Windows has always come with stock games such as minesweeper and solitaire; however, if any game was added to the computer, it would then create its own separate folder in the Windows Start Menu. The Windows Vista Game Explorer has finally “fixed” this overabundance of excess folders in the Start Menu.

Upon analysis of the Windows Vista Game Explorer, one finds that all the information one would need to know about a game is right there as a Start Menu button. Although each game maintains its own separate folder in the computer, one no longer searches through the Start Menu to find it. With one click on the Windows Vista Game Explorer, one has access to all the games stored on the computer.

This new feature also enables multiple options that were previously not on Windows. An analysis of Windows Vista Game Explorer now gives the user a right-click option list, thereby enabling one to pin a game to the Start Menu for easy access, or even to place it on the desktop as a shortcut, or put the shortcut in the Quick Launch feature of Windows Vista.

Further analysis of Windows Vista Game Explorer reveals other options previously not featured on previous versions of Windows. One can organize the games in ascending or descending order of name of the game, which game was last played, the product version, publisher, developer, rating, parental restriction access, and content descriptors.

In this way, Windows Vista Game Explorer eliminates the hassle of right-clicking everything to try and organize the computer’s folders, and allows for a one-click fix to set to the user’s particular taste. Analysis of Windows Vista Game Explorer also shows that when a game is highlighted, a cursory summary of the product appears as an image on the right side of the window.

It displays the game’s cover art (if applicable and available), name, and rating with description/reason for rating. This facet enables the user to view the game they have highlighted, eliminating the hassle of starting the wrong program accidentally.

From the Windows Vista Game Explorer, one can highlight the desired game and use the “Community and Support” tab to view the game’s home or support website. This removes the multiple steps it takes to open the browser, find the right sight, and then search the site for the proper link.

Again, the Windows Vista Game Explorer does away with another slight yet bothersome hassle of web browsing. Analysis of the Windows Vista Game Explorer also has a “Play” tab, which the user can use to either directly start the game, or set multiple play options from which to choose.

Windows Vista Game Explorer has taken PC gaming and made it one-click-away simpler.

Martin helps people learn about technology and Internet. You can read more of his work like his article about Windows Vista Games on his Ghacks website.

Windows 7 is tentatively due to hit store shelves sometime around the middle of 2009 and seems to be a slightly revamped version of what Windows Vista should have been. Key amongst the new features include a pair of Mac OS X features that the Redmond giant is borrowing: the Dock & Multi-touch.

In Mac OS X the Dock serves as both a quick-launch area for commonly used applications and folders. It’s unknown how the dock in Windows 7 will function exactly, but it wouldn’t surprise many if the final product looked and operated remarkably like that of their Cupertino-based rival.

Windows 7: The next Microsoft operating system is also going to support a very Mac-like Multi-touch technology. The precise functionality is not entirely certain but it is very likely that the techniques pioneers on the iPhone and later by OS X are likely to become the industry norm. If that does indeed come true then it’d be reasonable to expect everything from zooming & scrolling to be common in all applications as well as rotational control on anything media-intensive such as Photoshop or even the media player.

Speaking of the media player, Windows 7 is due to receive a fairly major upgrade to various core components including Windows Media Center. The exact enhancements are not entirely clear at this time but gadget integration has been reported by many rumor mills claiming to either have a Milestone 1 (M1) copy or have sources that do.

Windows Explorer is another program due for an overhaul and if the trend of Microsoft attempting to catch up to OS X 10.5 Leopard (and 10.6 Snow Leopard) is true, we might see some attempts to speed Explorer up. Both Paint and WordPad are due to receive facelifts and additional functionality and an entirely new multi-line graphing calculator will finally be part of the package.

Bill Gates has gone on record by saying that Windows 7 will make a big step forward in speech technology and handwriting recognition. The first is not difficult to due as once again this is an area where Vista trails OS X, however the handwriting recognition might prove an opportunity for Microsoft to bring some of their Windows Mobile talent to bear. Microsoft has a much longer history in the smartphone market than Apple does and as a result this is one area where they aren’t lagging as noticeably.

Overall the changes in Windows 7 seem rather cosmetic and nagging technical difficulties that still trouble Vista may or may not have been resolved. We’ll find out in 2009 at the very earliest.

Martin helps people learn about the next Microsoft operating system. You can read more about the upcoming Windows 7 operating system like windows 7 Server information on the Windows 7 News website.

