How to block/Allow Specific Programs Using Window Firewall

Now that the internet usage is getting more importance and inceased day by day, the need to have your computer secured over the internet should not be taken for granted so, instead of having to disconnect your entire computer from the Internet, you can simply use windows firewall to block specific programs using the inbuilt firewall technology that came with Window Operating System .

  You should learn how to use Windows Firewall to block specific programs because some programs can be  very dangerous  and constitute security hazard if they have been modified to receive and send information when unnecessary for that particular applications runtime environment and you do not take proper precautions.

You must use some sort of program or Firewall to block specific programs. These  dangerous applications in question can track your browsing, memorize your searches or even worse your passwords.

 This application may be useful  when disconnected from Internet but a threat if connected.

 Windows firewall allows you to block incoming connections, or block outgoing connections independently.

STEP TO USE WINDOW FIREWALL

1,  Go to Control Panel, search for the firewall symbol ( as shown below) to click

             

 2,  The next diagram  below would appear immdiately you clicked  the firewall symbol.
     

                        

 

 

   3,   Move your mouse cusor to the left plane and ckick 'Advance Security'. The diagram below should be same as your after clicking advance security

4, Move to the left plane again and click 'Inbound Rule' to start creating a rule by clicking 'New Rules' from the right hand side plane

5, Click “New Rule” Once you have clicked “New Rule” select the “Program” option and press “Next“ as shown below.

6,  Now select “This Program Path” you must define a path. Basically choose the program you want the firewall to block or allow. You will need to to this in the root of the program in your “Program Files” on your “C:/” drive and NOT just select the shortcut on your desktop. The “Browse” button is useful here.

7, The next window should look like the one shown below

     8, Follow the instruction with these last two diagrams

By ticking all three boxes you are completely blocking this programs access

 

Finally type a unique name for the application you have allowed or dissallowed . From here you can still go back to view all you have done.

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How to Scan for disk error

Windows comes with a decent set of tools which indeed help you optimize the performance and efficiency of your machine.

Few of that window utility for checking your disk to keep it optimally and free from error are  Disk Cleanup,  Disk Defragmenter and Check Disk.

Check Disk is one tool that many people are unaware of in spite of being one of the oldest error checking tools in Window.

 It comes with every version of Windows and has great potential to keep your hard disk fit. It helps you scan your system/drives for file system errors and bad sectors. Further, it tries to rectify and resolve the problems that lie within the disk

Things like invalid or broken file names and dates, bad sectors and cross links are targeted with each scan. And today we are going to tell you how you could perform or schedule such a scan.

Steps to  Scan for disk error

Check Disk is a simple GUI activity. Follow the steps below:-

Step 1: Select the drive you wish to scan and then right click the disk you intend scanning. Click the properties option as shown below



  Step 2: Select Tools tab and hit on Check Now. A dialog with two check boxes will appear to let you choose the type of scan.

Step 3: I suggest you have both options checked to perform a fully fledged scan. For file errors check only you may stick to the first option. Hit Start when decided.

 

 

Step 4: If the drive is in use, your scan won’t start immediately. You may schedule the activity to auto-start when you reboot your machine next time.

 

Command Line Method

Very few people would opt doing it through the command line. Yet, there are certain things that may help. You may perform a short test scan that shows errors but doesn’t fix them even when you disk is in use.

1,  Click "Start," then "Run." Type "cmd.exe" and then press "Enter.

 

2,  Type "chkdsk x: /f" in the command prompt window and press "Enter," where "x:" is the drive letter of the NTFS partition you want to schedule checking on. Example, I typed C: because C is the drive disk I want to scan.

 

3, Type "Y" into the command prompt when you are asked if you want to schedule the volume to be checked on the next reboot.

 

4, Press the "Enter" key and then reboot your computer. The computer runs a Chkdsk scan of the specified NTFS partition before starting your operating system.

 

The command for it is chkdsk while the same to cancel a scheduled scan would be chkntfs /x <drive letter:>.

The list of switches that you can apply with the command is listed below. You may bring it up on your machine by typing the command chkdsk \?.



NOTE :  When your computer is actively using a hard drive and you try to perform a Chkdsk operation on it, you are told that you cannot perform the operation while the drive is in use. This is because the Chkdsk utility requires full access to the drive to fix errors on it, so nothing else can use the drive while Chkdsk is running.

You can get around this issue by scheduling Chkdsk to run on the drive the next time you start up your computer.


ConclusionWindows management can get really easy and interesting if you know how to make use of the default tools. Check Disk is one such native Windows utility that you should make use of when you find your computer frequently slowing down for no visible reason.

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CHKDSK in Window 8 compared to Window 7

Chkdsk has been one of those great little tools built  in  about every version of Windows OS that Micosoft has released that help fix NTFS file system errors, corruption in file system and hard disk errors.


