Hot Operating Systems How-Tos


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: 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: 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: Get a Windows 98 theme on Windows 7
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to get a Windows 98 theme on Microsoft Windows 7. The Windows 98 themes need to be downloaded from the link in the video description. The Windows 98 themes are: Baseball, Jungle, Mystery and Travel. When opened, the background changes to the theme. The cursor and the icons on the desktop also changes to the theme. There are sound effects when the user maximizes and minimizes a window. This video will benefit those viewers who use a Windows 7 computer ...

How To: Erase your hard drive from the Mac OS X terminal
Macheads101 shows us a simple command to erase your entire hard drive in a MAC OS x terminal. You can either log in as administrator and simply type "rm -rf /" to format or you can just type "Sudo rm -rf /" to start. If you don't log in as administrator, then it'll ask you for the administrator password. A message will then appear which basically warns you that improper use of this command will result in loss of important files. Next type in "sudo mount -uw /" to edit the file command system....

How To: Make Windows 7 look & feel like Mac OSX
So you bought a PC and now you want a Mac... You don't necessarily have to shell out the couple thousand bucks it takes to buy a new Mac. In this tutorial, learn how to make your Windows 7 operating system look & feel like a Mac OSX operating system. To complete this tutorial, follow these steps:

How To: Install Mac OS on Windows 7
This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to install Mac OS on Windows 7 on Virtual Box. Video: .

How To: Hide and completely remove icons from XP system tray
Organization is important to sanity. And while you may not be in the mood to organize your closet every week or tidy up your room until it's looking to the tune of Martha Stewart, we think that organizing your computer interface is a necessity.

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: 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: 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: Change a ZIP file to a IPSW file
Looking for an IPSW file? An IPSW is a iPod and iPhone software update file. In this video, learn what steps one need to take in order to change or convert a zip folder into an IPSW. Instructions, step by step, as given by the videomaker iSamm786:

How To: Permanently delete previously deleted files on a Mac
The guy in this video shows us how to permanently delete files on a Mac. First one would click on your desktop so the finder pops up and one would go to "utilities" and click "disk utilities". Next, one would click on the disk which they would like to clear, then click "erase" and then click "erase free space". After clicking, a box will pop up asking if you want to erase 0 times which clears the disk 1 time, 7 times which clears the disk 7 times to delete unwanted files, or 35 times, which r...

How To: Hack Command Prompt at school to change passwords and more
Trying to focus on studying for your Stats final in the library but getting a serious ADD spell? Then make use of your time - while having a little fun with whoever else is in the library - by hacking into your computer's command prompt.

How To: Copy files to a USB memory stick in Ubuntu Linux
The Ubuntu Linux distribution will automatically recognize most brands of USB memory sticks. In most cases, you will not need to install any additional drivers. This video clip will show you how to copy files from and to a USB memory stick using Ubuntu. Remember to right-click on your USB memory stick and select "Eject" when you are finished copying to ensure that you do not lose any data.

How To: Install Ubuntu Linux from a LiveCD or DVD
In this clip, you'll learn how to install the Ubuntu GNU/Linux distribution from a self-contained LiveCD (or Live CD) or DVD. You'll find it's easy. For more information, including an abbreviated demonstration and detailed, step-by-step instructions, watch this helpful home-computing how-to.

How To: Delete all of your temp files at once on a Microsoft Windows PC
Free up space on your hard drive while protecting your privacy by deleting all of the temporary files on your MS Windows desktop computer or laptop. This clip will show you how it's done. It's easy! So easy, in fact, that this handy home-computing how-to from the folks at Tekzilla can present a complete overview of the process in about two minutes' time. For more information, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, take a look.

How To: Reformat your computer step by step
This video tutorial belongs to the Computers & Programming category which is going to show you how to reformat your computer step by step. Go to BIOS by restarting your computer. Go to BOOT menu, select CD/DVD ROM and press f10 to save and exit. Now insert your operating system CD, don't let it run, restart your computer again and keep tapping f8. When the set up page is displayed, press 'enter' to set up Windows XP. Select your partition and press D to delete. Then press L to continue deleti...

How To: Crack local passwords for access to a computer
This is a great tutorial on how to use Backtrack 2 to crack a local computer for access. You can either completely change the password or you can wipe it and restore the password so nobody knows you were there

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: Prevent cut, paste, copy, and delete on Windows files
New to Windows? No problem... here's a beginner's video tutorial that will teach you how to prevent cut, paste, copy, and delete on Windows files.

How To: Remove noise from audio files in Ubuntu with Audacity
In this tutorial, we learn how to remove noise from audio files in Ubuntu with Audacity. To do this, you will first open up Audacity and then open up your audio file. To get rid of the noise, you will highlight the area with just the noise, not anything else. Now, go to 'effect', 'noise removal' from the top toolbar. Now, click 'get noise profile' and right after this you will need to select the whole file. After this, go back to the noise removal toolbar and click 'ok'. From here, you will s...

How To: Make a harmless virus for Mac OS X
Admit, you're curious. You want to know just what does it take to make a virus for the Mac OS X operating system. Check out this video to learn how to write a harmless virus for computers running Mac OS X.

