How to Disable Overclocking

The need to experiment and go beyond what is possible, is an inherent human tendency. Since the first personal computers were manufactured, people have experimented with hardware to make it go beyond its basic capabilities by overclocking the CPU. Gamers and people who want that extra bit more from their processor, implement overclocking to derive better performance. However, unless you actually know CPU overclocking and take necessary precautions, the experimentation may end up with drastic consequences ranging from a system crash to a fried CPU. If you are one of those, for whom it didn't work out, through this Buzzle article, I am going to guide you through the procedure to turn off overclocking and undo changes made to the system settings to restore normal functionality.

One thing that a lot of gamers need to know is that no piece of hardware is overclocked by default. A computer processor or video card that you may have installed on your computer, will operate at its base specifications. So those of you who think their hardware is overclocked and needs disabling are mistaken. Your hardware is probably having compatibility issues or driver issues that you need to look into.

About Overclocking

Overclocking is increasing the base operating frequency of the processor by modifying the front-side bus (FSB) frequency. Earlier it was possible to change the clocking frequency by modifying the internal multiplier settings, but in most modern processors it is locked. Ergo, modifying the FSB frequency is the only way of overclocking a CPU. To do that, along with the FSB frequency, the voltage settings of the motherboard also need to be modified and tuned. Since the heat output of the processor rises with increased clocking frequency, you also need to put in a cooling system to prevent overheating.

How to Undo Overclocking?

You may have tried overclocking your CPU and it may not have worked out for you. Either you are seeing no improvement in performance or you find your system crashing. In either case, it's best to nullify the effects of overclocking by changing settings back to normal.

How do you go about it? Firstly you will have to enter the CMOS and BIOS settings of the system and reverse all the voltage settings of the motherboard back to normal. You could also do this by choosing the 'Restore Fail Safe Defaults' option. Refer to the processor and motherboard specifications provided online to check for exact base voltage and frequency settings. Make changes accordingly. Some systems like Alienware machines, come with a default feature in BIOS, where processor overclocking can be directly disabled. In case you have such a system, you can use the feature to disable overclocking. Disable all CPU core control settings in BIOS.

Also change the FSB frequency setting to base value. Reverse every setting that you changed during overclocking, back to what it was before. Save changes and exit setup. You may remove all the extra cooling equipment you put up to prevent overheating. Once all these changes have been made, boot up your computer again to find things falling back to normalcy.

To sum it all up, to undo overclocking, you need to reverse all the changes made to system settings. Unless any serious hardware damage has been inflicted, this should restore functionality. With the modern line of Intel and AMD processors running at clocking frequencies that exceed 3 GHz, there is really no need to overclock computer processors and video cards anymore. Intel has developed 'Turbo Boost' technology, which can power processors beyond their base clocking frequencies on demand. It is like automated overclocking built into the processor! Ergo, I recommend that a processor upgrade to the high-end line of AMD or Intel processors is a better alternative than actually overclocking your existing system!

Computer Keeps Freezing

We have all experienced this at some point of time. We are in the middle of something important on our desktop computer and all of a sudden the computer stops to respond. Whatever you do, the computer is adamant. Sometimes it happens when we launch a certain program or software. Sometimes the ctrl+alt+del also refuses to impart any action. As a last option we restart the computer and sometimes we lose important data. Once in a while the processor gets loaded more than its capacity and the computer keeps freezing for a few seconds. But what if the computer keeps freezing every now and then? What if the computer freezes frequently? Let's find out everything about it.

Why Does My Computer Keep Freezing?

If you think your computer keeps freezing up for no reason, you are wrong. It just seems like it is freezing for no reason, but there is bound to be some fault deep within. The faults can be varied and it's not easy to point one out immediately. A virus attack is one of the prominent reasons behind a 'frozen' computer. Other reasons may be hardware compatibility issues, the programs running, in need a higher configuration or that you have installed too many programs and that have clogged the registry, the size of the paging file is not increasing due to some reason or there is not enough space on your hard disk. Higher memory requirements of startup programs is often why computer freezes on startup. These are the most probable problems but there may be some issues with the hardware too.

How to Deal with Computer Freezing?

Here are some simple things that will help you to find out the reason behind the computer freezing. Once you find the exact root of the trouble, getting rid of it will not be too difficult.

Virus Scan
Anyone with a basic knowledge of computers will tell you this. Run a virus scan on your PC. A type of virus known as Trojan Horse, does nothing except slowing down and sometimes freezing your computer. There are other malware, spyware, etc that can slow down your PC by occupying its virtual memory. But make sure your antivirus software is regularly updated and it should preferably be a licensed copy.

Configuration Check
Check the configuration requirements of all the software you use often. If they are below requirements upgrade your PC configuration. The RAM (Random Access Memory) plays an important role in determining the processing speed of your PC so check that first. Second, check if you have enough disk space as smooth functioning of the PC requires free disk space.

Performance Optimization
My PC has a good configuration and it is free of viruses, then why does this dumb computer keep freezing up? How you use your computer, also affects its functioning. If you have installed too many software, that will clog the windows registry of your computer. Even if you uninstall many software their registry entries may not always get wiped. For fixing this, just download some free computer maintenance and optimization software and run registry cleaner.

Check the Cooling Fan
If the cooling fan near the processor is malfunctioning that may lead to the computer freezing randomly. This is because the processor gets overheated. Checking if the fan is malfunctioning or not is very easy just listen to the sound that it makes. If the PC is fine the sound will be very low and if there is a problem it will make loud sounds after every few minutes. To fix that just open the CPU and clean up the fan. If it has stopped working completely, take it to an expert.

Even after doing all the above if your computer keeps freezing up take it to a computer engineer or a computer repair shop. Also, use only original software. Because they are automatically updated every few days to fix the bugs that may be present in them, thus making them more secure and your computer performance will improve. Use a licensed antivirus software and update it regularly.

System Restore does not Work

System Restore is a component of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows 7. If a computer becomes unstable while downloading games or a software due to a virus attack or any other reason, System Restore can resolve the problem by taking the computer back to a prior check point. In case of a system failure, the System Restore provides you an opportunity to roll back the registry keys and system files to a previous check point. It performs a vital function of saving snapshots or restore points of your system settings and files. On noticing a significant change in the file or application structure, System Restore creates restore points on its own. In Windows Vista, Shadow technology is used to create restore points. Problems can arise if System Restore does not work. Here's some information on what to do when System Restore is not working.

System Restore Problems

At times, System Restore service does not work in Vista, Windows XP or Windows 7 because of insufficient hard disk space. At least 200 MB of free hard disk space is required for System Restore to function properly. This space is required for storing the data gathered for the restore points. If the disk space is less, System Restore will be disabled. Once the space required for the data is available, System Restore starts saving and creating the restore points until this space is full.

When all the space gets used up, it starts overwriting, starting with the most recent data. Another cause for System Restore not working might be a virus attack. Sometimes restore points get corrupted due to computer viruses or an anti-virus software, therefore, you must make sure that you are using an effective anti-virus program.

How to Solve this Problem

System Restore gets disabled either due to a lack of disk space or due to registry changes made by certain viruses. In case, System Restore doesn't work when you boot normally, you can try to restore your computer in safe mode. Do you know how to boot in Safe Mode? Well, it's simple, You just need to tap the F8 button while your PC is booting up. Once you select the option that allows you to start your computer in Safe Mode, see if System Restore works. Though this might help, at times System Restore may not work in safe mode also.

Under such circumstances, the best option would be to try using System Restore disk. If you have a System Restore disk in your optical drive when your computer boots, the computer must boot to the restore disk, and not to your hard drive. You will need to make some adjustments in the BIOS (Basic Input/Output Settings) so that your computer boots from the restore disk. This will lead you to System Restore disk menu. Follow the instructions to perform a System Restore. In case Windows XP System Restore is not working, you can boot your system from your Windows XP CD. To boot from the CD drive, make adjustments to BIOS. Put the XP CD in the drive and restart your computer. Once your computer boots up, you need to look for 'Automated System Recovery' at the screen. A scan will start and this program will find the required files from your XP CD. You will have to reboot your computer. After the reconfiguration of the system files, System Restore will start working again.

This was some information on System Restore. So, the next time you find that System Restore is not working, do a disk cleanup, check the antivirus software or try the given instructions to solve the problem.

High CPU Usage Problem

If you are experiencing high CPU usage problems on your computer, then the lowered speed of your machine must be really driving you up the wall. This is something that happens quite frequently, and there are a variety of reasons that lead to this abnormally high CPU usage rate. If you regularly find yourself asking why your computer so slow, then high usage of the CPU is definitely a potential culprit.