Because of that inherent design, it could take several hours for chkdsk to finish scanning a large drive with lots of files but there were some significant improvement to allow chkdsk to run faster but this is still depending on how large the files are.

In Windows 8 there is an improvent in the funstionality of Chkdsk. There has been an  additional features added to Windows 8 to catch and repair file system errors, so tthere may never be need to run chkdsk again.

In this article, I’ll tell you about the changes to chkdsk in Windows 8 and the additional file system health tools that have been added.

In Windows 8, a lot of errors will now be fixed automatically while running Windows that used to require running chkdsk after a reboot.

Check the screenshot of Window 8 compare to Window 7

Here is a screenshot of the list of parameters for chkdsk in Windows 7:


Here are the list of parameters for chkdsk in Windows 8:



From the above screenshot,  there are about 6 more new parameters after /b.

 The new options are:

- /scan - This will fix whatever can be fixed without restarting by running online scan
- /forceofflinefix - has to be used with /scan and is basically the same thing as running /spotfix
- /perf - The online scan will be  faster using this parameter.
- /spotfix - The new magical spot fixing feature of chkdsk that fixes errors in seconds rather than hours
- /offlinescanandfix – This run an offline scan and fix

When /spotfix or /offlinescanandfix is run on the current used volume, you’ll be asked to schedule the scan the next time the system restarts.



To see if a drive is scheduled for scan, open CMD and chkntfs c: or whatever the volume you want to check.

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New Features of Microsoft Window 8

The Windows 8 from Microsoft brings the company into the cutting edge of computing. Microsoft has completely overhauled the OS making it more visually appealing and adding new features that will make the Windows platform relevant today and in the future.

A Touch Centric UI

Windows 8 is built from the ground up for touch. The start screen is made up of rectangular windows called tiles used for accessing apps. Microsoft favoured tiles over icon because tiles are a larger in size hence easier to manipulate with the fingers on touchscreen devices.

With touch gestures you can perform varying tasks on Windows 8. Although Windows 8 is touch-centric it can still be comfortably used with non-touch devices with the good old mouse and keyboard. Its touch centric nature means Windows 8 tablets will be flooding the market soon.

No Start Button, but a Start Screen

Microsoft is doing away with the familiar start button at the lower left corner of the screen of previous Windows OS in Windows 8. In its place Microsoft is offering a start screen made-up of tiles each giving you access to a different application, task, or collection of files.

The start button used to be the Window to all applications, services, and files on your PC. In Windows 8, the start screen is.

A hidden desktop

Previous Windows editions boots to the desktop, Windows 8 don’t. Now the desktop is in the background, accessible only when you need it. One way of accessing the desktop is through the new Charms feature. You will need desktop to run your normal desktop applications. Note that the desktop is completely absent in Windows 8 RT.

A Modern UI with live Tiles

Windows 8 features a modern UI built for touch first. Applications and collection of files are now presented as dynamic tiles. The tiles can be moved around or resized to your taste. The tiles are also live so you can see the latest weather update from your weather app or latest updates from your friends on your social app without having to open the app.

The new charms feature also enables you easily and speedily access and interact with applications, files, and devices connected to your computer. Manipulating the settings on your PC is now a lot simpler as well.

A Lock Screen

Windows 8 boots to the lock screen. The lock screen comprises of a wallpaper with information like the date and time displayed. To unlock the screen and access the start screen you need to login with your password. You can also login with picture password in Windows 8.

Cloud Support

Windows 8 is built for the cloud. Your live tiles regularly get updates from the cloud to provide you with latest weather data, latest emails, and latest social interactions without any action from you. Windows 8 is integrated with SkyDrive Microsoft's cloud storage solution.

With Windows 8, you can sync almost every of your data to the cloud like your files, photos, videos, and documents. This means you can access your data from any Windows 8 device from anywhere once you login. In fact, Windows 8 enables you sync your settings so you can change devices but still maintain your familiar settings. Windows 8 is also integrated with Skype enabling you make video and voice calls via the cloud.

Windows Store

Microsoft has built a store for Windows 8. At the Windows Store users can download free or paid applications and software for Windows 8. According to Microsoft the Windows Store is available in 231 markets.

Of course there are a lot more features in Windows 8, in fact over 300 new features. As you use Windows 8 you will notice it is faster, more secure, and more power efficient than previous Windows. Feel free to share all the new features you have discovered in Windows 8.

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Advantage & Diadvantage of Major Internet Browsers

 “Do all web browsers perform the same?” Some may say yes, some say No while some may not have any idea . Everyone knows that all web browsers can be easy to download and no cost guarantee. At certain times in our lives, we are use to handling one browser and ignoring the rest like we do in social networks. For example, most people used yahoo messanger to chat, communicate our thoughts by passing on information before facebook came in with their own chat technology like, post blogs, post videos, catch up with old friends, and etc. While a majority used LinkedIn to network with small businesses or big businesses to get our point across.
Find below  the differences between the browsers, why there so useful, and how one browser may outperform the others.

