How to Recover Data From an Old Hard Disk Drive

It can be so exciting to get a computer upgrade that all things aren't considered. After an upgrade, one can come to realize that data or files are missing. These will, of course, need to be recovered. It is possible to recover data, even if the computer has been upgraded or drives reformatted. Everybody knows what a hassle it is to lose important data. All the energy one puts in to do the work, not to mention valuable time and even money. This is especially true if you use your computer to conduct your business. If high availability of your data is a must to run your day to day business successfully, you'll want to read these steps right away to recover the data from an old hard disk drive.

Step 1

Recover from back up. The very first thing you would want to check is that if you had performed a back up of your old system prior to the upgrade of you computer. Then find out if you can recover from the back ups performed. You can do a restore and recover of the files of your choice using the back up recover steps on the back software. The software you probably used is one of the three most popular ones: Symantec, Netbackup Exec or Norton.
Step 2

Use a Ghost CD. If you have saved your Ghost CD and you have followed instructions to use it when you first set up your computer, you will be able to recover data from your newly partitioned hard drive. Ghost stands for "General Hardware-Oriented System Transfer", and it utilizes a disk cloning program which can be later used for recovery. Although this program was not intended for use as a back up program, it can function as such when it is time to recover deleted files.
Step 3

Utilize data recovery software. If you can install software and follow basic steps, you can use data recovery software. A sample of software is Get My Files software available from GetData. You can download this online for a fee. See the link under the Resources section for a link to the official website.
Step 4

Utilize data recovery online services. If you are a very busy individual or not as tech savvy, you can contact a data recovery service provider or company to try to recover your deleted data for you. You can search online by typing the words "data recovery companies" and you will be amazed at the search results. Check the Better Business Bureau's website (listed under Resources) to ensure that you contact the companies that are trustworthy and dependable.
Step 5

Call technical support. Most computers purchased have technical support hot-lines. Call the toll free number provided for by the computer manufacturer and ask for help on how you can recover your deleted files. They will walk you through some steps to do it correctly. They may be able to send you a disk or recovery software for a fraction of the cost. Find out also if your warranty provides for data recover support. Some companies offer that at time of purchase which can be added as extended warranty for parts and PC troubleshooting

How to Back Up a Hard Drive Using Norton Ghost 2003

Step1

Open Norton Ghost 2003 by clicking on the desktop icon or using your computer's "Start Menu". Once the software is fully loaded, you will need to open the "Tools" section.
Step 2

Plug in the external hard drive to an open USB-2 port. Load the necessary software to bring that drive online and ensure that it is powered up and has sufficient open space to copy your computer's main hard drive.
Step 3

Click "Copy My Hard Drive" on the Tools page. The "Hard Drive Copy Wizard" will start. Follow the on-screen prompts to begin the process.
Step 4

Choose the right drive to copy using the "Copy My Hard Drive Wizard". Select the destination drive from the drop-down list.
Step 5

Select the options that you want from the list. If you're using a blank hard drive to boot your computer after the backup, you will want to select the "Set drive active (for booting OS)" option and also the "Copy MBR" option. This copies your "Master Boot Record", which means that you will be using the destination drive to boot your computer until you replace your current hard drive.
Step 6

Complete the process. When you get your new hard drive installed, you can move the backed-up copy from the external back to your main drive, and you're back in business

How to Transfer data Between two hard drives

Step 1

Connect your new computer directly to your old computer with a crossover cable. This method is good if you have two fully working computers. Connect one end of the cable to each computer’s network card.
Step 2

Set each computer up to share. Make sure file sharing is enabled. Then share each drive letter on both computers. Turn off any firewalls on both computers. Give each computer a separate IP address but the same gateway and netmask. Also, go into the control panel and setup each computer on a home network with the same name.
Step 3

Find one computer from the other. Go to the old computer and look in network neighborhood for the other computer. When you see it, click on it and you will see the contents of the drive you set to share.
Step 4

Open another window and select all the information you want to copy. You can now drag or copy and paste the files you want into the window showing the drive on the new computer.
Inside One Computer
Step 1

Install both hard drives on one computer. Most likely you will already have one hard drive installed. If the second hard drive is an IDE drive, you can simply plug in where the CD ROM is connected and temporarily disconnect your CD drive. If it’s not an IDE drive, you will have to connect it to whatever device type is required.
Step 2

Prepare the drives. If your drive is new, you will need to format and partition the drive first. Once this is done, reboot the computer and both drives should be visible in windows explorer.
Step 3

Drag and drop or copy and paste your information from one drive to the other.
Media
Step 1

Use a writable CD. Simply copy and burn all of your files to a CD. You can also use a flash drive if you have one big enough and have the patience to connect and reconnect as many times as you need.
Step 2

Remove the current hard drive. Disconnect the current drive and install the second drive in its place.
Step 3

Insert the CD or flash drive and copy everything to the new hard drive

How to Install an Operating System on a Flash Drive

aving an operating system on a flash drive is handy. With a flash drive OS, you carry your own system from computer to computer so you don't have to rely on other people's systems. You can also recover files from damaged systems, test hardware, and give demonstrations of Linux. Installing Linux on a flash drive is a piece of cake. Several Linux distributions have been packaged to make them easy to install from any Windows computer. This article explains how to install SLAX Linux, a Slackware derivative. SLAX is recommended because it works on any USB drive greater than 256 MB and is easy to expand with office and other programs.