The first thing you need to know is how to check the CPU usage rate on your machine. You can do so by pressing 'Ctrl + Shift + Esc', or by pressing 'Ctrl + Alt + Delete' and then clicking the 'Task Manager' option. In the subsequent window, that opens, you need to click on the 'Processes' tab. This will show you the CPU usage rate of all the applications that are currently running on the computer. You can also double click on the 'CPU' option and then you will see all the applications in ascending or descending order of CPU usage.

A high usage problem will be evident from this window, and you will need to fix this immediately. If you fail to do so, your machine will continue to run at an excruciatingly slow pace. Also note that this technique is useful only for people using Microsoft Windows. This article will help you solve this problem.

Causes of High Usage of CPU
There are a load of computer viruses and malicious software that can harm and affect your computer in many different ways. One of the most common effects of these viruses is to gain control of your CPU usage, and involve it completely in a meaningless task. Note that high usage with no programs running is a clear indicator that your machine has been breached by a harmful program.

In order to solve this problem that is caused by viruses or worms, you must purchase an effective antivirus software, and upgrade it from its official website on a regular basis.

Another cause for this problem is a faulty program, or a damaged file of some sort. Though, it is impossible to check the legibility of each and every file on your machine, there is a way you can get to the bottom of this problem. Go to the 'Start' menu, click on 'Run' and then type 'msconfig' in the box that opens and then hit Enter. Now click the 'Startup' tab and check all the items that have been ticked. If you see anything suspicious, uncheck it. Reboot your machine after each item you uncheck and then check the CPU usage each time. This should help you pinpoint the program responsible for the high usage of your CPU. This is one of the many ways to make computer faster that you can make use of.

When you are checking the CPU usage for your programs, you will see an option known as 'System Idle Process'. The usage rate for this will always be very high. If you are seeing high CPU usage when idle or working some programs, do not be alarmed.

Sometimes when you are running some heavy applications on your computer, the CPU usage will shoot up considerably. This is not something that you need to be concerned with. Check the CPU usage when there are no programs running, in order to get a true picture about any malicious software's presence. If your heavy program is not responding at all, then you can choose to end it from the Task Manager window, and this will solve the problem.

Also make sure that you are running your Windows updates on a regular basis, and also updating your antivirus software at least once a week. These updates are absolutely essential for your machines well-being, and the regularity with which you take care of them will determine the computer performance levels.

If everything you try fails, just take your machine to a computer repair shop and tell them the problem you are facing. A trained and experienced professional will be able to solve the problem of high CPU usage in no time.

Computer Maintenance

It is quite surprising to see how many mistakes we make maintaining our computers, and that too considering the fact that we cannot do much work-wise without them. Computer maintenance is something we can easily take care of ourselves, but we do not take half the care we should and that's the reason why we end up spending hundreds of dollars on calling professionals to look at our computers each year. And this is money we could very well have saved.

This article enlists ten vital maintenance tips that you must follow. This will increase the life of your hard disk and even make the computer prove more efficient to you. (The tips given below are for Windows operating systems.)

Tip # 1 - When to Restart and When to Reset

Most people think that restarting and resetting means one and the same thing, but they are not! Restarting is the process when the computer is made to shut down (normally) and then made to start again after the common rebooting process that the computer undergoes. Restarting can be done through several internal features of the computer operating system, including the Shut Down menu. But resetting is different. This is done by pressing a button present on the CPU. When you reset a computer, you are shutting it down forcefully and then starting it again. When resetting is done, the computer is not allowed to shut down in the normal way, but restarting allows that to happen.

Resetting must be done only when nothing else seems to work. For example, if the display has frozen, or if the computer 'hang's, and even Ctrl-Alt-Del does not seem to work, then resetting can be done. But for simple requirements like reconfiguring the system after installing new software, you must only go for restarting.

Tip # 2 - Shutting Down the Computer

The computer must never be shut down by any other method except through the Shut Down menu provided. Never must the computer be shut down by powering it off directly from the AC mains. This will cause irreparable damage to the hard disk.

Tip # 3 - Clean Out Your Computer Occasionally

It doesn't take much time to run a Scan Disk and a Disk Defragmenter on your computer often. This is in fact the simplest way to maintain your computer. When you fragment your disk, you are freeing up all wasted space on your computer and that certainly increases its efficiency. Scanning shows you all the bad and corrupt files located on your computer.

Tip # 4 - Keep the Startup Simple

If your computer takes very long starting up, it probably has a lot of start programs. Let the computer start completely, then enter into the Start Up programs and delete those which you don't need to load at startup. These programs will only slow down your computer drastically.

Tip # 5 - Install an Antivirus

Anyone knowing an iota of computers will tell you how an antivirus is important to your computer, if you are using the Internet. Remember to run the antivirus scan regularly. You can even set it up automatically.

Tip # 6 - Install Firewalls

You can say that firewalls are better than antivirus programs at protection. While antivirus programs are the cure, firewalls can be considered as the prevention. When you set up a firewall, you are restricting all kinds of unauthorized accesses to your computer. You must do this as soon as you get your Internet connection, and then keep the firewall definitions updated.

Tip # 7 - Install Antispyware Programs

Spyware is a term used to describe several unauthorized applications that install on your computer when you browse the Internet, and then they make a connection between your computer and the host server. These programs can relay private information from your computer to the host server. Spyware is a chief element of identity theft in today's times. Fortunately, there are several good antispyware programs that you can install to protect your computer from such threats.

Tip # 8 - Keep Adequate Disk Space

Never fill your hard disk to full capacity. This will make your computer run slow and can cause damage to the disk even. Keep at least 100 MB free space. However, the hard disks available today have humongous capacities, so this problem will probably never arise.

Tip # 9 - Use Peripheral Devices Carefully

For all peripheral devices, you must exercise care when making direct connections with your PC. Especially when you are removing them, don't just yank them out. Turn off the device through the corresponding software first, and remove them only when they say it's safe to remove the device.

Tip # 10 - Clean Out the Temp Files
Temp files are created when you are working on any application on your computer. These are not user-readable files, but they are records for the computer to use the applications easily the next time. A similar analogy is found in cached files when using the Internet. These files can accumulate to a large extent and can clog the computer, making it run very slow. You must regularly visit the temp or cache folder and clean out these files.

Computer Problems and Solutions

If you have a computer or PC, it will surely help in easing most of your problems. But with every computer comes along many headaches and complications, sooner or later. A computer is a machine and every machine breaks down sometime or the other. You do not need to run to the computer technician every time your PC crashes or is attached by a malicious software. If you know some simple solutions to the most common computer problems, it will help you save a lot of time and money. These glitches that can be solved by a common person like you and me in the world of computers.

There are many PC owners who think every time they face a problem with computer, they should contact professional help. True, but not every problem needs to be addressed by a computer expert.

How to Fix Computer Problems?

Problems with computer are divided into two groups, i.e., hardware problems and software problems. The hardware problems are related to the peripheral parts of the computer like the CD drive, hard disk, monitor, keyboard, etc. The software problems are more complicated. These problems include problems like modem problems, Windows not starting, drivers not found, etc. Understand what is causing the glitch and follow the standard procedure to solve the problem. The following are a few common problems and solutions to help you overcome the technical snag.

After Power Outage
Today there are many sudden power outages, voltage problems and spikes that can damage computers. These damages cause many technical and software snags and interrupt your work. This leads to loss of data, damage to the hardware, etc. due to sudden power outage. This is a solution to this trouble is use of uninterrupted power supply (UPS). The UPS can provide a constant flow of energy to the computer, even if you encounter a sudden power outage. This will provide you with ample time to save your data and shut down your PC, if needed.

Computer Performance has Slowed Down
You may notice your computer has slowed down considerably and even a simple command execution takes ages. This is because your computer is loaded with unnecessary files, fragmented data, corrupted registry, spyware programs, services, software, etc. that makes your computer slow down. Thus, you need to manage your programs and delete unnecessary data and software that you do not use or need, clean your registry regularly to help boost at least 30% of your computer performance speed.

No Sound from Speakers
You are in the mood to listen to some groovy music on your PC, but you get no sound from speakers, the solution to is to check the back of the computer and see if all the connectors are properly connected. The speaker or single stereo speaker plug should be put into the socket on the soundcard that has a mark Audio Out.

Computer Monitor Displays Fuzzy Images
A computer monitor is the display unit of the computer that is sensitive to electro-magnetic radiations. These electro-magnetic radiations are transmitted from the TV, radio, microwaves, dishwashers, washing machines, speakers, etc. Mobile phones transmit electro-magnetic radiations that is one of the main cause of monitor displaying fuzzy images. Thus, move away these disturbances away from the monitor and this problem with computer monitor will be fixed.

