An Idea can change your life.....

Saturday, December 29, 2007

How To Access Your Folders From Your Taskbar

How To Access Your Folders From Your Taskbar

This is an easy way to get to the folders on your system without having to open a Windows Explorer Window every time you want to access files. I find it very useful to have this feature as it allows me to access my Folders and Drives immediately and saves me a lot of time.

This works in Windows XP:

1. Right Click an empty spot on your Taskbar (Between your Start Button and your System Tray).


2. Click Toolbars.


3. Click New Toolbar.


4. A Small Window will Open that allows you to pick the folder you wish to make a Toolbar. If you want to access your Desktop Without having to minimize all your windows. Just Pick Desktop. If you want to access ONLY your My Documents Folder, Select that. Any folder will work for this.


5. Click OK.The New Tool bar will appear at the bottom of your screen next to your System Tray.

If you find this to be not useful, Repeat Steps 1 and 2 and then check click the Toolbar you created that has a check mark next to it. And it will disappear.
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Friday, December 28, 2007

Great Freewares

Here's a list of useful freeware applications, arranged alphabetically by category. Please post your favourite software to this thread....

Antivirus:
Audio Players:
Audio Utilities:
dbPowerAMP Music Converter - http://www.dbpoweramp.com/dmc.htm

CD Recording:
CD/DVD Burner XP - http://www.cdburnerxp.se/
CD Utilities:
Download Managers:
Encryption:
Firewall:
Kerio Personal Firewall - http://www.kerio.com/kpf_home.html
GUI Utilities:
Image Viewers:
Instant Messaging:
Yahoo Instant Messenger - http://messenger.yahoo.com/
AOL Instant Messenger - http://www.aim.com/
Networking:
Ethereal Protocol Analyzer - http://www.ethereal.com/
HyperTerminal Private Edition - http://www.hilgraeve.com/htpe/download.html
Programming:
Publication/Document Manipulation:
Spyware Protection:
Spybot: Search & Destroy - http://spybot.safer-networking.de/
System Utilities:
Motherboard Monitor - http://mbm.livewiredev.com/
Video Players:
Core Media Player - http://www.tcmp.org/
Video Utilities:
Web Browsers:
Web/FTP Servers:
i hope u all would like it
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Wednesday, December 26, 2007

Microsoft Beta Exams

How can I take a beta exam?
Microsoft sets prerequisites for beta exam candidates that vary by exam. In every case of, this has meant having passed a related exam or older version of the one going into beta testing. For exam 70-218, however, they excluded anyone who was already an MCSE on Windows 2000. They were trying to eliminate overqualified candidates. For some reason, Microsoft also requires you to subscribe to the 'MCP Flash' email newsletter in order to get an invitation.


Wait a minute, if you have to have passed a previous exam to take a beta, how did they choose people for the first exam?
Long ago, MS beta exams were open to anyone interested. There were no prerequisites or invitations. But you had to pay half price to take the exam, so that encouraged candidates to screen themselves to a degree. There were also prizes for passing or sometimes just taking these beta exams.
How do I know when a new exam is on its way?
Microsoft has a page that lists exams in development, it's worth checking once in a while.
All my friends got invitations, but not me. What shall I do?
Email mcphelp@microsoft.com and express your interest in the exam and any qualifications you think are relevant. Also include any MCP ID so they can check any criteria that hadn't thought of. They've always sent you the necessary information to register with very little hassle.
How long does an exam beta period last?
Usually about a week, but if an insufficient number of people take the test, Microsoft will extend the beta. They need a certain minimum to ensure the statistics gathered are valid. The first 4 or 5 betas I did all had significant extensions - Some lasted for months. But in the last couple of years, these extensions seem to be rare, so don't count on seeing one.
How is a beta exam different from a live exam?
It's free. It's much longer than the live exam - up to twice as long. And you don't find out if you passed when you're done. Your result is snail-mailed to you anywhere from 5 to 10 weeks after the beta ends. If you passed the beta, you can usually see results posted to your Microsoft transcript a week or so before the mail arrives. When Microsoft announces a specific 'go live' date for an exam, it usually means that results will be on their way to beta testers soon.
If you pass a beta exam, do you still have to retake the exam after it goes live?
No, in fact you are prohibited from retaking an exam after passing it. Passing the beta counts for everything that passing the live version does.
Why would anyone want to take a beta exam?
Did I mention it was free? Many beta testers also enjoy participating in the process. It's likely that comments on questions during a beta are much more important than after the exam has gone live. There's also some competitiveness about being 'first' to pass an exam, and beta testers have a huge advantage there. There have also been serious problems with braindumps for these exams, eventually requiring great skepticism about results obtained after actual exam questions are widely available. While MS has recently taken some very positive steps in addressing this problem, avoiding any possible suspicion of cheating is one of the big factors that motivates me.
Why doesn't everyone try to take beta exams?
They are much longer than live exams. There is usually a lot less known about an exam during the beta. Is it considered easy or hard? How many questions are there? Are any particular topics emphasized? And there are probably no tools specifically designed to help prepare you for the exam during its beta period. No practice exams, no study guides, just you and your big giant brain. Also, since the beta periods are generally pretty brief and invitations are typically sent about one month in advance, some people are just unable to arrange the time to take the exam even without doing any specific preparation for it.
Is a beta exam easier or harder than the live exam?
In short, no. The question pool for the live exam will be composed of a subset of questions that appeared on the beta exam, just with a small number removed that proved to be extremely easy or difficult or had a strong negative correlation with overall exam performance. And those removed items would not be counted in the scores for the beta testers. The beta statistics provide, among other things, information about the relative difficulty of each question, so the live exams can be reliably structured to be exactly as difficult (or easy) as the beta exam is. Microsoft does not give beta testers any "bonus" or "penalty" for having taken the beta - their criteria for passing is the same in either case.However the beta will be longer, so endurance may be a slight factor making it more difficult. And testers taking the live exam likely have many more resources available to help prepare for the exam.
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Saturday, December 22, 2007