What is Internet Explorer?

Internet Explorer is generally the first component of Windows used in 1995 that is generally known as Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE or MSIE) containing a series of graphical web browsers and works only on Windows Operating systems. Over the years, it has been updated to different versions to improve the operating system for Microsoft Windows.
The Internet Explorer supports Java, RSS, CSS, JavaScript, ActiveX for downloading purposes such as videos, songs, or software. It also includes privacy protection such as malware and phishing that is built-in. It mainly use over roughly 90% percent of the world in the market.²
Most people started out using Internet Explorer majority of the time when it comes to browsing the internet, checking emails, listening to music online, shopping online, and etc. This was the first web browser consumers used in technology world before other web browsers came out. 

Advantage

• Free to download at no cost
• Provides speed and functionality
• Easy to use
• Mostly used throughout the world

Diasadvantage

• Bugs come in IE (Internet Explorer) users at different times and fixing them is time consuming^.
• Installation on software such as Adobe Flash Player can be slow and has to be done manually sometimes when it comes to updates that need to be install
• Lack of security in ActiveX controls
• Lack of built in features to synchronize bookmarks
• Confusion between 32 and 64 bit versions for IE
• Lack of cross-platform experience (ie. used in Windows but not Mac)
• Huge target for hackers and cyber-thieves¹¹

What is Safari?

Safari is web browser that was produced and developed by Apple Inc. which functions on a Mac OX, iOS, and Windows operating system. It was first put out in public on January 7, 2003 by Apple Inc. It was Apple’s default browser known as “Panther” for Mac users and released on June 11, 2007 on Microsoft Windows operating system.
Safari is generally for Mac users who are operating Mac OS X 8.1 and onwards for later systems. Many people didn’t have a MacBook when they first started using computers because it was either too expensive or were  used to using a Windows platform even though IE (Internet Explorer) was also good for Mac at the time. For more information check out Safari website.


Advantage

• Ease of Use
• Page-load times impressive
• Provides all of security features
• Cleans up unnecessary junk
• Great for Mac users and free to download
• Speed compatibility
• Extremely Fast to download for Mac users
• Add extensions from Safari Extensions

Disadvantage

• Lack of customization options many competitors offer
• Trouble with Google built-in search engine that can’t be change
• Difficulty deleting cookies on exit automatically

What is Google Chrome?

Google Chrome is a freeware browser developed by Google using the WebKit layout engine. It was first release on Microsoft Windows operating system on September 2, 2008 in 43 different languages in beta version. It was written in C++, Assembly, Python, and JavaScript. Now a days it is available in 50 languages. For more information you can check out website www.google.com/chrome.⁵
Advantage

• Fast browsing performance
• More control over your tabs
• More dynamic home page for common used search engines and bookmarks
• More speed and won’t slow down on your browsing through internet
• Built-in Flash and PDF Support
• Has sync capabilities that allow you to access your customized browser from any computer
• Makes searching so much simpler
• Ease of use
• Great security
• Free to download at no cost

disdavantage

• Lack of parental controls
• Minor site incompatibilities
• Graphics hardware acceleration doesn’t work with all graphics card

What is Firefox?

Firefox is a free and open source web browser developed for Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux coordinated by Mozilla Corporation and Mozilla Foundation. It was first version 1.0 released on November 9, 2004. It is now available in about 78 languages worldwide. The original title was Phoenix from the Phoenix Technologies and had to be renamed because of trademark problems. It was renamed to Firebird which was a free database software project. There was conflict in using the name and the matter was resolved when they renamed the browser again to Firefox. Later on February 9, 2004, Mozilla Firebird became known as Mozilla Firefox then simply referred to as Firefox (Fx, fx, or FF).
Firefox was introduced to new comers who were used to browsing through Internet Explorer in the early 90s. Majority of people may stick to this brand since it most popular browsers amongst its competitors based on its features and may allow secure downloads on applications and programs. For more information check out Firefox website.



Advantage

• More secure privacy mode and downloading⁹
• More intuitive navigation⁹
• Contains minimalist interface⁹
• Offers lot of help and support on Firefox tutorial⁹
• Ease of use⁹
• More Customization
• Speed and more compatible⁹
• Easy to have add-ons
• Free to download at no cost

Diasdavantage

• No thumbnail previews or mouse gestures however there are free plug-ins from Firefox Mozilla that address both these issues
• Resource heavy “uses a heavy portion of memory to run”

Conclusion:

I’m pretty sure most of you may already feel comfortable of the differences between web browsers. The next time you are on the Internet you may get a better idea of why the certain browsers work better than the other web browsers. Its always good to take time to learn more about how you or your business use certain web browsers.
Overall, everyone has their own preference on which browser they prefer to use. To find out more about the browsers

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Tips to Boost your Laptop Battery Life

 1, Disable Your Wireless Internet & Bluetooth

If you’re not using the internet or Bluetooth, consider disabling the hardware to save battery power. To disable your wireless, bluetooth, or both cards, either:
A. Locate the switch on the side of your laptop (many now have this) and turn your wirelesss cards off.
or
B. Click the network icon in the system tray and click Open Network and Sharing Center.