ndrivelinux.com (see Resources) and follow the link to download the USB version of SLAX. It will be named something like "slax-6.x.x.x.tar."
Step 
2

Navigate to the slax-6.x.x.x.tar file you just downloaded. Using a program like 7-zip, WinRAR or IZArc, unzip the file to the root of your USB drive.
Step 
3

Your USB drive should now contain two folders, "slax" and "boot." Verify these are in the root of the drive. Note, there will also be several new files on the drive; do not remove these because they are important configuration files.
Step 
4

Open the "boot" file on the USB drive and run the program "bootinst.bat." This step is essential, as the small program will make your USB drive bootable. Once the process finishes, leave the drive in your computer and power it off.
Step 
5

Restart your computer and enter the BIOS setup by pressing the appropriate key displayed on the BIOS splash screen (generally F2 or F10).
Step 
6

In the BIOS setup, set your computer to boot from the USB drive first rather than from the CD-ROM or internal hard drive. Save your changes and exit the BIOS setup.
Step 
7

Restart your computer. It should now boot from your flash drive and present you with a SLAX Linux boot menu. Follow the onscreen instructions to boot into SLAX and enjoy.
Step 
8

There are many other types of Linux available at Pendrivelinux.com. Some require larger drives and different hardware, but all are free and can be installed on a flash drive. Play around with all of them. Running Linux on a USB drive is a great way to start out in the Linux world because it poses no risk to the host computer

Install Linux to a Flash Drive

Step1

Download the "Pen Drive Linux" installation program. Save the file to an accessible location, such as your desktop.
Step 2

Double-click on the installation program; the program will create a new folder in the same location labeled "U904p" and begin to self-extract some files.
Step 3


Download a copy of the Ubuntu 9.04 ISO. Save the ISO file to the "U904p" folder.
Step 4

Insert your flash drive into any available USB port. Open the "U904p" folder and double-click on the file labeled "U904.bat." This will activate a script which will copy the necessary files onto your USB drive; follow the onscreen instructions when prompted.
Step 5

Restart your computer and hold down the BIOS configuration key. Review the menu and select the option for configuring which device your computer will attempt to boot from first; select "USB" from the list of devices. Save your changes and exit the BIOS menu.
Step 6

Restart your computer; it should now boot from the Linux system installed on your flash drive. Follow the onscreen instructions in order to configure your new installation.

How to do a Windows XP or Vista Recovery

Windows Recovery is different from Windows Restore or Windows Repair. I have written separate articles on Restore and Repair.

When a computer is not working it can be either because of hardware or software. I have an article "How to know if it is a Hardware or Software Problem."

When a Windows XP/Vista computer is not working, locking up, presenting a BSD, only starting in Safe Mode, etc. Before Restore, Repair, or Recovery are used hardware failure should be ruled out.

Then I use Windows Restore first. If that doesn't fix it next I try Windows Repair, and finally Windows Recovery. This is because with Windows Restore and Windows Repair once you get your system back working you usually do not have to reinstall programs or worry about lost data. But with Windows Recovery you will lose programs and data.

Windows Recovery often takes your computer back to the way it was when it first came from the factory or to when Windows XP or Vista were first installed on the computer.

To recover Windows you will need the correct Windows XP or Vista installation CD and a valid product key. Brand-name desktop or laptop PCs often provide a recovery CD or have an option when the computer is working to create the recovery CD. Brand-name computers have the Windows Product Key on a sticker on the outside of the computer. If you do not have a recovery CD you may be able to get it from the brand name manufacturer. If you bought Windows retail the product key comes with the product. Hopefully you didn't throw it away.

There are ways to recover the Product Key from a working PC. See "How to find your Windows Product Key."

The major PC manufacturers often use an OEM (Original Equiment Manufacturer)copy of Windows. Hence the need for the specific Windows recovery CD for your computer. This CD is not a standard retail Windows CD. 

The Product Key is tied to the computer. If a PC came with XP Professional SP2 or Windows XP Home SP2 you will need the matching recovery CD. A disk for Windows XP Home cannot be used to recover a Windows XP Professional computer. The same is true for the different versions of Windows Vist

Step 1

1. If there is important data or irreplaceable programs and files on the computer backup the computer and verify that you have a good backup.
Step 2

2. I recommend a backup program that boots from the computer’s CD drive.
a. A lot of stores sell USB Hard Drives that come with this type of backup software.
b. Acronis True Image or Norton Ghost can create a bootable CD from a working computer.
c. With the bootable CD in the CD drive turn the computer on and follow the directions to boot from the CD drive.
i. See article “How to get a computer to boot from a CD drive.”
d. Follow the backup programs direction to make an image of the hard drive onto a removable disk drive.
Step 3

If Windows is rendered unbootable and you do not have a backup of the programs and data, I advise moving and adding the computer drive to a functioning windows computer and backing up the damaged drive from there. I cannot over emphasize the need for a backup before you do a Windows Recovery or Windows Repair.
Step 4

If the computer has programs or data important to you then only proceed once the computer is backed up.
Step 5


You will need to power on the computer to open the CD drive and insert the Windows CD or the manufacturer's Windows Recovery CD. Then close the CD drive and turn the computer off.
Step 6