Computer Freezes with Blue Screen Hijacking Your Display
There are many problems that can cause your computer screen to freeze and blue screen to appear. This screen is called the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). This may be due to a spyware or computer viruses that have affected your computer. You need to update your anti-spyware and scan your computer for any viruses. If your computer is free from any such malicious software, then you may need to update your hardware drive. A hardware drive that is not updated may cause the CPU to lock up and interrupt working of the computer. If you find the problem cropping up even after a hardware drive update, then you may need to increase computer RAM. When you increase the RAM, the computing power increases and you will also be able to avoid the computer freeze. At times, BSOD may appear due to critical errors in the driver, software or registry problems. Windows may have to repair or reinstall missing components. If you do not find any visible cause, it would be wise to call the computer technician.

Computer Reboots Itself Again and Again
Another common problem with computers. In order to fix the problem of rebooting itself again and again, you will need to check the hardware. You may have a faulty power supply, defective or dirty cooling fan, etc., that may cause the computer to reboot again and again. The dust that accumulates on the fan, makes it heat up faster and in order to cool down the computer automatically switches off. Thus, clean the fan and check for power supply. Following these simple steps will help you to solve these problems with computer.

Computer Makes Strange Noises
Noises and vibrations from your computer are a hardware problem. Many electronic parts can make high pitch noises. You need to switch off your computer and unplug it from the power supply. Now remove the case from the CPU and restart your computer. Locate the origin of noise and then switch off the computer and unplug it. It may be a faulty fan, loose wire or screw. This means you will need to call the computer technician to help you solve your problems with computer, regarding these type of problems.

Windows Having Problems in Shutting Down Properly
You may have come across the message 'Windows Shutting Down' instead of 'It is now safe to switch off you computer'. This is because a program has not unloaded itself properly that makes the computer insist to run a scandisk the next time you switch on. You need to close all the programs before your shut down your PC and if it is not done, the computer waits for the program to close. It may happen you get the message 'Do you want to shut this program down or wait' or you may not. When you don't get such a message it results in what we call the hanging of the operating system. The solution is not to install Direct X whenever you install a game. Most games have their version of Direct X that makes the files out of sync. Thus, install the latest version of Direct X and not the games version. You may need to also check USB devices, task scheduler, virus scanners, etc. and reinstall them if necessary. This will lead to correct installation and the problems with computer may reduce.

Computer Gives Error Messages on Start-up
Many times when you switch on you computer you see error messages on your screen. These messages may appear such as, abclink.xyz missing or damaged - press any key to continue. If you see this message, you need to press keys for about 8 to 10 times, before Windows actually resumes. This happens when you delete a program instead of actually un-installing it. If you wish to get rid of any program, go to Control panel ---> Programs ---> Programs and Features. Here, you will find a list of programs installed on your computer. Select the specific you wish to delete and click on Uninstall. The program will be removed from your system and next time you switch on your PC, you will not get any error messages saying a link is missing.

Low Virtual Memory
Do you keep getting an annoying message that says 'system running low on virtual memory'? If yes, it means your computer is running short of RAM, that is, Random Access Memory. So, to solve this problem, you need to increase the size of your computer memory. Windows 7 users need at least 1 GB of RAM, Windows Vista needs 512 MB of Ram and Windows XP requires minimum 256 MB RAM. Visit your local computer dealer and purchase more memory from him. The dealer may even install the memory for you. This will help you get rid of low virtual memory.

You can avoid these problems if you are aware of the various steps needed for computer maintenance. You should read the manual given with computer before you begin using it. Yes, the manual may sound Greek to you, but it's always better to know the simple precautions to be taken. The troubleshooting is not an easy task. If you do not understand anything or are still apprehensive about these troubleshooting, then it is a better idea to consult a computer technician. You have many articles on the Internet that help you find solutions to various problems with computer. You do not need to be genius to diagnose and troubleshoot a simple problem. Many times a bit of presence of mind and common sense will help you overcome obstacles of the technical world.

Computers Break

Computers make our lives better in so many ways, but when they fail they can be indescribably frustrating. Increasingly, many of us have a good portion of our lives on the computer. From our important documents, pictures, and files to our music and movies to the games and other activities that we choose to spend time on, the computer is the location of a huge percentage of contemporary life. When your computer breaks, it can feel a lot like being stuck in a place where you don't want to be. Without the computer, so much of what you do on a day-to-day basis is suddenly unavailable. The good news is, by following a few easy steps you should be able to avoid panicking and head down the road to repairing your machine.

Turn off the Internet
The first step when you are having serious computer trouble is to avoid making the problem worse. This can be difficult if you have no idea what the problem is, but there are a few tricks you can use make sure you don't do further damage. First, if you still have access to the internet, disable it until you are sure the problem isn't caused by a virus. If you do have a virus, it's important that you don't allow it to contact other computers or exchange information over the internet. After you have disabled the internet, you can run full system scans for viruses and malware. If you don't have free antivirus and anti-malware programs already installed, do that as soon as possible, so you are prepared in the event of a computer problem.

Retrace Your Steps
After you have ruled out viruses and malware as the cause of your computer issue, it is usually safe to turn the internet back on. This will allow you to search message boards and tech support forums for advice on how to deal with your specific problem. Before you do that, however, consider what you were doing when the problem began, and what you did in the few minutes, hours, or days prior to the start of the issue. Retracing your steps this way will help you narrow down the problem. You may be able to identify what caused the problem just by thinking about what happened before.

Reverse Any Recent Changes
As you retrace your steps, ask yourself these questions: Did I install anything recently? Did I change any system or program settings recently? Did I update any software or drivers recently? Did I install any new hardware or external devices (like a new mouse or keyboard) recently? If you answer "Yes" to any of these questions, there is a good chance that your recent changes are the cause of the problem. There are several reasons that changes like this can cause issues, including compatibility conflicts or registry errors. Try reversing your changes if possible. Uninstall any recently installed programs, reset settings to defaults, or go back to old versions of drivers or software. After doing this, restart the computer to see if the issue is resolved.

Restart in Safe Mode
If your computer trouble prevents you from opening programs or accessing the internet, consider running your operating system in Safe Mode. In Safe Mode, you will be unable to do many of the things you normally do on your computer, but you may regain the ability to uninstall programs or reverse any changes that could be causing issues. If your problem is caused by an issue in the Windows registry, you may be able to repair the registry using a utility or free program in Safe Mode.

Diagnose Faulty RAM
In the event that your computer does not turn on at all, there are still a few things you can do to diagnose the problem before you resort to taking it to a repair technician. One common cause of computers not turning on is faulty RAM, or memory. If you are confident opening up your computer and removing the RAM, do this, trying to turn the computer on with one chip at a time and alternating which RAM slots you put them in. If the computer turns on, one of your RAM chips is faulty and you can replace it yourself. If this is not the problem, it is likely that you have another hardware issue.

Don't Forget to Back Up Data
If you are unfamiliar with computer hardware, it is best to take the computer to a repair technician at this point. However, if you feel comfortable repairing computers yourself, connect to the internet using another computer and search for instructions and advice. The internet is a wonderful resource for repairing computers and you can find a solution to almost any problem online. One last word of advice: remember to back up your important data! Even if your computer is running fine now, you could run into trouble at any time. Good backups will pay off in the long run!

Computer Restarts after Shutdown

A computer also suffers from various issues from time to time which are very hard to attribute to one single cause. There are so many components embedded inside a machine that it is very hard to predict what can go wrong at any given time, and even when something does go wrong, it is very difficult to find the exact cause. People who are clued up about the workings of a computer and people who are professional computer repairmen follow a fixed and orderly method of checking problems, since this is the only way to ascertain the actual issue.

One of the most annoying things that can happen to a computer is that it simply refuses to shut down. This is a problem that Windows XP users, more than anyone else, have faced over the years and this ultimately leads to simply turning the power source off which can result in loss of data and other issues. If you find that your computer restarts itself after shutdown then you need to take the situation very seriously, since the underlying cause of the problem can inevitably lead to more serious problems as well. People who do not know much about the workings of a computer may not be able to do much about this problem, but the causes mentioned here can be investigated by someone who is not completely ignorant about such things.

Causes of Automatic Restart Common causes of computers restarting by themselves are computer viruses, computer overheating, computer hardware defects, computer hardware incompatibility and computer driver problems. All of these issues have their own specific solutions that must be applied in order to fix the problem. You should install an antivirus software or update the existing one, you should use the computer in a cool room and avoid keeping it on for days at a stretch, fix or replace any defective hardware peripherals and reinstall device drivers respectively. Hopefully, each of these solutions will solve your problem, but if you still see that your computer keeps rebooting itself, then you need to visit a computer technician immediately.

