Setup the webserver in easy way

Have you ever wanted to set up a web server on you computer to either do some development or maybe run a small site but think it is too hard to actually set up? If so, then today’s post will point in the right location.

XAMPP is the solution to your problem. This special distribution of the most widely used web server, Apache, makes setting up a web server with MySQL, PHP, Perl, FTP, and much more, truly a single click solution. After installing XAMPP you will be up and running with little to none configuration needed. Best of all, it’s free!

Think it is too good to be true? Download it and find out.

Note: If you plan on using your home computer as a web server, check your ISP’s terms of service to make sure this is allowed.

Desktop sidebar

If you have upgraded to Vista, one of the more noticeable immediate changes is the addition of the desktop components which allows you to view an analog clock, RSS feeds, weather, etc. While this ships with Vista, Windows 2000 and XP users can get a similar tool via the free Desktop Sidebar program.

This tool allows you add many of the same components available in Vista plus more, including:

• Search
• Media Player / WinAmp Controls
• Performance Monitors
• Inbox
• Todo List

I have really found the Vista component useful, so I have no doubt this tool will be a good edition to 2000/XP installation.

Fixing NTLDR is missing errors

One thing I have noticed on message boards I visit is more and more people seem to be having problems with the NTLDR going missing or corrupt. As you may know, the NTLDR (NT Loader) is the default boot loader Windows uses to start itself up. If this goes missing or gets corrupted, Windows may not know how to start (unless you have another boot loader loaded on your system).

My guess is due to the rise in popularity of Linux, many people are trying it and when they load it on their system, it replaces NTLDR with either GRUB or LILO (Linux boot loaders). This is all fine and dandy until you want to remove Linux, then the nasty NTLDR message can start appearing.

This is a nifty looking resource which looks like it addresses this problem easily. While I have not personally tried it, I don’t see why it wouldn’t work. If you prefer to go the Microsoft route then this KB article would be a good starting point.

Hopefully you don’t have to worry about any such errors, but in case you do, this information can help.

Cleaning up corrupted installs

If you have ever had problems trying to uninstall a program through the Add/Remove Programs dialog, typically this is because required uninstall files have gone missing. Typically it doesn’t do any harm to have “dead” installs listed in the Add/Remove Programs list, but it can be annoying.

To remedy this problem, try using the Windows Installer CleanUp Utility. This program, among other things, removes files and registry entries which the problem program’s installer created. While it is not 100% guaranteed to work (as it depends on how “messy” the installation actually is), it is a good and easy starting point to get rid of the unwanted program.

Resetting your internet connection

If you use either DSL or a Cable Modem and find your Internet connection has unexpectedly gone down, before you dial up tech support, try “resetting” your Internet connection. Here is how:

1. Shut down your computer.
2. If you have a router, unplug it.
3. Unplug your DSL / Cable Modem.
4. Wait 30 seconds.
5. Plug your DSL / Cable Modem back in.
6. Wait 30 seconds.
7. If you have a router, plug it back in.
8. Turn on your computer.

For the most part, this will fix any connections where your Internet connection has all of a sudden gone down without you having reconfigured your environment. However, if your ISP is having issues at the time, this will not fix it (as it is up to them), but it is a good starting point for troubleshooting.

Shortcut to bypass Windows XP startup programs

If you are troubleshooting your Windows XP installation, a prudent task is to boot up your machine without running the configured startup programs. Doing this can disable malicious programs from loading altogether.

Of course doing this could require quite a bit of effort if you were to manually edit the msconfig entries. Instead, try a shortcut mentioned in this Microsoft article, Troubleshooting the Startup Process, which is to simply hold down the Shift key while booting your machine. Doing this disables programs set to load in the following locations:

• systemdrive\Documents and Settings\Username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
• systemdrive\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
• windir\Profiles\Username\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
• windir\Profiles\All Users\Start Menu\Programs\Startup

In order for this to work, you have to continue to hold down the Shift key until all the desktop program icons have appeared.

Additionally, this is a great way to make your computer boot faster to Windows as it doesn’t load all the programs in the background. You would, however, have to start these program manually if you wanted to use them.

Free registry cleaner

It seems the Windows Registry has become a hot topic lately in the world of security and reliability. So much that there are many applications available which do nothing but try to detect errors in the Windows Registry.

If you are looking for a free tool, a utility which has received high praise is EasyCleaner. While I am always cautious (and skeptical) before doing anything with the registry, the EasyCleaner description on the website makes the program seem as though it is pretty straight forward and only looks at the obvious.

So if you want to try to clean up your registry, give it a try. Just remember there are always risks whenever you mess with your registry, so be careful and make sure you have a backup just in case!

