quick commands for windows xp

these list of quick commands allows you to open certain types of window, such as folder option, add hardware wizard, check disk utility and more.. in order to use this commands type it on run window (start>run) and press enter.

• hdwwiz.cpl - opens add hardware wizard
• appwiz.cpl - add or remove programs
• wuaucpl.cpl - automatic updates
• chkdsk - check disk utility
• cmd - command prompt
• dcomcnfg - component services
• compmgmt.msc - computer management
• control - control panel
• timedate.cpl - date and time properties
• devmgmt.msc - device manager
• dxdiag - direct X Troubleshooter
• cleanmgr - disk cleanup utility
• dfrg.msc - disk defragmenter
• diskmgmt.msc - disk management
• control desktop - display properties
• desk.cpl - display properties
• control color - display properties (apperience atb)
• drwtsn32 - dr. Watson System Troubleshooting Utility
• verifier - driver verifier manager
• eventvwr.msc - event viever
• migwiz - file and settings transfer wizard
• sigverif - file signature verifier
• control folders - folder option
• control.exe folders - folder option
• fonts - fonts folder
• gpedit.msc - group policy editor
• helpctr - help and support
• icwconn1 - internet connection wizard
• iexplore - internet explorer
• inetcpl.cpl - internet properties
• inetwiz - internet connection wizard
• control keyboard - keyboard properties
• secpol.msc - local security settings
• lusrmgr.msc - local users and groups
• control mouse - mouse Properties
• main.cpl - mouse Properties
• conf - netmeeting
• control netconnections - network connection
• ncpa.cpl - network connection
• netsetup.cpl - network setup wizard
• osk - on screen keyboard
• msimn - outlook express
• perfmon.msc - performance monitor
• telephon.cpl - phone modem option
• dialer - phone dialer
• powercfg.cpl - power options
• control printers - printers and faxes
• intl.cpl - regional and language option
• regedit - registry editor
• mstsc - remote desktop connection
• ntmsmgr.msc - removable storage
• control schedtasks - schedule tasks
• wscui.cpl - windows security center
• services.msc - services
• fsmgmt.msc - shared folders
• shutdown - shutdown pc
• logoff - log off pc
• mmsys.cpl - sounds and audio properties
• sysedit - system configuration editor
• msconfig - system Configuration Utility
• sfc /scannow - system file scanner
• msinfo32 - system information
• sysdm.cpl - system properties
• taskmgr - task manager
• nusrmgr.cpl - user account management
• utilman - utility manager
• wab - address book
• wabmig - windows Address Book Import Utility
• ntbackup - Windows Backup Utility
• explorer - windows explorer
• firewall.cpl - windows firewall
• magnify - windows magnifier
• wmplayer - windows media player
• msmsgs - windows messenger
• syskey - windows system security tool
• wupdmgr - windows Update Launches
• winver - Windows Version
• tourstart - windows xp tour

create batch file to delete prefetch files

the below steps are about how to create batch file to delete prefetch files automatically, follow these steps.

• Create new text document
• Now type del C:\Windows\Prefetch\*.* /Q inside the text document
• Go to file menu, click save as (this will open save as dialog box)
• In the dialog box, under save as type select all files from the drop down menu
• In the file name field type a name you prefer with .bat extension (ex-prefetch.bat)
• Click save
• Now double click the file to test, you will find that there's no more prefetch files left in the folder.
  

disable auto restart in windows xp

Blue screen, what happen when you get blue screen error, the pc automatically restart without letting you to read error description, now lets see how to disable auto restart feature in windows xp.

• Right click on my computer and click properties to open system properties (or press "window key and pause break" in keyboard)
• In the opened system properties window click advanced tab
• Under the Startup and Recovery section, click Settings
• Now under system failure uncheck "automatically restart"
• Click ok. then apply and ok
  

create shortcut for fast user switching

Fast user switching is a very useful feature of Windows for multi-user computers. fast user switching allows multiple users to be logged into a computer at once. This is very useful when someone is in the middle of work but another needs to use the computer shortly.Fast user switching will allow the other user to log in while still retaining the other users session. Once the other user is finished the session can be switched back to the original user. now lets see how to create shortcut for fast user switching.

• Right click the area the shortcut you want to appear then click new shortcut
• Now copy c:\windows\system32\tsdiscon.exe to location area (typing area next to browse button)
• Now give a name for shortcut (ex-fast user)
• Click finish
• Now double click the shortcut see the results
  

cleanup prefetch & temp files

Cleanup "prefetch files" - some say it will create problems, some say it is safe to delete, some say it doesn't make any difference. my thought is you can safely delete prefetch files with no problems at all. below descriptions is about how to delete unnecessary files from system.

