can use Microsoft Security Essentials antivirus software to scan your PC, remove virus and remove malicious programs that have already infected your system. Running this program may slow your system and prevent other programs from running properly which is actually very frustrating especially at times when you are in hurry. Thus, you may want to disable Microsoft Security Essentials. Note that you can disable real-time protection or the entire program.

Steps to disable Microsoft Security Essentials

• Right click on the system tray icon, and select "Open"
• Click on the "Settings" tab
• Click on "Real-time protection"
• Uncheck "Turn on Real-time protection"
• Click on "Save Changes"

How to install or reinstall Windows XP

Windows XP is a version of the Windows desktop operating system for the Computer produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops. If you want to install windows XP follow the following steps.

Steps to Install Windows XP

• Put the Windows XP CD into the CD or DVD-ROM drive and then a message will appear “Press any key to boot from CD”. And soon the computer starts to boot from the XP CD.

• If you using SCSI hard drive or a SATA drive press F6. Keep the Raid drivers handy on your flash drive. Hit S for installing additional device. After inserting the flash drive that has the Raid/SCSI drivers, hit Enter.

• A list of Raid drivers will open. Choose the right options for your device. After this, the Setup screen appears. There are some options like - new Windows install and Repair previous install. Just hit enter to choose new install. Hit F8 to accept the Licensing Agreement. Then press ‘Continue'.

• Create a partition where you will install XP. With a brand new and unformatted drive you'll be able to install Windows without any partition. Just press enter to allow the operating system to automatically partition as well as format the entire drive as a single large drive. When the setup is done, the computer restarts. Let the CD stay inside the drive and don't press anything if you're prompted to press any key to boot from CD. The Setup wizard of XP now guides you all the way through the setup process.

How to clean Windows 7 Registry.

The Windows Registry is a database that contains information and settings for all the hardware, software, users, and preferences of the PC that happens on the computer. After a lot of activity the computer will get bogged down within this database, as it gets bigger and bigger the computer will get slow and slower because it takes so long to search the registry for the information you are seeking. So cleaning out the registry will slightly increases the speed of your computer. There are different ways to clean the windows registry but the easiest way to clean up the Windows registry is by using the Windows System Restore feature. This feature removes changes to the registry from software or viruses that slow down the computer

Steps to clean Windows 7 Registry

• Click the "Start" and type "system restore" to open a list of Control Panel utilities.

• To start the wizard double-clicks on "System Restore".

• Click the option "Choose a different restore point" at the bottom of the first window. This option lets you manually select a date to roll back the registry changes.

• Choose a previous date to roll back the registry changes. Choose a date at which your computer ran more efficiently. Click "Next."

• Click "Finish" on the final screen. The registry restores to a previous date and any malware or affected registry entries are cleaned.

How to Backup Your Outlook 2007 Email

Microsoft Outlook is used by thousands of internet user for email. Making backup files of any important data is always a great idea. This helps you in case of data loss or migrating from one system to other. In Microsoft Outlook 2007 your e-mails are saved in a Personal Folder File with a .pst extension which does not include in your normal backup operation. If you are using Outlook for your email you should backup your email every 6-8 weeks.

Steps to backup Outlook 2007 e-mail

• Open Microsoft Outlook 2007 and locate the toolbar staring with File on the upper left hand side.

• Click on File and scroll down to Import and Export. The Import and Export wizard will now appear.

• Highlight Export to a file and hit next. Select Personal Folder File (.pst) and then hit next.

• The Personal Folder should be highlighted and if not select Personal Folder. Double click on Personal Folder to collapse everything. Make sure you also put a check mark in Include Subfolders and hit next.

• In the Save Exported file as: you can leave the default name or rename it anything you want.

• Select Browse and change the default file location. I recommend changing it to your My Documents or Desktop so you can find it easily. After you have selected your file location select Finish.

• I recommend hitting ok on the next step. You however can add a password to your file if you want.

How to Disable AVG Anti-Virus

AVG is a antivirus software developed by AVG Technologies. This software has compelling features to keep your computer protected from virus, trojans, worms and spyware. AVG antivirus software is design to always be open while your computer is on, but during some situation AVG antivirus needs to be disabled temporarily. Certain software programs may crash if they are used while AVG antivirus is still running. You can disable the AVG software by changing some of the settings in the menu. In this blog I have tried to explain how to disable AVG antivirus temporarily.

Steps to disable AVG Anti-Virus

• Right-click the AVG icon and then select "Open AVG Interface"

• Click on "Overview" tab and then double-click "Resident Shield" .

• Remove the check mark from the "Resident Shield Active." Click "Save Changes." Click "Continue" if your operating system prompts you for permission to continue the action.

• Close the window. Right-click the AVG icon in the system tray and select "Exit."

• Press the "Ctrl," "Alt" and "Delete" keys at the same time. Click "Open Task Manager" and then navigate to "Processes."

• Check to see if there is a process entry labeled "avgtray." Click the entry if it is present, and then click "End Process."

How to Disable Avast Antivirus

Avast is an antivirus computer program developed by AVAST Software. This software is designed to remove and protect your valuable data against computer viruses and spyware. The developers have added several new features to Avast Antivirus that make it unique from other antivirus programs on the market. Avast combines real time monitoring and threat detection to combat problems in the background of your computer, without interfering with your computer processes. If you need to disable Avast Anti-virus for any specific reason follow the following steps.

Steps to Disable Avast Antivirus 
 
• Right-click "Avast Antivirus" icon on the task bar. The task bar is located on the bottom of your screen.

• Click on “Program Settings” and then

• Click on “Troubleshooting”

• Place a tick next to Disable avast! self-defense module

• Right Click on the Avast icon in the system tray and click “Stop On-Access protection”

• Click "OK" to confirm and save changes

If you want any technical support for avast antivirus you can call for online virus removal at at their Toll Free No +1-877-452-9201 For US/CA.

Also find here how to uninstall AVAST using Avast! Uninstall utility.

See also: Avast free vs. AVG free >>

How to Fix Common Windows 7 Problems?

Windows 7 is one of the famous operating system due to its smart features, brilliant appearance and strong security. But it doesn't mean that Windows 7 is perfect and users are not facing any problem. Microsoft Windows 7 users also come across with several upgrade problems along with interface issues. To manage with these issues the best solution is to get in touch with an online technical support service provider company. Windows 7 Technical Support offered by Computer repair companies are truly an outstanding solution for troubleshooting any and all types of Windows 7 problem. But it is always helpful to have some knowledge about these problems and their solutions. In this blog I hade discussed about some common Windows 7 problems and how to fix them.

One of the most common problem in Windows 7 is that it fails to detect the DVD drive. To Fix this issue you need to run “REGEDIT”. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Class\. Here you need to delete both UpperFilters and LowerFilters in the right-hand pane. The problem should get resolved.

Windows 7 slow startup problems

1.Remove redundant programs in your booting items as many as possible. After finishing this action, the speed of startup can be improved by no less than 40%.

2. Delete short cuts on desktop. The more icons on the desktop, the longer it takes to restart. To fix Windows 7 startup problem, you should clear up the unnecessary short cuts on your computer desktop.

3. Optimize registry regularly with proper registry maintenance tool. Registry error is the main reason that slows down the rebooting speed. You had better do registry cleanup timely to speed up Windows 7 start up process.