Solutions to Automatic Restart

In some computers, the settings make the computer restart automatically when it is shutdown. These settings can be altered in the following manner.

Right click on My Computer and then click on Properties.
Click on the tab that says Advanced and then click on the Settings button under the Startup and Recovery option.

Under System Failure uncheck the box next to Automatically Restart
After doing this, your computer will not restart automatically upon shutdown unless there is some serious defect inside. All Windows based machines have this option checked by default, so that the computer restarts and does not lose any data in case there is some kind of 'Stop Error' while it is functioning.

Some more possible solutions to try out are as follows.
Please note that none of these solutions are guaranteed to work for you, but there is no harm in trying them out, since there is no way to determine the exact nature of the problem without physically inspecting the machine.

You should visit the BIOS of the machine when it is booting up, and then look for programs or devices that cause the machine to startup automatically. In order to reach the BIOS you will have to press one of F1, F2, F10, DELETE or ESC when the machine is starting up, and it will specify which key you need to press. You should look for an option called Wake up on shutdown in the BIOS and then disable it.

You should attempt cleaning up your Windows registry.

In order to achieve this you need to go the Start menu, then click on Run, then type regedit and press Enter, then delete entries from the various options that open. These options are HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, HKEY_CURRENT_USER and HKEY_USERS and HKEY_CURRENT CONFIG. Doing so will also speeden your machine up, and hopefully it will also solve your problem of 'computer restarts when shutdown'.

This problem is not a very uncommon one, and there are many people who regularly complain about the same. Following some fixed solutions should fix the issue in most cases, but if the trouble persists, then it is probably best to take the machine to a computer repair store and show it to a certified technician. This may take more time and money, but ultimately it will be worth it

Computer Hardware for Beginners

A typical computer system has 2 very basic components:

CPU (central processing unit)

monitor.

Of course, in order to actually be able to use the computer you need an input device such as a computer keyboard or mouse. Other devices such as joysticks, game pads, game controllers, etc. also fall into the category of input devices. The monitor is nothing but an output device (or a display device) whose purpose is to display all the information to the user. Computer monitors can be categorized as:

CRT (cathode ray tube) monitors
flat screen monitors.

CRT monitors are the box-like monitors that have been around since the last 10-15 years. Flat screen monitors are relatively new and they too, are of 2 types namely, plasma monitors and LCD monitors. The CPU is the actual 'computer' i.e., it is the component that is responsible for the actual computing that takes place (unlike in movies where a 'computer' in most cases, is shown to be a monitor!). The CPU consists of the following components:

hard drive

motherboard

RAM chip

processor

video card

graphics card

sound card

processor and cabinet fans

USB ports

LAN card

CD/DVD drive

floppy disk drive

cables

Let us have a look at all these components one by one.

Hard Drive:
It is also referred to as a secondary storage device. In simple terms, it is the place where all of your documents, spreadsheets, pictures, music files, videos, etc. are stored. Hard drives can be internal as well as external. Internal hard drives are housed within the computer cabinet whereas external ones are detachable and are connected through a USB port using an external power source. Today, hard drives are available in capacities of up to 2 TB i.e. a whopping 2,048,000 megabytes of storage space!

Motherboard:
A computer motherboard is a square-shaped board that houses all major components such as the RAM chips, PCI slots, processor, batteries, sound cards, video cards, USB ports and all other internal circuitry. Motherboards are available in different hardware configurations and designs.

RAM:
What is computer RAM? Well, RAM, which is an acronym for Random Access Memory, is the primary storage device of your computer. Although all your software applications are installed and stored in your hard drive, each one of them needs to make use of the RAM when it is being used. More the number or the size of the applications being run, greater is the RAM requirement of your computer.

Processor:
This is the actual brain of your computer. Today, processors are available in many brands and multiple processing capacities. Intel's Pentium series of processors along with the AMD line of processors happen to be some of the most popular processors in today's market.

Cards:
These mainly include video cards, sound cards, graphics cards, etc. all of which are installed on the motherboard in their respective slots. They are mainly required for running multimedia applications involving video, audio and graphical images. LAN (Local Area Network) cards and network cards are necessary for computer networking, i.e. connecting your computer to a local network or to the Internet.

Fans:
Most computer cabinets make use of at least two fans - a processor fan and a cabinet fan. Their main purpose is to lower the internal temperature and keep the processing components as cool as possible.

USB Ports:
USB (Universal Serial Bus) ports in simple terms, are the ports which we use for connecting our MP3 players, digital cameras, flash drives, etc. to our computer. Today, most computers come with a minimum of 4 USB ports although certain high-end machines can have up to 8 or even 10 USB ports.

CD/DVD Drives:
If you wish to run any type of CD or DVD on your computer, installing a CD drive or a DVD drive is a must. There are different types of CD/DVD drives available, each offering the user a variety of features and options.

Floppy Drives:
Once a common part of each and every desktop computer, very rarely does one find floppy drives in today's computers. However, there are a few situations where using a floppy drive becomes inevitable (and I vouch for that) hence mentioning them in this list becomes necessary.

Cables:
Last but not the least, the connecting cables. Internal cables which are used to connect the hard drive, CD/DVD drive, floppy drive, etc. are of two types - a data cable and a power cable. Each one has a different physical structure and a different function. If you are a newcomer to computers, you should always refer to the computer manual while going about connecting the different cables.

These were some basics which were aimed at introducing you to the hardware components of a computer. Though most of these components are constantly being upgraded thanks to rapid technological advances, their fundamental concept nevertheless, continues to remain the same.

Advantages of IT

 • Globalization
True globalization has come about only via this automated system. The creation of one interdependent system helps us to share information and end linguistic barriers across the continents. The collapse of geographic boundaries has made the world a 'global village'. The technology has not only made communication cheaper, but also possible much quicker and round the clock. The wonders of text messages, email and auto-response, backed by computer security applications, have opened up scope for direct communication.

• Cost-effective
Computerized, internet business processes have made many businesses turn to the Internet for increased productivity, greater profitability, clutter free working conditions and global clientèle. It is mainly due to the IT industry that business have been able to make their processes more streamlined, thereby becoming more cost-effective and consequently more profitable. People are able to operate their businesses 24x7, even from remote locations only due to the advent of information technology.

• Communication
Quick and effective communication is vital to any business anywhere in the world. Information technology gives an entrepreneur or business the tools, like email, video conferencing, SMS, etc., essential to communicate efficiently and effectively. to the business world, and information technology gives your company the resources it needs to communicate quickly and effectively. Not only do people connect faster with the help of information technology, but they are also able to identify like-minded individuals and extend help, while strengthening ties.

• Storing and Protecting Information
IT provides a low-cost business options to store and maintain information that may be important from a business or service point of view. Virtual vaults and other such security systems not only store vital data but also allow control over the access to such information. IT security systems will also protect virtual data from being hacked or wiped out in case of any technical failure.

• Creation of New Jobs
One of the biggest advantage of IT has been the creation of a whole new field of opportunity for skilled personnel leading to new and interesting jobs. Hardware and software developers, computer programmers, web designers, system analyst, the list of new jobs created could go on. IT has also been attributed to be the major cause of surge in the economies of certain Third World nations too.

Things that were once done manually or by hand have now become easier and faster due to the advent of a computing technology. Our world today has changed a great deal with the aid of IT which has penetrated almost every aspect of our daily lives and society, from leisure to business. IT has become a part of our day-to-day lives through the evident use of PC's, Internet, cell phones, faxes, the list would seem endless. Let us hope that newer development in the field of IT can provide benefits to our future generations, just as it has greatly benefited ours.

Running Businesses with Information Technology

Small scale businesses need to buy software packages that would cater to their specific management, operational, and functional needs. For this purpose, they need to approach firms and IT manufacturers who deal in such software applications. Other IT services include Internet marketing and email marketing, web hosting and promotions, and maintaining client networks. Larger businesses on the other hand have their own operational and functional employees who develop software applications and work on several IT needs of the businesses. They usually purchase ERP software to coordinate different processes and functions into a single application, which is actually more convenient.

Manufacturing businesses may make use of servers and databases to store their vast data regarding inventory, B2B, B2C, FMCG (in the retail business sector), etc. Automobile manufacturers use computers to guide manufacturing and designing tools to function in a precise manner, ruling out the possibilities of any human error. Businesses all around the globe have to take the aid of information technology in some way or the other to keep themselves in sync with the market and the world. There are several departments in business organizations such as HR and recruitment, finance and payroll, administration, and security. All these departments utilize IT to carry out their respective operations in a productive manner and efficient manner.