Delete prefetch files

• Go to run (start>run)
• Type prefetch and press enter (the exact path is C:\WINDOWS\Prefetch)
• Now delete all files inside the prefetch folder

Delete windows temporary files

• Go to run (start>run)
• Type temp and press enter (the exact path is C:\WINDOWS\Temp)
• Now delete all files inside the temp folder

Delete user temporary files

• Go to run (start>run)
• Type %temp% and press enter (the exact path is C:\Documents and Settings\(user name) \Local Settings\Temp
• Now delete all file in the temp folder

Note - running above actions will no harm to your system

If you need all in one type software to perform all above actions, the only free software i know (the best) is Ccleaner. just download software, install it, after install select the actions to perform (it automatically selected most for you) then click analyse, if this gonna take time click cancel button and click run cleaner, this perform all above actions for you.

adjust graphic settings for speed performance

We all know windows xp uses some considerable amount or ram for visual elements, this can cause your computer to be less responsive. By tweaking your graphics settings, you can increase the performance of your computer. to get start reduce some color quality, procedure as follows.

• Right click on your desktop and click properties
• Click on the settings tab and adjust the color quality to medium (16 bit) form the drop down menu
• Click apply and ok to exit

Next, we use the windows performance settings to optimize your computer for performance. this will reduce lot of the fancy graphics effects. follow these steps.

• Right click on my computer and click properties
• Click advanced tab
• Now under "performance" click settings
• In the visual effects tab select "adjust for best performance"
• Click apply and ok

One more thing, we also can use "windows classic" as a default theme, to do this follow these steps.

• Right click on the empty area of desktop and click properties to open "display properties" window.
  
• On the theme tab, select windows classic from the drop down menu
• Click apply and ok to exit display properties.

After completing all above steps, you can see some faster response from the computer

configure yahoo mail as a default mail client

first you need to install Yahoo Messenger, yahoo messenger can download at http://messenger.yahoo.com , then you will need to install the Browser Services option to make this work properly. Without the browser services installed, you cannot set Yahoo Mail as your default. follow these steps to set the default email program.

• Open internet option (start>run>type inetcpl.cpl>press enter)
• Click on the Program tab
• Select Yahoo Mail from the email drop down list and Click Ok
• that's all
  

printer access denied in vista

One of the errors in Windows Vista happens when you try to connect to a shared network printer. Everything else on the network appears to work properly, shared files, internet access, but Most of the time you'll receive an "Access is Denied" error when trying to connect even though you can see the printer on the network and everything else is working properly.try below method as a solution

• Go to the control panel and open printers
• Click on Add a printer
• Click on Add a Local Printer
• Choose Create a New Port with type of port remaining Local Port, then click Next
• In the Port Name box type the path to the printer you wish to connect to and Click Ok (Ex - \\computer\printer)
• In the Install Printer Driver screen, select your printer from the list or choose Have Disk and specify the location of the printer drivers on the computer then click Next and then click Finish.
• The printer is now installed in the Printers window
• Now try to print using test print.
  

what is error 1324

sometimes this can occur when you try to install program, if you have this problem try to install program in a different user account, check hard disk for errors and verify enough disk space available for installation.There is more than one possible cause for this error, they are described as follows.

• User profiles are enabled
• You are installing to an invalid destination folder
• The Windows registry contains invalid characters
• The computer is using a real mode (16-bit) driver to access the CD-ROM drive
• The Microsoft Windows Installer file is damaged or is not installed correctly
• The computer has insufficient hard disk space
• Your profile contains a slash (/) character in the name (for example, Jones/Smith)
• The CPU does not meet the minimum system requirements to run the program
• Possible disk errors
  

removal instructions for kido virus

To prevent all workstations and file servers from being infected with the worm, you are recommended to do the following.

• Install the patch from Microsoft that covers the vulnerability MS08-067, MS08-068, MS09-001 (on these pages you will have to select which operating system is installed on the infected PC, download corresponding patch and install it)
• Make sure the password of the local administrator account is not obvious and cannot be hacked easily – the password should contain 6 letters minimum; use a mixture of uppercase and lowercase, numbers and non-alphanumeric characters such as punctuation marks
• Disable autorun of executable files from removable drives
• Block access to TCP ports number 445 and 139 using a network screen (You need to block these ports only while you perform the disinfection. As soon as you have the entire red disinfected, feel free to unblock the ports)

remove kido virus with kk.exe tool (provided by kaspersky)

• First download kk.exe (click here to download)
• Extract the contents into a folder on the infected PC
• Now you need to disable antivirus for a while
• Run file KK.exe
• Wait till the scanning is complete
• Now re-enable your virus guard, update as necessary and Perform a full scan of your computer.

additional information about removing kido virus and remove from admin kit - click here

security patches from microsoft - click here to visit the site, and select appropriate package for your pc.

impact of kido virus

kido is a worm, A worm is a type of virus that replicates by resending itself as an e-mail attachment or as part of a network message. Unlike a regular computer virus, a worm is self-contained and does not need to be part of another program to duplicate itself. A worm hides in active memory and performs malicious acts, such as using parts of the computer’s system resources. Worms are usually invisible to the user and are designed to affect the computer’s performance. A worm take control of remote systems without any help from the users and can delete files, send documents via email, or encrypt files.

once you infected with kido the following things can happen

• compromise your privacy by transmitting your personal information and downloading popup advertisements.
• It can tracks which websites you visited or what terms you’ve typed. Spyware uses your information to deliver targeted ads to you. Also, data of your surfing activities may be sold to third parties.
• Slow computer performance. A sluggish computer is one of the easiest signs that you have been infected with Kido. Kido and other unwanted sofware use your computer’s resources to do its nasty tasks such as displaying popups or tracking your surfing activities. If you see your computer is slowing down dramatically or crashing a lot, you may be infected with an unwanted software.

