Hot Operating Systems How-Tos « Operating Systems

How To: Create an Admin User Account Using CMD Prompt (Windows)

This is a quick tutorial on how to create a new administrator account on a Windows computer. Step 1: Open CMD Prompt...

How To: Use the Memory in the Windows Calculator

For the purpose of simplicity, we shall consider the Windows version to be used as Windows XP. How to start the calculator in Windows XP?

How To: Check If Windows XP Is Activated

Some people might check their activation status of Windows XP by simply right-clicking on the My Computer icon on their desktop, then clicking on Properties. It opens up a new window with General tab showing some basic information about your PC, like system info, registered to, and computer hardware. However, it does not actually tell us complete information about the system, like whether or not your current copy of Windows XP is activated or not. To check the complete details about your Wind...

How To: Delete temporary files in Ubuntu, Linux Mint or Debian

This video tutorial in Computers & Programming category will show you how to delete temporary files in Ubuntu, Linux Mint or Debian. For this you will need the program called bleachbit. You could get it from Bleachbit Sourceforge/ or from Synaptic package manager. For synaptic manager, click on ‘package manager’ in the ‘start’ menu and log into the program by typing your password. Then search for ‘bleachbit’, download and install it. Go to ‘terminal’, type in ‘su’ and enter, then type in your...

How To: Find, download & install Firefox 3

In this tutorial the author shows how to find, download and install Firefox 3. He points out to the Mozilla Firefox website which is [www.mozilla.org/firefox]. Now you reach the Firefox web page where there is a link to download the browser. After clicking the link you will be prompted to save the file and now you can download the software. Now after the software gets installed the author guides you through the various steps to get Firefox 3 installed. He also shows how to transfer settings a...

How To: Make custom icons in Windows XP

In this video, you will learn how to make your own custom icons in Windows XP. This will help you customize your desktop and stay organized.

How To: Create a .LOG file in Notepad on Windows PCs

It's like magic. Creating a .LOG file has never been easier. And all you need is Notepad on your Windows PC. After creating this LOG file, Notepad automatically inserts the current date and time after the last line. Check it out. If you've ever wondered about LOG file types, this Notepad trick is must.

How To: Turn off your system firewall without admin privileges

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to turn off the system firewall without admin privileges. Begin by clicking on the Start menu and open he Run program. Type in "system.msc" and click OK. Scroll down the Services list and look for Windows Firewall. Double-click on it and under the General tab, click on Stop. Then click Apply and OK. This video will benefit those viewers who use a Windows computer and would like to turn off the firewall, even if they are not running the administrator a...

How To: Lock Folder Without Any Software with Password

You can easily lock any folder on your Windows computer with a simple Notepad hack. By creating a batch file, you can hide a folder and require a password be entered before it becomes visible and accessible. This is a great tool for locking sensitive information, like pictures, financial statements, and a lot more.

How To: Create HD from low quality vids in Avidemux on Ubuntu

New to Ubuntu Linux? This computer operating system could be a bit tricky for beginners, but fret not, help is here. Check out this video tutorial on how to create fake HD from low quality vids in Avidemux on Ubuntu.

How To: Share Local Drives and Folders using Oracle VM VirtualBox with a Guest Windows OS

There are several virtual machine managers present in the market. However, the main functionality of all VMs are the same. Most people like to get free VM managers, so that they can install as many operating systems as they like over the host operating systems. One of these free VM managers is Oracle's VM VirtualBox, which can be downloaded from Oracle's website for all popular operating systems, such as Linux, Windows and Mac.

How To: Find, download & install Firefox themes or skins

This is a video tutorial in the Computers & Programming category where you are going to learn how to find, download & install Firefox themes or skins. Open up Firefox 3, go to tools, click on "add-ons". On the next window, click on "get add-ons" and click on "browse all add-ons". On the next page, on left hand side scroll down and click on "themes" button. This will display all Firefox 3 themes. Select the theme that you want and click on "add to Firefox" and then click on "install now". You ...