Start the computer. It should boot from the Windows CD that you put in the CD drive in Step 5 because most computers are set to boot from the floppy drive, then the CD drive, and finally the hard drive. Sometimes as the computer is booting you will be asked to press a key to boot from the CD drive. If you have problems see my article on "How to boot a computer from the CD drive."
Step 7

Now you have three choices. First you may reinstall Windows over itself by following the directions Windows gives to do that as you progress through the options presented by the Windows CD. Follow the Windows CD directions and reinstall you windows to the existing windows partition and directory. When it is finished you will have to reinstall all of the windows updates. You will need to connect to the Internet and go to Start, All Programs, Windows Updates. Then you will have to check which programs that you had installed still work or not. Of course you will have to reinstall programs and data that do not work.
Step 8

Your second choice is when you find that the CD you boot from simply asks if you want to follow directions and restore the computer to its factory default settings. By following this path your computer will be put back to exactly the way it was when you brought it home from the store. When you turn it on it will act brand new and none of the programs, updates or data you have ever added to the computer will be there. This is a clean recovery and installation.
Step9

Third with an actual Windows CD you will have choices presented as you did with the first option when the computer boots from the CD. As in the first method you wait for the Setup screen to appear. It presents three options: to run the Setup program that installs Windows (this is what you did in the first choice above i.e. Step 7)or to run the Recovery Console to repair Windows, or to quit without doing anything. In this third choice you want to get into the recovery console to try to fix Windows without losing your programs and data. You are using this most difficult method because Windows Restore, Windows Repair, or doing Step 7 above i.e reinstalling Windows over itself did not work.
Step 10

After you choose to go to the recovery console you will have to enter the administrator's or user's password to gain access to the system. If you are using Windows XP Home edition, it installs you, its installer, as the Computer Administrator by default, which is the top-level User Account that allows you to install software and make changes to the system, etc. However, you have to enter User Accounts in the Control Panel to set the password for the Computer Administrator account or no password is required when Windows starts up or to enter the Recovery Console.
Step 11

The Recovery Console itself looks like the standard Windows XP command prompt but you can only use certain commands, some of which are very powerful, so don't use them unless you know what you are doing.
Step 12

When it starts the Recovery Console lists the versions of Windows running on the system and numbers them. There is usually only one and it is number 1. Enter the number 1 and press Enter. If you just press the Enter key you will exit from Recovery Console.
Step 13

Recovery Console provides a MS-DOS type prompt but many MS-DOS commands don't work and the folders you can get to are limited. At the command prompt type: help and enter to get a list of commands.

You can change to the root of drive C: by entering the cd \ command.

If you want to find out the options of any of the commands you now know are available type in that commands name with a /? after it. For example, enter CHKDSK /? to find out what it can do.
Step 14

With some of these tools you may be able to replace a corrupt file in your windows or windows system directory. You might be able to get your system to work and save your current programs and data. But most likely you will use step 7 or step 8 to get a working computer. Then you will need to reinstall all of your programs and data

How to Fix Wireless Internet Connection Problems

Step 1

Make sure your computer is not too far away from your wireless router and you have a good signal. By placing your mouse pointer over the wireless connection icon, located in the bottom right corner of your taskbar, you can check to see if your signal strength is good. Anything less than a good signal can cause intermittent connections. SOLUTION: You will need to relocate your wireless router closer to your computer.
Step 2

If you have a 2.4 GHz wireless home phone, take notice if you lose the internet connection when placing or receiving a call. These wireless phones interfere with wireless routers because they both operate on 2.4GHz frequencies. If this happens you need to power down the router and then turn it back on. This will happen occasionally but not all of the time. SOLUTION: (1) upgrade your wireless phone to 5.8GHz, (2) use a corded phone or (3) use a wired internet connection to your router.
Step 3

If steps 1 and 2 did not solve your internet connection, borrow a friend’s laptop with a wireless card and see if their laptop can connect to the internet. Be sure to set your friends wireless connection settings to the same settings that your wireless card is set to. If your friend’s laptop connects to the internet then you may have a bad wireless card. Try reconfiguring your wireless card settings before going out to purchase an external wireless card.
Step 4

If your friend’s laptop can’t connect to the internet, try resetting the router to the factory defaults. Change the settings on the wireless card to the same settings as the factory default on the wireless router. If this works you are back in business. If it does not work for either computer, the wireless portion of your router is bad. SOLUTION: Purchase a new router or use a wired connection to one of your router ports

How to Connect Your VOIP Service to your Home Phone Line

Step 1

You’ll need a high speed internet connection. This is best obtained through a cable or fiber optic internet provider.
Step 2

Your VOIP provider will recommend or sell you a special wireless router that also has a phone connection on it.
Step 3

Your land-based phone line will no longer be used, although you can probably keep your old phone number. Find the phone box that the local phone company uses to bring the phone line into your house. Disconnect their wires using a screwdriver and put electrical tape around the ends since they do carry a low voltage. This will allow you to use the telephone wiring in your home to carry the VOIP dial-tone to every phone jack in your house without interference from the phone company’s line.
Step 4

Get a dual phone jack. Run a phone cord from the phone jack of the wireless router to either side of the dual phone jack. You should now have a dial tone at every phone jack in your house

How to Recover a Lost Network Key for a Linksys Router

Step 1

Are you locked out of your own wireless network? Go to your main computer and open up the Linksys Router control screen
Step 2