Sings of network infection

• Network traffic volume increases if there are infected PCs in the network, because network attack starts from these PCs.
• Anti-Virus product with enabled Intrusion Detection System informs of the attack Intrusion.Win.NETAPI.buffer-overflow.exploit
• It is impossible to access websites of the majority of anti-virus companies, e.g. avira, avast, esafe, drweb, eset, nod32, f-secure, panda, kaspersky, etc. (and the list keep go on)

Termination of services

• Windows Security Center Service (wscsvc) – notifies users of security settings (e.g. Windows update, Firewall and Antivirus)
• Windows Update Auto Update Service (wuauserv)
• Background Intelligence Transfer Service (BITS) – used by Windows Update to download updates using idle network bandwidth
• Windows Defender (WinDefend)
• Error Reporting Service (ersvc) – sends error reports to Microsoft to help improve user experience
• Windows Error Reporting Service (wersvc)
  

Short description of the Net-Worm.Win32.Kido family

• It creates files autorun.inf and RECYCLED\{SID<....>}\RANDOM_NAME.vmx on removable drives (sometimes on public network shares)
• It stores itself in the system as a DLL-file with a random name, for example, c:\windows\system32\zorizr.dll
• It registers itself in system services with a random name, for example, knqdgsm.
• It tries to attack network computers via 445 or 139 TCP port, using MS Windows vulnerability
• It tries to connect to the sites of http://www.getmyip.org, http://getmyip.co.uk, http://www.whatsmyipaddress.com, http://www.whatismyip.org, http://checkip.dyndns.org, in order to learn the external IP address of the infected computer (recommended action is configuring a rule to monitor connection attempts to these sites it network firewall)

Note - if you cant access website due to kido infection, there is a small thing to try to access webistes, follow these steps

• open miscosoft services window (start>run>type services.msc>press enter)
• in the services find DNS Client service
• now stop the service (right click on the service>click stop)
• now try to open website (hope this helps, it really works for me in a kido infection case study)
  

how to create scheduled shutdown for your pc

This article talks about how to create a scheduled shutdown for your pc, to do that we need a special software (freeware) called "poweroff", actually you can do even more things like schedule a shutdown/reboot/logoff/poweroff/Standby/Hibernate/Lock/Wake-On-LAN at a certain time with this handy software.this small program is support for Win95/98/NT/W2K/XP.to create schedule shutdown follow these steps.

• first download poweroff (download here)
• then start poweroff
• under select computer select "local computer"
• in the actions select shutdown
• now click schedule
• in the schedule window select your appropriate field like " fixed day, daily ,day of month ,or after "
• for example - select daily , then select days and weeks
• now you have to specify time for a schedule shutdown
• in the schedule window (in upper left corner) specify time for shutdown
• review selected fields and click ok

now you have to put a service for a shutdown process

• in the main window of poweroff click service from the menu
• then click create service (note - some antivirus prompts alert when you perform this, just ignore them you will be fine)

thats all, you are just created scheduled shutdown with "poweroff". more informations available at publisher site, to read more informations click here

disk read error after uninstall vista and install xp

have you received "disk read error" after you remove windows vista and try to install windows xp. did you think your hard disk might faulty, don't worry you don't have to replace your hard disk, this is a most common error after removal of vista and try to install xp. the problem occurs after initial files are copied to hard disk and restart pc.

to solve this problem you have to re-partition your hard disk, first you need to take a backup of your data to another pc or hard disk, then while installing xp you can delete all partitions and re-partition hard disk again, or you can just delete C: partion and create partion again, no more disk read errors, enjoy installing windows.

repair your system with kaspersky 2010

kaspersky antivirus 2010 users, i have good news for you, you know that there is a feature called "microsoft windows settings troubleshooting" this feature can automatically scan your system and prompts if there is problems caused by a viruses or malware.

for example - if your systems registry or folder options disabled by a virus, its dispaly in a windows called "system restore wizard" (after the scan complete), then you can select the problem by clicking check box and proceed with repair, then kaspersky antivirus will automatically do the repairs for you, this is great feature avialable in latest kaspersky version of 2010 (ver 9.0)

here is a step by step guide how to repair system with kaspersky antivirus.