Self Appraisal

A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits.

The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation: The boy asked, "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn? The woman replied, "I already have someone to cut my lawn." "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now." replied boy. The woman responded that she was very satisfied with the person who was presently cutting her lawn. The little boy found more perseverance and offered, "Lady, I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach , Florida ." Again the woman answered in the negative. With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver.


The store-owner, who was listening to all, walked over to the boy and said, "Son... I like your attitude; I like that positive spirit and would like to offer you a job." The little boy replied, "No thanks, I was just checking my performance with the job I already have. I am the one who is working for that lady I was talking to!
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Download any song from online

You can download any song from online.

However the format will be .rm and you need to use the audio converter like super or any other audio converter to convert.

Want to dowload song from Raaga,smashits.

1.Open the link below and download the software.http://www.donationcoder.com/Software/Mouser/urlsnooper/
It is freeware.

2. Once you download. Please install and configure for the network card of yours where the internet connected.

3.Open the raaga or any smashits website. Open the song and play it. When it start playing. You need to sniff the network and it will show the actual path.

4.Please copy and paste it in the address bar to download the .rm song.

It is easy and you can play the song with same quality for life long without connecting to the internet. However you require the Real player or any other .rm player to play this.

You can also encode to a different formats..

Using the Super named software.
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Download any ActualTest PDF directly from actualtests.com

1 - create one account in: Actual Test

2 - Select your exam number replace by xxx-xxx and down.
For example, download Microsoft 070-290 exam.

3 - Copy & Paste link in your browser and replace xxx-xxx by number
selected.hxxp://www.actualtests.com/default.asp?show=downfile&file=xxx-xxx.zip

Example:hxxp://www.actualtests.com/default.asp?show=downfile&file=071-290.zip
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Three-recommended-blogging-platforms

If you are ready to join the blogging revolution in the new year, here are some recommended platforms. WordPress receives high marks for ease of use, and offers both free hosting and free software for those hosting their blogs elsewhere. Movable Type offers a free, personal version of their high-end blogging software to those who have hosting. But if you want a hosted Movable Type account at TypePad, there is a monthly fee. Blogger is also free, easy and includes hosting, but doesn’t have the array of sophisticated features the other platforms have.
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Thursday, December 20, 2007

Generate INSERT statements using existing data

This procedure generates INSERT statements using existing data from the given tables and views. Later, you can use these INSERT statements to generate the data. It's very useful when you have to ship or package a database application. This procedure also comes in handy when you have to send sample data to your vendor or technical support provider for troubleshooting purposes.