The information technology role in business sector certainly is of a great importance, which enables businesses to effectively and successfully plan, manage, execute strategies which lead to profit. Moreover, the impact of information technology on business is on the rise, as several advancements are focused on to be implemented in various business processes.

Basic Elements of Information Technology

Software and Applications
Software is an important part of information technology which relates to computer applications that enable a company to generate, store, program, and retrieve data as and when needed. There are many software developed for different purposes. All operations in the business sector are carried out by software that are assigned for executing specific tasks. Without these computer applications the businesses wouldn't have been able to carry out their functions in a proper and efficient manner. Operating systems, ERPs, special purpose applications, and web browsers are some examples of different software.

There are some software which are exclusively built to contribute to the proper collaborative working of all sections of the businesses, which are known as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). These are complex applications which enable people to efficiently manage all functions and operations of all processes in the businesses.

Hardware Devices
These are various computer equipment that house the software. Devices like microcomputers, mid-size servers, and huge mainframe systems are some examples of hardware. Businesses have to maintain a huge collection of important data. For this purpose, they employ these devices which are responsible for storing confidential company data and retrieving it back when required. Other hardware devices include network devices that are used for providing Internet access to the businesses to work and communicate expeditiously. There are even devices which enable manufacturing tools and equipment to work accurately in the industrial sector.

Importance of Information Technology in Education

 Importance of information technology in educational sector is well-known. It helps the students as well as the teachers in studying the course material easily because of fast access. Studying the subjects with the help of on line libraries and dictionaries has made grasping and increasing the knowledge easy for the students. The inclusion of information technology in the syllabus in schools, colleges and universities has helped them in grasping the subject well and getting their basics cleared. Since, many educational centers have the online grading system, it has been a boon for the parents of the children to keep a tab on their performances. Parents can also get the details of the attendance record of their child in schools.

Importance of IT in management is quite significant. It helps the managers in adapting to the new business processes and to predict the possible impact of new technologies. The managers can benefit from the efficiently prepared computer packages and the electronically stored confidential information. With just a single click of the mouse, they can have the relevant information in front of their screen. However, to be able to handle these software packages in a better way, the managers should have undergone quality training in information technology. Taking this need into consideration, many corporate companies are seen taking special efforts for the development of these soft skills by training programs prepared by experienced software professionals

Information Technology Important in Business

There are many businesses which are in need of the software packages for satisfying their operational as well as functional needs. For fulfilling this requirement, these companies sign deals with the software manufacturing companies. Information technology is useful in ensuring the smooth functioning of all the departments in a company such as the human resource department, finance department, manufacturing department and in security related purposes. The companies in the automobile manufacturing sector are able to get rid of any sort of errors or mistakes in the proper functioning of the tools used for designing and manufacturing purposes. Due to the development of the information technology sector, the companies are being able to keep themselves aware of the changes in the global markets.

The software applications and the hardware devices are known to be the main elements of the use of information technology. The web browsers, the operating systems, ERP's and special purpose applications are the software which are used in information technology. IT plays an important role in easily solving the mathematical problems and in the project management system. It has a great use in the automated production of sensitive information, automated upgradation of the important business processes and the automated streamlining of the various business processes. It has also played an important role in the areas of communication and automated administration of entire systems.

Features of an Operating System

Now that we are done with the types of operating system, let us take a look at what are the features that a particular operating system should have. Some of these features are a part of all operating systems, while some of them may or may not be available in the operating system you are using.

Managing Hardware and Software
As already mentioned, it is the computer operating system that causes the hardware and software in a computer to interact with each other. It is also the platform that causes one software in the computer to communicate with another. Once the operating system in a computer loads during the booting up process, other application software can be loaded into the computer.

Consistent Application Program Interface
Application Program Interface which software development professionals refer to as APIs allow the applications that run on one computer to run on another computer having the same operating system. It is thus important that the operating system has a consistent API. Undoubtedly, every operating system will have certain requirements, but it should be flexible enough to support computer hardware from different vendors.

Program Execution
It is up to the operating system to execute all the programs running in it. It is a rather complicated process. It may have to allow multitasking and allow different programs to run at the same time and share the system resources. It needs to allot RAM space to different applications running on the computer. The execution of more than one program may also require the operating system to prioritize the operations running on the computer.

Interrupts
The operating system needs to support a good number of interrupts to react with the immediate external environment. On receiving an interrupt it should have the capability to stop the current execution and start off a new process. Interrupting is not a very simple process. On receiving an interrupt, the computer operating system should be such that they immediately save the status of the current applications and start executing the code of that particular interrupt.

Memory Management
As already mentioned in the section on program execution, it is up to the computer operating system to provide memory to the different programs running on the computer. It has to prioritize and allocate memory to each application. Even when data is saved in a secondary storage device, it is the operating system, that decides how should that particular chunk of information be stored.

Accessing Data
The data required by any particular application software for its smooth running needs to be accessed by the operating system. The operating system stores data in a particular storage area in such a way that the data can be retrieved as and when required. The file system that different computers use may be different. The operating system needs to support these different file systems. Let us try to understand this with an example. Some computers may be using the FAT 32 file system, while some may be using the NTFS file system. Irrespective of which file system is being used, the operating system should provide support for the same. However, not all operating systems support all types of file systems.

Networking
We are in the age of networking. Computers need to communicate with each other. A computer without Internet is not even imaginable. It is the task of the operating system to provide the required networking features. It should have features to allow two or more computers to connect and form a network or connect to the Internet.

Security
Last but not the least, in today's age, security that an operating system should provide is undoubtedly one of its most important features. Right from setting passwords for logging in, to providing firewall protection; everything comes under the tasks of an operating system. Some network utilities may need file sharing, printer sharing and using TCP/IP protocols. Hence, it becomes very important for the computer operating system to provide proper security so that the computer's security is not compromised in such cases.

Let us now take a look at the details of the different operating systems available in the market. Here, we will take a look at only the most popular operating systems and of course, these are the operating systems which you would want to know about.

Types of Computer Operating Systems

Operating systems can be broadly classified into certain categories. One thing that needs to be kept in mind is that one particular operating system can fall into more than one category. The classification is based on the features that operating systems have.

Multi threading OS
These are the operating systems that allow different parts of the same software to run at the same time. Operating systems like Windows 9X, ME, XP, Vista, 7 and Linux are examples of this type of operating system.

Multitasking OS
If your operating system allows you to run more than one application software at the same time, than it can be classified into this type of operating system. The same operating systems that have been mentioned above can be classified as examples of this type of operating system.

GUI OS
GUI stands for graphical user interface. Those operating systems like Windows 98, XP, ME, Vista, 7 and Linux, which allow users to navigate with the help of a mouse and have graphic representation of every process or application are classified into this type of operating system.

CUI OS
These are operating systems, where you need to learn the commands for working with that particular operating system. MS DOS is one example of this type of operating system. There is a particular command for each process and to bring in variation to the command, you have switches.

Multi-user OS
 Operating systems which allow more than one user to log in to the computer system at the same time and use it, can be classified as multi-user operating system. Linux is an example of this type of operating system, which allows six users to login at the same time and user the operating system.

Computer Operating System

A computer operating system is nothing but a system software because of which the hardware and software in a computer can communicate with each other. In short, it is what brings life to a computer. It is the computer operating system, on which you run all your applications. If you want to run a certain software (a.k.a. Application software) in your computer, it needs to be compatible with the operating system that is running in your computer. So much for the purpose of making you aware of what is a computer operating system. Now that you have some idea about what is a computer operating system, let us try to understand, how different types of operating systems can be classified

Fundamentals of Operating Systems

An operating system is the software component of a computer system, which is responsible for the management of a wide variety of computer operations as also the sharing of computer resources. It hosts computer applications and handles the operations of computer hardware. Users and application programs access the operating system services through system calls and application programming interfaces. In short, an operating system acts as an interface between the application programs and the computer hardware. Desktop computers, PDAs, laptop computers, notebook computers and even many of the mobile phones of today, are equipped with some kind of operating system.

Before exploring the operating system fundamentals,

Access Control
When a computer is started, it runs in the supervisor mode, by which we mean that the first few programs running on the computer and the operating system have an unlimited access to the hardware. An operating system has the ability to place the computer in the protected mode, wherein programs are given a limited access to computer resources.

Execution of Programs
Programs in execution are known as processes. The execution of a program requires the operating system to create processes. The operating system kernel creates a process by loading program code from the disk and allocating memory to it before running the program.