Online password stength checker

We all know that using a weak password is a no-no. Your dog’s name, your birthday or the word “password” are all bad ideas as they lend a higher probability to being cracked. While using a strong password may not be feasible for every login you create, you should definitely use on important sites, such as your online banking login.

A very nifty web tool which Microsoft makes available is their Online Password Strength Checker. This tool is very simple, just type your password in the box and you can instantly see whether it is weak, medium or strong. Don’t worry, your passwords are not saved, everything seems to be accomplished through client side script.

Give your current passwords a try and make sure they are at the appropriate strength

Find the right screen resolution of your screen

Many a time, our nifty new computers are shipped out with a variety of default settings; one of these being the screen resolution. Screen resolution is measured in pixels and when the resolution is increased or decreased, the size and amount of pixels displayed on the screen increases and decreases respectively. By upping the resolution, we also increase the amount of screen space available because everything becomes smaller. This would be a common, and relatively simple, solution when one is fed up with scroll bars on webpages or minimal task bar real estate.

First, investigate which resolutions are supported by your monitor and which resolution is considered “native”; this is the resolution at which the monitor was designed for and aesthetically looks the nicest. Then, by Right Clicking on the Desktop > clicking on Properties > and selecting the Settings tab, you can alter the screen resolution to the dimensions of your desire.

Access Linux Drives from Windows

If you run a dual boot between Linux and Windows (or want to), then it would probably be handy to be able to access your Linux files from Windows. Natively, you cannot do this from Windows as it will recognize the standard Linux file system’s, ext2 and ext3, as an unknown partition.

To solve this problem, look no farther than the Ext2 Installable File System For Windows. Once you have this tool installed, you will be able to read and write to your Linux drives, just as you would in Windows.

If you run a dual boot, this tool is invaluable.

Important check before upgrading your OS

As a rule of thumb, anytime you are upgrading or moving operating systems, it is important to make sure your essential hardware and software are supported on the new OS. Be it Windows XP to Vista, SUSE to Ubuntu, or OSX to Tiger (you get the idea), due your homework to make sure your stuff is supported.

In a perfect world, vendors would be on the same page as the developers, however this is not always the case. If your hardware or software is not supported on the platform you are moving to, be sure to contact the appropriate vendor and find out when support will be available.

Tips for increasing life of CDs and DVDs

You probably know CD and DVD media, while overall is fairly durable, can easily be damaged. Here are just a few tips to help keep your CD’s and DVD’s in top shape:

1. Never touch the underside of a CD or a DVD. It’s a sensitive area. Fingerprints and smudges can affect the disk’s readability. Always use your thumb for support on the outer rim and insert your index finger in the hole to hold the disk.
2. When you are loading your CD’s/DVD’s from the top, don’t bend the disk too much while inserting it to the rotation motor. Push the disk gently on the motor from the area outside the center ring.
3. The best way to store your media is in jewel or DVD cases. CD sleeves or other pouches may damage the media due to constant friction.
4. Never expose your disks to direct sunlight. There could be data deterioration due to the heat and high intensity light of the sun.

If you do notice the first signs of deterioration, backup or make a copy of your media so you can be sure to avoid data loss.

Receive fax via e-mail

If you ever have a need to send and receive faxes and do not want to make the investment in the hardware and perhaps a phone line, then doing faxing through email probably fits your situation. If you are looking for such as service then take a look at EFax.

They offer a free service which lets you receive up to 20 fax pages per month on your own unique fax number. If you have a small business, this is the perfect (and cost effective) way to allow your customers to communicate through faxing.

Unfortunately, the free service does not allow you to send faxes via email, as this requires one of their pay services. Still, if you want to receive faxes then EFax is worth a look.

Running windows XP inside of Windows Vista

If you are hesitant to upgrade to Windows Vista because one of your programs is not supported, you can install and run Windows XP completely inside of Windows Vista. The magic is all in a fantastic free product, Microsoft Virtual PC 2007. This is not a dual boot, but a complete OS installation inside of Vista, itself. I use this setup every day at work in order to run Vista as my primary OS and can seamlessly open my XP installation at any time to run apps which do not work in Vista.

Here is a high level overview of what you would need to do in order to do this. It really isn’t hard… seriously.

1. Download and install Microsoft Virtual PC 2007.
2. Create a new virtual machine. You can either use the XP preset or customize it yourself.
3. Put your XP install disk inside your CD drive.
4. Start the XP virtual machine and as it boots up, the XP installation program will load.
5. Install XP as you would on any PC.
6. That’s it.

Once the installation is done, you will have a complete XP environment inside your Vista installation.

Note: I would recommend you have ~2 GB of memory before doing this. The reason is while you are running a virtual PC, both it and Vista will be using memory (because you are running 2 OS’s at once).