Click here to download the procedure

Advantages:


  1. Data from both tables and views can be scripted
  2. No CURSORs are used
  3. Table names and column names with spaces are handled
  4. All datatypes are handled except images, large text and binary columns with more than 4 bytes
  5. NULLs are gracefully handled
  6. Timestamp columns are handled
  7. Identity columns are handled
  8. Very flexible and configurable
  9. Non-dbo owned tables are handled
  10. Computed columns are handled
  11. You can filter the rows for which you want to generate INSERTs

Usage:

  • To generate INSERT statements for table 'titles':
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts'titles'

  • To ommit the column list in the INSERT statement: (Column list is included by default)
    NOTE: If you have too many columns, you are advised to ommit column list, as shown below, to avoid erroneous results
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles' ,@Include_Column_List = 0

  • To generate INSERT statements for 'titlesCopy' table from 'titles' table:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles' , 'titlesCopy'

  • To generate INSERT statements for 'titles' table for only those titles which contain the word 'Computer' in them:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles' ,@From = "from titles where title like '%Computer%'"

  • To specify that you want to include TIMESTAMP column's data as well in the INSERT statement:
    NOTE: By default TIMESTAMP column's data is not scripted
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles' , @Include_Timestamp = 1

  • To print the debug information:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts 'titles' ,@debug_mode = 1

  • If you are not the owner of the table, use @owner parameter to specify the owner name:
    NOTE: To use this option, you must have SELECT permissions on that table
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts nickstable , @owner = 'Nick'

  • To generate INSERT statements for the rest of the columns excluding images:
    NOTE: When using this otion, DO NOT set @include_column_list parameter to 0
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts imgtable , @ommit_images = 1


  • To generate INSERT statements for the rest of the columns excluding IDENTITY column:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts mytable , @ommit_identity = 1

  • To generate INSERT statements for the top 10 rows in the table:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts mytable , @top = 10

  • To generate INSERT statements only with the columns you want:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles ,@cols_to_include = "'title','title_id','au_id'"

  • To generate INSERT statements by ommitting some columns:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles , @cols_to_exclude = "'title','title_id','au_id'"

  • To avoid checking the foreign key constraints while loading data with INSERT statements:
    NOTE: The @disable_constraints option will disable foreign key constraints, by assuming that the source data is valid and referentially sound
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts titles , @disable_constraints = 1

  • To avoid scripting data from computed columns:
    EXEC sp_generate_inserts mytable , @ommit_computed_cols = 1

To generate INSERT statements for all the tables in your database, execute the following query in that database, which will output the commands, that you need to execute for the same:


SELECT 'EXEC sp_generate_inserts ' + '[' + name + ']' + ',@owner = ' + '[' + Rtrim(User_name(uid)) + '],' + '@ommit_images = 1, @disable_constraints = 1'
FROM sysobjects
WHERE TYPE = 'U'
AND Objectproperty(id,'ismsshipped') = 0

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Using Excel to generate insert scripts

Using Excel to generate the data insert scripts.

Please follow the steps below:


1. Insert the data in to excel or all you have to do from SQL Server Management Studio is to choose the option that allows the headers to be exported along with the data and then just copy the current data from a database table into a spreadsheet using the clipboard.




2. Skip a column (or use it for notes) and then type something like the following formula in it:



3. Now all you need to do is copy the formulae and select the columns as show below



4 .paste the formulae (i.e ctrl+v)
Hope this helps you to generate the insert script you need for your data.
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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Can-Do attitude!

"A story of a tiny frog"

Once upon a time there was a bunch of tiny frogs.... who arranged a running competition. The goal was to reach the top of a very high tower. A big crowd had gathered around the tower to see the race and cheer on the contestants. ...

The race began....Honestly: No one in crowd really believed that the tiny frogs would reach the top of the tower.

You heard statements such as:

"Oh, WAY too difficult!!"
"They will NEVER make it to the top."
"Not a chance that they will succeed. The tower is too high!"

The tiny frogs began collapsing. One by one.... Except for those, who in a fresh tempo were climbing higher and higher.... The crowd continued to yell, "It is too difficult!!! No one will make it!"
More tiny frogs got tired and gave up.... But ONE continued higher and higher and higher.... This one wouldn’t give up!

At the end everyone else had given up climbing the tower. Except for the one tiny frog who, after a big effort, was the only one who reached the top! THEN all of the other tiny frogs naturally wanted to know how this one frog managed to do it? A contestant asked the tiny frog how he had found the strength to succeed and reach the goal.
It turned out....

That the winner was DEAF!!!!

The wisdom of this story is:
Never listen to other people’s tendencies to be negative or pessimistic.... because they take your most wonderful dreams and wishes away from you -- the ones you have in your heart!
Always think of the power words have because everything you hear speak and read will influence your actions!

Therefore:
ALWAYS be.... POSITIVE!
And above all:
Be DEAF when people tell YOU that you cannot fulfill your dreams!