User Interface
Users interact with operating systems by means of command line interfaces or graphical user interfaces. Though graphical user interface cannot be referred to as an operating system service, many operating systems integrate support for user interfaces into their kernels. Beginning from Windows 95, Microsoft Windows has kept revising its user interfaces. Their latest operating system, Windows Vista implements a graphics subsystem.

Memory Management
The operating system kernel handles the allocation and management of memory that programs use. In a cooperative memory management strategy, it is assumed that programs make a voluntary use of the computer memory. This strategy was used by operating systems of old times. Modern operating systems implement segmentation and paging mechanisms facilitating memory protection, whereby all the computer programs can obtain a fair share of memory for execution. The operating system kernel controls the amount of memory allocated to application programs. An operating system can use the same memory locations for multiple tasks, using the underlying concept of virtual memory and swapping or paging.

Scheduling
An operating system kernel consists of a scheduler program that manages the time taken by each program for its execution. Kernel passes the controls to processes whereby the processes can access the CPU and memory. In cooperative multitasking, each process is allowed to use the system resources for an unlimited period of time. Pre-emptive multitasking mechanisms have replaced cooperative multitasking. Windows NT was the first to implement pre-emptive multitasking. This feature reached the users after Windows XP was released.

Interrupt Handling
An operating system has to deal with unexpected events in program execution. They are known as interrupts. Interrupts may also come from computer hardware. If a piece of computer hardware triggers an interrupt, the operating system kernel devises ways to handle it. Interrupts triggered by running programs can also be handled by the operating system kernel.

Management of Files
Operating systems are in charge of handling the application program access to files stored on the disk. The operating systems in earlier days did not support different types of file systems. But the relatively recent operating systems, like Unix and Linux, implement a virtual file system allowing various types of programs, to access a wide variety of system resources and devices that use different file systems.

File systems are methods used for storing and managing computer files and data. A file system can be considered as a specialized storage system for the organization, access and retrieval of data. To get a glimpse of some file systems like FAT and NTFS, go through FAT and NTFS Data Recovery Information.

Computer Security
 I am sure you are aware of multiple user profiles on operating systems. When you login to your user account on the operating system you use, you are actually being a part of the security measures implemented by your operating system. Most of the operating systems require its users to login to their accounts by means of a user name and password. Recent developments in technology have introduced biometry to operating systems. Windows Vista has introduced User account control, whereby each logon session is associated with a token containing the privilege assigned to that session.

Computer Networking
Operating systems support a variety of networking protocols, whereby, computers running different operating systems can work over a common network. The operating system support for networking protocols enables the computers to access resources on remote computers in fairly simple ways.

We can say that operating systems play an important role in facilitating user access to computer systems. They schedule computer tasks, control access to resources; they manage computer memory, they handle files. And they do all this while ensuring computer security.

Different Types of Operating Systems

Operating systems that create a link between users and the applications form the core of computer systems. An OS dissociates the programs from the hardware and simplifies resource management. Let us look at the different types of operating systems and know how they differ from one another.


An operating system is a software component of a computer system that is responsible for the management of various activities of the computer and the sharing of computer resources. It hosts several applications that run on a computer and handles the operations of computer hardware. Users and application programs access the services offered by the operating systems, by means of system calls and application programming interfaces. Users interact with a computer operating system through Command Line Interfaces (CLIs) or Graphical User Interfaces known as GUIs. In short, an operating system enables user interaction with computer systems by acting as an interface between users or application programs and the computer hardware. Here is an overview of the different types of operating systems.

Real-time Operating System:
It is a multitasking operating system that aims at executing real-time applications. Real-time operating systems often use specialized scheduling algorithms so that they can achieve a deterministic nature of behavior. The main object of real-time operating systems is their quick and predictable response to events. They either have an event-driven or a time-sharing design. An event-driven system switches between tasks based of their priorities while time-sharing operating systems switch tasks based on clock interrupts.

Multi-user and Single-user Operating Systems:
Computer operating systems of this type allow multiple users to access a computer system simultaneously. Time-sharing systems can be classified as multi-user systems as they enable a multiple user access to a computer through time sharing. Single-user operating systems, as opposed to a multi-user operating system, are usable by only one user at a time. Being able to have multiple accounts on a Windows operating system does not make it a multi-user system. Rather, only the network administrator is the real user. But for a Unix-like operating system, it is possible for two users to login at a time and this capability of the OS makes it a multi-user operating system.

Multi-tasking and Single-tasking Operating Systems:
  When a single program is allowed to run at a time, the system is grouped under the single-tasking system category, while in case the operating system allows for execution of multiple tasks at a time, it is classified as a multi-tasking operating system. Multi-tasking can be of two types namely, per-emptive or co-operative. In per-emptive multitasking, the operating system slices the CPU time and dedicates one slot to each of the programs. Unix-like operating systems such as Solaris and Linux support per-emptive multitasking. If you are aware of the multi-threading terminology, you can consider this type of multi-tasking as similar to interleaved multi-threading. Cooperative multitasking is achieved by relying on each process to give time to the other processes in a defined manner. This kind of multi-tasking is similar to the idea of block multi-threading in which one thread runs till it is blocked by some other event. MS Windows prior to Windows 95 used to support cooperative multitasking.

Distributed Operating System:
An operating system that manages a group of independent computers and makes them appear to be a single computer is known as a distributed operating system. The development of networked computers that could be linked and made to communicate with each other, gave rise to distributed computing. Distributed computations are carried out on more than one machine. When computers in a group work in cooperation, they make a distributed system.

Embedded System:
  The operating systems designed for being used in embedded computer systems are known as embedded operating systems. They are designed to operate on small machines like PDAs with less autonomy. They are able to operate with a limited number of resources. They are very compact and extremely efficient by design. Windows CE, Free BSD and Minix 3 are some examples of embedded operating systems.

Mobile Operating System:
  Though not a functionally distinct kind of operating system, mobile OS is definitely an important mention in the list of operating system types. A mobile OS controls a mobile device and its design supports wireless communication and mobile applications. It has built-in support for mobile multimedia formats. Tablet PCs and smart phones run on mobile operating systems.

Batch Processing and Interactive Systems:
Batch processing refers to execution of computer programs in 'batches' without manual intervention. In batch processing systems, programs are collected, grouped and processed on a later date. There is no prompting the user for inputs as input data are collected in advance for future processing. Input data are collected and processed in batches, hence the name batch processing. IBM's z/OS has batch processing capabilities. As against this, interactive operating requires user intervention. The process cannot be executed in the user's absence.

On line and Off line Processing: 
  In on line processing of data, the user remains in contact with the computer and processes are executed under control of the computer's central processing unit. When processes are not executed under direct control of the CPU, the processing is referred to as off line. Let's take the example of batch processing. Here, the batching or grouping of data can be done without user and CPU intervention; it can be done off line. But the actual process execution may happen under direct control of the processor, that is on line.

Operating systems contribute to simplifying human interaction with the computer hardware. They are responsible for linking application programs with the hardware, thus achieving easy user access to computers. Ever imagined a computer without an OS? It wouldn't be so user-friendly then!

JavaScript

JavaScript is scripting language used for client side scripting. JavaScript developed by Netscape in 1995 as a method for validating forms and providing interactive content to web site. Microsoft and Netscape introduced JavaScript support in their browsers.

Benefits of JavaScript
Following are the benefits of JavaScript.
associative arrays
loosely typed variables
regular expressions
objects and classes
highly evolved date, math, and string libraries
W3C DOM support in the JavaScript

Web Designing

The Internet has redefined the borders of our modern world. Big or small companies now have customers all across the globe. Small or Big businesses houses, groups and non-profit organizations are providing an infinite array of information to a widespread audience. The possibilities are endless through effective and efficient Web Design. Web Design is an art of content presentation to an end user through World Wide Web. The efficient web design helps your company in bringing enquiries that generate sales and add asset to business.

In the digital world websites emerge as a significant tool that not only help the companies to find their target audience but also help in tapping desired customers while seating remotely. Website has become the medium of communication or interaction for Business houses. You can establish your corporate identity globally and remain in contact with your customer through out day and night.

This information technology based communication design helps you to place your products to global customer with details of the placed products relatively at low cost. Websites The cost effective medium of sales and promotions make the websites as the hottest stuff of today’s generation.

Website utilizes multiple disciplines such as animation, graphics, interaction design, and information architecture while giving digital corporate identity to your business. The amalgamated features help in interacting your unknown audience in effective and efficient manner. Websites are often considered as the interactive marketing strategy to pull out the hidden customer around the global arena.