• first open kaspersky antivirus (double click from task bar in bottom right corner)
• in the left pane click security+ button
• now click microsoft windows settings troubleshooting
• then select search for problems related to malware activity
• after completion of scan results are displayed in a window called system restore wizard
• now select appropriate action (eg- disable folder option) by clicking check box
• proceed with system repair
  

foxconn motherboard driver installation

are you using foxconn motherboard? then this news is for you, when you install motherboard drivers first you must install chipset drivers, after installation complete then you must restart computer (dont just click restart later and continue with other driver installation)

i,m gonna tell you if you dont restart your pc and continue with other installation, your sound driver wont work, after that there is no way to resolve the issue, the only solution is reinstallation of windows, so dont get lazy, follow the correct order and save your valuble time.

install windows xp shared printer to windows vista

in the shared printer environment you can use the printer within the network (workgroup) between the same operating systems, however install shared printer between different operating systems cause problems.

for example - printer is installed to windows xp and shared, then you want to install the printer to windows vista pc, while installation it can be stop for driver incompatibility, this can be fixed in a small way.

• first download the printer driver compatible to vista
• then install printer in add printer wizard, and specify drivers in have disk option
• complete the installation
• now go to the network shared printer
• right click on printer and click connect
• this will install printer to the system, and drivers that compatible to vista is automatically identified.
• in this way you can use network shared printer between different operating systems.
  

tune up outlook 2007 to run faster

There are few things to try , This article will show users how to compact their personal data files in Microsoft Outlook 2007, please follow these steps.

Disable RSS feeds in outlook

• go to tools
• click account settings
• in rss feeds tab select feed and click remove

Disable unnecessary add-ons

• to disable unnecessary add-ons in outlook 2007 read this

Reduce the size of outlook .pst file

• open the file menu and select Data File Management
• in the data file tab select personal folders and double click it
• in the opened personal folders window, click compact now
• depending on the size of the .pst file being compacted, this process may take several minutes

email printing problem in vista (no header information)

OK this is how it happens, pc with windows vista ultimate installed and running office 2003, used outlook 2003 as a default mail client.the problem is when you open received email and try to print, it prints the message without the valuable information (such as from, to, cc, subject) this problem not happened for all emails, only some mails. the following attempts tried and able to solve the problem, but it creates another problem.

• upgrade office 2003 to office 2007, yes.. solve the problem, printout came with the header information, but another problems has occured

• this time when you try to print you cant select the print range, because there is no option for print range. imagine you you have a email containing 15 pages, and you only want to print first 5 pages what should you do, when there is no option for print range? you don't trust me, then read this Microsoft help and support

• then we have to open the email in web browser (double click the selected email, click other actions, click view in browser)

• yes.. now you can select print range, but after print, again printout came without the header information

• then we configure windows mail and import all emails to it, then try to print, there is print range available in windows mail, but sadly printout came with no header information

these whole methods came up with dead end,then we install windows xp and install office 2003, then configure outlook 2003, all problems were gone, there is print range available and printout came with header informations.that's why we love windows xp

how to clear saved passwords in internet explorer

This described how to clear saved from internet explorer

• First right click on internet explorer and click properties (or go to start - run type inetcpl.cpl and press enter to open internet properties)
• Click on content tab
• Under personal information, click auto complete
• Now you will see two buttons named "clear forms and clear passwords"
• Click clear passwords button to clear saved passwords in internet explorer
  

uninstall add-on from firefox

The procedure as follows

• Open mozilla firefox
• In the menu go to tools and click option
• In the options window, under main tab you will see at bottom button called manage add-ons
• Click manage add-ons
• In the opened window, under extensions you will see that currently installed add-ons
• Click on the add-on you want to select
• Click disable to disable add-on or uninstall to remove add-on
  

raise security level in content adviser

for those using internet explorer as their default web browser, they too can protect from harmful content, to do this you must enable content adviser feature in internet explorer. this process described as follows.

• First right click on internet explorer and click properties to open internet properties window (or click start - run type inetcpl.cpl and press enter)
• Now in internet properties window, click content
• Under content adviser, click enable
• Under ratings, raise the security level in each category by dragging the slider to the right

Note - you can put password for opening content adviser , this prevents users changing the ratings level or turn off content adviser

To put password

• In the opened content adviser window
• Click general
• Under supervisor password, click create password button
• Now enter your password and retype password to confirm
• Click ok
  

Use site advisor for better protection

With Mcafee site advisor installed pc you are well protected from internet browsing. With SiteAdvisor software installed, your browser will look a little different than before. It add small site rating icons to your search results as well as a browser button and optional search box. Together, these alert you to potentially risky sites and help you find safer alternatives.

These site ratings are based on tests conducted by McAfee, The result is a guide to Web safety. The SiteAdvisor technology is free, easy to install and even easier to use. And it doesn't collect any personally identifiable information.

