Hot Operating Systems How-Tos

How To: Clean up a hard drive in Windows XP

In this video Dave Andrews from Help Vids will show you how to clean up your hard drive in Windows XP. A way to do that is to delete the icons from the desktop that you don't use regularly. The files that you have just deleted are located in the Recycle Bin. To permanently delete them, right-click the Recycle Bin and click "Empty the Recycle Bin" or double-click the Recycle Bin and delete them from there. Now the files are gone and your desktop is much cleaner. You can repeat this method with...

How To: Resize text and use the "magnifier" in Windows 7

In this video the tutor demonstrates the magnifier tool of Microsoft Windows 7. If the size of text is very small on your screen and you are facing difficulty reading it you can use the magnifier tool to resize the text to read it clearly. You can change the resolution but this makes the LCD screen look blurry. So to do this go to the Start Menu and select the Magnifier tool. Now there are two buttons with minus and plus symbol on them. Click the plus button to magnify the screen around that ...

How To: Do a Windows XP system restore

Although it is a rare and potentially frightening occurrence, knowing how to do a system restore in Windows XP is an important thing to know how to do. To get started with a system restore, select the Start menu in the lower right of your screen. Then select All Programs. Then from the All Program menu, select Accessories and then from Accessories, select System Tools. There are several items under System Tools, but you want to select System Restore. You will follow through the next few scree...

How To: Secure your sensitive data in Ubuntu with encryption

TrueCrypt is a free application that lets you encrypt designated programs on your Ubuntu system to prevent unwanted access. Provided you select a strong password, intruders will not be able to open your personal files and documents. This instructional video walks you through the process of installing TrueCrypt on your Ubuntu operated machine and demonstrates an example on how to create an encrypted volume within a select partition.

How To: Install Ubuntu in a RAID 0 array

RAID, or Redundant Array of Independent Disks, lets you divide and replicate data among multiple hard disk drives for information storage security. This video tutorial demonstrates how to install Ubuntu in a RAID 0 array. Before starting, you'll need at least 2 hard drives and an Ubuntu alternate installation CD. RAID 0, or striped disks, let's you install an operating system, such as Ubuntu, on a partition, while using others for data storage, as illustrated in this instructional segment.

How To: Remove viruses, malware, trojans or hacks from your PC

If your computer is working slow--or not at all, there could be some unsavory programs running amok in your system. Trojans, malware, viruses, and hacks are dangerous to the health of your operating system. This video tutorial demonstrates the measures to take in order to rid your PC of malicious programs. Stop being bullied by harmful applications and use such programs as AVG Antivirus and Malwarebytes to protect your computer. Once you've cleaned up your system, be sure to configure your se...

How To: Restore PC software to factory condition

In this Know Your PC video the instructors show how to perform a recovery on your computer by demonstrating it on the HP TouchSmart PC. This recovery process will work on any HP desktops, HP Pavilions, Compaq Presarios. Your PC might get corrupted if you recently made any changes to it or installed software that contained viruses and many other reasons. In such cases the best thing to do is perform a system recovery. Recovery will help you take your computer right back to the way it was out o...

How To: Use the Windows XP Transfer Wizard

This video tutorial by HelpVids, Dave Andrews shows you how to use the transfer files and settings wizard in Windows XP. This program enables you to transfer your documents and settings from various programs and the 'My Documents' folder between computers if you wanted to do so. First go to the start button select all programs, accessories, system tools and select the files and settings transfer wizard. Click next and check old computer to select the PC your currently on and click next. Wait ...

How To: Activate Windows 7 RTM build 7600

O0OMadMikeO0o teaches you how to activate Windows 7 RTM build 7600. For this you will need the program Windows 7 Toolkit 1.7 by Win7Vista. All you need to do is launch the program and check the box that says Activate Windows 7. After waiting 2-3 minutes, this version of Windows 7 will be activated. Note that this type of activation has an expiry date, so it's only a temporary solution. Before the end of that period, another tool or an updated version of this tool should appear that will solve...

How To: Open ISO files using WinRAR

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to open ISO files, using Winrar. An ISO file is in an "image" of an entire CD or DVD. It contains all the contents of the disk. Begin by opening Winrar. Go to Options and select Settings. Go to the Integration tab and check ISO. Now Winrar will be able to associate with ISO file. Press OK. Users just need to right-click the file and select extract. It is the same as a ISO extractor program. This video will benefit those viewers who have Winrar and wou...

