Operating Systems Features

How To: Organize your digital photos in iPhoto 09

Organizing your photos in iPhoto 09 is a breeze provided you know how to take advantage of the program's various features (like, for example, keyword tagging). This free video software tutorial from the folks at MacMost will get you off and running. For specifics, and to get started organizing your own photographs, watch this iPhoto user's guide.

How To: Make a folder invisible in Windows XP or Vista

In this how to video, you will learn how to create invisible folders in Windows XP or Vista. First, create a new folder. Rename the folder and hold alt while pressing 0160. Now, you will be able to give this folder a blank name. Next, right click it and go to properties. Select customize and then change the icon. Choose a blank image and click okay. Once this is done, your invisible folder is now ready for use. If you want to find it, go to an open file dialog and type in the name of the file...

How To: Use Windows Vista Remote Desktop

Learn how to use Windows Vista remote desktop on your computer in simple steps. First go to Control panel, select 'User accounts' and create a password for your account. Now right-click on My Computer, select 'Properties' and click on 'Remote settings'. Now select the user you created by searching and return back to the properties area. Go to 'Advanced system settings', click the Computer name tab and find your computer name. Now open the Remote desktop connection, enter your name and enter y...

How To: Cut and paste on your computer

In this tutorial, Jonathan shows us how to cut and paste on a computer. To do this on a mouse, you will see the left side clicker is the left click and the right is the right click button. To practice, go to a random website and highlight some text, then right click and a drop down menu will appear. Click on "copy". Now, open up a Word program and right click again until you see the drop down menu. Click on "paste" and you will see the text you just copied appear before your eyes! This is a s...

How To: Automatically swap out your wallpaper on a PC with John's Background Switcher

Ever wanted to use a slideshow of images as your desktop background? With John's Background Switcher—a free application for Microsoft Windows PCs—, it's easy! So easy, in fact, that this home-computing how-to from the folks at Britec can present a complete overview of the process in just over four minutes. For complete details, including step-by-step instructions, watch this video guide.

How To: Move your iTunes library

If you have a large iTunes library, you may want to consider moving it to an external drive. But did you know you can also have some of your media on an external drive without having to move the library? In this video guide from MacMost, you'll take a look at three methods of handing an iTunes library on an external drive.

How To: Use the Finder buttons in Mac OS X

This video instructs you how to use the "Finder" Button if you own a Mac on OS X. The "Finder" window shows the Mac user the contents of the hard drive. It describes functions of the Finder folder: i.e., adding an untitled new folder in the Finder file. It also discusses how you can view the "Finder" in a variety of layouts: grids, lists, etc. The video shows you how to use the buttons on the upper left hand corner of the "Finder" screen to maximize, minimize, or close the window. It also dis...

How To: Hide or show network icons in Windows XP

If you're reading this, you're connected to some network or directly to the Internet. Have you ever wondered how to set the network icon on the Windows XP Task Bar? This video will teach you exactly how to do this simple task. Make sure to hit "play tutorial" in the top left corner of the video to start the video. There is no sound, so you'll need to watch the pop-up directions. Hide or show network icons in Windows XP.

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: Flash the screen when you receive an alert in Mac OS X

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to flash the screen when receiving an alert in a Mac OS X computer. To turn on this option, go to the Universal Access window and select the Hearing tab. There will be 2 options for users to use. The first feature allows the user to flash the screen when an alert sound has occurred and the second feature allows users to stereo audio as mono. To test the flash the screen, click on Flash Screen. This video will benefit those viewer who use a Mac compute...

How To: Map a network drive on your personal computer

In this tutorial, learn how to map a network drive on your personal computer and make your life easier and more organized. If you need to map your system for any reason, check out this video. This video will give you a complete overview and step by step in just a few short minutes so you will be ready to map your network in no time.

How To: Troubleshoot Mac trash that won't empty

If you have trouble emptying your trash on your Mac computer, you will need to launch the Terminal first, in order to begin troubleshooting the issue. The trash will often fail to accept items, if it believes that a program or object is in use. Move the application that you can't delete onto your desktop. Add a line of code to the terminal. Add the application to the code, by dragging it to the code. It will ask for your code. Enter your password. Press enter. You will need to use a Sudo code...

How To: Backup your computer with an external hard drive

In this video, we learn how to backup your computer with an external hard drive. First, go online and download and install Cobian Backup. After this, start a new task on the program and then name it your computer backup. Change it to a differential and change the time frame to once every five times. Now, click on the file section and add the files you want to have backed up. If you want to copy your entire C drive, just highlight that. Now, the C drive will show up, then click add underneath ...

How To: Speed up a Windows XP PC with TweakUI

Firstly download the TweakUI into your computer, which is free. Fire up TweakUI and click on menu "Explorer", uncheck menus: "Allow help on start menu"; "Allow log off on start menu" and so on play with the settings however you like. And select "Light arrow", next click on "Thumbnails" menu and drag the slider all the way to the right, increase the size of thumbnails to 120 pixels. Next double click menu "Common Dialogs" and uncheck all three menus. Next double click menu "Taskbar and start m...

How To: Increase your PC's virtual memory

This video will teach you how to increase your PC's virtual memory. Or in other terms, the Random Access Memory space to be used when doing something with your computer. 1. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL. Go to Performance tab. 2. Check the Commit Charge which is also the amount of virtual memory used. 3. Right-click the My Computer shortcut on your desktop. 4. Go to Advanced tab. 5. On the Performance box, click Settings button. 6. Click the Advanced tab. 7. At Virtual Memory box, click Change button. 8...

How To: Quickly set up Homegroups in Windows 7

This video tutorial from pctechbytes presents how to quickly set up Homegroups in Microsoft Windows 7.This feature allows to easily share files between computers with Windows 7 operating system.Press Start button, select My Computer option. In the newly opened window select Homegroup from the list to the left. Select View Homegroup Settings link.In this window you can choose what types of documents you want to share with other Windows 7 operating system users.You can share pictures, documents...

How To: Save and swap OS X icons

In this video tutorial, viewers learn how to save and swap icons on a Mac OS X computer. Begin by selecting the application that you want to get the icon from, and copy it. Then open preview, go to the File menu and click on "Create new clipboard". Users are also able to apply the icons on other applications or drives. After you have copied the desired icon, select the application with the icon that you want to replace, press the Command and I buttons, select the icon and paste the copied ico...