Ratings description

• Green - SAFE: Very low or no risk issues
• Yellow - CAUTION: Minor risk issues
• Red - WARNING: Serious risk issues
• Grey - UNKNOWN: Not yet rated. Use caution

Mcafee site advisor free download

Use FoxFilter block inappropriate content

Are you using Mozilla Firefox as your default web browser? there is good news for you, with foxfilter plugin you can quickly and easily block content for an entire site (e.g. Playboy) or enter custom keyword filters (e.g. videos, movies, images, pornography, nudity, gambling, explosives, etc.) that will be used to help block content for any site that contains these keywords.

FoxFilter comes with pre-defined filtering rules, but you can also add custom settings to block additional content as needed.FoxFilter also includes password-protected settings and security features to help prevent it from being bypassed, uninstalled or disabled. A password recovery feature is also available.

Install Foxfilter for your browser and save your kids, download now

check disabled registry in group policy editor

Have your registry disabled, there are many methods to open disabled registry, but this time we talk about group policy editor, the procedure as follows.

• Click start and run
• Type gpedit.msc and press enter
• Go to the each of following location

User Configuration
Administrative Templates
System

• In the Settings Window, find the option for "Prevent Access to Registry Editing Tools" and double-click on it to change
• Select Disabled or Not Configured and choose OK
• Close the Group Policy Editor and restart your computer
• Now try opening registry editor again

if still cant open registry read this

how to turn off & remove the thumbs.db files

This describes how to turn off & remove the thumbs.db files, the procedure as follows.

• Open folder options ( click start and run, type "control.exe folders" press enter)
• Click on the View Tab
• Place a check in the option "Do not cache thumbnails"
• Click Ok
• that's it you turn off the thumbs.db features

Now lets see how to remove thumbs.db files from hard disk

• Open search window
• Click on All Files and Folders
• Now search for a thumbs.db files (make sure all hard disks selected)
• Click Search
• In the long list of thumbs.db files, select all files and delete the files.
  

Remove Content Advisor Password in Internet Explorer

The following details described how to remove content advisor password in internet explorer using simple edit of registry, this process will reset the program to its original state. please follow these steps.

• First go to the registry editor (Click on Start and Run, type regedit and click ok)
• Now under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE go through the Software, Microsoft, Windows, Current Version and Policies
• Now click on the Ratings
• In the right pane of the registry editor, select icon called Key and delete it
• Now restart the computer and run Internet Explorer again
• Click on Tools, Internet Options
• Click on the Content tab and click on Disable. When asked for a password, don't type anything, just click on OK
• This will disable Content Advisor because there's no longer a password
  

delete OUTCMD.DAT file to open outlook

If you cant open Microsoft outlook there is one more thing you need to check, you can try deleting the file "OUTCMD.DAT" and reopen outlook. follow these steps.

• First open the search window
• Then search for the file of OUTCMD.DAT
• Now delete OUTCMD.DAT and close the Search box (Generally this file is located at Application Data/Microsoft/Outlook folder)
• Now reopen Microsoft outlook and your problem should be fixed

If your problem still not solved read this post

how to configure login automatically to a user account

Please follow the instruction

• Go to run window (click start and run)
• Type the command of "control userpasswords2" and click ok
• Now highlight the user you want to log into automatically, and uncheck the box for "Users must enter a username and password to use this computer"
• Click on Apply and you'll need to verify the username and password to log in automatically
• Click OK and the next time you restart your computer, you'll automatically be logged in without having the classic prompt or Welcome Screen
  

how to disable welcome screen in xp

The procedure as follows

• First go to the control panel
• Double-click on User Accounts
• Click on "Change the way users log on or off"
• Now uncheck "Use the Welcome Screen" (note: this will also disable "Fast User Switching")
• Click on Apply Options
• Close the User Accounts window and the Control Panel
• From the next reboot you should see the classic login prompt
  

cleanup temporary files when exiting internet explorer

With a simple edit of registry you can delete all of the temporary Internet files stored during using of internet explorer.after you exit internet explorer the temporary files were automatically deleted.the procedure described as follows.

• First go to registry editor
• Go to key of HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\
• Now right-click in the open area to create a DWORD Value with the name "Persistent" in "Cache" key
• Next, right-click on "Persistent" and click on 'Modify'
• Enter the value "1" in the text box and click on 'OK'

You must change another value In order to make changes to all users accounts.

• In the registry editor go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Internet Settings\Cache\
• Right-click on "Persistent" and click on 'Modify'
• Finally, enter the value "01 00 00 00" in the text box and click on 'OK'
  

remove addins from outlook 2003

this describes how to remove add-ins that installed outlook 2003

• Open outlook
• On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Other tab
• Click Advanced Options, and then click COM Add-Ins

now you can disable or remove the add-ins

• To disable an add-in, clear the check box next to the add-in
• To remove an add-in, clear the check box next to the add-in you want to remove, and then click Remove
  

why you cant open Outlook

Can't open outlook? this can happen for a number of reasons, such as add-ins installed for outlook, corrupt PST file. in order to resolve this issue there is several methods to try.they are describes as follows.

