PCdoctor.me

Internet Privacy or how to clean your computer tracks and keep your computer safe

admin — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 13:13:38 +0000

What’s so important about Internet Privacy?

Every time you open a browser to view a web page, order something online, or read your email in a web based viewer that information is stored on your computer for later use. Whether you are viewing the weather online, reading sports, catching up on the latest world news or viewing something a little more private, all that information is stored in your computer. Windows operating systems store all this material in what are called Temporary Internet Files or cache. Web pages may store bits of information about who you are when you visit web sites in files called cookies on your computer. Your web browser will store a list of web sites you’ve visited and places you’ve gone in a history file in your computer. Even if you are not online, programs will store histories of the files you’ve opened, played, or viewed.

Generally there might not be any reason to worry about all these files in your computer, but what if you sell your computer and all that information is left for someone else to see. Maybe friends and relatives visit and use your computer and you dont want everyone to know what files you are running on your computer. Then you are going to want to know how to delete these files.

Even if you are not worried about privacy on your computer, you may be surprised to realize how much hard drive space all this information takes up. If you are running out of drive space, you may want to delete these files.

How can I delete these files?

For Internet Explorer 5 and above, you can follow these directions to clear out temporary files and delete cookies.

1) Open Internet Explorer and click on Tools
2) Click on Internet Options
3) On the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Delete Files
4) You may also want to check the box “Delete all offline content”
5) Click on OK and wait for the hourglass icon to stop after it deletes the temporary internet files
6) You can now click on Delete Cookies and click OK to delete cookies that websites have placed on your hard drive.

To clear the Internet History in IE:

1) Open Internet Explorer and click on Tools
2) Click on Internet Options
3) On the General Tab, in the middle of the screen, click on Clear History
4) Click OK

To clean up other temporary files on your computer in Windows 98 or higher:

1) Click Start, Programs (or All Programs), Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup
2) Choose the correct drive usually C:\
3) Check the boxes in the list and delete the files

The way to enable Hidden Administrator Account in Windows 7

admin — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 21:49:47 +0000

Repairing pc and laptops in London, data recovery central london.

Windows 7 is a predecessor of Windows Vista, but more practical and shiny. There are pretty much the same security features on both OSs, so in Windows 7 you can find some features that were first introduced in Windows Vista. In Windows 7 the administrator account is switched off by default and it’s no where to be seen in general settings on control panel. Today we will show you how to activate the account easily.

Let me point you first, actually there are 2 ways in order to activate the account:

1) Command Prompt
2) Local Security Policy

1. The easiest method. Use Command Prompt

First you need to run Command Prompt as an administrator. You can do that by right clicking on the command prompt in the program list and choose “Run as administrator“.

Then in command promt you only need to enter the simple command below to activate it:

net user administrator /active:yes

You can also specify your password for this particular account by using the following command

Net user administrator password

just replace “password” with your own password. The account will be seen immediately after you logoff your Windows 7. Now in order to deactivate it, you can use the command below

net user administrator /active:no

This will effectively turn off the administrator account.

2. More complicated way, but still not to bad. Change Local Security Policy

Another method of activating the administrator account in Windows 7 is by using Local Security Policy. Go to search and type secpol.msc in the search bar and press enter. After the Local Security Policy pops up, navigate to Local Policies-> Security Options where you can see an entry that reads Accounts: Administrator account. Double click the entry to enable it. Easy? Certainly, yes! Good luck!

Archos 13 laptops arrives to London

admin — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 01:20:29 +0000

Archos — primarily known for being heavy into the PMP game — has just outed an updated line of laptops repairs in London. Here we have the previously spotted Archos 13, and while we don’t have a full rundown of specifications, it’s a 13.3-incher with an unnamed Intel Atom D510 CPU, 1GB of DDR2 RAM, a 160GB hard drive, WiFi b/g/n, Bluetooth, and a 6-cell battery. It comes with Windows 7 Home Starter edition, I never heard anything about sales outside of London , but I do know that this puppy goes for around $485 in London.