Always have a `Can-Do` attitude!
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Sunday, December 16, 2007

Hidden programs of Microsoft Windows XP

Hidden programs of Microsoft

I have simply added links over time to Joe's list as I researched each one. The interesting thing is that these hidden programs of microsofts are not all that good at times. Ever had a blank square in your screen and refresh would not get ride of it? Well thats a hidden program glitch, see here: Blank_Windows_in_Windows_XP

If you want to clean up your system programs and run much more efficently, then try Paul Collins' Startup Applications List.

The auto run program is very good to determine whats going on and do so tweaking. Autorun or DownLoad Autoruns


If your feeling adventuraous there is a load of sysInternal programs you can use. Sysinternals

The list:

1) Character Map = charmap.exe (very useful for finding unusual characters) Character Map

2) Disk Cleanup = cleanmgr.exe Automate the Disk Cleanup and command-line switches

3) Clipboard Viewer = (views contents of Windows clipboard) ClipBook Viewer

4) Dr Watson = drwtsn32.exe (Troubleshooting tool) Dr. Watson for Windows

5) DirectX diagnosis = dxdiag.exe (Diagnose & test DirectX, video & sound cards) DirectX Diagnostic Tool

6) Private character editor = eudcedit.exe (allows creation or modification of characters) Private Character Editor

7) IExpress Wizard = iexpress.exe (Create self-extracting / self-installing package) IExpress WizardDeploy Multiple Packages with ODK and User-Specific Profile using IExpress and ODK

8) microsoft Synchronization Manager = mobsync.exe (appears to allow synchronization of files on the network for when working offline. Apparently undocumented)Configure Offline Files to Synchronize

9) Windows Media Player 5.1 = mplay32.exe (Retro version of Media Player, very basic).

10) ODBC Data Source Administrator = odbcad32.exe (something to do with databases) ODBC Administrator

11) Object Packager = packager.exe (to do with packaging objects for insertion in files, appears to have comprehensive help files).Drag-Drop Insertion of OLE Objects

12) System Monitor = perfmon.exe (very useful, highly configurable tool, tells you everything you ever wanted to know about any aspect of PC performance, for uber-geeks only ) Perfmon

13) Program Manager = progman.exe (Legacy Windows 3.x desktop shell). Troubleshoot Folders in Windows 95/98/Me

14) Remote Access phone book = rasphone.exe (documentation is virtually non-existant).Establish a Dial-Up connection by command line in Windows Vista and Rasdial

15) Registry Editor = regedt32.exe [also regedit.exe] (for hacking the Windows Registry). Differences between Regedit.exe and Regedt32.exeHow to set or change registry editing permissions in Windows XP or in Windows Server 2003

16) Network shared folder wizard = shrpubw.exe (creates shared folders on network). file sharing and network discovery settings forum

17) File siganture verification tool = sigverif.exe Verify Unsigned Device Drivers in Windows XPFile Signature Verification utility (Sigverif.exe) may stop responding

18) Volume Control = sndvol32.exe (I've included this for those people that lose it from the System Notification area). Search results for Various Articles

19) System Configuration Editor = sysedit.exe (modify System.ini & Win.ini just like in Win98! ). Modify the Config.sys and Autoexec.bat Files and List of SysEdit Error Messages

20) Syskey = syskey.exe (Secures XP Account database - use with care, it's virtually undocumented but it appears to encrypt all passwords, I'm not sure of the full implications).Search Results for Various Articles

21) Microsoft Telnet Client = telnet.exe Telnet to test an Internet Mail Connection

22) Driver Verifier Manager = verifier.exe (seems to be a utility for monitoring the actions of drivers, might be useful for people having driver problems. Undocumented).Driver Verifier in Windows XP

23) Windows for Workgroups Chat = winchat.exe (appears to be an old NT utility to allow chat sessions over a LAN, help files available).Windows Chat in Windows XP

24) System configuration = msconfig.exe (can use to control starup programs)troubleshoot by using the System Configuration utility in Windows XPStartup Items Disabled in Msconfig.exe Tool Are Still Run

25) gpedit.msc used to manage group policies, and permissions Ways to open the Group Policy snap-inApply Local Policies to All Users Except Administrators on Windows Server 2003 in a Workgroup SettingBackup to restore files and folders
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Different ways to turn off your Windows XP computer

There are so many different ways to turn off your Windows XP computer,
let's look at some of them:
1. The standard approach - click the Start Button with your mouse, then select the Turn Off menu and finally click the Turn Off icon on the Turn Off computer dialog.

2. Press Ctrl+Esc key or the Win key and press u two times - the fastest approach.

3. Get the Shutdown utility from Download.com - it add the shut down shortcuts for you. Else create them yourself using approach.