In the Internet web browser (even if you cannot connect yet) type in exactly: http://192.168.1.1. This is your router's LAN address and will give you access to a host of control screens.
Step 3

The tab that you are most interested in is the security tab, click this tab on the top of the screen. This may unlock your code, so to speak.
Step 4

The WEP is revealed in this screen. Print out this screen by selecting file, print from the top menu of your web browser. Check to see if it printed out in its entirely and that no digits are missing from the end. If they are, fill in the missing numbers as needed.
Step 5

Type it in exactly when prompted by wireless network setup screens of the other computers. This will ensure you have the proper key and let you on the local network and Internet.
Step 6

Return to the original computer and close out of the Linksys screen by clicking the red "x" in the upper right hand corner

How to Make Your Internet Accounts Impossible to Hack

p 
1

Make your password complicated. Fluffy1988 is not a safe password if your cat's name is Fluffy and you were born in 1988. Use themes that have nothing to do with yourself. A hacker will try the obvious first. To avoid keeping a list of passwords, it is a good idea to set the same password to all your accounts, and change it often.
Step 
2

Though your password is important, accounts are usually hacked using the "Forgot Your Password" feature. Because of this, it is important to realize that most of the information asked for in such sections (birthday, zip code, e-mail address) are easy questions to anyone who knows you or has access to your MySpace or Facebook page. It is therefore necessary to have an impenetrable security question. A great way to make a strong security question is to choose different questions for all of your accounts, and have the same complicated answer. For example, your bank account might ask you "What is your mother's middle name?" and your e-mail may ask "Who was your first teacher?" and you can answer both with "britneyspearsisfamous45".
Step 
3

Don't give anyone your password. The person you give it to may use it less carefully than you would, doing things such as leaving you logged in to a public computer or typing it in front of people. Even if you change your password after they've used it, acount linking and secondary e-mails make it dangerous for anyone to know your old passwords.
Step 
4

Keep two separate e-mails. Use one socially and give it to friends and family, and use a separate one to use when signing up for online accounts. This way, you can avoid people trying to hack your accounts by knowing your e-mail.
Step 
5

Know the nature of hackers. Most people assume that hackers are invariably brilliant MIT students who are oppressed by their friends and take solace in trying to guess strangers' passwords. The truth is, most people who will try to hack you will be someone you know or have talked to online. If you keep this in mind when setting up your security information, you will avoid online vulnerability.
Step 
6

Hacking is not solely a product of people trying to steal your money. Hacking is like any other crime; people have a range of motives. Someone may have seen the comment you posted on a forum and not liked it, so they clicked on your username and found out your e-mail address. They search that e-mail address on MySpace and find you. Now they know your name, your birthday, and where you live. There is nothing you can do against a person like this unless you had the forethought to make your account impenetrable

How to Recover a Yahoo Email Password

step 1

Go to the Yahoo log-in page. Click the "I Can't Access My Account" link. Select the "I Forgot My Password" circle. Press the "Next" button.
Step 2

Insert the "User ID" in the box. Enter the security code that displays on the page. Capital letters are unimportant. Press the "Next" button.
Step 3

Use the secondary email account or cell phone number, and a new password will be sent. If you did not use these alternative methods, answer the security questions. Select the "Next" button after both questions.
Step 4

Enter a new password. Once you successfully answered the questions from Step 3, you can reset your password

How to Repair System 32 in Windows XP

Repairing System32 in Windows XP
Step 1

If possible, do an Automated System Recovery by clicking on "Start" and running the mouse pointer over "All Programs," "Accessories" and "System Tools" and clicking on "Backup." If "Backup" is not on the "System Tools" list, you probably can't do an automated system recovery.
Step 2

When the backup utility starts, click on "Advanced Mode."
Step 3

Click on "Tools" and then "ASR Wizard."
Step 4

Follow the instructions in the ASR Wizard.
Step 5

Save the backup to a floppy disk or a CD-ROM.
Step 6

Insert the Windows XP installation disk into the disk drive. Close all windows and restart your computer.
Step 7

Boot the computer from the Windows XP installation disk.
Step 8

Press "F2" at the text section of "Setup" and insert your Automated System Recovery floppy disk or CD-ROM (only if you have two CD drives on your computer).
Step 9

Follow the directions and see if this works to restore your computer. If it doesn't work, move on to Step 10.
Step 10

Restart the computer again and press "R" once setup starts to get into the Recovery Console.
Step 11

Wait to be prompted to log in as an administrator. If you don't have an administrative password, press "Enter" to bypass the prompt.
Step 12

Type the following lines of information into the Recovery Console command screen and press "Enter" after each line:

md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak
delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default
copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
Step 13

Type "Exit" and press "Enter" to restart your computer. If you've previously done an NTBackup or a System State Backup, this should be the final step. If you haven't, continue to Step 14.
Step 14

During the restart, press "F8" to start the computer in Safe Mode.
Step 15

Start Windows Explorer and click on "Tools."
Step 16

Click on "Folder Options."
Step 17

Click on "View."
Step 18

Click on "Show hidden files and folders" and uncheck the box next to "Hide protected operating system files (Recommended)."
Step 19

When you are prompted to show the files, click on "Yes."
Step 20

Click on the drive that contains the Windows XP installation, and a list of folders will appear.
Step 21