How To: Merge separate PDF files into one for free

In this video from SocialMacbook he shows how to merge separate PDF files into one. There is a free way to do it. It will work on Mac and PC. Go to MergePDF. There is a link in the description. Here you can upload your PDF files you want joined together. Click pick files and select the files one at a time that you want merged together. You can only upload files 5 MB less each. It will tell you the size. Now you can click Merge PDF. It will say please wait, and then a box comes up where you ca...

How To: Build a BartPE bootable CD

Steve Lee Ignacio explains the procedure to be followed to build a Bart PE Professional Rescue CD. He says that the basic requirements for completing this process is a Windows XP Pro or Home CD, a Bart PE builder, a Windows Computer, a program to burn .ISO files and a CD burner. He then explains the various steps involved in building the Bart PE CD, the first of which is to download latest version of Bart PE Builder using a search engine like Google. Then he explains the second step which is ...

How To: Set up a home group in Windows 7

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to set up a home group in Windows 7. Begin by clicking on the Start button and select Control Panel. Select Choose home group and sharing options, which is under Network and Internet. Click on the Create a home group button and select all the files that you want to share. Click Next and write down your home group password. Users can also click on the View home group password if they forget the code. This video will benefit those viewers who have a Win...

How To: Disable uac in Windows 7 or Vista

This video shows the viewer how to disable User Account Control within either Windows 7 or Windows Vista. This is done by clicking on the start menu and then type ‘Microsoft config’ into the search box. This opens the ‘system configuration’ menu. Select the ‘tools’ section. For Windows Vista there is simply an option to disable User Account Control. For Windows 7 click on the ‘change UAC settings’ option before clicking launch. In Windows 7 the slider should be dragged to the bottom. Both met...

How To: Disable user account control

Basically there are three quick ways to run a program as administrator. You can do that by clicking on cmd. We usually use this cmd prompt for finding your I.P. address and you can modify user accounts also. Another way is to click on start and type cmd in Run. Make a right click on cmd and click Run as Administrator. Final way to run program as an administrator by having right click on the program and select properties next select Compatibility, then select Operating System and finally, sele...

How To: Take a screenshot in Mac OS 10.5

This is a Computers & Programming video tutorial where you will learn how to take screenshots on Mac OS 10. 5. Andrew Grant says there are several ways of doing this. The easiest way is to hold down the Command and Shift key and press 3. You will get a screenshot of the entire desktop. To take a screenshot of a selected area, hold down the Command and Shift key and press 4. The cursor now changes into a target. The figures next to it are the values of the pixels from the left hand top corner....

How To: Disable the user account control in Windows Vista/7

ClosetFool shows you how to disable UAC in Windows 7 and Vista. UAC is there to protect your computer by asking if you authorized the program to run or make changes. However, it can become annoying constantly having to click "continue" in the dialog box when trying to run programs. To disable it, first click the start button. Type UAC into the search box. The search should return with one selection. Click on it, and select whichever setting you like. In this video, ClosetFool set it to "never...

How To: Fix or recover a corrupt Windows registry

Learn how to fix or recover a corrupt windows registry following the steps outlined in this video tutorial. To begin, take the hard drive out of the computer with the corrupted registry and connect to another computer. To find the files you need to replace go to Start and My Computer. Look for the hard drive that you just added and double click on it. Go to Tools and Folder Options. On the View tab under Advanced Settings click Show Hidden Files and Folders, and unclick Hide Protected Operati...

How To: Set parental controls for a user ID in Windows 7

In this video the instructor shows how to set parental controls for a user ID account in Windows 7. To do this go to the 'Start Menu' and go to 'Control Panel'. In the Control Panel window select the 'User accounts and Family Safety' link. There is an option called 'Set up parental controls for any user'. Select that link and it opens a window where it asks you to Choose a user and set up parental controls. There you are presented with some user accounts that are currently active on that syst...

How To: Restore deleted files with Encase from NTFS USB drive

Use Encase to open the drive after the document has been deleted. The deleted file will show up in the program and will have a red circle with a line through it showing that it was previously deleted. The window on the bottom of the screen will show the document context so you can verify that it is the correct one. Right click on the file and click 'copy/unerase' to restore the document. Down in the bottom right hand corner you will see the progression of the copying to the chosen file destin...

How To: Select speakers/mics & adjust sounds in Windows 7

In this video the instructor shows how to select speakers, microphones, and adjust system sounds in Windows 7. To do this, first go to the start menu and select the Control Panel. In the Control Panel select the Hardware and Sound link when the panel is in view by category mode. In the next page click on the Sound link. This opens up the Sound properties setting window. There are four tabs in that window like Playback, Recording, Sounds and Communications. In the Playback tab you will find th...

