Just as a house is protected with numerous security systems and burglar alarms, the computer needs to be protected from virus attacks, spyware and hackers. For that your computer needs to be equipped with firewalls. Linux firewalls protect your computer from those attacks that make your PC vulnerable. A firewall is at the entry point of the network system and it controls all incoming and outgoing data on your computer.Whatever the type of firewall in any Linux systems, they receive, then inspect and make decisions upon all the net traffic that goes through its perimeters. The basic type of firewall does packet filtering. Through this type of filtering all internet data is broken up into small parts or packets and then monitored. If it is registered as a virus, the firewall prevents the data from entering your computer. The second type of firewall system is circuit relay or circuit level gateway. Here the firewall checks the authenticity of connections before allowing data traffic. It permits traffic from permitted sources for a limited period of time. In the advanced firewall security system, the application level gateway is considered to be the most secure of all. It acts as a proxy and devoted detailed attention to any application that uses the gateway.Linux is secure enough to run on your computer provided you just work on it as a client, But once it is connected to remote services, you need to make use of firewalls. A firewall is the first step you take in an elaborately planned security system. There are two kinds of user accounts. One is a low privileged user account and the other is a full privileged user account. Most Linux distributors set up low privileged user accounts in their computers. If yours is low privileged it prevents malicious viruses from attacking your computer. In extreme cases, some viruses or hackers might try to damage your files. This can be prevented by logging in through the root account. Once you are logged in through the root account it is powerful enough that you can change the Linux configurations. This places Linux users in an advantageous position because such a facility is not available with Windows users as they are logged in full time as a full privileged user. But to be on the safe side please keep on updating the firewall regularly. You also have to make sure that no one logs in as a root user and uses unsecured sites enabling viruses to attack your computer. If this happens viruses which are known to exist in the Linux systems can come in and steal user data.
Friday, March 19, 2010
What to do if you forget or lose Windows password
What to do if you forget or lose Windows password？ Here are some methods that can be used to recover windows password.
If you've forgotten your Windows password and you're on a domain, you should contact your system administrator to reset your password. If you're not on a domain, you can reset your password by using a password reset disk or by using an administrator account.If you forget the administrator password and don't have a password reset disk or another administrator account, you must use a third party software like some Windows password recovery software.
1.To reset your password if your computer is on a domain
Because your computer is on a domain, only your network administrator can reset your domain password. To reset a password for a local user account (an account that provides access to the computer, but not to the domain), follow the steps below.
*Open User Accounts by clicking the "Start" button Picture of the Start button, clicking "Control Panel", clicking "User Accounts", clicking "User Accounts", and then clicking "Manage User Accounts". Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
*On the "Users" tab, under "Users for this computer", click the user account name, and then click "Reset Password".
*Type the new password, confirm the new password, and then click "OK".
2.To use your password reset disk to reset your password
If you forget your password and your computer is in a workgroup, you can reset it using a password reset disk for your user account (or the password reset information stored on a USB flash drive).
You will not be able to follow these steps if you have locked your computer.
*If you enter the wrong password when you attempt to log on, Windows displays a message that the password is incorrect. Click "OK" to close the message.
*Click "Reset password", and then insert your password reset disk or USB flash drive.
*Follow the steps in the Password Reset wizard to create a new password.
*Log on with the new password. If you forget your password again, you can use the same password reset disk. You don't need to make a new one.
3.To use an administrator account to reset your password
If your computer is in a workgroup and you don't have a password reset disk, you'll need to get someone with an administrator account on the computer to reset your password for you.
Warning
If you use an administrator account to reset the password, you will permanently lose access to any email messages or encrypted files that are on that account.
Note
These steps cannot be completed on Windows Vista Starter, Windows Vista Home Basic, and Windows Vista Home Premium.
*Log on to the administrator account that you will use to reset the forgotten password.
*Open Local Users and Groups by clicking the "Start" button Picture of the Start button, typing "lusrmgr.msc" into the "Search" box, and then pressing ENTER.? Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
*Double-click "Local Users and Groups", and then click "Users".
*Right-click the account that you need to reset the password for, and then click "Set Password".
*Type and confirm the new password.
4.To use third party software to reset your password
If you forget the administrator password and don't have a password reset disk or another administrator account, you can use Windows password recovery software to reset your password.