Open the "System Volume Information" folder.
Step 22

Open one of the previously created System Restore folders inside the System Volume Information folder by clicking on "View" and "Details" to see when a System Restore folder was created, and opening a folder that isn't current.
Step 23

Open a Snapshot folder and copy these files to the "C:\Windows\Tmp" folder:

_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
Step 24

Rename the files in the Snapshot folder as:

Rename _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT to DEFAULT
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY to SECURITY
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE to SOFTWARE
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM to SYSTEM
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM to SAM

This will allow you to access these files and replace the old faulty System32 files when you run the Recovery Console in the next steps.
Step 25

Close all windows and restart the computer.
Setting a Working Restore Point

Step 1

After restarting your computer, press "R" at the start of Setup to go into the Recovery Console.
Step 2

Type the following lines of information at the command prompt and press "Enter" after each line:

del c:\windows\system32\config\sam 

del c:\windows\system32\config\security 

del c:\windows\system32\config\software 

del c:\windows\system32\config\default 

del c:\windows\system32\config\system 

copy c:\windows\tmp\software c:\windows\system32\config\software 

copy c:\windows\tmp\system c:\windows\system32\config\system 

copy c:\windows\tmp\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam 

copy c:\windows\tmp\security c:\windows\system32\config\security 

copy c:\windows\tmp\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
Step 
3

Type "Exit" to restart your computer.
Step 4

Log in and click on "Start." Run the mouse pointer over "All Programs," "Accessories" and "System Tools," and click on "System Restore."
Step 5

Restore the computer to a previous Restore Point; after your computer restarts and the changes take effect, your System32 problems will hopefully be fixed

How to Manually Repair a Corrupt Windows XP Registry

Step 1

Backup your data. Even if Windows will not boot you can use a HDD imaging tool to copy the files to another disk. Always make a backup before editing the registry.
Step 2

Insert your Windows XP CD and reboot the PC. Boot from the CD and when prompted press 'R' for the Recovery Console.
Step 3

Select your Windows installation from the options provided and then enter the administrator password.
Step 4

At the command prompt enter the following pressing ENTER after each line:

md tmp
copy c:\windows\system32\config\system c:\windows\tmp\system.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\software c:\windows\tmp\software.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\sam c:\windows\tmp\sam.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\security c:\windows\tmp\security.bak
copy c:\windows\system32\config\default c:\windows\tmp\default.bak

delete c:\windows\system32\config\system
delete c:\windows\system32\config\software
delete c:\windows\system32\config\sam
delete c:\windows\system32\config\security
delete c:\windows\system32\config\default

copy c:\windows\repair\system c:\windows\system32\config\system
copy c:\windows\repair\software c:\windows\system32\config\software
copy c:\windows\repair\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam
copy c:\windows\repair\security c:\windows\system32\config\security
copy c:\windows\repair\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
Step 5

Type "exit" and press ENTER. Your PC will reboot.
Step 6

When the PC starts to reboot press F8. At the boot menu select Safe Mode and press ENTER.
Step 7

Log in as the administrator and open Windows Explorer. Go to Tools->Folder Options and then click on the View tab. Check Show Hidden Files and Folders and uncheck Hide Protected Operating System Files. Click Yes when prompted.
Step 8

Browse to C:\System Volume Information\_restore{23BEBE69-7A98-4EC2-845F-1AAC4DFC8C47}, the numbers and letters in the braces will be different on your system. Once in this folder find the RP#, # being a number, folder that was modified last before the problem occurred.
Step 9

Next open the Snapshot folder. From the Snapshot folder, copy the following files to the C:\Windows\Tmp folder:

_REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM
_REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM
Step 10

Rename the files in the C:\Windows\Tmp folder as shown below:

Rename _REGISTRY_USER_.DEFAULT to DEFAULT
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SECURITY to SECURITY
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SOFTWARE to SOFTWARE
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SYSTEM to SYSTEM
Rename _REGISTRY_MACHINE_SAM to SAM
Step 11

Again boot from your Windows XP CD and press 'R' to enter the Recovery Console. At the command prompt enter the following pressing ENTER after each line:

del c:\windows\system32\config\sam 
del c:\windows\system32\config\security 
del c:\windows\system32\config\software 
del c:\windows\system32\config\default 
del c:\windows\system32\config\system 
copy c:\windows\tmp\software c:\windows\system32\config\software 
copy c:\windows\tmp\system c:\windows\system32\config\system 
copy c:\windows\tmp\sam c:\windows\system32\config\sam 
copy c:\windows\tmp\security c:\windows\system32\config\security 
copy c:\windows\tmp\default c:\windows\system32\config\default
Step 12

Type "exit" and press ENTER. Your PC will reboot.
Step 13

Allow your PC to boot into Windows normally. Once Windows starts go to Start->All Programs->Accessories->System Tools->System Restore. Here you can restore to a previous restore point

How to Debug JavaScript With Firebug

Step 1

Conduct a simple Internet search to find the Firebug application and install it as a Firefox extension. After installation there should be a green check mark at the bottom right corner of your browser.
Step 2

Open the Javascript HTML file you wish to debug. When it opens you should see an alert box that shows a series of ascending numbers and then the term "undefined" at the end of the string. The "undefined" is where your bug is.
Step 3

Press the green check mark at the bottom of your browser to open the Firebug debug panel.
Step 4