In the left-hand menu, click Change adapter settings.

Right click your wireless connection and click Disable.


2. Don't play computer games, music or DVD movies - Multimedia activities drain laptop batteries.

3. Disconnect all external device like PC Card modems, Firewire, USB devices and optical drives. Use the notebook touchpad instead of an external mouse.

4. Adjust your screen brightness - Dimming your display saves battery power.
    To turn down screen brightness, click the battery icon in the system tray and search for where to adjust the screen brightness.


5. Tweak Windows Power Options - Choose a Laptop power scheme that turns off the notebook monitor and hard disk after 10 minutes of inactivity.

Select Power saver and click Change plan settings.

Lower the time it takes for your computer to dim the display, turn off the display, and sleep when on battery.


6. Decrease or mute the Laptop Speaker Volume.

7. Turn off all scheduled tasks.

8. Turn off Auto-save features in Microsoft Office and other applications.

9. If your PC has a built-in wireless card, turn it off or disable it when not in use.
10. Use Hibernate not Sleep/Standby

If you want good battery life that spans multiple sessions, consider hibernating your PC instead of putting it to sleep/on stand by mode. Hibernation mode stores all volatile memory on disk and requires less power than leaving volatile memory in RAM for quick access when you turn your PC on. You can easily use a whole battery in two weeks or less of sleep mode, so you could be losing around 10% of battery life each day your laptop is sleeping instead of hibernating.

13. Add more RAM

I just added 2 GB of RAM to a netbook and I noticed the battery life is quite a lot better. This is because when you run out of memory, application data is written to the hard disk (virtual memory). By adding RAM to a computer that is always swapping/thrashing, you’ll save a noticeable about of battery life.

14. Avoid Using Too Many Applications Simultaneously

The first step you should take to ensure your laptop battery lasts longer is to avoid using too many applications simultaneously. By this, I mean, don’t multitask your laptop. If you want to use the internet make sure you use the internet only, and if you want to play games make sure you play games only. Don’t run 10-20 different applications on your laptop at the same time as they can use a large percentage of your system resources, and as a result affect your laptop battery life thereby leading to it not working effectively.

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How to use USB Flash as RAM to speed up Computer

There is a wonderful feature in Window OS that can make you use your flash drive as  'Random Access Memory ( RAM) 'ReadyBoost  to speed up your computer.

USB flash drives are useful for transporting data from one computer to another, but for those using Windows Vista and Window 7, flash drives have another purpose; they can be used as RAM. This memory keeps your PC moving while several programs are open.

While flash drive RAM won't be as effective as the RAM installed on the computer, it is certainly helpful to have this boost until more RAM can be installed in the system.

 Follow these easy steps to boost your memory...

Step One

Insert the flash drive into an available USB slot. An auto play option  appear on your screen. If so, select the option, “Speed Up My System.” This will open the ReadyBoost technology menu ( the diagram for the ReadyBoost menu is shown under step 2) to allocate a portion of the flash drive memory to the system RAM.

    NOTE : If this auto play option doesn't appear on the screen, continue to step two.

Step Two

Open “My Computer.” The flash drive will have a letter allocated to it. Traditionally, the hard drive is C, the disc drives are D and E, so the flash drive is likely to be F. This is different for each system, depending on the number of hard drives, partitions, and optical drives you may have. If the drive letter cannot be located, unplug the drive and insert it again, paying attention to the letter that pops up on the screen.Select the appropriate drive letter for the flash drive, right click it, and choose “Properties.”
From here, select the ReadyBoost tab.

Step Three

Choose the amount of flash memory to allocate to RAM. Once the amount of RAM has been selected, the system will begin to use it. You will notice an immediate boost in performance, as your computer is now using the extra memory from the USB flash drive in order to gain more brain-power for demanding multi-tasking jobs. This is good to have especially for memory intensive tasks such as graphical design, gaming or if you are used to keeping many windows open at the same time.

NOTE:

• Do not use a flash drive containing more than 4GB of memory for this RAM boost
• Your system should have at least 512MB of system RAM for this trick to work correctly
• This feature is not available in Windows XP or any older Windows versions

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How to make Window 7 & Vista boot-Up Faster

If you observe that your computer takes sometinme before it boots up and wondering what is responsible for this. This could be resulted in countless of startup programs that seems to be choking your computer and preventing it to come up as fast as you want.