4. Create a shutdown shortcut on your desktop. Right click on the desktop, choose New Shortcut and type shutdown -s -t 00 in the area where you are asked to specify the location of the program file. Now you can just double click this icon to turn off the computer. The best location would be your quick launch bar.

5. Press the Win key + R key to open the run window. Type shutdown -s -t 00. [ s means shutdown while t means the duration after which you want to initiate the shutdown process]. If some open processes or application won't let you turn off, append a -f switch to force a shut down by closing all active processes.

6. Win+M to minimize all windows and then Alt+F4 to bring the Turn Off computer dialog.

7. Open Windows Task manager (by right clicking the Windows Task bar or Alt+Ctrl+Del) and choose Shut down from the menu. Useful when the Windows are not responding.

8. open task manager--->click on shutdown--->hold the ctrl key and click on Turn off ::::::: pc will be turned off in 3 secs... fastest method other than hard shutdown...Cheers...!!!
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Friday, December 14, 2007

PerformancePoint Server MS Beta Exam 71-556

PerformancePoint Server MS Beta Exam 71-556

PerformancePoint Server MS Beta Exam: Now Available until December 31st! (General Release will be in early 2008)

Exam Name = TS: Microsoft(R) Office PerformancePoint™ Server 2007, ApplicationsExam Beta Number = 71-556Prometric Promo Code = TSPPS

Registration Information

You must register at least 24 hours prior to taking the exam.Please use the following promotional code when registering for the exam: TSPPSReceiving this invitation does not guarantee you a seat in the beta; we recommend that you register immediately.
To register in North America, please call:
• Prometric: (800) 755-EXAM (800-755-3926)
Outside the U.S./Canada, please contact:
• Prometric: http://www.register.prometric.com/ClientInformation.asp

Topics covered in this exam include:

Configuring Dimensions
· Configure properties of predefined dimensions
· Configure the time dimension
· Configure a member property
· Populate dimensions and member sets
· Update dimension members and member set, and member properties

Configuring Models
· Create a PPS model
· Configure the current period
· Configure model and dimension usage within sites
· Transfer data between models

Configuring Business Roles and Process Management
· Configure business roles
· Configure security for users
· Configure assignments
· Configure an approval structure

Developing Business Rules
· Develop an assignment rule
· Develop a definition rule
· Develop an allocation rule
· Configure template rules
· Configure rule execution

Building Excel Add-In Forms and Reports
· Build an Excel Add-In report
· Configure an Excel Add-In report as a form
· Configure report filters
· Format an Excel Add-In report

Developing Dashboards
· Create a report by using the Dashboard Designer
· Add a data source connection
· Add a new Web page report
· Configure a KPI by using Dashboard Designer
· Create a scorecard
· Build a dashboard

Installing PerformancePoint Server
· Install the monitoring and planning services
· Configure a PerformancePoint application
· Configure the PerformancePoint server
· Assign users to administrator roles
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PerformancePoint Server : What is it and how can I get started?

Perormance Point Server
Enterprises gather data related to line-of-business (LOB) operations. Data as-is is not useful. You need to transform it into information so you can understand your business and make decisions. PerformancePoint Server 2007 is a product that can help you to build a performance management application. It integrates with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 and helps you define a set of rules to monitor, analyze, and report information in dashboards or scorecards to help users with planning, budgeting, and forecasting. Optionally, you can use the PerformancePoint Server 2007 APIs and extend reporting to Excel, PowerPoint, and MOSS 2007. PPS is a new platform for a new set of BI Office Business Applications (OBAs).

How can I get started?

Here's a list of resources that can help you to learn more about the product…
PerformancePoint Server Developer Portal on MSDN.
This page compiles pointers to the new PerformancePoint Monitoring SDK, the PerformancePoint Planning Business Rules Development Guide, and useful links to data sheets for planning, analytics, monitoring, and management reporting.

If you want to see an online demo, you can watch the Performance Management 101 Webcast, the TechNet Webcast: Business Intelligence with Office PerformancePoint Server 2007, and the PerformancePoint Server 2007 Interactive Product Introduction.

For other related-sites check-out…

Office Online: Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server
Microsoft TechNet: Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007
Product Information: http://www.microsoft.com/business/performancepoint/default.aspx
Microsoft BI: http://www.microsoft.com/bi/ and http://www.microsoft.com/bi/products/performancepoint-overview.aspx
Press Pass: Microsoft to Expand Its Business Intelligence Product Line: Announcing Microsoft Office PerformancePoint Server 2007

Finally, if you want to get your hands on PPS, here are the links to the evaluation downloads…
Download PerformancePoint Server 2007 Evaluation Version (x86)
Download PerformancePoint Server 2007 Evaluation Version (x64)
Have fun!