*Download the software and install the software in your other computer.
*Run the software and burn the .iso file to a blank CD(or a USB flash drive or a floppy disk).
*Insert the CD(USB flash drive/floppy disk) into the problem computer, restart your computer(it's necessary for you to change your computer's Setup to make it boot from CD drive) and reset your password.
Ok, here are my found, hope this can help you.
If you've forgotten your Windows password and you're on a domain, you should contact your system administrator to reset your password. If you're not on a domain, you can reset your password by using a password reset disk or by using an administrator account.If you forget the administrator password and don't have a password reset disk or another administrator account, you must use a third party software like some Windows password recovery software.
1.To reset your password if your computer is on a domain
Because your computer is on a domain, only your network administrator can reset your domain password. To reset a password for a local user account (an account that provides access to the computer, but not to the domain), follow the steps below.
*Open User Accounts by clicking the "Start" button Picture of the Start button, clicking "Control Panel", clicking "User Accounts", clicking "User Accounts", and then clicking "Manage User Accounts". Administrator permission required If you're prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
*On the "Users" tab, under "Users for this computer", click the user account name, and then click "Reset Password".
*Type the new password, confirm the new password, and then click "OK".
2.To use your password reset disk to reset your password
If you forget your password and your computer is in a workgroup, you can reset it using a password reset disk for your user account (or the password reset information stored on a USB flash drive).
You will not be able to follow these steps if you have locked your computer.
*If you enter the wrong password when you attempt to log on, Windows displays a message that the password is incorrect. Click "OK" to close the message.
*Click "Reset password", and then insert your password reset disk or USB flash drive.
*Follow the steps in the Password Reset wizard to create a new password.
*Log on with the new password. If you forget your password again, you can use the same password reset disk. You don't need to make a new one.
3.To use an administrator account to reset your password
If your computer is in a workgroup and you don't have a password reset disk, you'll need to get someone with an administrator account on the computer to reset your password for you.
Warning
If you use an administrator account to reset the password, you will permanently lose access to any email messages or encrypted files that are on that account.
Note
These steps cannot be completed on Windows Vista Starter, Windows Vista Home Basic, and Windows Vista Home Premium.
*Log on to the administrator account that you will use to reset the forgotten password.
*Open Local Users and Groups by clicking the "Start" button Picture of the Start button, typing "lusrmgr.msc" into the "Search" box, and then pressing ENTER.? Administrator permission required If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.
*Double-click "Local Users and Groups", and then click "Users".
*Right-click the account that you need to reset the password for, and then click "Set Password".
*Type and confirm the new password.
4.To use third party software to reset your password
If you forget the administrator password and don't have a password reset disk or another administrator account, you can use Windows password recovery software to reset your password.
*Download the software and install the software in your other computer.
*Run the software and burn the .iso file to a blank CD(or a USB flash drive or a floppy disk).
*Insert the CD(USB flash drive/floppy disk) into the problem computer, restart your computer(it's necessary for you to change your computer's Setup to make it boot from CD drive) and reset your password.
Ok, here are my found, hope this can help you.
5 Simple Ways To Increase Your Computer Speed
1) Disk Cleanup
Performing a disk cleanup regularly is a good idea. Whenever you "surf the internet", open attachments, delete files, your computer saves a record of your activity. Many of these files are harmless, and individually are very small. But if you spend a lot of time on your computer, before long you'll take up enough space to slow your computer down a bit.
Disk Cleanup is a Windows utility that helps keep unused and unwanted files from taking up extra storage space on your computer. You can think of it as "spring cleaning” for your computer.
Basically, it removes files that may have once been useful or used but now are just taking up extra room that could be used for more useful programs and files.
To perform a disc cleanup, click on the Start button on the bottom left of your computer screen, then Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disc Cleanup. A small box will pop up, allowing you to select the files to delete (most files are OK to delete, but if you are unsure, it is best to not select the file). Then click OK, and the unused files will be removed.
If you've never done a disk cleanup on your computer, now is a good time to get started. Then, depending on how much you use your computer, you can perform a disk cleanup every few weeks to keep your computer running smoothly!
2) Defragmenting Your Computer
Another way to improve the performance of your computer is to defragment your hard drive. What is defragmenting, and why do you need to do it? Here's a simple explanation:
Basically, defragmenting is putting files back where they belong. With the files in the proper order, your computer will run more efficiently.