How To: Create a Bootable USB Drive for Ubuntu Using Mac or Windows

If you've ever wiped your computer without having a proper backup of your operating system, or just wanted to cause some havoc online, chances are you've had to rely on Linux to help you out, specifically the Ubuntu distro.

How To: Sort files into folders using Automator on Mac OS X

With OS X, you can use Automator to automate several functions. This nifty little how-to by macmost shows you how to sort files into sub-folders using Automator. You can use Automator to alter what happens when a file is added to a folder. In this example, new files added to a folder are then sorted into subfolders according to their type. You can add multiple actions to a folder and then determine which order they are used.

How To: Make an annoying batch file to prank friends

To make an annoying batch file to prank your friends you need to first right click on your screen and go to New and then Folder. In this New folder make a Text file and type in "for /l %%n in (1,1,10) DO md %%n" and that is it. Now this will loop from 1 - 10 and make a new folder for whatever n is. You can change the command if you would like to! Now, you can change this text file to 'Folder' and allow for this to be clicked. You can change the number "10" to any large number so the folder co...

How To: Boot Windows XP from a CD

The following are the steps to be followed to boot Windows XP from a CD: 1. The first thing to do is switch on your computer. Before your computer starts loading windows, you need to hit the F12 key.

How To: Disable secure virtual memory in Mac OS X

This video will show you how to disable secure virtual memory in Mac OS X. From the top left of your screen click on the apple icon. Click on system preferences from the pull down menu. Click on the security icon. Click on the image of the closed lock from the bottom left of the window so that you can change make changes.

How To: Search for Photos on Your Computer by Exact Dimensions

As a technology writer, phone screenshots can pile up on your computer in no time. Testing out different apps, showing buggy software, and doing step-by-steps can lead to a plethora of mobile screenshots piling up on your computer's desktop. The problem with my screenshots is that they save as photo.png or photo.jpeg, as do many of my other photos. If I haven't finished a project or article, I tend to move them to different folders to save them for later. After a while, the screenshots begin ...

How To: Use a Mac OS X-style volume indicator on a Microsoft Windows PC

Interested in using an OS X-style volume control widget on a Microsoft Windows desktop or laptop computer? Let this video be your guide. It's easy and this clip presents a complete, step-by-step overview of the process. For more information, including detailed instructions, and to get started using the OS X volume control tool on your own Windows PC, take a look.

How To: Set startup programs in Windows XP

This video tutorial is in the Computers & Programming category which will show you how to set startup programs in Windows XP. To begin click on the start button and go to the 'run' command, type in 'msconfig' and click OK. On the next window click on the 'startup' tab and here you will see all the programs that can run when you start up your computer. Here you check the programs that you want to run at start up and uncheck the ones you don't want to run. Then click 'apply' and in the next win...

How To: Fix a missing or corrupt ntfs.sys file on an XP PC

In this tutorial, learn how to fix a missing or corrupt error message "System32\Drivers\Ntfs.sys" Step 1:

How To: Change workgroup, name, & description on Windows XP

This how-to video explains how to changing the name of a computer, workgroup in a network and the description on a Windows XP.

How To: Open .iso files on your PC using Daemon tools program

Have you downloaded a file with the extension .ISO and are you unsure what to do with it? Follow the step-by-step instructions in this video to learn how to deal with this file-type.

How To: Uninstall software in Windows XP

This tutorial will help you uninstall software or programs from Windows XP. It can be used easily by beginners who have limited knowledge of the operating system. The instructor shows a visual step-by-step tutorial on how to find and use the Add or Remove Programs feature, clearly explaining and showing what you need to do, including some extra advice on follow-up checking. Make sure that when you do go to Uninstall a Program that it is the correct one and read all of the screens during the p...

How To: Use ipconfig to determine an IP address in Windows XP

This video will show you how you can easily find out what your IP address is for a computer which is running the Windows XP operating system. You will first need to go to the start bar and click on the button which says "Run". Choose to run a program called "cmd" by typing this into the bar that appears. This will then open up a black box, where you should type in "ipconfig/all". Typing this in will offer you a list of information about the internet service you are currently using and one of ...