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Thursday, December 13, 2007

Online messaging with web

Web Messenger lets you talk online and in real-time with friends and family using just a web browser!

Messengers that lets you access IM from absolutely anywhere.

Meebo
MSN WebMessanger
Yahoo WebMessanger
KoolIM
Ebuddy
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Multi Yahoo Messanger

Go To Run>>>Type = Regedit>>>
Naviagate to >>HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\yahoo\pager\Test
Add Deword Value by Right Click On Test or edit it if already exsist "Plural"=dword:00000001Give the value 1
If U Dont Get The Prural In Test.....Right Click On Test >>>> New >>>> DWORD Value.Now Rename It In Prural... And give value 1


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Wednesday, December 12, 2007

Turn Off Unnecessary Windows XP Services

Turn Off Unnecessary Windows XP Services

MoreInfoHere

Windows XP Pro (and Home); Stuff to turn off:
Each service is listed as it is in Microsoft's WIndows XP Professional. These should be similar in Microsoft's XP Home as well. Under each is the definition given in the Services Manager.

Alerter:
Notifies selected users and computers of administrative alerts. If the service is stopped, programs that use administrative alerts will not receive them. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: I don't want my personal computer telling me anything, ever. Shut up and work! There's few things I find more annoying than a computer constantly wanting to interact with me while I'm using it to do work or entertain myself. A computer is a tool, not a friend or work companion. No Hal, I don't want to talk to you. Perhaps there's a software vendor that can give you a compelling reason why you need this service, but for most home and SOHO PC use it's just an unnecessary service taking up resources and providing risk. Unless you are running a product that requires this service, disable it.

Application Layer Gateway Service
Provides support for 3rd party protocol plug-ins for Internet Connection Sharing and the Internet Connection Firewall
Comment: Do you want to share your internet connection? That's an article waiting to be written. Let me be clear. Since you can buy a router for $50 or less, and Windows does an awful job routing, using a computer to gateway your other computers to the internet is just stupid. "What about firewalling and admission control?" Well, that's not going to be done through the built-in internet sharing tools. So, we''re not talking about that. If you use a personal computer to gateway your other computers to the internet (and calling it a server doesn't change the reality), you are wasting resources. Buy a $50 router, or a $1000 router for that matter. But, buy a discrete device that is designed to do the job. Use hardware based firewalling (OK, it's all based on software - but I mean a boxed solution, not software installed on a PC that's prone to lose autonomy). And, what about all those cute third-party firewalling tools that plug in to this thing? Man, give me a break. If it runs on top of your Windows installation, it's not a real firewall. Unless this is required by a product you think is necessary, disable it.

Automatic Updates
Enables the download and installation of critical Windows updates. If the service is disabled, the operating system can be manually updated.
Comment: There's only two options that may make sense with this service. You should either set it to disable or manual. I'd disable it. Automatic Updates is designed as a tool to aid Microsoft in controlling their product. Props to Microsoft for trying to protect their product from piracy. But, some updates have been known to cause problems. Use it when you need it, and disable it when you don't, unless you're too lazy to do updates on your own. Don't you wonder why all the computers in big, well managed networks don't run Automatic Updates? It's mostly because managers of big networks create their own update policies. If you more completely understand the thinking that goes into deciding whether or not to distribute an update, you could better administer your own PC. Either turn it on and assume the risk, or turn it off and regularly visit Mircosoft's update and news page (discussed more below).

Background Intelligent Transfer Service
Uses idle network bandwidth to transfer data.
Comment: This is one of those tools they require you turn on to enable Automatic Updates. Think about it. It connects your PC to the internet or network and works behind your back to do stuff you didn't explicitly tell it to do. It sounds like a great tool to help hackers collect data from your PC and slowly seep it back to their lair. Unless it's immediately required, disable it. It you use it and then go for some time with no need to use it, disable it. If you can't remember to keep your PC updated with the latest security fixes, you'll need it.

ClipBook
Enables ClipBook Viewer to store information and share it with remote computers. If the service is stopped, ClipBook Viewer will not be able to share information with remote computers. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: So, you want to copy stuff to your clipbook and allow remote computers to access it? I don't. There may be a software vendor that requires this service to run. I've yet to find it useful. I suggest you disable it.