You don't need to hire a computer expert to defragment your computer. It's simple to do. You just need to plan ahead, because if you have a lot of "stuff" on your computer, it could take a while.
And it's best not to use your computer while defragmenting.
Not sure how to defragment your computer? You can either click on your computer's help file (Click the "Start" button on the bottom left of your computer screen, then Help), or click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Defragment - for most computers) .
Keep in mind that the actual wording is slightly different depending on the operating system you use (Windows 95, 98, XP, etc) so you might need to refer to your computer's help file.
Periodically defragmenting your computer will keep it running smoothly!
3) Removing Spyware & Adware
If you've ever had spyware or adware on your computer, you know how frustrating it can be - strange things happening, your homepage changing, inappropriate popups, unfamiliar icons...
What exactly is spyware or adware?
Simply, files that are often downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge (or at least without you knowing what they really are).
Unfortunately, many of these programs "sneak" their way onto your computer, so avoiding them entirely is difficult, especially if you spend a lot of time on your computer, surfing the Internet and downloading new programs and files.
Fortunately, there are ways to remove these unwanted files from your computer.
Here are 2 adware/spyware removal programs that are simple to use (and both are free):
Ad-Aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/>http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/
Spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html>http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
Why does adware/spyware continue to be such a problem? Because most of these programs make money for the people creating and spreading them, unfortunately. So, all we can do is try to avoid them as much as possible, and to remove them when they do find their way onto our computers.
If you do find spyware on your computer, don't panic. In many cases, you just have some extra "junk" on your computer. But keeping spywaer and adware off of your computer will help it run more quickly and efficiently.
4) Uninstalling Old & Unused Programs
While uninstalling old, unused programs will help speed up your computer, removing the wrong files can cause you some big problems. So, please proceed carefully. And if you are not comfortable, please ask for help from someone you know who is more knowledgeable.
Most programs that you download simply have an "uninstall" feature that comes with them. If you're like me and you download a lot of free programs or free trials, after a while your computer begins to slow down. That means it's time for me to remove some of the old programs I don't use any more (and most I only used once just to see how they work).
To uninstall unused programs from your computer, first click on the Start button on the bottom left, then Programs, then click on the name of the program and Uninstall. If there is no uninstall option, then click on the Start button on the bottom left, then Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
Again, if you are unsure whether or not to remove a program, it is best to leave it.
If you follow these instructions, you should find your computer working faster right away.
5) Get A High Speed Internet Connection
If you spend a lot of time on the internet, a high speed internet connection is a must. It is more expensive, but for most people the savings in time and effort is worth the added expense.
There are several advantages of having a high speed internet connection - faster surfing, web pages open more quickly, files download faster, and if you send or receive large files, like pictures or video, trying to open these files with a slower dialup connection is extremely frustrating!
If you're already spending $20 a month or more for your dialup connection (through your phone line) then you'll find DSL to be comparable in price, and a lot faster.
A cable internet connection might cost a little more, but it is usually the fastest type of internet connection you can get from home.
High speed wireless connections are available for those who travel a lot. And high speed satellite internet is available in areas where other options are not (check your options first, as this is the most expensive high speed connection).
That's all the tips for increasing your computer speed and helping your computer run more efficiently. We hope you found these tips helpful!
Performing a disk cleanup regularly is a good idea. Whenever you "surf the internet", open attachments, delete files, your computer saves a record of your activity. Many of these files are harmless, and individually are very small. But if you spend a lot of time on your computer, before long you'll take up enough space to slow your computer down a bit.
Disk Cleanup is a Windows utility that helps keep unused and unwanted files from taking up extra storage space on your computer. You can think of it as "spring cleaning” for your computer.
Basically, it removes files that may have once been useful or used but now are just taking up extra room that could be used for more useful programs and files.
To perform a disc cleanup, click on the Start button on the bottom left of your computer screen, then Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disc Cleanup. A small box will pop up, allowing you to select the files to delete (most files are OK to delete, but if you are unsure, it is best to not select the file). Then click OK, and the unused files will be removed.
If you've never done a disk cleanup on your computer, now is a good time to get started. Then, depending on how much you use your computer, you can perform a disk cleanup every few weeks to keep your computer running smoothly!