Switch to the script tab and define your breakpoint. A breakpoint suspends the debugging process when it is encountered. Reload the page.
Step 5

Click the "step over" button. Firebug is updating all the variables until your breakpoint and listing them on the right side of the debug window.
Step 6

Watch the program step through the code and follow the values it defines on the right side of the debug window to find the root of your bug.
Step 7

Spot the problem and retype the correct code. Run Firebug to make sure the problem is fixed

How to Recover a Yahoo Email Password

Step 1

Go to the Yahoo log-in page. Click the "I Can't Access My Account" link. Select the "I Forgot My Password" circle. Press the "Next" button.
Step 2

Insert the "User ID" in the box. Enter the security code that displays on the page. Capital letters are unimportant. Press the "Next" button.
Step 3

Use the secondary email account or cell phone number, and a new password will be sent. If you did not use these alternative methods, answer the security questions. Select the "Next" button after both questions.
Step 4

Enter a new password. Once you successfully answered the questions from Step 3, you can reset your password.

How to Repair a Corrupt SD Card

Step 
1

First, determine the type of SD card you have. If it is 2Gbytes or less then it is a standard SD card. If it is 4Gb or greater, then it is a high capacity or SDHC card. (There are some 4Gb standard SD cards but most are SDHC). An SDHC reader is required to read the high capacity cards since the memory allocation formatting is different. If your data is on an SDHC card, it may be intact but you’ll need the SDHC device to read it. Some devices (readers, cameras etc) may have software downloads available to upgrade the device to read the SDHC cards. Go to the device manufacturer’s website to see if such an upgrade is available.
Step 
2

An SD card is treated by your computer as another disk drive. It should be assigned a drive letter. For example your primary hard drive may be C:, your DVD drive may be D: and your card may be E:. This can be viewed with “My Computer” or “Windows Explorer.” If you insert the card and no drive letter is assigned to it, then the computer is not reading it. In other cases, the reader may be assigned a drive letter but when you click on it you get the message “Please insert disk into drive E:” indicating that it is not reading the card.
I have found that some devices may not read an SD card while other devices will. My laptop computer fails to read some SD cards, but an external card reader plugged into a USB port seems to work fine. External card readers can be found for $15 or even less. If you don’t have another device you can ask a friend to try your card.
Step 
3

Now you may find that your computer sees the card, but won’t read the files on it. Try several different files on the card. If some of them read and some don’t then one or more files may be corrupt. There are numerous file recovery programs available, some of them free. I would recommend the trying the free ones first since there is no guarantee your file can be saved. If certain vital parts of the file are corrupted it won’t be recoverable. Sometimes doing a scandisk will fix things. It usually won’t correct a bad file but it may be worth a try. First find the card in “My Computer” or Windows Explorer” and right click on it. This will bring up a menu. At the bottom of the menu, click on “Properties.” This brings up a new window with a pie chart showing the used and free space on the disk. Click on the “Tools” tab at the top, then click on the “Error-checking” button. Click the check box for fixing file system errors and click the start button. For a memory card this should only take a few seconds.
Step 
4

In some cases none of the files can be read. Sometimes the directory will list the file names but the files can’t be accesses. In other cases the file names are garbage characters or they may not show up at all. Right click on the drive letter and select “Properties.” The pie chart will show the used space on the card. If it shows all or almost all free space then either the files have been deleted or the directory has been erased. In this case, a file recovery or undelete program may help (but don’t count on it).
Step 
5

If you card reads okay but you can save a file, the card may be write protected. On the edge of the card is a small slide switch usually labeled “lock.” If this switch is slid away from the connector end of the card, then it is “locked” or write protected. To save or modify files on the card, the switch must be in the unlocked position or toward the connector end of the card.
Step 
6

If you still can’t read or write to the card, your files are probably lost. There are some disk diagnostic tools available, but some of them won’t work on memory cards. If you have resigned yourself to the loss of your files, you may still use the card by reformatting it. Again, right click on the drive letter and select format. This will erase everything on the card so be sure you have copied everything you can to another drive. When the card is reformatted the directory structure is recreated so you should now have full access to the card. If the card still won’t work it’s time to discard it

How to Remove AVG Free Antivirus

Normal Uninstall

The first thing you want to try is to locate AVG in the Add/Remove Control Panel and try to remove it from there. Follow these instructions to accomplish this.

1) Click on Start, Control Panel
2) Open Add/Remove Programs
3) Find AVG in the Programs list and highlight it
4) Click Remove and follow the prompts to uninstall AVG Free

Is There an Uninstall Utility?

Unfortunately, at this time Grisoft, the maker of AVG, does not have an uninstall utility for AVG. The recommended procedure is a time consuming one. You must download the latest version of AVG from the website, and then run it.

1) Click on the following link and download AVG to your desktop

http://free.grisoft.com/doc/5390/us/frt/0

2) Double-click on the downloaded file to run it
3) AVG will present you with three options to choose from. Choose the Uninstall option to completely uninstall AVG

Add/Remove Components - choose if you want to add/remove some components or reinstall the entire AVG program 
Repair installation - this option repairs or reinstalls missing or damaged components of AVG
Uninstall - this option removes the AVG program from your PC

How to Patch Adobe Acrobat Security Flaw

Adobe has released a patch for security flaw discovered in their Adobe Acrobat Reader product. The flaw known as a cross-site scripting vulerability allows a link to a PDF to be blended with malicious javascript with the intent to hijack a computer.

