Hot Operating Systems How-Tos

How To: Send email on your Mac

This video demonstrates how to send email on your Mac. From the people who brought you the Dummies instructional book series, brings you the same non-intimidating guides in video form. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to send email on your Mac, For Dummies.

How To: Add and remove dashboard widgets

This video demonstrates how to add and remove dashboard widgets. From the people who brought you the Dummies instructional book series, brings you the same non-intimidating guides in video form. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to add and remove dashboard widgets, For Dummies.

How To: Customize your icons on your Mac computer

Get a Mac Tip for your Mac computer! There's a million things you can do with your Apple computer, and this is just one of them. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to customize your icons on your Mac computer. This technique allows a Mac user to change the folder icons, the hard disk icons, or other icons on the Mac OS X operating system.

How To: Make your Mac computer announce the time

Get a Mac Tip for your Mac computer! There's a million things you can do with your Apple computer, and this is just one of them. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to make your Mac computer announce the time. This technique allows a Mac user set the computer up to allow Mr. Macintosh to speak the current time periodically.

How To: Use your Mac PowerBook in desktop mode

Get a Mac Tip for your Mac computer! There's a million things you can do with your Apple computer, and this is just one of them. Watch this video tutorial to learn how to use your Mac PowerBook in desktop mode. This technique allows a Mac user to use their notebook in desktop mode, also known as using an external monitor as the main workspace.

How To: Boot Windows or Ubuntu from a USB flash drive

Create a bootable USB flash drive to keep an extra OS of Windows or Ubuntu. You always want to have a copy of your Linux or Windows operating system on a separate device other than your computer. Because even if your computer or laptop is relatively new, it's very easy for some random fluke - an internal error or virus - to completely shut you down when you least expect it.

How To: Set your mouse cursor to leave a trail on screen

See how you can make your mouse cursor leave a trail behind it. First, go to "Start" and then "Control Panel". Then go to "Printers" and "Other Hardware" and then "Mouse". A new window should pop up and you should go click on the "Pointer Options" and then select the length of the trail you want your cursor to leave behind. It's easy to set your mouse cursor to leave a trail on your computer screen.

How To: Exploit Microsoft Windows in new and unusual ways

In this installment from the Unorthodox Hacking series of computer security videos, you will explore a few of the areas in Windows that most Sysadmins don’t even know exist. See how to become Local System through the Task Scheduler and abuse long filenames. Take a look at some of the features within Windows—registry—that many system administrators don't know exist with this hacking how-to.

How To: Hack Windows shares

In this installment from the Unorthodox Hacking series of computer security tutorials, you'll learn a number of methods for hacking Windows shares as well as means of mitigating those hacks. For detailed instructions on Windows shares, and what you can do with them, watch this helpful video guide.

How To: Choose a new computer

So many choices, so little patience? That’s why we've cut to the chase for you. The most basic questions to ask yourself: a Windows (PC) OS or a Mac and laptop versus desk top computer. You'll also need to determine what you need your computer to do. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to choose a new computer.

How To: Remove the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation tool

Are you a ... Windows Developer? Interested in ... testing the vulnerabilities inherent in your own operating system? If so, you're in luck. This video tutorial demonstrates a simple hack that will allow you to remove the Windows Genuine Advantage Validation software. For step-by-step instructions on removing the Windows XP Validation tool, watch this video guide.

How To: Set up automated backup for files in Windows Vista

Regular backups of your important files are something that should be a top priority, though because of the complexity of most backup systems, regular backups are often overlooked until it is too late. In this video tutorial, you'll learn how to set up automated backups in the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. Get started backing up your files with this helpful guide.

How To: Work with offline files and folders in Windows Vista

Never again will being out of the office mean you are out of luck when it comes to working with your files. Thanks to the Offline Files and Folders feature in Windows Vista Business, Enterprise, and Ultimate editions, you'll have access to documents, even when you aren't connected to the network. For more on how to work with offline files and folders in Microsoft Windows Vista, watch this video tutorial.

How To: Use the XPS Document Writer function in Windows Vista

While printers are not normally considered to be at the leading edge of computer technology, these devices have evolved at a lightning pace over the years. Before today's low cost, high-quality inkjet and color laser printers, we used low-quality dot matrix printers and slow laser printers where quality and performance of printing was often questionable. Additionally, documents that looked correct on screen often came out looking differently on paper, due to differences between what the scree...

How To: Use the Microsoft Windows Vista Fax and Scan feature

With Windows® Fax and Scan feature that works with the Windows Vista™ operating system makes it even easier to share fax and scanning capabilities with multiple users. Where previous fax and scanning programs allowed an individual user to send and receive faxes or scan documents with a locally-connected fax or scanner; Windows Fax and Scan provides a flexible system for multiple users to share local or network-connected scanners and fax devices. F

How To: Use the Microsoft Windows Vista Sync Center

PCs are quickly becoming the center of our digital universe. With PDAs, cell phones, portable media players and other electronic devices; keeping your content synchronized has been a challenge. With the new feature, Windows® Sync Center in Windows Vista™, you now have a single place to keep all of your devices and information up to date. For detailed instructions on using Sync Center for your own data syncing needs, watch this how-to.

How To: Use the Microsoft Windows Firewall

In order to keep your PC safe from annoying or potentially dangerous threats on the Internet, a properly-configured firewall is a crucial item in helping prevent your system from becoming compromised. The Windows Firewall in Windows Vista™ is the first line of defense in helping to keep your computer safe. By preventing your computer from being infected by malware, Windows Firewall is designed to be easy to use and is automatically enabled to protect your computer as soon as Windows starts. T...

How To: Retrieve hidden windows passwords

Check out this computer hacking video tutorial from Unorthodox Hacking. The subject of today... hidden Windows passwords. This is a short episode with a fast pace is intended to expose a few of the areas where Windows hides stored authentication credentials. Be very cautious the next time you use a public kiosk!