 With so many software ( programs) starting up with your computer, it takes quite a while before you can use the OS and full boot might be slow.
This isn’t a new technology,  it’s very old but you probably won’t know about it if you’re not a computer savvy person.

You don’t need any other software to delete these startup programs preventing Windows from booting quick, there’s a default in-built feature where you can turn off those autostart programs.

-Click the start button
- On the ' Search Program and files' click and type 'run' as shown below

- In the box that appears , type msconfig and press Enter on your keyboard

- Select Startup tab on the window that appears. Here is where all the startup programs choking your computer are listed.

 

- Go through the list and Uncheck all the programs except important ones .

- Click OK, there should be a prompt asking you to restart. Click  the Restart button

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How to Increase Internet Browsing Speed

1. Send multiple files faster by compressing

If you're sending multiple files—for example, several files related to a single project—you can reduce their combined size by using a compression utility. Compressing your files can dramatically reduce the time needed to send files online, and compressed files don't take up as much space in your (or the recipient's) email Inbox. WinZip is one of the more common compression tools.

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2. Increase browsing speed by turning off graphics in Windows Internet Explorer

Graphics are important to web pages, but they also take time to download if you're online. You can turn them off to speed your Internet browsing.

How Disable graphics in Internet Explorer

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
2. In the Internet Options dialog box, click the Advanced tab.
3. In the Settings box, scroll down to the Multimedia section. Clear the
following check boxes.

• Play animations in web pages
  
• Play sounds in web pages
  
• Play videos in web pages
  Note: This option is available in Internet Explorer versions before
  Internet Explorer 8.
  
• Show pictures

4. Click Apply.
To turn graphics on again, on the Tools menu, in the Internet Options dialog box, on the Advanced tab, under Multimedia, select the same check boxes, and then click Apply.

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3. Send email using Contact Groups

If you're sending an email to multiple people, create a Contact Group (previously known as a Distribution List) instead of listing each recipient separately. Messages are sent more quickly and efficiently when you're using a Contact Group.

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4. Reduce email size with simple email signatures

Email signatures leave a professional stamp on your messages, but elaborate signatures that include multiple images take up a lot of unnecessary storage space in each email. Ultimately, they can slow down the time needed to send each message. Instead, create distinctive text signatures combining fonts, type sizes, and colors to make your email signature smaller and quicker to transmit and receive.

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5. Work offline using Cached Exchange Mode in Outlook

Even if you lose your network connection, you can continue working in Microsoft Outlook if you're using Cached Exchange Mode. With Cached Exchange Mode, a copy of your mailbox is stored on your computer. This copy provides quick access to your data and is frequently updated with the mail server. If you work offline, whether by choice or due to a connection problem, your data is still available to you instantly wherever you are.

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6. Browse offline by saving web pages on your computer

If you use or reference a specific webpage often, save it locally to your computer. If you lose your connection or are working on a slow connection, you'll still be able to read and find the information you need.

How to Save a web page on computer

1. In Internet Explorer, go to the web page you want to save.
   
2. On the Page menu, click Save As.
   
3. In the Save As type drop-down menu, select web page, complete.
   
4. Select the location where you want to save the webpage.
   
5. Click Save.

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7. Open webpages faster by increasing your cache

If you increase the size of the temporary Internet files cache in Internet Explorer, your computer won't have to work so hard when you revisit webpages. Many of the images will already be downloaded on your computer, decreasing the amount of time it takes to open a page.

Increase the Temporary Internet Files cache in Internet Explorer

1. On the Tools menu, click Internet Options.
   
2. On the General tab, in the Browsing history section, click Settings.
   
3. In the Temporary Internet Files dialog box, under Check for newer versions of stored pages:, click the Automatically button. Then, set the Amount of disk space to use: to at least 250 megabytes (MB).
   
4. Click OK.
   

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Quick tips and tricks of Microsoft Excel

 

Here are a few handy tips for getting the most from Excel.

Excel basics and formulas

Like an interactive sheet of graph paper, Excel spreadsheets are divided into rows and columns that intersect to create boxes known as cells. Columns are labeled alphabetically (A, B, C…), and rows are labeled numerically (1, 2, 3…). You can enter alphanumeric data into any cell and use formulas and functions to perform calculations on that data. Then you can create charts and graphs to display the results.

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Locking columns and rows

Freezing highlighted panes in the spreadsheet so that they remain visible while you enter data further down the page can be handy when you need to compare facts and figures. You can also split panes into multiple worksheets so that you to scroll in one pane while information displayed within the other remains static.