Each of the websites planned in a precise manner to cater specific need. The people who view the website for a specific reason and it is important to know exactly what they are looking for when they visit the site. A clearly defined purpose or goal of the site helps in understanding of what visitors want. It gives a way in identifying the target audience. So company, who is developing website must be precise, on the target and object oriented in order to get maximum of what they are putting.
The technologies being used during web designing are:
Markup languages (such as HTML, XHTML and XML)
Style sheet languages (such as CSS and XSL)
Client-side scripting (such as JavaScript and VBScript)
Server-side scripting (such as PHP and ASP)
Database technologies (such as MySQL, MSSQL)
Multimedia technologies (such as Flash and Silverlight)

Based on the requirements of the company website can be made in static or dynamic depending on the nature of the site.

The web developers of Roseindia have experience and expertise in designing websites that will add advantage to your business. We offer full circle approach in website designing. Our website design services include strategic planning, business intelligence, creative approach, product & service promotion and solution maintenance. Our dynamic team of professionals conducts interactive session with our clients so to understand your business objectives and derive solutions so that you can get best of it.
Roseindia Web Design Services include:
Need Analysis & RFP creation
Solution Designing & Creative Story Boarding
Website Content Planning & Drafting
Product Photography
Graphic Designing
Flash Designing & Animations
HTML Coding & Java Scripting

HTML?

HTML is the "language" that web pages are written in - in fact, HTML stands for "hypertext mark-up language." But what does that mean?
Hyper is the opposite of linear. Old-fashioned computer programs were necessarily linear - that is, they had a specific order. But with a "hyper" language such as HTML, the user can go anywhere on the web page at any time.
Text is just what you're looking at now - English characters used to make up ordinary words.
Mark-up is what is done to the text to change its appearance. For instance, "marking up" your text with <b> before it and </b> after it will put that text in bold.
Language is just that. HTML is the language that computers read in order to understand web pag

Ten Tips For Protecting Your Computer From Hackers And Viruses

1. Use protection software "anti-virus software" and keep it up to date.

Make sure you have anti-virus software on your computer! Anti-virus software is designed to protect you and your computer against known viruses so you do not have to worry. But with new viruses emerging daily, anti-virus programs need regular updates, like annual flu shots, to recognize these new viruses. Be sure to update your anti-virus software regularly! The more often you keep it updated, say once a week, the better. Check with the web site of your anti-virus software company to see some sample descriptions of viruses and to get regular updates for your software. Stop viruses in their tracks!

2. Do not open e-mail from unknown sources.

A simple rule of thumb is that if you do not know the person who is sending you an e-mail, be very careful about opening the e-mail and any file attached to it. Should you receive a suspicious e-mail, the best thing to do is to delete the entire message, including any attachment. Even if you do know the person sending you the e-mail, you should exercise caution if the message is strange and unexpected, particularly if it contains unusual hyperlinks. Your friend may have accidentally sent you a virus. When in doubt, delete!

3. Use hard-to-guess passwords.

Passwords will only keep outsiders out if they are difficult to guess! Do not share your password, and do not use the same password in more than one place. If someone should happen to guess one of your passwords, you do not want them to be able to use it in other places. The golden rules of passwords are:
A password should have a minimum of 8 characters, be as meaningless as possible, and use uppercase letters, lowercase letters and numbers, e.g., xk28LP97.
Change passwords regularly, at least every 90 days.
Do not give out your password to anyone!

4. Protect your computer from Internet intruders -- use "firewalls."

Equip your computer with a firewall! Firewalls create a protective wall between your computer and the outside world. They come in two forms, software firewalls that run on your personal computer and hardware firewalls that protect a number of computers at the same time. They work by filtering out unauthorized or potentially dangerous types of data from the Internet, while still allowing other (good) data to reach your computer. Firewalls also ensure that unauthorized persons can't gain access to your computer while you are connected to the Internet. You can find firewall hardware and software at most computer stores nationwide. Do not let intruders in!

5. Do not share access to your computers with strangers. Learn about file sharing risks.

Your computer operating system may allow other computers on a network, including the Internet, to access the hard-drive of your computer in order to "share files". This ability to share files can be used to infect your computer with a virus or look at the files on your computer if you do not pay close attention. So, unless you really need this ability, make sure you turn off file-sharing. Check your operating system and your other program help files to learn how to disable file sharing. Do not share access to your computer with strangers!

6. Disconnect from the Internet when not in use.

Remember that the Digital Highway is a two-way road. You send and receive information on it. Disconnecting your computer from the Internet when you are not on line lessens the chance that someone will be able to access your computer. And if you have not kept your anti-virus software up-to-date, or don't have a firewall in place, someone could infect your computer or use it to harm someone else on the Internet. Be safe and disconnect!

7. Back up your computer data.

Experienced computer users know that there are two types of people: those who have already lost data and those who are going to experience the pain of losing data in the future. Back up small amounts of data on floppy disks and larger amounts on CDs. If you have access to a network, save copies of your data on another computer in the network. Most people make weekly backups of all their important data. And make sure you have your original software start-up disks handy and available in the event your computer system files get damaged. Be prepared!

8. Regularly download security protection update "patches."

Most major software companies today have to release updates and patches to their software every so often. Sometimes bugs are discovered in a program that may allow a malicious person to attack your computer. When these bugs are discovered, the software companies, or vendors, create patches that they post on their web sites. You need to be sure you download and install the patches! Check your software vendors' web sites on a regular basis for new security patches or use the new automated patching features that some companies offer. If you don't have the time to do the work yourself, download and install a utility program to do it for you. There are available software programs that can perform this task for you. Stay informed!

9. Check your security on a regular basis. When you change your clocks for daylight-savings time, reevaluate your computer security.

The programs and operating system on your computer have many valuable features that make your life easier, but can also leave you vulnerable to hackers and viruses. You should evaluate your computer security at least twice a year -- do it when you change the clocks for daylight-savings! Look at the settings on applications that you have on your computer. Your browser software, for example, typically has a security setting in its preferences area. Check what settings you have and make sure you have the security level appropriate for you. Set a high bar for yourself!

10. Make sure that anyone who shares your computer knows what to do if your computer becomes infected.

It is important that everyone who uses a computer be aware of proper security practices. People should know how to update virus protection software, how to download security patches from software vendors and how to create a proper password. Make sure they know these tips too!

Types of DOS Commands

There are two types of DOS Commands:

1. Internal Commands

2. External Commands


Internal Commands

Internal commands are a part of the DOS program COMMAND.COM and are loaded into memory when you boot your computer. These commands are needed to be used most often, although they are not seen when we display the disk directory of filenames on our screen. Some internal DOS commands are:


CLS

This command is used to clear the screen of a monitor.

Syntax: CLS


DIR

This command is used to display a list of current directly files and subdirectories.

Syntax: DIR[drive:][path][filename][/p][1w]


CHDIR (CD)

This command is used to display the current directory or changes in the current (default) directory.

Syntax: CD[drive:][path]


DEL

This command is used to deletes one or more specified files from the disk.

Syntax: DEL[drive][path]file name[/p]

e.g. DEL Aslam.Doc


External Commands

External Commands are programs, which exist on the DOS disk or the hard disk. They are run when you type their name on the command line. For example, typing FORMAT at the DOS prompt results in a program called FORMAT.COM being executed.

External Commands are not frequently used and DOS saves valuable memory space by loading them only when required. Some the external commands are:


CHKDSK

This command is used to checks the validity of a disk and reports the total space, used and free space on the selected disk.

Syntax: CHKDSK [drive][path][/f][/v]


SYS

This command is used to create a bootable drive and installs the main DOS files.

Syntax: SYS[drive:][path]drive2:

e.g. SYS A:


TREE

This command is used to display directory structure.

Syntax: TREE[drive:][path][/f][/a]


XCOPY

This commands is used to copy files (except hidden and system files) and directories, including sub directories.

Syntax: XCOPY source [destination][/a|/m][/d:date][/p][/s][/e][/v][/w]

e.g. XCOPY *.*A:


DELTREE

This command is used to delete all files and sub directories in a directory.