How To: Change the ownership & permissions of a folder

This tutorial is to explain how to change the ownership and/or permissions of a folder or file on your computer. It is very simple and easy to understand. There is a step by step guide to the process. There is a verbal as well as a visual representation of the process that you need to use to be able to change the permissions and ownership of the individual files on your computer. The computer screen video is of a computer using Microsoft Windows XP. It is a great guide for beginners and compu...

How To: Disable uac and dep on Windows Vista

This video contains instructions about how to disable or enable the user accounts on Windows Vista. It is very simple; just go to control panel -> user accounts and safety -> user accounts. You can click the check box on or off to disable or enable the user accounts. This can also be done by using command line. Open run and type the following command:

How To: Startup configure a Mac

This is a Computers & Programming video tutorial where you will learn how to startup configure a Mac. This is a very simple, easy and quick process. In order to change what programs start when you switch on your computer that is running on Mac, first go to ‘System Preferences’ from the drop down menu and then click on System Accounts. In the next box that pops up, go to ‘Login Items’. Here a list of programs will be displayed that run when you start up your computer. Here you check box next t...

How To: Use Windows Vista's snipping tool to make a screen cap

How to Make Anything demonstrates how to use Window Vista's snipping tool to make a screen capture. With previous operating systems, you'd have to install a third party application to make a screen capture. To find the snipping tool in Windows Vista, go to the start menu and type "snipping tool" into your search box. The snipping tool box will appear. Click on the options tab. In the next screen, tick display icon in the quick launch toolbar to enable the snipping tool in the toolbar. Click o...

How To: Check for updates automatically in Windows 7

In this video you will learn how to update your version of Windows 7 and how to check the system settings for automatic updates. In order to do this you need to go in the Start Menu and then in the Control Panel. Then you need to click System and Security. The next step is to click Windows Update. A new window will pop-up and you will see two types of updates: Important Updates and Optional Updates. To install them just click on the blue link and then check the boxes. To check for updates you...

How To: Get a keynote presentation to play in Windows

It is a great video tutorial about how to create a keynote presentation to run on a windows platform. After opening the keynote presentation, click on file menu and open up the export window. This window shows different file formats and types. By using this we can export a quick time movie, an html, PDF, images, flash or a PowerPoint presentation file.

How To: Defragment the hard drive in Windows 7

De-fragmenting a hard drive improves the performance of a hard drive and it is recommended to de-fragment your hard drive from time to time as shown in this video. In Windows 7 you can use the Disk De-fragmentation tool. To do this go to the start menu and open the Control Panel. In the right column select the Performance Information and Tools. Now in that window in the left hand column select the Advanced tools option. In that new window scroll down to the Open Disk De-fragmenter link. Click...

How To: Hide hard drive icons in Windows with NoDrives Manager

Video demonstrates tutorial of how to hide the logical drive icons in Windows. In the demonstration there is two partitions C and D and also there is a DVD drive, DVD Rom and DVD Writer. Here drives C, D and F from My computer is going to be hidden with help of utility called “No Drives Manager”. If you don’t want your young ones to access some of your important data you can hide it. It will just be hidden. This means if go to the address bar and types the name of the drive you can go to that...

How To: Recover deleted files and lost data from disk crashes

This video from CNET Insider Secrets tells you how to recover deleted files from a data drive. If a disk is still readable by the computer, files may be recovered. Files may be recovered using the PhotoRec program, PC Inspector or other programs that may be available. An example is shown where mp3 files are deleted from a flash drive. We are then shown how files are recovered using the PhotoRec program, including how to select the correct file system. The mp3 files are recovered along with va...

How To: Enable remote desktop in Windows XP

Remote desktop is a very powerful feature using which you can access any desktop from another desktop over an internet. In this video the instructor shows how to enable remote desktop in Microsoft Windows XP. Remote desktop is a system that will allow other users from the internet or your local network to connect and control your computer. As this can be a security hazard be careful while sharing the details of your remote desktop connection. To enable this click on start button, right click ...

How To: Clean out old files in Windows XP

This is a step-by-step guide to cleaning out those old fires in your Windows XP computer. You want to start by clicking the "start" button and then clicking on "my computer". Once there, you are going to want to right click on the C-Drive to clean that one first and click on "properties". Once the box opens you want to click on "tools" on your tool bar and then click on the "defragment now" button. When the box opens click on the C-Drive and then click "Analyze" to

How To: Plant a file of any kind in a .jpg

In this video the instructor shows how to hide any kind of file in a .Jpeg image file. To do this take the image in a new folder. Go to start button and then to run. Type cmd in the run and hit enter to open the command prompt. Now browse to the directory that contains the picture and also the file that you want to store using the CD command. Type the command to create our required file as shown in the video. Now a new file will be created that contains your image as well as the file that you...