Computer Browser
Maintains an updated list of computers on the network and supplies this list to computers designated as browsers. If this service is stopped, this list will not be updated or maintained. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: If you are on a network with other computers, and need to see them, this may be a useful tool. Otherwise, disable it.

Cryptographic Services
Provides three management services: Catalog Database Service, which confirms the signatures of Windows files; Protected Root Service, which adds and removes Trusted Root Certification Authority certificates from this computer; and Key Service, which helps enroll this computer for certificates. If this service is stopped, these management services will not function properly. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: It is very necessary if you are passing certificates for networking. Unless you are in a large corporate network where connections are managed through authentication, this is unnecessary; disable it.

Distributed Transaction Coordinator
Coordinates transactions that span multiple resource managers, such as databases, message queues, and file systems. If this service is stopped, these transactions will not occur. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: Extremely few personal computers will require this service. If you use it, you may want to review the reasons it is being used. Unless you are accessing network filesystems and databases, disable it.

DNS Client
Resolves and caches Domain Name System (DNS) names for this computer. If this service is stopped, this computer will not be able to resolve DNS names and locate Active Directory domain controllers. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: It's typically good to leave this on.

Error Reporting Service
Allows error reporting for services and applications running in non-standard environments.
Comment: Erorr reporting is very useful, if you know what to do with the errors or you are running software that adjusts based on error reporting. This is that annoying "feature" in Windows that constantly pops up wanting to ship information about your software failures to Redmond. People promise me it helps find problems and solutions. I've mostly seen problem reports that you could as easily search out yourself. If you're advanced enough to use this, you'll likely use a search engine just as well. Chances are, the best thing for you to do is disable it.

Help and Support
Enables Help and Support Center to run on this computer. If this service is stopped, Help and Support Center will be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: I don't find this service useful, other than sucking up resources. If you know how to use Google, I'd disable it.

Human Interface Device Access
Enables generic input access to Human Interface Devices (HID), which activates and maintains the use of predefined hot buttons on keyboards, remote controls, and other multimedia devices. If this service is stopped, hot buttons controlled by this service will no longer function. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: Whether or not you should disable this service, depends on other services you need. If you don't know, turn it off and see if it breaks anything. It says that it deals with hotkeys, however all the system hotkeys that most of us enjoy aren't controlled by this service, they are built into the core OS. Control C, for example, to copy and Control V to past, do not stop working when you turn this service off. It seems this has more to do with specific hotkeys that a software vendor may want to insert into their installed program or internet product. Until you see a reason for it, I'd turn this one off. Personally, I consider relying on such services to be lazy programming. But, there may be good reason for using it if it's more efficient.

Indexing Service
Indexes contents and properties of files on local and remote computers; provides rapid access to files through flexible querying language.
Comment: To date, nobody has shown me real system performance improvements with this technology. Keep in mind, I'm limited in this conversation to Windows. Indexing is very useful. Indexing databases is very useful. Indexing your computer isn't very useful at all. Typically, if you are on a network, you know where on a network to find your chosen data. If you are not on a network, there's no real performance enhancement to this service that justifies the complexity and resource use. Chances are good you should disable it.

IMAPI CD-Burning COM Service
Manages CD recording using Image Mastering Applications Programming Interface (IMAPI). If this service is stopped, this computer will be unable to record CDs. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: Obviously, there may be some usefulness leaving this service as manual, if you have a CD burner installed. If you don't, disable it.

Internet Connection Firewall (ICF) / Internet Connection Sharing (ICS)
Provides network address translation, addressing, name resolution and/or intrusion prevention services for a home or small office network.
Comment: This tool does a great job of complicating my internet connection and slowing down transactions. It's not likely this tool is sophisticated enough to make a major impact in your system's performance. You should disable it.

Messenger
Transmits net send and Alerter service messages between clients and servers. This service is not related to Windows Messenger. If this service is stopped, Alerter messages will not be transmitted. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: Turn this thing off! It's a simple kit for anybody that can connect via any network to your computer to access your system and do things you don't want them to. Disable it.

Net Logon
Supports pass-through authentication of account logon events for computers in a domain.
Comment: Unless you need this to operate inside a domain, it's likely not necessary or useful. If you are using a home or SOHO PC and don't have a local domain based network, disable it.

NetMeeting Remote Desktop Sharing
Enables an authorized user to access this computer remotely by using NetMeeting over a corporate intranet. If this service is stopped, remote desktop sharing will be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: Do you really want a built in tool to share control of your desktop over your network connection? There are better tools for doing this kind of work, if needed. If someone you buy software from insists you let them use this tool to help you install it one time, then enable it and disable it immediately afterward. For typical use, you should disable it.