Check task manager

Press Cntrl+Alt+Delete to open task manager and click on processes, now in processes search for a outlook.exe, check If there is multiple outlook.exe processes are running, if so end all outlook.exe processes (right click on outlook.exe and click end process) now Try to open outlook after ending all outlook.exe processes.

Open Outlook in safe mode

• Click on start button and click on Run
• Type outlook.exe /safe and press enter
• Now outlook should be able to run, if outlook won't able to start in normal mode, we have to do a detect and repair

Detect and repair

• Click on start button and click on Run
• Type outlook.exe /safe and press enter
• Go to Help tab in Outlook and select office diagnostics, click on continue and click on Run Diagnostics

Open Outlook without add-ins

• Click on start button and click on Run
• Type outlook.exe /a and press enter
• If outlook can open in this way then the third party add-ins are causing the issue. This can be resolved by removing the third party add-ins.

To remove add-ins from outlook 2007 read this
To remove add-ins from outlook 2003 read this

Use scanpst.exe for detect errors in pst file

• First open the folder options (start - run - type control.exe folders press enter)
• Click on View and select "show Hidden files and folders."
• Now open search window
• In the search box, type Scanpst.exe press enter
• Now double-click the Scanpst.exe file to open the program
• Click Browse and specify the PST file
• Click Start. The Scanpst.exe Tool scans the file and reports whether it found any errors (it may take some time to scan PST file depending on the capacity)
  
• Click OK
  

The default locations for the PST file

1. Windows 98 or Windows Me: disk drive\Windows\ Local Settings\Application Data
2. Windows NT 4.0: disk drive\WINNT\Profiles\username\Local Settings\Application Data
3. Windows XP or Windows Server 2003: disk drive:\Documents and Settings\username\Local Settings\Application *Data\Microsoft\Outlook
4. Windows Vista: disk disk drive:\users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook

Repair outlook program

If all above methods fail to start outlook, then try repair outlook program again.

how to import outlook contacts

Please do as follows

• In Outlook, on the File menu, click Import and Export
• Under Choose an action to perform, click Import Internet Mail and Addresses
• Under Select the Internet Mail application to import from, click Outlook Express 4.x, 5.x, 6.x
• Clear the check boxes for Import Mail and Import Rules. Only the Import Address Book check box should be selected
• Click Next

You will have below options to select

• Replace duplicates with items imported Existing data will be overwritten with the information in the file that is being imported
• Allow duplicates to be created Existing data will not be overwritten, and duplicates will be added to the current Outlook folder
• Do not import duplicate items Existing data will be kept, and the duplicate information in the file will not be copied to the current Outlook folder
• Click Finish
  

how to restore the Personal Address Book

Follow these steps to restore the Personal Address Book

• Go to the control panel (start - setting - control panel)
• Double-click the Mail icon
• Click Show Profiles
• Click the appropriate profile, and then click Properties
• Click Email Accounts
• Click Add a New Directory or Address Book, and then click Next
• Click Additional Address Books, and then click Next
• Click Personal Address Book, and then click Next
• Type the path and the name of the Personal Address Book file that you want to restore, click Apply, and then click OK
• Click Close, and click then OK
  

How to back up Personal Address Books

Your Personal Address Book might contain e-mail addresses and contact information that is not included in an Outlook Address Book or contact list,the Personal Address Book creates a separate file that is stored on your hard disk drive

Follow these steps to how to find your Personal Address Book file

• Click Start, and then click Search
• Type *.pab, and then press ENTER or click Find Now
• Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to copy the .pab file
  

how to import PST file to outlook

This time we talked about how to import PST file to outlook, You can use the backup copy of your PST file to restore your Outlook data if the original PST file is damaged or lost.

Follow these steps to restore, or import

• Copy the backup PST file to the hard disk drive of the computer
• Note - if you receive error message when you try to copy PST file, remove Read-Only attribute, and then copy file to the hard disk
  
• Open Outlook
• On the File menu, click Import And Export
• Click Import from another program or file, and then click Next
• Click Personal Folder File (PST), and then click Next
• Type the path and the name of the PST file that you want to import, and then click Next
• Select the folder that you want to import. To import everything in the PST file, select the top of the hierarchy
• Click Finish
  

how to export PST file from outlook

If you want to back up only important of your Outlook data, you can create a new backup .pst file of only the data that you want to save.for example you want use only important data of PST file, and ignore other less important, You can export only the important folders or contacts

to do this follow these steps

• Open Outlook
• On the File menu, click Import And Export. If the menu item is not available, hover your pointer over the chevrons at the bottom of the menu, and then click Import and Export
• Click Export To File, and then click Next
• Click Personal Folder File (PST) , and then click Next
• Click the folder that you want to export the .pst file to, and then click Next
• Click Browse, and then select the location where you want the new PST file to be saved
• In the File Name box type the name that you want to use for the new PST file, and then click OK
• Click Finish
  

how to activate kaspersky using key file

this one is very much useful, you only need to download the serial key providing your activation code, after downloading you can activate your product using key file, the procedure as follows.