PROCESSOR	Intel® Atom D510 Dual Core (1 MB L2 cache)
OPERATING SYSTEM	Microsoft Windows 7 Home Premium installations
SYSTEM MEMORY	1GB DDR2 667/800 MHz
SCREEN	13.3” WXGA 16:9 format
RESOLUTION	1366 x 768 pixels
HARD DRIVE	Capacity : 160¹ GB SATA 2.5” format
COMMUNICATION	Ethernet : RJ 45 Fast Ethernet 10/100 port WiFi: PCI-E card, IEEE 802.11b/g/n supported
AUDIO	Intel High Definition Audio Interface 2 built-in stereo speakers Built-in microphone
FRONT & SIDE PORTS	3×USB 2.0 1×VGA output 1×MMC/SD/SDHC memory card reader 1×Power adapter/charger connector 1×Mic input 1×Audio output 1×RJ-45 LAN 1×RJ-11 port
BATTERY	6 cells
WEBCAM	Integrated 1.3MP webcam
DIMENSIONS	Avg. 333 mm x 230 mm x 27 mm (13,1” x 9,1” x 1,06”)
WEIGHT	Avg. 1.6 kg
PACKAGE INCLUDES	ARCHOS 133 PC (UK, DE or FR keyboard), Battery, AC Adapter with Power Cord, Quick Start Guide.

Protect your data and avoid any data loss

admin — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:51:08 +0000

Nowadays, laptop computers are an amazing way for modern people to manage their work flow, but it’s also crucial to protect the data on those computers. People need to be aware with their laptops, macbooks to avoid any data loss and other problems that could affect the integrity of their data. If problems do occur, it’s also important they know that data recovery is always a step to go.”

What you need to know to protect against laptop data disasters, PC/MAC doctor London offer you several tips:

Laptops are not as robust as many like to think . When your computers, laptops/macbooks, moved or transported, it’s absolutely crucial to prevent unnecessary shock or impact. Keep your computer in a dry, cool and and dust-free environment.
Use a protected, well padded laptopbags– Using just a briefcase or back-pack may not protect your gadgets during transportation. Make sure your laptop has plenty of built-in sturdy padding.
Backup your data regularly – Creating regular backups is one of the most effective ways to protect you from losing any data. Back up data at least once a month on a CD, DVD, USB flash drives or other external hard drive. Keep as a rule to always verify that the correct data is backed up.
Don’t forget to virus scan your laptops/PCs/MACs and update it regularly – Computer viruses are one of the worst issues and they can bring headaches. Nice anti-virus software tests your computers for viruses, malware and eliminates the infecting invader. Also beware of spyware software, a very common problem today. There are several programmes available on the internet that can assist with the removal of most spyware programmes, for example AVG Antivirus. Avoid Norton Antivirus.
Be aware of any unusual noises inside your machine – If you hear a strange clicking noise or grinding sound, turn off your computer immediately and call a PC MAC Doctor London. Because any further operation may damage your hard drive completely, so it won’t be possible to repair it.
Do not use files recovery software if you suspect an electrical or mechanical failure – Using file recovery software on a faulty hard drive may destroy what was otherwise recoverable data or worsen the physical failure.
Keep an eye on your battery-level– If you are going to be using the laptop for long hours, be sure to try and find an electrical outlet to plug into. Some laptops will shut down quickly when a specific low battery level is reached and important documents may be lost.
If you do experience a data loss, PC MAC Doctor London can help – Even the best maintenance programme cannot always prevent system crashes or data loss. PC MAC Doctor London offers a wide services of data recovery solutions in London .

How to boot into Safe Mode in Windows XP or Vista

admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 23:19:11 +0000

It’s very simple! What you need to do is just to restart your computer. As soon as the screen goes blank for the first time, or after the BIOS post ends, start taping the F8 key repeatedly. The Windows Advanced Options menu appears. If somehow the menu does not appear, restart your computer and try again. If the Keyboard has a F-Lock key, it may be necessary to press it first – QUICKLY before pressing the F8 Key. This will have to be done quickly before tapping the F8 key repeatedly.

The Windows Advanced Options Menu should appear and it looks like this:

Press Safe Mode or Safe Mode with Networking (if you wish to use any network or internet in this mode )

If this widows appears, choose the operating system you want to boot to.
Note: Dual boot users will see more than one operating system:

The files will scroll down the screen as they boot up:

Log onto the Administrator account. If a password was never set, leave the password blank and press enter or click on the green arrow:

Then click Yes to enter Safe Mode. Click No to launch System Restore:

Process for Windows Vista looks relatively the same.