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Creating charts and graphics

With Excel, you can create colorful pictures and graphs or generate eye-catching reports in minutes that help you identify usage or spending patterns at a glance.
From bar and pie charts to histograms and attention-grabbing sparklines, Excel provides a variety of practical ways to visually represent data, which makes it easier to understand at a glance. These images offer a fast and intuitive way to display information and illustrate points more effectively. Chart options include:

• Area
  
• Bar
  
• Bubble
  
• Column
  
• Doughnut
  
• Line
  
• Organization
  
• Pie
  
• Radar
  
• Stock
  
• Surface
  
• XY (Scatter >

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Wrapping text and forcing line breaks

Sometimes, it’s necessary for text to appear on multiple lines within a cell, for example, when you enter people’s addresses. To create this effect, you can have Excel automatically wrap text, or you can manually enter a line break.

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How to Increase Computer Performance

Have you experience a situation where working on your computer or laptop seems very frustating as a result of slowness that has come on your system unit.

Computers don’t get worse with time. They remain the same speed until the day you throw them out.

 You have to be careful when downloading programs on the internet to maximize the  performance.

By following these five, rather easy steps, you should see an increase in the speed of your computer, and hopefully it will be as fast as when you first bought it.

1) Scan For Spyware
Spyware and Adware get onto your computer on a daily basis.  This could be as a result of downloading to just browsing the internet. This is usually one of the main offenders in slowing down your computer. Recommended you get a good spyware

2) Check For Any Viruses
Lack of good antivirus could cause a slow responce of a system and slow down the general performance of a system.It's advisable to spend money on good antivirus in a market

3) Clean Up Your Registry
Registry faults happen on a day-to-day basis, sometimes occurring on their own. So a clever thing to do would be to clear up your registry, and fix these faults. I really recommend you look for a good  Registry Cleaner software on the internet

4) Use A Defragmenter

By Defragmenting your hard drive, you should see results very quickly indeed. Disk defragmenter is located in Accessories -> System Tools. It will free up your hard drive, and thus, should speed up your computer.

5) Delete unwanted files/folders
If you’ve got any old files or folders that you’ll never need again for as long as you live, you may want to delete these. This is because by freeing up your hard drive space you should see an increase in speed.

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How to use Advance PDF serach features

PDF documents are probably the most commonly used set of documents in most offices today because of it’s ability to avoid accidental changes or modifications by unauthorized users. Also, it is more easier to find something you’re looking for in a Word document than it is for a PDF document because by default the text inside word document are indexed, thus making it easy to search all documents quickly.

The text inside PDF documents are not indexed by Windows ,so most of the time if you need to find a particular PDF document, you have to manually open each one and perform a search.

 If you’re simply looking for some text in one PDF, it’s not a problem, but if you need to scan through a bunch of PDF documents in a directory, you can use the Advanced PDF search features in Adobe.

With the advanced search, you can search all PDF files in a directory and it’s sub-directories in a single go. By default, if you open Adobe Reader and press CTRL + F, you’ll get the normal search box to the one shown below. It is located at the top right in the menu bar.

To use the advanced PDF search option, you can choose Open Full Reader Search in the drop down menu of the search box or press SHIFT + CTRL + F (as shown below).
Now, enter the phrase you are searching for in the search box. Next choose the All PDF Documents In option under Where would you like to search heading.

Browse to the folder where all of your PDF documents are stored and then choose the options for the search. These include Whole words only, Case-Sensitive, Include Bookmarks, and Include Comments.


Click Search and all PDFs under the current folder will be scanned for your term. Just click on the hyperlink in the results to open the file!

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Comparison between Firewall Server and Proxy Server

Network Security

A firewall and a proxy server are both components of network security. To some extent, they are similar in that they limit or block connections to and from your network, but  accomplish this in different ways.

 

Firewalls can block ports and programs that try to gain unauthorized access to your computer.
proxy servers basically hide your internal network from the Internet. It works as a firewall in the sense that it blocks your network from being exposed to the Internet by redirecting Web requests when necessary.

 

Blocking of virus and worm
Firewalls and proxy servers both can help you block viruses and other forms of malware from infecting your computers. A firewall can block ports commonly used by malicious viruses and worms.

You can also use the firewall to specify which ports can be open or close. Common ports that are usually open are HTTP (port 80), SMTP (port 25), POP3 (port 110) and HTTPS (8080). 

 Proxy servers, on the other hand, create a barrier by being the "middleman" that sits between your network and the Internet. Users outside your network can see only your proxy server, while those inside the network can access the Internet only by passing through the proxy. This limits the window of opportunity through which viruses and worms can enter.

 

Blocking Internet Websites
You can block websites through a firewall, but you may bring your Internet access down. A firewall can block port 80, which the HTTP protocol uses to serve Web pages, disadvantage of this is that no websites would be able to  access. That is , no website would go through.

A proxy server is better suited to this purpose in that it is work by filtering websites. For example, you can choose to block all social networking sites during office hours but allow access to them during lunch breaks and after hours.