Disable vista's administrator confirmations

One security feature which Windows Vista implements is a virtual “blanket” between a standard user account and an administrator account. This leads to a more secure system because administrator level tasks, such as modifying the registry or installing new programs, cannot be done through a normal user. As a result, Vista will prompt you whenever you run any program which tries to perform this action.

This popup usually dims the screen and halts all activity until you answer. While this is a good security measure, you might want to disable it if it inhibits your usage. Here is how:

For Vista Business and Ultimate:

1. Open Control Panel (Classic View).
2. Open Administrative Tools.
3. Open Local Security Policy.
4. Select Local Policies > Security Options.
5. Locate the option for “User Account Control: Behavior of the elevation prompt for administrators in Admin Approval Mode”.
6. Change this value to: Elevate without prompting.

For Vista Home versions:

1. Open Start > Run > regedit
2. Go to: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System
3. Change the value of ConsentPromptBehaviorAdmin to 00000000
4. Close regedit.

After making these changes you should no longer receive the prompt to open certain applications and utilities as the administrator.

Removing windows start menu display delay

Did you know that, by default in Windows, there is a 400 ms delay between the time you press the Start Menu button and when the display process actually starts? You can easily remove this delay by making a simple registry entry change:

1. Open Start > Run.
2. Enter: regedit
3. Click Ok. The Registry Editor will open.
4. Browse to: HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Control Panel > Desktop
5. Double click on the entry “Menu Show Delay”.
6. Change the value to 0 to remove the delay.
7. Close the Registry Editor.

Now there will not be an imposed time on load of the Start Menu. This works for both XP and Vista.

Automatically paste text into Outlook without formatting

One of the “it’s about time” features Outlook 2007 implements is a setting where you can paste text from a external source (such as a web page or Word document) directly into your message where the pasted text format stays consistent with the rest of your message text. In the past, you would have to use Edit > Paste Special > Unformatted Text or the Notepad trick, but no longer!

Here are the steps to make pasted text into your Outlook messages conform with your existing text:

1. Compose a new message.
2. Click the Office bar in the upper left corner of the new message window.
3. Click the Editor Options button in the bottom right.
4. Select the Advanced menu.
5. In the “Cut, copy and paste” section, change the first 4 options to “Keep Text Only”.
6. Click Ok to apply your settings.

Now you can copy and paste from anywhere without being constantly annoyed with having to make the font and size consistent.

I say it again… it’s about time!

Power Protection

Are your computers ready to weather the strain of brownouts, blackouts, surges and sags?

If you answered “Not Sure” or “No,” you're certainly not alone.

In most small businesses, unless you have an in-house computer support person, or a similar arrangement with a local consultant, your computers, phone system and telecommunications equipment may be a lot more vulnerable than you realize.

Unfortunately, when it comes to all things related to data protection, vulnerability means exposure to huge potential expenses.

computer consulting free tips for small business computer consultants

Although power disturbances can take on many forms, the most common root cause is the fact that utility companies cannot provide electrical power consistently and cleanly enough for various computer hardware devices.

So your company needs a strategy for coping with this lack of power reliability.

You need to protect not only your hardware from physical damage like getting fried, but even more important, your irreplaceable company data.

I find that a lot of small business managers feel impervious to power problems.

My response, “I see you have eight software applications open on your PC right now and 14 people connected to the server.

What would happen if I yanked the power cord out of the wall right now without warning you to first save your files?”
If I were to try this in an office without a battery backup unit, I’d likely get escorted to the door very fast.

But, this example does drive the message home.

Many power protection products for small businesses are available, but there are two main tools that must be in your power protection arsenal: surge protectors and battery backup units.

Software Updates

Are your computers ready to weather the strain of brownouts, blackouts, surges and sags?

If you answered “Not Sure” or “No,” you're certainly not alone.

In most small businesses, unless you have an in-house computer support person, or a similar arrangement with a local consultant, your computers, phone system and telecommunications equipment may be a lot more vulnerable than you realize.

Unfortunately, when it comes to all things related to data protection, vulnerability means exposure to huge potential expenses.

computer consulting free tips for small business computer consultants

Although power disturbances can take on many forms, the most common root cause is the fact that utility companies cannot provide electrical power consistently and cleanly enough for various computer hardware devices.

So your company needs a strategy for coping with this lack of power reliability.

You need to protect not only your hardware from physical damage like getting fried, but even more important, your irreplaceable company data.

I find that a lot of small business managers feel impervious to power problems.

My response, “I see you have eight software applications open on your PC right now and 14 people connected to the server.

What would happen if I yanked the power cord out of the wall right now without warning you to first save your files?”
If I were to try this in an office without a battery backup unit, I’d likely get escorted to the door very fast.

But, this example does drive the message home.

Many power protection products for small businesses are available, but there are two main tools that must be in your power protection arsenal: surge protectors and battery backup units.