Remote Desktop Help Session Manager
Manages and controls Remote Assistance. If this service is stopped, Remote Assistance will be unavailable. Before stopping this service, see the Dependencies tab of the Properties dialog box.
Comment: Refer to NetMeeting. If you don't want to share control of your computer through your network, disable it.

Remote Procedure Call (RPC) Locator
Manages the RPC name service database.
Comment: There are some network programs and protocols that require this to be turned on. Chances are you could just turn it off and see if you break anything. If you are using a single PC in your home or SOHO, it's likely just a security risk. If you don't know you need it, disable it.

Remote Registry
Enables remote users to modify registry settings on this computer. If this service is stopped, the registry can be modified only by users on this computer. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: Seems self-explanatory. You can enable this service to help remote people or programs change your registry. Great hacker tool if you can't secure it. Disable it.

System Restore Service
Performs system restore functions. To stop service, turn off System Restore from the System Restore tab in My Computer->Properties
Comment: This is almost useless if you ever have a problem with damaged drives, corrupted data, or malware. It uses a lot of resources and isn't useful for most people. You can turn it on before you install a big piece of software. This service allows you to backup to a previous system should you mess your's up with an installation of software or a modification to your system settings, usually registry damage. To improve system performance and take the minor risk of not being able to make your computer work like it did yesterday, disable it.

TCP/IP NetBIOS Helper
Enables support for NetBIOS over TCP/IP (NetBT) service and NetBIOS name resolution.
Comment: Very few people use NetBIOS at home. This is the Windows built-in protocol for simple networking. You may need it. Otherwise, disable it.

Telephony
Provides Telephony API (TAPI) support for programs that control telephony devices and IP based voice connections on the local computer and, through the LAN, on servers that are also running the service.
Comment: If you use telephony, you probably use discrete devices or proprietary services that don't rely on this service. However, you do need this servive if you use a modem to connect to the ineternet. If you don't specifically need the Microsoft Telephony service, disable it. If you use a modem to connect to the internet, leave it enabled.

Telnet
Enables a remote user to log on to this computer and run programs, and supports various TCP/IP Telnet clients, including UNIX-based and Windows-based computers. If this service is stopped, remote user access to programs might be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: There's just not a circumstance where I can imagine that turning this service on is a good idea. Unless you need to let people telnet into your computer and have a really good reason for doing so, disable it.

Terminal Services
Allows multiple users to be connected interactively to a machine as well as the display of desktops and applications to remote computers. The underpinning of Remote Desktop (including RD for Administrators), Fast User Switching, Remote Assistance, and Terminal Server.
Comment: As I've said above, there's better tools for remote desktop administration. The idea of Terminal Services is to allow remote desktop administration of a system, like the user was on the actual console. In almost all circumstances you should disable it.

Themes
Provides user experience theme management.
Comment: Themes are cute and bloated. Enabling themes is not a good way to increase performance, but you may think it's neat. If you aren't addicted to cute desktop eye candy, disable it.

Uninterruptible Power Supply
Manages an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) connected to the computer.
Comment: Unless you are using a UPS on your computer and it has the capability of managing the system, disable it.

Upload Manager
Manages synchronous and asynchronous file transfers between clients and servers on the network. If this service is stopped, synchronous and asynchronous file transfers between clients and servers on the network will not occur. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: If you are not in a local network sharing data (files and/or services), disable it.

Windows Time
Maintains date and time synchronization on all clients and servers in the network. If this service is stopped, date and time synchronization will be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: Sometimes it works. Unless you are really needing your time to sync to something running a Windows time server, disable it.

Wireless Zero Configuration
Provides automatic configuration for the 802.11 adapters
Comment: Unless you use 802.11 devices, disable it.

Workstation
Creates and maintains client network connections to remote servers. If this service is stopped, these connections will be unavailable. If this service is disabled, any services that explicitly depend on it will fail to start.
Comment: If you are not in a local network sharing data (files and/or services), disable it.

It's easy to just go back to Services, and turn these services on as you need them. An operating system shouldn't need daily updates to run. And, the more services you run, the more likely you are to need updates. See a circle here? Occasionally, a little laziness won't kill you. Though you could just go to Technet (Microsoft's only support for IT professionals) and get all your news and update files with descriptions of their efficacy and safety, you may occasionally just want to veg out and let Microsoft do the work for you. You should still read each update and decide for yourself whether it makes sense. Some of them are flat out bad news. But, turning up these services for a few minutes to run Automatic Updates may be a shortcut to periodic updates.

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