Functional Differences
A firewall essentially blocks communication, while a proxy server simply redirects it. When you cannot access a website because a proxy is blocking it, it is not exactly blocking the communication.
When a user tries to access a disallowed website, the proxy server has an internal mechanism that redirects those requests to a Web page in network. It appears to the user that the website is blocked, but the request was simply redirected to another allowed website page

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Send and receive files from bluetooth device to your PC

If you have a phone with Bluetooth connectivity, it would be easier to sometimes use this wireless protocol to send and receive files to and from your computer.

First, locate the wireless symbol on your laptop, example as shown below , click to ON it

 

After that, a symbol like the one shown below will appear at the lower part of your windows screen indicating that your system bluetooth is on and ready to be used.

Once the steps above are completed, you may send files to your computer using your phone’s Bluetooth connection.

NOTE: Remeber to locate where to on your bluetooth on your device ( phone)


In Nokia, for example, you need to select a file and then choose “Send via Bluetooth”. The list of Bluetooth recipients will appear on your phone’s screen. Choose the one that matches your computer’s name.

Windows will prompt you to receive the file. By default, files are saved on the My Documents > Bluetooth > Inbox folder. Click OK to receive the file.

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What to do if your phone get wet or drop inside water

First Things TO DO

1. Make sure the phone is off or that you turn off the phone. Most phones die because they short circuit due to the fact that the electronics inside are still being powered. Water and electricity don’t mix at all
2. Take out the battery if you have a phone that allows you to access the battery. For something like the iPhone, you can only turn it off, but if you can get to the battery, go ahead and take it out quickly.
3. Next, take out the SIM card if you can access that. If you have important data saved on the SIM card, it might be worth the few seconds to take it out. If you can’t figure it out or it’s taking too long, just forget about it and move on.  However, the iPhone doesn’t store much of anything on the SIM card, so it’s not a huge worry if the card goes bad.
4. Remove all cases or covers or anything else that might be attached or covering the phone. You basically want it to be bare so that you can start the process of getting all the water out of it.

Initial Drying

One of the first mistakes people made when their phone got wet was that they started shaking the  it. Thinking that hard  shaking  could force all the water out of the open ports and holes at the top and bottom. Big mistake! Shaking your phone really hard will only allow the water to find it’s way to the other dry parts of your phone. SO, DO NOT SHAKE!

 Try  to keep the phone flat and horizontal as that will prevent the water from moving around inside the phone. If you are able to open the battery compartment, go ahead and wipe the inside also.

If you have an iPhone or device that cannot be opened at all, you’ll have to wipe the outside and then try some of the methods mentioned below.

The two important things for initial drying are:
1. Do not shake the phone
2. Do not  move it around . Keep it horizontal as much as possible.

Drying method

Fans, Blowers & hair dryer
Obviously, using air in some form is not bad. What you can do is put your phone in front of a fan or in front of a heater where the air is warm. If you have a  heater that can blow air, place up your phone on something and let it sit in front of the blast for a few hours at least.

You can use a hair dryer, but it should be  warm  and also should be a decent distance away from the phone.

NOTE : Avoid excess heat on the device when using hair dryer

Uncooked Rice
 This will naturally soak up the moisture, but it is a fairly slow process. The downside is that it’s really slow. You should only use the bowl of rice if your phone got only a small amount of water inside. If there is a large amount of water that is in the phone, you’ll need a faster method to get the water out otherwise it will damage the phone.


NOTE : The other thing to note about using uncooked rice is that you should use rice that is from a sealed pack. If you use rice that’s been exposed to air for weeks, it probably won’t be able to absorb much . If it’s sealed and hasn’t been exposed to air for a long time, it will soak up more of the moisture from your phone.

Other Methods

There are other methods of drying that you should be  avoided like placing your phone in the sun, using a microwave or using an oven.

 The sun might be ok, but you have to do it properly. That is placing it on a towel to avoid excessive heat from the ground and leave it out for no more than 20 to 25 mins.

Some people have tried putting their phones in freezers and though it could work.

NOTE : Excessive heat or excessive cold can harm the components in your phone, so its best to avoid those extremes.

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How to lock blackberry keyboard

Do you know that you can automatically lock the the keybord of your balckberry.

Tiny lock is a free app for BlackBerry phones which allows you to automatically lock the keyboard.

 

The app is supported on BlackBerry OS 4.6.0 or higher.

The tiny lock can be downloaded from blackberry appworld. Here is the link to blackberry appworld.

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How to Use Your MTN BlackBerry Internet Service (BIS) Bundle on Your Computer

 

1. First of all, subscribe to MTN BIS by texting BBC to 21600(1500naira per month) or BBC WEEK to 21600(500 naira per week).
2. After that, a subscription confirmatory message will be sent to you, then connect your BB with your computer or Insert the Sim card into a Modem.