• first go to the https://activation.kaspersky.com
• in here you noticed that there are 3 field to filled by user
• we consider only first one of '' activation code ''
• in here carefully type your activation code
• click next
• in the next area filled the informations as necessary (sometimes it ask's for e-maill address and user location) click next to proceed
• now only left thing is a download a key file, (or you can get it by e-mail)
• after downloading a key, please note that the key is in compressed mode, first you need to uncompress the folder
• now start your product installation, after completion first step, it ask the user to activate the product with a different choices.
• select activate using key file, now specify the key file and proceed with installation.

Note - in kasprsky 2010 (ver 9.0) you noticed that there is no option to activate the product using key file, don't panic, first you need to disconnect your pc from internet, now select ''activate using trial key '' click next (trust me on this) you came end up with error message, close error message and then you will see activate using serial key, now specify the serial key and click activate. enjoy your product...

how to troubleshoot system restore issues

1. First things first, if you see error message that is related to system restore, you need to record the error message, because most error messages that contains a description of the issue and suggestions for how to resolve the issue.
2. Make sure that you have enough disk space on all of the drives on which System Restore is enabled.
3. Make sure that System Restore is enabled on the drives
   
4. Make sure that the System Restore service is running.

you can check the system restore status using following methods.

Check in Control Panel

• Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click "Performance and Maintenance"
• Click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, and then click Services and Applications
• Click Services, and then click System Restore Services

Check using command prompt

• Click Start, click Run, and then type "CMD" Press ENTER key
• then type''Net Start'' and press enter
  
• the you will see a bunch of list,
  
• in command prompt make sure that the System Restore service is up and running.

Check event viever to investigate System Restore service errors

• Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click "Performance and Maintenance"
• Click Administrative Tools, click Computer Management, double-click Event Viewer, and then click System
• Click the Source tab to sort by name, and then look for "sr" or "srservice
• Double-click each of these services, and then evaluate the event description for any indication of the cause of the problem.
  

how to get missing system restore tab in windows xp

to re-enable system restore through the Group Policy Editor, follow these steps.

• Click start, and click run
• In there type gpedit.msc to open group policy editor
• Go to Computer Configuration / Administrative Templates / System / System Restore
• Set Turn off System Restore and Turn off Configuration to Disable
• Right click on My Computer
• Select Manage
• Go to Services and Applications / Services
• Scroll down to System Restore Service
• Set it for Automatic
• Click on the Start button to start the service
• Close the window
• Go back to the Group Policy Editor and configure both to Not configured
• Then right click my computer, click properties
• You will see now there is a system restore tab and you can configure how much space to use for the process.
  

create registry key for system restore (if missing)

this describes how to create registry key for system restore in windows xp.

• go to the registry editor
• go to the key of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\WindowsNT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
• then go to the Edit menu, select New, DWORD
  value,
• rename it as '' DisableSR ''
• now set the value to 1 to disable System Restore or 0 to enable System Restore
  

how to enable or disable System Restore

enabling and disabling Windows XP's System Restore feature

step 1 - using registry editor.

• go to the registry editor (in run window - type '' regedit '' press enter)
• locate the key of HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\SystemRestore
• in the "DisableSR" set the value 1 to disable System Restore or 0 to enable System Restore

to prevent the System Restore service from starting

• Go to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\sr
• double-click Start, and set the value to 4 to stop the service from starting or to 0 for normal startup

step 2 - using System Control Panel applet

• go to the control panel
• Start the System Control Panel applet (or right click on my computer, click properties)
• click system restore tab
• then uncheck the "Turn off System Restore on all drives" to enable System Restore, and check to disable System Restore.

delete older restore points while leave the system restore turned on

• go to the my computer
• right click the drive you want to clear, and click properties
• click disk cleanup button
• in the more option, select system restore and click cleanup.
  

start system restore using command prompt

Note - you must have a administrator privilege to perform this task.

To start System Restore using the Command prompt, follow these steps

• start your computer, and then press and hold F8 during the initial startup.
• in the menu, select safe mode with a Command prompt.
• If you prompted to select an operating system, use the arrow keys to select the appropriate operating system and press enter.
• log on as an administrator or with an account that has administrator privilege.
  
• at the command prompt, type %systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe, and then press ENTER
• now follow the instruction in screen to restore your computer to a functional state.

important - If you have not previously set a restore point in System Restore, you cannot restore your computer to a previous state

turn on hibernation in windows xp

normally hibernation is active and you can find hibernation tab in power option (in control panel) in there you can enable and disable this feature, but the tab only appears if the hibernation facility is enabled.you can turn on or turn off this feature using following commands.

• first go to the command prompt
• to turn on hibernation type this command powercfg.exe /H ON and press enter
  
• to turn off hibernation use this command powercfg.exe /H OFF and press enter
  

Office 2007 encountered an error during installation

when you using windows xp, you might want to install office 2007, but how many times your office 2007 installation has been roll backed, displaying series error message looks like below.