We are extending our service in North West London!

admin — Tue, 08 Jun 2010 12:05:20 +0000

Starting from this June 2010 we are providing computer(both- PCs and MACs) repair services, data recovery, laptop repairs, upgrades and installations to homes and offices in Golders Green NW11, Hampstead NW3, West Hampstead NW6, Swiss Cottage NW3, Chalk Farm NW3, Belsize Park NW3, Gospel Oak NW3, Queens Park NW6, Brondesbury NW6, Kilburn NW6 and other North West London areas!

Whatever your problem, it can be solved!

Google Pac-Man eats up your work time enormously

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 02:46:38 +0000

The Pac-Man game Google put on its home page gobbled up almost five million hours of work time, suggests a study.

The playable version of the classic video game was put on Google’s front page on 21 May to celebrate 30 years since the launch of Pac-Man in Japan.

The search giant reworked the game so the layout was arranged around letters forming its name.

The Pac-Man game proved so popular that Google has now made it permanently available on its own page.

Time delay

The statistics on how many people played and for how long were gathered by software firm Rescue Time. It makes time-tracking software that keeps an eye on what workers do and where they go online.

On a typical day, it suggests, most people conduct about 22 searches on the Google page, each one lasting about 11 seconds.

Putting Pac-Man on the page boosted that time by an average of about 36 seconds, the firm said based on the browsing habits of 11,000 Rescue Time users.

The firm believes this is a relatively low figure because only a minority realised that the logo was playable. To play, people had to click on the “insert coin” button which replaced the more familiar “I’m Feeling Lucky” button on 21 and 22 May.

Extrapolating this up across the 504 million unique users who visit the main Google page day-to-day, this represents an increase of 4.8 million hours – equal to about 549 years.

In dollar terms, assuming people are paid $25 (£17.50) an hour, this equates to about $120m in lost productivity, the firm said.

For that money, suggested Rescue Time, it would be possible to hire all Google’s employees and put them to work for about six weeks.

The blog for time management tool RescueTime did the math and determined that Google Pac-Man consumed 4,819,352 hours of time, or $120,483,800 in productivity.

If you haven’t wasted time at work playing Google Pac-Man already, you still have a chance to add to that lost productivity tally. Google has preserved the Pac-Man game logo at www.google.com/pacman (you can also download the game) even though the front page has returned to normal.

Well, It didn’t help us do our job(repair laptops in London, virus removals in London) but it did help us to short our journeys time to our dearest clients in Central London.

U.S. Indicts Ohio Man and Two Foreign Residents in Alleged Ukraine-Based “Scareware” Fraud Scheme That Caused $100 Million in Losses to Internet Victims Worldwide

admin — Sun, 30 May 2010 02:22:46 +0000

US federal prosecutors have filed charges against three men for tricking internet user into buying over $100m of fake security software.

The three men are alleged to have set up a company called Innovative Marketing, which sold software such as ‘DriveCleaner’ and ‘ErrorSafe,’ for around $50 per user. The software, dubbed scareware by security experts, scans a user’s system, purports to have found malware and then offers to remove it for a price.

Bjorn Daniel Sundin, 31, a U.S. citizen believed to be living in the Ukraine; Shaileshkumar P. Jain, 40, a Swedish citizen thought to be living in Sweden; and James Reno, 26, of Amelia, Ohio, are accused of creating several fake advertising agencies that booked $85,000 worth of legitimate space – which was never paid for.

Users clicking on the adverts were redirected to a web site which initiated the scareware selling process. The trio are also alleged to have used the adverts to sell fake pharmaceuticals and have each been formally charged with one charge of computer fraud and conspiracy to commit computer fraud as well as multiple counts of wire fraud.

If found guilty they face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine for each case of wire fraud. The authorities are seeking to recover the profits from an Ukrainian bank.

How to change XP Boot Screen – Tutorial

admin — Mon, 24 May 2010 11:48:05 +0000

Michael asks, Is there any way to get rid of “branding” on a computer? Where computer manufacture advertise there products when you start you computer.

Depending on what computer you have, you probabaly have a boring splash screen displayed as the BIOS loads. Toady I show you some little tricks how to change your BIOS splash screen. This tutorial mostly for people whose computers are pretty much new – because only few years ago a new feature appeared in motherbards which allows you to change the BIOS’s splash screen seamlessly. These are two separate image locations requiring editing in multiple places and some confidence in your computing skills, as the BIOS option can potentially damage your system if done incorrectly.