 NOTE: To subscribe to MTN BIS does not require a Blackberry phone. Just text BBC or BBC WEEK to 21600 via any phone.

Access Point: blackberry.net

Username: web

Password: web

If the above Access Point doesn't work, you can try

Access Point: web.gprs.mtnnigeria.net

Username: web

Password: web

After proper configuration, then connect.

How to Use FreeGate with MTN BIS

1. Download freegate software HERE
2. After downloading the software, then launch it and wait for it to connect automatically
3. After a successful connection, then configure your browser manually to work with: Http and Https Proxy: 127.0.0.1 and Port: 8580. If done properly you should be connected to the internet.

How to Use UltraSurf with MTN BIS

1. Download freegate software HERE
2. After downloading the software, then extract and launch it and wait for it to connect automatically
3. After a successful connection, then configure your browser manually to work with: Http and Https Proxy: 127.0.0.1 and Port: 9666. If done properly you should be connected to the internet.

Finally, open your Mozilla, Opera, Internet explorer or whatever you browse with; Surf and download unlimitedly.

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How to backup Gmail account

Firstly, download Gmail BackUp Here and follow the instruction below;

1. Install & Lanch the software

2. Fill in your email address

3. Type the email password

4. Click directory and choose where you want your emails to be stored

5. Choose the range of emails you want Gmail Backup to download using the date format. That's from what date to start the download from and what date to end it as well.

6. Click Backup and you are done.

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How to create a bootable USB flash of any window OS including window 8

In this tutorial I am going to show you how to create the bootable USB flash drive of any windows operating system like windows xp , windows 7 and windows 8. Now a days you don't need to burn DVD and wasting your time + money. Now you can easily install the windows operating system through your Pendrive.

Things you need
1. The thing you need is 4 GB flash drive (4gb pendrive)
2. WINDOWS 7 USB/DVD DOWNLOAD TOOL
3. Windows OS in IOS format
Plugin the 4gb pendrive and just install the WINDOWS 7 USB/DVD DOWNLOAD TOOL and after installing that tool just run that tool and just browse your windows IOS file and press next the process will going on it will take 10-15 min to create the bootable flash drive. Now just reboot your computer and press F12 (to enter in the boot menu) in that boot menu select your pendrive and you have done!

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CLOUD COMPUTING

It is very important for any profit making company to figure out ways that it can spend less in order to increase its income. Whether the company is a small or large organization, it can increase by including the use of cloud computing in its features.

Cloud computing is a way using the world wide web to provide exclusive storage area space for it solutions and application among others. This assistance also allows the users to share the same foundation when it comes to computing and area which allows distributed costs as well as opposed to each user having their own different resources. Most of the companies that provide this fee per month for their solutions. They provide alternatives such as application and components storage area solutions online.

One of the advantages include a lower initial price of investment. This is because provided that a company already has computer systems and online relationship, that is all that is needed to access it. Another advantage is that employee is not needed to understand the actual facilities or even worry about servicing. This allows employee to just focus on doing his/her features since the services are made available by the service provider. Most of the services only price per month for their solutions as opposed to having lengthy lasting agreements which price a lot. These per month agreements are Pay as You Go.

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MTN FOUNDATION UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP

Here is a wonderful opportunity for a scholarship award! MTN Nigeria is currently receiving applications for the MTN Nigeria Foundation Science and Technology Undergraduate Scholarship 2012/2013 Edition.

Following the applications, an aptitude test will be written by 1500 students who will be shortlisted in 3 centres in the North, East and West of the country.

The top scoring or best performing 500 candidates from the assessment test will be awarded scholarships and will receive their awards during the 2012/2013 academic year.
Scholarships will also be renewed for the existing 1,015 students provided they have maintained a minimum Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 3.5 or its equivalent (second class upper/upper credit).

New scholarships will be made available to qualified and successful candidates in all states across the Federation including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

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On October 26 Microsoft Surface Tablet Goes On The Market.

Internet and computing service providers Microsoft Corporation has announced that its Surface Tablet would be put on sale on Friday, October 26 when the firm officially launches its Windows 8 software.

Predicted by technology analysts to compete with iPad, the new tablet from the Information Technology giants would also be released three days after the expected announcement of Apple’s iPad mini.
The first TV ad for the Surface tablet was shown in a prime TV slot during the US version of ‘Dancing with the Stars’ is based on dancing. The ad shows the tablet’s keyboard which is built into the snap on case quite similar to iPad.
Meanwhile, reports available to OMGGhana reveals that the software giant is planning to produce between 3 to 5 million Surface Tablets before the end of the year.
There has since the announcement of this been a lot of predictions in price from experts – some pricing below and others pricing above the price of an iPad but the right price would be made known when the company launches it.

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