"Microsoft Office 2007 encountered an error during setup. The Windows Installer service cannot update one or more protected Windows files"

you know there is a solution for you, this one is a quick method and results are guaranteed.please do as follows.

• first insert your windows installation CD to CD-ROM
  
• go to the I386 folder and locate the Cab file named FP40EXT.CAB
• copy the cab file to the hard disk
• now extract the cab file
• in the extracted folder find the fp4autl.dll file
• now copy this file to the following location
• C:\program files\common files\microsoft shared\web server extensions\40\bin\
• that's it, now restart your office 2007 installation.
  

restoring data by using the restore wizard

1. select start - programs - accessories - system tools - backup
2. in the backup dialog box, click the restore wizard button
3. the restore wizard starts, click next
4. in the what to restore screen, select the check boxes next to the drives, files, or folders you want to restore. click next.
   

scheduling a backup

1. select start - programs - accessories - system tools - backup
2. in the backup dialog box, click schedule jobs tab
3. the schedule jobs tab appears, notice that no jobs appear yet on the schedule. if you have already schedule jobs, you can view them on this schedule. to add a job to the schedule, click add job
4. the backup wizard starts. follow the instructions presented on screen to schedule one or more periodic backups.
5. once you have schedule one or more backups, these jobs appear on the schedule jobs tab, close backup.
   

perform a backup by using the backup wizard

1. select start - programs - accessories - system tools - backup
2. the backup dialog box appears, notice the three buttons in this dialog box: backup wizard, restore wizard, and emergency repair disk. click button next to backup wizard.
3. the backup wizard starts, click next
   

selecting the type of backup operation

the backup utility provides five types of backup operations that define what data is backed up, such as only those files that have changed since the last backup.

some backup types use backup markers also known as archive attributes, which mark file as having changed. when file changes, an attribute is set on the file that indicates that the file has changed since the last backup. when you backup the file, this clears or resets the attributes.

Normal

during a normal backup, all selected files and folders are backed up. a normal backup does not rely on markers to determine which files to backup. during a normal backup any existing marks are cleared and each file is marked as having been backed up. normal backups spped up the restore process because the backup files are the most current and you do not need to restore multiple backup jobs.

Copy

during a copy backup, all selected files and folders are backed up. it neither looks for no clears markers. if you do not want to clear markers and effect other backup types, use a copy backup, for example use a copy backup between a normal and an incremental backup to create an archival snapshot of network data.

Incremental

during incremental backup, only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up, and then the backup clears markers. because an incremental backup clears markers, if you did two consecutive incremental backups on a file and nothing changed in the file, the file would not be backed up the second time.

Differential

during a differential backup, only selected files and folders that have a marker are backed up, but the backup does not clear markers. because a differential backup does not clear markers, if you did two consecutive differential backups on a file and nothing changed in the file, the entire file would be backed up each time.

Daily

during a daily backup, all selected files and folders that have changed during the day are backed up. this backup neither looks for nor clears markers. if you want to backup all files and folders that change during the day, use daily backup.

System state data

system state data includes various critical operating system files, folders and databases. for all windows 2003 computers, system state data includes the operating system boot files, the registry, and the COM+ class registration database. on a windows 2003 server computer that has certificate services installed, system state data also includes the certificate serivces database.

finally on a windows 2003 server that is a domain controller, system state data also includes the active directory data store and the contents of the SYSVOL folder.

The archive attribute

the archive attribute is a marker that the operating system automatically assigns to all files and folders when they are first installed created. depending on the backup type, backup programs remove the archive attribute from a file or folder to indicate that the file or folder has been backed up. if a file or folder is modified after it is backed up, the operating system reassigns the archive attribute to it.

Using backup to perform a backup

windows 2003 ships with a backup program called backup. backup is a basic tape backup program that gives you full capability to backup and restore a windows 2003 computer, including user data on local and network drives, and system state data on the local computer.

introducing the backup utility in windows xp

windows xp professional provides backup or restore wizard, which allows you to easily backup data. to access the backup or restore wizard, on the start menu, point to all programs, point to accessories, point to system tools, and then click backup.alternatively on the start menu you can click run and type ntbackup and then click ok. you can use the backup or restore wizard to backup data manually or to shedule unattended backup jobs on a regular basis. you can backup data to a file or to a tape. files can be stored on hard disks, removable disks (such as Iomega Zip and Jaz drives), and recordable compact disks and optical drives.

after open backup and restore wizard page, click next. the backup or restore page allows you to specify whether you want to backup files and settings or restore files and settings.

to successfully backup and restore data on a computer running windows xp professional, you must have appropriate permissions and user rights, as described below.

• all users can backup their own files and folders. they can also backup files for which they have the read, read and execute, modify, or full control permission.
• all users can restore files and folders for which they have the write, modify, or full control permission.
• members of the administrators and backup operators groups can backup and restore all files (regardless of the assigned permissions) by default.members of these groups have the backup files and directories and restore files and directories user rights.