How to change your Windows Boot Screen

All this magic manipulation doesn’t necessarily require any direct modification of system files. There are few ways which allows you to change the boot screen. One way is to delete it completely- which leads to display a blank screen until Windows completes the boot process. If you want such results and want to turn off the boot logo, in Windows XP or Vista click Start > Run and then type MSCONFIG in the dialog box to launch the System Configuration Utility. On the BOOT.INI section, check the box next to /NOGUIBOOT and click OK. So next time you reboot your computer, you will see the only BIOS screen and then nothing until Windows loads completely. The badside to this way is you won’t get any information if your PC will hung up in the middle of a boot process.

That was a simple way to remove any unwanted image or information from the boot process.

So what to do if you want to replace the boot image completely? The easiest way is to download a free software called BootSkin. The application automatically replaces the default Windows boot screen, replacing it with one of the many different options in the WinCustomize BootSkin library. With some time spent practicing you can succide with your own custom Boot Skin as well.

Download BootSkin

If you want to be real wicked geeky – the third way for you would be to edit the operating system file where the boot screen information lays. But remember, you have to be VERY careful doing this or you will end up with a computer that won’t boot.

The first part of this third way is to create or find an image(picture, photo, etc. ) you want to use. You need to convert your image to .bmp file format yousing a coverter. Here you can read how to conver it painlessly. Or you can use a Photoshop to convert the image.

So you need to create a 215×147 .bmp file with 16 colors (NOT 16-bit). If you have any image editor you can create .bmp file in there. The next step is to download free program called Resource Hacker to make some changes.

Before proceeding, locate file ntoskrnl.exe in your Windows > system32 folder. Make a copy of the file called myskfile.exe or something equally easy to remember and leave the copy in the System32 folder.

Then make a second copy of the ntoskrnl.exe on your desktop (this is the one you will edit).

Open ntoskrnl.exe in Resource Hacker. Expand your bitmap file > 5 and highlight the 1033 folder. Right-click the 1033 icon and choose Replace Resource.

Then click the Open file with new bitmap button and locate the image you created earlier. Click the Replace button. Save and exit Resource Hacker. You can also replace all elements of the boot screen if you want by editing each portion of the Bitmap.

Then reboot in SafeMode (press F8 at windows sturt-up) and copy your newly created ntoskrnl.exe file into the Windows > System32 folder.

Note: If you are using Windows 2000, you can simply replace the image in the Bitmap > 1 > 1033 location with a 640×480 16 color Bitmap to modify the Win2k boot screen in a similar fashion.

How to change the BIOS Splash Screen

If you want to remove the branded splash screen associated with your BIOS, you need to obtain the firmware update for your current BIOS and then edit the logo file that’s part of the BIOS fileset before applying the update.

Assuming your PC manufacturer has you create a floppy designed to flash the PC bios, you can fairly easily make a change to the logo displayed. Follow the directions to create the BIOS boot disk, simply replace the included logo.bmp file in the BIOS update package with a logo.bmp file created by you. The key here is to use a 16 color (NOT 16-bit color) 640×480 BMP file. Then copy yourlogo.bmp file onto the disk used for your BIOS update and then run the bundled logo.bat file by double-clicking it. This converts the logo.bmp to a format ready for the BIOS update.

It’s vital to keep all the files in the BIOS update named exactly as they were or your computer may not work after the update. Any changes made to BIOS update files should be done at your own risk and with extreme care.