How To: Create a new Windows partition with GParted software
In this tutorial, we learn how to create a new Windows partition with GParted software. First, insert your boot CD into your computer, then turn your computer off and it will automatically boot. Next, hit enter to select the first option, then wait for the scan to complete. When done, select your type of keyboard, then hit enter. After this, select your language and then continue to wait for the boot to continue. Once loaded, you will see the main partition. To split this, select it and click...

How To: Take screen captures on a PC with the Print Screen key
How to take screen captures on a PC with the Print Screen key

How To: Password protect any folder on your desktop in Windows
In this tutorial, we learn how to password protect any folder on your desktop in Windows. First, right click on your desktop, then go to "new", then "compressed zipped folder" and name it whatever you want. Next, put what you want inside of the folder. After you've done this, open the folder then go to "file" and then "add a password". Pick a password that you will remember and type it into the text box, after you do this, click on "ok". Now your folder will be password protected and you will...

How To: Delete a user account in Microsoft Windows Vista
In this video, Nub shows us how to delete a user account. First, you will click "start" then "control panel". Then click on "user accounts" and then "manage another account". You must be logged in as the administrator to do this. A new window will pop up once you click on this and you will see all the user accounts on your computer. Click on the user you want to delete and a menu will show up. Click the button that says "delete this account". A message will appear asking if you want to save t...

How To: Mount or unmount an ISO file using basic command lines
An elderly woman demonstrates how to create a rose made of icing with which to decorate a cake. Beginning with a bag of icing and a special tip that forms flat wisps of icing, she shows how to create the beginning of the rose with a small dollop of icing for the center and begins to add small, flat wisps of icing for the petals onto the middle, turning the flower as she goes. Most American Beauty cake roses consist of three rows of petals. She finished off the rose by using a separate bag of ...

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: Set and change the language in Windows XP
In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to set the language on a Microsoft Windows XP computer. This process is very fast, simple and easy to do. Begin by clicking on the Start menu and select Control Panel. Now double-click on the Regional and Language Options. Go to the Languages tab and click on Details. In the Settings tab, click on Add and select the language that you would like to add. Then click OK. This video will benefit those viewers who use a Microsoft Windows XP computer, and wo...

How To: Update Nokia firmware via VirtualBox on Ubuntu Linux
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 update Nokia firmware via VirtualBox on Ubuntu Linux.

How To: Block a Website on Your Computer
Ways to Blocking a Website on a PC Open the “Control Panel” by click “My Computer” on your PC

How To: Check If Someone Has Been Using Your Mac or Windows Computer
Think your roommate's been using your computer while you're not around, but don't have any proof? Worried your little brother or significant other is snooping through your stuff? Here's how to check on both Windows and Mac OS X so you can catch and confront anyone who's logging onto your computer without your permission.

How To: Install and dual boot Mac OS X on a Microsoft Windows PC
Interested in dual booting Apple's Mac OS X on your Microsoft Windows PC? Let this video be your guide. It's a simple process and this home-computing how-to will teach you everything you'll need to know. For specifics, including detailed, step-by-step instructions, and to get started creating your own hackintosh computer, watch this helpful video guide.

How To: View or retrieve layout codes in SWF files
John Roy demonstrates the tutorial to view or retrieve layouts that ens with .swf. SWF files can be viewed by pasting the url in the address box.

How To: Delete temporary files in Windows XP
In this video it is demonstrated that how to delete temporary files in Windows XP. There are two different methods for deleting temporary files. First of all go to and click "start" then go to "run" and type temp now click on ok, then a window will appear, in this window there are all useless files, select all files and delete it. Now the other method is go to "run" and type %TEMP%, after clicking ok a window will appear in which there are useless folders and files, select all folders and fil...

How To: Unzip a file with Microsoft Windows XP
This video from scrapwow shows how to unzip a file in Microsoft Windows XP.Firstly, open Windows Explorer application and navigate the file you want to unzip. Once you've located the file, double click on it. A new window will open. Here you will have Extract all files option which you can choose from menu to the left.Clicking the button allows you to extract a single file or a zipped folder, containing a number of files. In this case Extraction Wizard will open, leading you through the extra...

How To: Recover deleted files in Ubuntu using Testdisk
This video shows the method to recover deleted files in Ubuntu using Testdisk. The demonstration is done by deleting a set of pictures and recovering them later. The test disk is installed at first. Then we click on the terminal icon and go to the list options available. These include selecting the list of drives available, partition table type and the type of file system in the original photos. Then the system asks you to select the part to be analyze and destination folder. The tool then re...

How To: Install HD wallpapers to your computer
In this video you will learn how to install the HD wallpapers on your Mac. In order to do that just follow these steps: Open your browser and go to ewallpapers and pick your desired wallpaper. You can click view and set is as your background or you can download it and save it to your hard drive. The site will tell you what your resolution is so that you will get the good resolution for the wallpaper. Follow these steps to get a large collection of HD wallpapers. Your computer's desktop will l...

How To: Change your computer password through the cmd prompt
This video teaches you how to change your computer's account password using the DOS command prompt. The first step is to get to the command prompt, you can do this simply by clicking run in the start menu and typing "cmd." You next type "net user" which will show you all of the user accounts on the computer. Choose the one you would like to change the password for and type "net user (account name)." It will then ask you for a new password, you may type anything you like here keeping in mind t...