2) Defragmenting Your Computer
Another way to improve the performance of your computer is to defragment your hard drive. What is defragmenting, and why do you need to do it? Here's a simple explanation:
Basically, defragmenting is putting files back where they belong. With the files in the proper order, your computer will run more efficiently.
You don't need to hire a computer expert to defragment your computer. It's simple to do. You just need to plan ahead, because if you have a lot of "stuff" on your computer, it could take a while.
And it's best not to use your computer while defragmenting.
Not sure how to defragment your computer? You can either click on your computer's help file (Click the "Start" button on the bottom left of your computer screen, then Help), or click on Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Defragment - for most computers) .
Keep in mind that the actual wording is slightly different depending on the operating system you use (Windows 95, 98, XP, etc) so you might need to refer to your computer's help file.
Periodically defragmenting your computer will keep it running smoothly!
3) Removing Spyware & Adware
If you've ever had spyware or adware on your computer, you know how frustrating it can be - strange things happening, your homepage changing, inappropriate popups, unfamiliar icons...
What exactly is spyware or adware?
Simply, files that are often downloaded onto your computer without your knowledge (or at least without you knowing what they really are).
Unfortunately, many of these programs "sneak" their way onto your computer, so avoiding them entirely is difficult, especially if you spend a lot of time on your computer, surfing the Internet and downloading new programs and files.
Fortunately, there are ways to remove these unwanted files from your computer.
Here are 2 adware/spyware removal programs that are simple to use (and both are free):
Ad-Aware http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/>http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/
Spybot http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html>http://www.safer-networking.org/en/download/index.html
Why does adware/spyware continue to be such a problem? Because most of these programs make money for the people creating and spreading them, unfortunately. So, all we can do is try to avoid them as much as possible, and to remove them when they do find their way onto our computers.
If you do find spyware on your computer, don't panic. In many cases, you just have some extra "junk" on your computer. But keeping spywaer and adware off of your computer will help it run more quickly and efficiently.
4) Uninstalling Old & Unused Programs
While uninstalling old, unused programs will help speed up your computer, removing the wrong files can cause you some big problems. So, please proceed carefully. And if you are not comfortable, please ask for help from someone you know who is more knowledgeable.
Most programs that you download simply have an "uninstall" feature that comes with them. If you're like me and you download a lot of free programs or free trials, after a while your computer begins to slow down. That means it's time for me to remove some of the old programs I don't use any more (and most I only used once just to see how they work).
To uninstall unused programs from your computer, first click on the Start button on the bottom left, then Programs, then click on the name of the program and Uninstall. If there is no uninstall option, then click on the Start button on the bottom left, then Control Panel, Add/Remove Programs.
Again, if you are unsure whether or not to remove a program, it is best to leave it.
If you follow these instructions, you should find your computer working faster right away.
5) Get A High Speed Internet Connection
If you spend a lot of time on the internet, a high speed internet connection is a must. It is more expensive, but for most people the savings in time and effort is worth the added expense.
There are several advantages of having a high speed internet connection - faster surfing, web pages open more quickly, files download faster, and if you send or receive large files, like pictures or video, trying to open these files with a slower dialup connection is extremely frustrating!
If you're already spending $20 a month or more for your dialup connection (through your phone line) then you'll find DSL to be comparable in price, and a lot faster.
A cable internet connection might cost a little more, but it is usually the fastest type of internet connection you can get from home.
High speed wireless connections are available for those who travel a lot. And high speed satellite internet is available in areas where other options are not (check your options first, as this is the most expensive high speed connection).
That's all the tips for increasing your computer speed and helping your computer run more efficiently. We hope you found these tips helpful!
Upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium Edition And Make Your System Run Faster
Introduction
Microsoft has introduced a bunch of features, such as JumpList and Windows Search, in its latest operating system edition Windows 7 Home Premium. Additional features, such as HomeGroup, Windows Media Center and Aero are also present in this edition, which were earlier meant for the business editions only.
Features, Usability and Recommendation
If you want to get all those exciting features on your computer then upgrade your computer to latest Windows 7 Home Premium. But before you upgrade you should know about eligibility factors, available upgrade options and compatibility of your computer’s hardware component.
