PC Hints and Tips

There’s a great page that shows you all the things you can do to get more from your Google searches at www.google.com/landing/searchtips. Feel free and check that site around.

WHile copying or moving large files from one part of your hard disk to another isn’t generally that strenuous, transferring them between drives can be torturously slow at times – especially if the request involves large or multiple items. TeraCopy not only speeds up transfers considerable but it lets you pause and resume them too.

Minimum Requirements: XP/Vista

www.codesector.com/teracopy.php

This basic-looking tool is surprisingly thorough and can detect and remove most types of malware on your system. Choose the drives or areas to target and click Start Scan. It doesn’t require installation so can be run directly from a USB Flash drive, useful if you want to check that someone else’s PC is clean before you use it.

Minimum Requirements: XP/Vista

http://www.norman.com/support/support_tools/58732/en

If you’ve ever tried to rename a large group of files in one go you’ll know it can be something of a pain. The standard way to do so in Windows is to select all the items, press F2, type a name and hit Enter, but it’s much easier to use a tool like Rename Master. It can add, remove, or replace parts of a filename, number a sequence, change the title case and so on.

Minimum Requirements: XP/Vista

www.joejoesoft.com

Driver Sweeper is designed to remove unwanted drivers from your system – ones left over when you upgrade your video card or change your printer,  for example. To use it just uninstall the old hardware, optionally reboot your PC into safe mode, then run the software. It’s not a program everyone will need, but if you upgrade your hardware on a regular basis if could come in handy.

Minimum Requirements: XP/Vista

phyxion.net

Before you make any major changes in Windows, you should always set a System Restore point that you can roll back to in the event of any problems arising. Points are often created automatically for you but it never hurts to create another, just to make sure. To use System Restore in Vista, click Start and type ‘restore’ (without the quotes) into the search box. In XP, go to Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools and click System Restore. From here, you can manually create a System Restore point or return your computer to a previous set-up.

Check the monitor cable is plugged into the back of your PC and has’t come loose. Try wiggling it to see if that solves the problem. If the colour changes while you’re doing this, you know you’re on the right path. Also, check where the cable connects to the back of the monitor. You can adjust the colour by right-clicking the Desktop and choosing Properties, then clicking the Settings tag. Select a different option from the ‘Color quality’ drop-down menu and click Apply. If the problem persists, it’s likely to be a fault with the monitor itself. You’ll need to get it repaired by a professional or buy a new one.

With Remote Desktop Connection you can access a computer running Windows from another computer running WIndows that is connected to the same network or to the internet. Click the Start button, select All Programs or Programs, and then click Accessories. To quickly open Remote Desktop Connection, open the Start menu, and they type ‘mstsc’ (without the quotes) in the Search box.

Vista’s built-in Parental Controls are accessible through the Control Panel. They let you block or allow specific programs and activities (including instant messengaging, set time limites and collect information on computer usage. The Parental Controls can be easily changed to reflect your specific needs.

Click the Start button, right-click Computer and then click Properties. The Windows Vista edition you are running is listed under ‘Windows edition’ at the top of the screen.