Spammers could use this technique to send a specially crafted link to a PDF file that would infect the recipients computer. The flaw affects Acrobat Reader, as well as Acrobat Standard, Professional, and Elements in versions 7.08. Its important to realize the flaw does not affect actual PDF documents themselves but rather the way those documents are linked to and retrieved from the Internet.  


How to Fix this Adobe Acrobat Flaw

Users of Adobe Reader and Adobe Acrobat can fix this flaw by updating to Adobe Reader 8.0. For users that cannot upgrade to version 8, they should upgrade to version 7.9 to protect them from this flaw.

For more information on this security issue, and steps to prevent problems, please visit the following page on Adobe's site.

http://www.adobe.com/support/security/bulletins/apsb07-01.html

For website operators, Adobe has also release workarounds to prevent the cross-site scripting vulnerability. You can find more information on these workarounds by visiting the following link.

http://www.adobe.com/support/security/advisories/apsa07-02.html

As an alternative to Adobe Reader, you may want to download the Foxit PDF Reader, a fantastic, fast and free PDF reader program.

How to Change Default Editor in Windows and Fax Viewer in Windows XP

One of the nicest features in Windows XP is the Windows and Fax Viewer that lets you quickly preview, rotate, print, delete, or edit pictures on your computer. You can also show multiple pictures in a slideshow format. Unfortunately there are some things that need tweaking to make the Windows and Fax viewer more user friendly. 

When you try to edit a saved picture, the default viewer is Windows Paint program. A very rudimentary photo/picture editor that does not offer more advanced functions of most photo editing software. You can easily change the default type for JPG, GIF, and other photo types to your preferred photo editor such as Adobe Photoshop, Macromedia Fireworks, Paint Shop Pro, or other photo editing software. However, in most cases this means changing the program that previews these images too. 

  


What if you want to preview images in the Windows and Fax Viewer, however when you click the edit button you want them image to open in your preferred program instead of Paint. There is a way to do this, it just takes some advanced editing of the file types. Follow the steps below to accomplish this.
Open My Computer
Click on Tools
Click on Folder Options
Click on the File Types tab
Select the file type to change (in most cases this will be either JPG or GIF)
Under the "Opens With" option, make sure the Windows and Fax Viewer is the chosen application. If it is not, click the CHANGE button and choose Windows and Fax Viewer and click Ok.
Click on the Advanced button. In some cases, you may have a Restore option instead. You'll need to choose Restore to change the default application and then click on the Advanced button to proceed.
Under the Actions sections, you'll want to find two important actions: Open and Edit
Click on the Open action and click on the Edit button, look for the following section

Application used to perform action

The application listed should be the following to use the Windows and Fax Viewer

rundll32.exe C:\WINDOWS\System32\shimgvw.dll,ImageView_Fullscreen %1

You'll notice this viewer uses rundll32 and a dll file to open the image, instead of a normal exe program file.
Verify the Open command is correct and click Ok
Now find the Edit action. If it is not listed do the following:
Click New
Type Edit for the action
Type the path and program name for the chosen photo editor
Ex. "C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop 7.0\Photoshop.exe" "%1"
You'll need to quotes around the path and the %1 in order for things to work properly.
Click Ok twice

If the Edit action is listed, then select Edit and click the Edit button
Change the application command line to point to your chosen photo editing program. Using the same concepts as shown in Step 12.
Click Ok and close the Folder Options window and My Computer
Find a image on your computer and double-click on it to test. The Windows and Fax viewer should open showing the picture, now click the Edit option on the bottom toolbar and your picture should open in your desired photo editing program

How Do I Fix This Corrupted Font

Why are my fonts unreadable in Norton Antivirus or Norton Systemworks?This particular problem I struggled with the other day after installing Norton Antivirus on a customer's computer. After installing the program, it opened but all the fonts were unreadable. The fonts were similar to the Symbol font instead of something normal. 

The problem appears to be a corrupted font. The Monotype Sorts font to be exact. If this font becomes damaged or corrupted (by the installation of a program), then programs using the following fonts have trouble displaying. The fonts that are affected are:
Courier
MS Sans Serif
MS Serif
Small Fonts
Symbol  


The Monotype Sorts font is not normally installed with Windows, however if this font is installed on the system and becomes damaged it can affect the fonts above.

How Do I Fix This Corrupted Font?

1) Open Control Panel
2) Double-click on the FONTS icon
3) Find the MONOTYPE SORTS font and right click on it
4) Click on Delete

Connecting two computers with a USB cable

If you have to transfer huge files from one PC to another, using a flash disk or burning a CD-ROM can seem like a waste of time. One wise way to transfer these files quickly between two computers would be to use a USB-USB cable. 

What to choose?

To be able to make the transfer, you will need: 
1. An Ethernet crossover cable 
2. A null modem serial cable. If you don’t have one, you can use a parallel peripheral cable. 
3. And finally special-purpose USB cables. 
How does it work?

The Ethernet network will allow you to transfer data between more than two PCs. One of the computers must have an Ethernet adapter, even if the others have a USB port as you can make use of the crossover cable. You can do this by plugging a USB-to-Ethernet converter device in the other computers that possess a USB port. 