Microsoft has given a smooth way to upgrade from current OS to latest Windows 7 Home Premium. Let’s start the upgrade with Windows Vista operating system. For the sake of understanding it will be mention ahead as “true upgrade”. It is offered in two modes, one is Free while the other one is paid service. Free upgrade has been offered in collaboration with some leading manufacturers like HP, Dell, and Lenovo etc. If you have purchased your PC with a Windows Vista license on or after July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010, then you are shortlisted applicant for it. April 30, 2010, is the dead line within which the licensed copy of Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade shall be delivered to you.
Next, if you have a Visa operating system, but you don’t fall in the eligibility list of Free upgrade, you can purchase Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade CD/DVDs from an authentic source.
Important: Only Windows Vista Home Premium is supported for true upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium.
Installation procedure is pretty simple, just load your DVD-ROM with the CD/DVD of Windows 7 Home Premium and restart your computer to boot, sometimes you may need to change the boot order from BIOS, if required. Now, let the setup to execute and start the installation wizard. You need to follow the on-screen prompts and everything will be carried away in an automatic way. Enter your product activation key, which will be mentioned as a 25 digit alpha-numeric key above your DVD’s cover. In addition enter computer name and user name.
But, if your computer bears Windows XP or earlier version, then you need to do some extra effort. Understand the hardware compatibility of your computer with the help of Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. This program is available as free download from Microsoft’s website. It suggests if there is any requirement for hardware upgrade. Do as recommended.
For your convenience, I have mentioned the minimum hardware configuration for Windows 7 Home Premium as:
• Processor-1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)
• Memory-1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• Hard disk-16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• Graphic card-DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Only when you are assured that your PC meets the minimum system requirement, install Windows 7 Home Premium on your computer. Installation process remains the same, except when prompted for “Type of Installation”, and just click on “Clean Install”. But never forget to back up your previous hard disk in order to retain your important programs and settings in your new environment.
Microsoft has introduced a bunch of features, such as JumpList and Windows Search, in its latest operating system edition Windows 7 Home Premium. Additional features, such as HomeGroup, Windows Media Center and Aero are also present in this edition, which were earlier meant for the business editions only.
Features, Usability and Recommendation
If you want to get all those exciting features on your computer then upgrade your computer to latest Windows 7 Home Premium. But before you upgrade you should know about eligibility factors, available upgrade options and compatibility of your computer’s hardware component.
Microsoft has given a smooth way to upgrade from current OS to latest Windows 7 Home Premium. Let’s start the upgrade with Windows Vista operating system. For the sake of understanding it will be mention ahead as “true upgrade”. It is offered in two modes, one is Free while the other one is paid service. Free upgrade has been offered in collaboration with some leading manufacturers like HP, Dell, and Lenovo etc. If you have purchased your PC with a Windows Vista license on or after July 1, 2009 to January 1, 2010, then you are shortlisted applicant for it. April 30, 2010, is the dead line within which the licensed copy of Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade shall be delivered to you.
Next, if you have a Visa operating system, but you don’t fall in the eligibility list of Free upgrade, you can purchase Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade CD/DVDs from an authentic source.
Important: Only Windows Vista Home Premium is supported for true upgrade to Windows 7 Home Premium.
Installation procedure is pretty simple, just load your DVD-ROM with the CD/DVD of Windows 7 Home Premium and restart your computer to boot, sometimes you may need to change the boot order from BIOS, if required. Now, let the setup to execute and start the installation wizard. You need to follow the on-screen prompts and everything will be carried away in an automatic way. Enter your product activation key, which will be mentioned as a 25 digit alpha-numeric key above your DVD’s cover. In addition enter computer name and user name.
But, if your computer bears Windows XP or earlier version, then you need to do some extra effort. Understand the hardware compatibility of your computer with the help of Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor. This program is available as free download from Microsoft’s website. It suggests if there is any requirement for hardware upgrade. Do as recommended.
For your convenience, I have mentioned the minimum hardware configuration for Windows 7 Home Premium as:
• Processor-1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64)
• Memory-1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• Hard disk-16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• Graphic card-DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Only when you are assured that your PC meets the minimum system requirement, install Windows 7 Home Premium on your computer. Installation process remains the same, except when prompted for “Type of Installation”, and just click on “Clean Install”. But never forget to back up your previous hard disk in order to retain your important programs and settings in your new environment.
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