Syntax: DELTREE[/Y][pathname]

Booting the System

The term boot or bootstrap, when used with computers, means start or startup. When we boot our computers, we are turning it on and loading the Disk Operating System (DOS) into our computer's memory. The sequence of events that occur between the time you turn on your computer and the time it is ready for you to issue commands is referred to as the boot process. At the completion of the boot up process the system gives a DOS Prompt as soon as it is ready for operations

Operating System

Operating system provides link between the user and the computer. It enables the user to have complete control over the computer system by commands through the keyboard or any other input device. The supervisor part of an operating system resides all the times in the memory (RAM) of the computer after the computer is turned on. An operating system performs the following tasks:

1. Controls basic Input and Output devices.

2. Allocates system resources.

3. Manages storage space

4. Supports application software

5. Maintains security

6. Detects equipment failure

This enables the user to achieve high efficiencies of which the processing systems are capable. Operating systems can be classified as:

1. Single User Operating System

2. Multi-User Operating System


Single User Operating System

Single user operating systems are used on individual systems or Personal Computers. These operating systems reside on disks and re called Disk Operating Systems (DOS). Some of the most widely used single user operating systems are :

1. MS-DOS

2. PCDOS

3. OS/2

4. Windows 95


Multi-User Operating System


Multi-User Operating Systems are used for data processing on lrge computer systems. They enhance the potential of computer systems with multiprogramming, multiprocessing and timesharing facilities making them suitable for large organizations. Some of the multi-user operating systems are:

1. UNIX / XENIX

2. MACOSX

3. Windows NT

4. Windows 2000 Server

Specific Uses of Information Technology

In collaboration with the staff at the Institute for Advanced Technology in the Humanities at the University of Virginia and several other key contributors (Earl Mark, Assistant Professor of Architecture, Paul Schulhof, Caryn Brause and Marjorie Tether, Graduate Research Assistants), various techniques have been explored and utilized in this project. The techniques include the following:


A. Animation for simulation of urban environments and video for assembling and disseminating results of the analysis and design work:

This technology establishes an easy basis for visualizing the effects of urban growth and transformation. Various considerations including topographic conditions, land use patterns, zoning constraints and economic factors exert forces on the formation of communities. Computer technology helps to organize information and variables, thus assisting a community in considering multiple options in their planned (or sometimes unplanned) growth. Animation and simulation are used as tools in the collection and organization of research material and as a medium for the demonstration and involvement by the public in the results of the design and research work.


B. Graphic Information System (GIS) for the study of housing and development patterns:

Current GIS technology can provide valuable imaging for housing development patterns. The process of charting growth and transformation begins to provide specific suggestions about ways that neighborhoods can develop with full recognition of their past conditions, building on the positive attributes that may have once existed. Many of these attractive qualities in the small town setting are currently threatened by "outside" forces and pressures. One of the most notable examples of this concern in Charlottesville is the area surrounding the University of Virginia Medical Center. This neighborhood has a rich tradition dating back to the early nineteenth century, yet its particular identity and attributes have been seriously challenged and threatened by the ever expanding Medical Center. In the more distant past, the Vinegar Hill neighborhood was decimated in the name of "urban renewal", eliminating one of the most important and vibrant residential and commercial areas of Charlottesville's African-American community during the nineteen-sixties. A careful recognition of patterns and particular local conditions provides a much more constructive model for developing and reinforcing individual neighborhoods. GIS technology and the other computer based approaches explored in this project can strongly promote public appreciation for the community's heritage.

C. Computer Aided Design (CAD) for geometric modeling:

Information from GIS is collected and primarily presented in a two-dimensional format. At the same time, three-dimensional modeling is important in demonstrating a more tangible and "real" simulation of familiar urban and topographic conditions. One example of this application involves the demonstration of current and future zoning constraints on building footprints and massing within various neighborhoods. Zoning laws are written documents and they currently require "translation" into three-dimensional terms. The public, politicians and planning departments seldom understand the specific physical and formal implications of the zoning laws that are currently written. Geometric modeling can demonstrate current conditions and new approaches that more convincingly approximate the familiar settings of traditional small town planning.


Geometric modeling also applies to work involving specific housing studies. A computer based approach is patterned on the "Sears Catalog House" from the early part of this century, in which various combinations of standardized assembly elements can be organized by home owners. The computer technology allows individuals to quickly visualize economical possibilities within a graphically defined "kit of parts" of housing options. Rather than relinquishing this process of "product development" and individual participation in the organization of housing options to free-market forces of speculative development, our design study proposes a more sensitive relationship between current affordable housing practice and traditions from the past. This connection between specific affordable options in housing and a relationship to familiar practices in the past reinforces the previously described role of re-uniting a neighborhood's development with patterns of evolution as identified through the GIS and urban design work.


D. Digital image archival systems for compiling data about the built environment:

This aspect of work ties into the Digital Image Center (DIC) in the Fine Arts Library at the University of Virginia. Ongoing work in the DIC supports this research project in several ways. Documenting the urban history of Charlottesville involves digital imaging technology. For example, digitized urban plans of comparable settings within North America have been considered as we explored initial settlement patterns and the changes that occur under the influence of individually identified factors. The DIC promotes more synthetic and perhaps unexpected associations among urban precedents than those that might be identified through traditional graphic, statistical, and representational approaches. In the area of housing, the DIC assists in collecting and cataloging options and combinations that one can extract from the vernacular architectural history and vernacular traditions of this region.

Applications of Information Technology

Every day, people use computers in new ways. Computers and other electronic devices are becoming increasingly affordable. They continue to be more powerful as information-processing tools as well as easier to use. Humans are continually becoming Dependant on IT-enabled devices for carrying out simple tasks like remembering a phone number to complex ones like flying a fighter plane. Information Technology has applications in almost all aspects of our life. Some of the important ones are:

Science and Engineering: Scientific progress in fields like biotechnology is almost entirely dependent on the use of computers and other microprocessor-controlled devices. Using supercomputers, meteorologists predict future weather by using a combination of observations of weather conditions from many sources, a mathematical representation of the behavior of the atmosphere, and geographic data. Computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) programs have led to improved products in many fields, especially where designs tend to be very detailed. Computer programs make it possible for engineers to analyze designs of complex structures such as power plants and space stations.

Business & Commerce: One of the first and largest applications of computers is keeping and managing business and financial records. Most large companies keep the employment records of all their workers in large databases that are managed by computer programs. Similar programs and databases are used in business functions like billing customers; tracking payments received and payments to be made; and tracking supplies needed and items produced, stored, shipped, and sold. In fact, practically all the information companies need to do business involves the use of computers and Information Technology. Almost all the financial transactions in the world are done electronically. Newer technologies like m-commerce have enabled almost everybody to carry out routine financial transactions on the move.

On a smaller scale, many businesses have replaced cash registers with point-of-sale (POS) terminals. These POS terminals not only print a sales receipt for the customer but also send information to a computer database when each item is sold to maintain an inventory of items on hand and items to be ordered. Computers have also become very important in modern factories. Computer-controlled robots now do tasks that are hot, heavy, or hazardous. Robots are also used to do routine, repetitive tasks in which boredom or fatigue can lead to poor quality work.

With today's sophisticated hardware, software, and communications technologies, it is often difficult to classify a system as belonging uniquely to one specific application program. Organizations increasingly are consolidating their information needs into a single, integrated information system. Management Information System (MIS), with the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at its head, is a whole, new branch of enterprise management.

Education:
       The advent of Information Technology has changed the meaning of the term “literate”, with computer literacy being almost as important as basic literacy in many cases. Computer education is an essential course at the primary level in most schools across the world. With more information getting digitized every day, and the internet making it accessible to anyone across the world, students are increasingly relying on electronic sources of information rather than physical libraries for their needs. Instructional methodology has also undergone a sea change with use of images, animations, videos, presentations and e-learning to complement traditional techniques.

Governance: The concept of e-governance is one of the most novel applications of Information Technology whereby it is changing the lives of millions across the globe. Computerization of Government activities makes it easier to supervise and audit, and makes the administration more responsive to the needs of society. It also bridges the divide between the Government and the people. Technologies like touch-screen kiosks help disseminate information on land records, photo identity cards, pending bills etc. and enable even illiterate people to take more informed decisions. India is leading the world in the effective use of IT for elections.

Medicine:
           Information Technology plays an important role in medicine. For example, a scanner takes a series of pictures of the body by means of computerized axial tomography (CAT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A computer then combines the pictures to produce detailed three-dimensional images of the body's organs. In addition, the MRI produces images that show changes in body chemistry and blood flow. Most critical life support equipment are programmed to respond to changes in the patients status in split-seconds, thereby reducing the response time and risk of human error. Newer concepts like robotic surgery enable specialists to perform surgeries from remote locations. Genomic studies greatly depend on supercomputing power to develop technologies for the future.

Entertainment:
           IT has changed the lifestyle of most people. The convergence of various technologies has created various options for entertainment like games, streaming music and video, digital television broadcasts, satellite radio, animated movies etc. which can be accessed with the help of mobile phones, Pads, notebook computers or on television either with a cable connection or wireless using newer-generation WiFi, CDMA or GPRS technologies.



Information Technology plays a vital role in most of our daily activities. There is hardly anyone who has not been affected or influenced by IT. With each passing day, newer applications of IT are being developed which increase our interaction with and dependence on IT-enabled devices. Therefore, understanding this technology and using it creatively is imperative to human progress.