Testimonials

admin — Sun, 23 May 2010 21:55:56 +0000

“I needed my computer fixed THAT SAME MORNING and PC/MAC Doctor London was the only company who could help me with my computer issues. Thanks, you’re the star!”
Alison Hewitt, Richmond, TW9
“After paying hundreds of pounds to other companies who usually only made the problem worse, I googled PC Doctor London. They were the only ones who diagnosed my problem correctly.”
Ben Lancer, Lewisham
“The technician is so efficient and really know his stuff. I know my production company is in good hands with PC/MAC Doctor London.”
Ruth Craig, Kew Gardens
“I have been using PC/MAC Doctor London for almost two years and their technicians have never failed to diagnose and fix the problem at hand. They are prompt, courteous and professional. Many thanks!!”
Frank Miller, Harrow-on-the-Hill, HA1
“The technicians are just wonderful, really pleased. They will treat you like a real person, not just an odd number.”
Helen Burke, South Kensington
“When I told them I needed help today, they sent a technician in one hour! I’ve never seen such service!”
Michael Bourne, Paddington
“My son usually makes our computer issues but he’d just gone back to college when I found a virus. PC/MAC Doctor London came out and fixed it the same day I called him!”
Aaron Rothstein, Golders Green, NW11
“I have trusted my computers to PC/MAC Doctor London for 3 years and they’ve always sent me the same wonderful technician. Eldar is a GENIUS and always so professional.”
Paul Smart, Watford
“I got my HP Pavilion fixed with PC/MAC Doctor London service a few months back and they did a heck of a job on it… They had the motherboard replacement done in a few days so I was very happy with the service provided. I now go there for everything and tell all my friends to call only them…Thanks.”
Larry Levine, Hampstead, NW3
“My partner never ceases to download viruses, and PC/MAC Doctor London has always been there to get our system operational again!”
Lee Parker, Stock Newington
“I have been using this service since 2006 and every one of their technicians has been very helpful, brilliant and able to fix the problem.”
David Forth, Marylebone
“I was on a deadline when my computer crashed and PC/MAC Doctor London came out and got me running that same day. I don’t know what I would have done without them.”
Jason H., Golders Green, NW11
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Mary Sullen, Docklands
“I used to get virus after virus but PC/MAC Doctor London technician not only removed them all but also showed me how to avoid them. I’ve been virus free for 2 years!”
Tom Hatchett., Hackney
“Our company was really impressed with how the technician set up our Linux server. He really knows his stuff and I’d recommend him enthusiastically!”
Hugo Trevor , Central London
“My husband always takes care of our computer issues, but he was on a business trip when I lost my internet. Thank God I was able to call PC DOCTOR and get the problem fixed quickly!”
Kriss Bolade, Criclewood
“Ever since we entrusted our network to Geek Choice a year ago, we have essentially eliminated computer-related downtime! Thank you PC Doctor for keeping us productive!”
Caroline Bourns , Chelsea, SW1
“I usually work from home and when my computer goes down I am completely stuck. I’m so glad to have found a company that will come out the same day at no extra charge.”
Katie Wood, Primrose Hill
“Ever since I put our home network in the care of PC/MAC Doctor London in 2005, we have had no issues at all.”
Albert Mitchell, South Hampstead
“Very pleased with my experience. My problem was peculiar and I had ordered the computer diagnostics and repair service. The technician listened carefully to my description then looked at the computer carefully. It took a day but the computer was repaired to my satisfaction.”
David Barbour, South Kensington
“I have used PC/MAC Doctor London technician for 3 years and they have never failed to get my computer working again. They even send me the same great tech every time. Thank you!”
Mark Sibbon, Acton
“This is one of the best professional computer repair services available. Users can quickly get their computers up and running and be online working in a matter of minutes. Now we can then spend less time on the computer issues and more on important stuff like communication and collaboration. My office is on strict daily deadlines and we have little room for computer issues. And it’s all sorted! Thank you, guys! ”
John Groom, Clapham
“As in previous times, I developed a serious (for me) problem which was interfering with my ability to do business tasks. I called, received a prompt reply, and the repairman was out my next free day. He would have been out earlier except for my scheduling conflicts. Courteous, clear service! Highly recommended!”
Marie Dockerell, Victoria Gardens
“I am absolutely amazed to have found PC/MAC Doctor London! Very effective chap, efficient, and most importantly in these times affordable!”
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“Eldar has successfully carried out a data recovery service for our Hampstead office and we are very pleased with the results! A life-savior!”
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“Just wanted to say thank you for all your great work, you have surprised me and my wife with some computer magic and restored our data! It was so great to find you, Eldar! Thank you for your kindness and care for the data recovery! Thank you from Emma and myself.”
David and Emma Smith, South Kensington, Knightsbridge‎ SW7
“Eldar is the most professional computer “Doctor ” around. Super fast diagnosis. Straight forward communication. Honest practice plus reasonable prices!My crashed c-drive was replaced & back on my desk with in 2 hours. Amazing job!You are a star!”
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“Honest PC Repair, friendly/professional service, quick repair, knowledgeable, informative, great value. PC/MAC doctor London puts you at ease and your pc in good hands.”
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“I am just writing this email to let you know that your MAC Doctor did a great job on upgrading the hard drive in my mac book pro, i have to admit I was a little worried about my data, but I your computer technician was so positive! And I’m glad I I did. Everything was just as promised and within 2 hours time exactly as promised. I just wanted to say thanks and I will be recommending you to all my friends. You guys are great.”
Mary Gutierrez, W11, Notting Hill, London