How To: Get your webcam working under Linux with GSPCA

Webcams are notorious for their lack of support under Linux. But thanks to GSPCA, many webcams now have functional V4L drivers. This tutorial from Linux Journal Online covers the building, installation, and configuration of the GSPCA drivers, including how to adjust color balance and brightness directly at the kernel module level.

How To: Remove Empty Folders, Duplicate Files, Broken Shortcuts, and Old Bookmarks from Your Computer

Like a computer, your brain can store and process large amounts of information. It can remember names, solve math problems, and save tips that you might need at a later time.

How To: Manually configure DOSbox from within Steam

Looking for a quick overview of how to manually configure DOSbox in Steam? It's easy. So easy, in fact, that this video tutorial can present a complete, step-by-step overview of the process in just over four minutes. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Remove autorun.inf and boot.com virus on your PC

This tutorial describes the procedure to remove autorun.inf and boot.com virus. This virus is commonly called as resycled/boot.com virus, which could damage the system files and may steal important information from the system.This can be removed by any malware / spyware remover like Malewarebytes.

How To: Fix broken AVI files with DivFix++ on Ubuntu Linux

Broken AVI video files are your worst nightmare. Nobody wants to watch a video and find out it's corrupted and not working anymore. But there could be a solution on Linux. This computer operating system could be a bit tricky for beginners, but fret not, help is here. Check out this video tutorial on how to fix broken AVI files with DivFix++ on Ubuntu Linux.

How To: Remove a Password from Log in Screen in Linux Mint

In this video tutorial, I'll show you how to remove the password from the log in screen on Linux Mint 17.2

How To: Use the SysRq Key to Fix Any Linux Freeze

Linux is generally a pretty stable OS, but occasionally things happen. However, as long as your keyboard has a SysRq key, you'll never need to worry about freezes again.

How To: Uninstall video card drivers on Windows XP

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to uninstall the video card drivers on a Windows computer. Begin by clicking on the Start menu. Then right-click on My Computer and select Properties. Now click on the Hardware tab and click on Device Manager. In the list, click on Display Doctors and select the desired video card. Now double-click on the video card and select the Driver tab. Finally, click on Uninstall and follow the process to remove the drive. This video will benefit those viewers ...

How to Find the C: drive on my Mac

In this tutorial, we learn how to find the C drive on a Mac computer. Unfortunately, Mac does not label their drives with letters like other computer systems do. You can name your drives anything you'd like, including "backup", "my network", "my folder", or anything else you want. To find these, just open up the Mac finder and the devices on the computer will show up with their icons. This can make things easier if you are having trouble moving things around. Making them your own names makes ...

How To: Download & install HP printer drivers in Windows XP

This silent video shows you how to install HP printer drivers for Windows XP. Start off by turning on the power on the printer. Do not connect the USB cable to the computer yet, it'll ask you at a later time. Now go to HP's support webpage by typing "www.hp.com/support" on your web browser and then choose the region and language you want the support for. Now click on the "download drivers and software" option and type in your printer's model number. Select the correct printer from the list an...

How To: Uninstall a program in Windows 7

This video by Butterscotch shows viewers how to uninstall a program in Windows 7. To begin, click on the start button at the bottom-left of the screen. Click 'Control Panel' in the boxes that pop up. Click 'System and Security'. On the left side of the window, there will be a link marked 'Programs'. Click on it. Click 'Uninstall a program' beneath the 'Programs and Features' heading. Highlight the program you want to uninstall, then click the 'Uninstall/Change' button near the top of the wind...

How To: Switch the user ID and log off in Windows 7

Microsoft recommends a unique user ID and password for every user. In order to switch user ID or log off one need to click to the 'Start' menu as shown in the video. Press the move button at the shut down menu as shown. In the sub menu you can see the Change user and Log off. The window will typically shut down and restart on change of user ID or Log Off. In case you need to leave your PC unattended you can press 'Lock' from the same menu which will refrain anyone from changing your desktop s...