The cable that you should use to connect two PCs together is called a “USB networking cableâ€�. A tiny electronic circuit is used in the middle of the connection to allow the two PC to send data to one another. You should bear in mind that if you are using serial or parallel cables, you will not be able to transfer data between more than two computers. Hence, I will suggest you to use a Direct Cable Connection to be able to get the same specifications as an Ethernet cable. 

You can make use of a USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 bridge chip to enhance the speed of your transfer. You must also bear in mind that you need an Ethernet network that works at least at 100 Mps to ease your transfers. 
What to do?

1. Both computers should be switched on and logged in into “Administratorâ€� account. 
2. On the USB port computer, plug in the USB bridge in the USB slot and the end bridge in the other computer. 
3. You must now install the USB bridge cable driver software when you are asked to. Remember to install it as a link adapter or a network adapter. 
4. If you choose to install a link adapter, you will be allowed to transfer files from one PC to another but if you choose to install a network adapter, you will be able to access the whole network’s PCs. 
5. When installation is complete, you should be able to start the data transfers between the computers connected.

Connecting to Oracle via php

 is essential to assemble PHP with Oracle8i module. Under windows, it is crucial to the php.ini to include the line extension=php_oci8.dll 
Example of code

$c1 = ocilogon("scott", "tiger", $db);
$c2 = ocilogon("scott", "tiger", $db);

function create_table($conn) 

  $stmt = ociparse($conn, "create table scott.hallo (test varchar2(64))");
  ociexecute($stmt);
  echo $conn . " created table\n\n";

function drop_table($conn) 

  $stmt = ociparse($conn, "drop table scott.hallo");
  ociexecute($stmt);
  echo $conn . " dropped table\n\n";


function insert_data($conn) 

  $stmt = ociparse($conn, "insert into scott.hallo 
  values('$conn' || ' ' || to_char(sysdate,'DD-MON-YY HH24:MI:SS'))");
  ociexecute($stmt, OCI_DEFAULT);
  echo $conn . " inserted hallo\n\n";

How to change or recover your Windows Live Messenger password

Regularly changing your MSN account password is important to prevent other people from trying to decrypt it, particularly when you make use of public or shared computers. You should keep an update of your passwords in an external folder to avoid forgetting it yourself. If this is somehow the case, there are other ways to recover your password explained in this article. 
1.Changing your password (Windows Live Messenger)

To be able to change your password, you must sign in to your email account. 

1. Sign in to your Windows Live Messenger and open your email account (the envelope icon in the upper left corner of your screen) 
2. Once your mailbox accounts is open, from the upper right corner of your screen, select "Options". 
3. Under "Manage your account" section, select the option "View and edit your personal information" 
4. Your personal information should now be displayed, as well as a section labeled "Password reset information". Click on "Change" written next to "Password: *******" 
5. Another window will pop up, prompting you to enter your current password and to type in your new one. You will have to retype the new password for confirmation. 
6. If you want to regularly change your password, check the box labeled "Make my password expire every 72 days" 
7. Finish by clicking "Save". 

Note: Do not forget to store your password in a safe folder 
2. Password Recovery

If you have forgotten your messenger password, there are three ways to recover it. 
Secret question 

When signing up for your account, you have been asked to choose a secret question from the list and provide an answer. You can use this option to recover your password by choosing "Forgot your password?" at the bottom of the screen before signing in. This will open a new browser and you will be directed to this link https://account.live.com/ResetPassword.aspx?mkt=EN-US 



1. Enter your account name (e.g. john-smith@hotmail.com) 
2. Enter the characters displayed in the required field. 
3. Click "Continue" 
4. When asked to select the option for resetting your password, choose " Use my location information and secret answer to verify my identity" 
5. Choose your location from the list (it must correspond to the location you entered upon the creation of your account). Enter your secret answer in the required field. Click "Continue" 
Send password reset instructions to your alternative email address

If you do not remember the secret answer to the secret question, you can also try to send the password reset instruction to the alternative email address entered upon account creation. 

Note: You should know beforehand the substitute email address that has been suggested upon registration of your account. 

1. Choose "Send password reset instructions to me in email" 
2. Select "Alternate email address". Click continue 
3. "Password reset instructions were sent to your alternate e-mail address. 
If you don't see the e-mail message in your inbox, look for it in your junk mail folder or check your e-mail again later." will display on your screen. 
4. You can now check your email to get the reset instructions. 
5. Copy the link provided in a new browser to confirm the request. This might take a few minutes to process the information. 
6. Enter the correct information in the required fields to confirm your identity and reset your new password.

How to Stop Feedback in Audacity

Feedback happens for many reasons, in many places. The home recording studio is no exception to this fact, as is open-source software, such as Audacity. In this How-To, we'll look at why feedback can happen in Audacity, and how to fix it.

Step 1
If, when you are attempting to record a song with Audacity, after clicking the Record button you hear a steadily increasing audible tone or whining sound, you have a feedback problem. To correct this: open Audacity. When you are at the main screen, click "Edit" then click "Preferences" located at the bottom of the drop-down window that appears.
Step 2
In the Preferences window, look for the options that state "Play other tracks while recording new one" and "Software Playthrough (Play new track while recording it) - Tip: you never want to play a track while you're recording it, as this will result in feedback.
Step 3
That being said, un-checking "Software Playthrough (Play new track while recording it)" will stop your feedback problem