The Android basically is a software podium and an operating mechanism especially for mobile devices, which is developed by Google. It permits developers to write a managed code in a language that resembles Java, and it utilizes Java libraries that are developed by Google.

It does not sustain programs that are developed in the native code. The Android podium was unveiled on 05th November 2007, and coincided with the inauguration of Open Handset Alliance. This Alliance was formed with the help of a conglomerate of around 34 software, hardware and telecom organizations that pledged to promoting open standards for mobile phones.

Google acquiring Android Inc:

Android was known to make software programs for mobile phones. When in July 2005, Google acquired Android Inc., rumors spread that Google was making an entry in the mobile phone market. Google thereafter applied for a patent for a mobile payment scheme and came to be known as Gpay. It would let the customer send a message to Google by providing payment details to some specified recipient. The user’s account would then be debited by Gpay, by giving credit to the payee’s account.

Google’s Android may bring new risks:

Googles’s Android open source cell phone operating mechanism, along with Open Handset Alliance may expose mobile operators to more security risks than any other devices that are currently selling in the market. Currently there is no central authority that can sign and test the Android applications, and this unavoidably increases the risk of misuse. But Android was meant to be designed in such a manner as to reduce the effects of such misuse.

An independent procedure is followed by the Linux based Android system for each application. This prevents malicious programs from disturbing other applications or important telephone functions. If an application program makes it essential to access the data or phone operations, for instance to read phone numbers in the address book or make a telephone call, the user needs to explicitly enable this during installation itself.

The function in the system was neatly demonstrated with the help of an Android emulator and is a division of the software development kit that is available free of cost. It was also demonstrated as to how an Android terminal was able to study a shopping list using the Google spreadsheets, and show it in an appropriate format for mobile use. The data present in the spreadsheet application could also be edited in real time using the Android application. Thus it was asserted that Android was very much adaptable to such a kind of online data processing.

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CHKDSK errors occur whenever Windows detects a problem with the file system on your hard disk, and tries to automatically repair it by running the CHKDSK application. Although CHKDSK can fix such errors, Windows also frequently misdiagnose the cause of the problem, and can actually makes things worse.

What causes CHKDSK errors?

Many things can trigger Windows to launch the CHKDSK to scan and repair the hard drive. Among the most common are logical errors in the file system, bad sectors on the hard disk, lost clusters, cross-linked files, and directory errors. Viruses can also cause CHKDSK errors, in particular the notorious Zobot virus. All these things can lead to problems with Internet Explorer, files being corrupted or lost, and make the PC lag or even freeze up.

However, for the average PC user, the most frequent reason Windows launches CHKDSK is if the computer was shut down incorrectly. This can be caused by power blackouts, the computer freezing or crashing, or even if the user simply turns off the PC without shutting Windows down first. Similarly, when any program (such as MS Word or Photoshop) or is aborted instead of being closed out by the user, it can cause data clusters to become lost. In the case of improper shutdowns, Windows automatically launches CHKDSK the next time the PC is turned on.

Windows does this to scan the hard disk for corrupted sectors or file system errors so it can automatically fix them before the operating system boots up. Unfortunately, this automation can be a problem in cases where running CHKDSK makes things worse.

How can CHKDSK make problems worse?

As long as hard disk errors like lost clusters and bad sectors really are being caused by problems with the file system, CHKDSK works fine. The catch is that such errors are identical symptoms of other, more serious problems with the computer, such as a physically damaged hard drive. In such cases, Windows misdiagnoses the cause of the problem and runs CHKDSK anyway. Not only are these problems that CHKDSK does not and cannot fix, but it can also make the problem worse while trying to apply the wrong solution. Imagine a plumber trying to fix a leak that is actually being caused, not by the pipes, but by a hole in the roof.

In the process of CHKDSK attempting unsuccessfully to correctly rewrite a non-existent file system problem on a physically damaged sector of the hard disk, the data contained in that sector may become fragmented, corrupted, and irreparable. Consequently, files that may have been recoverable are now hopelessly scrambled. If those files are crucial operating system files, the PC can be damaged beyond repair, with the only repair option left being a complete reinstallation of Windows.

How can I stop CHKDSK from running automatically?

In Windows 95 and 98, an older version of CHKDSK (called Scandisk) will search the hard disk for problems and then ask you if you want to repair any errors found. As it is the repair process that can corrupt data on damaged hard drives, simply selecting “no” will avoid any problems. In Windows 2000/XP/Vista, however, CHKDSK will automatically try to repair any errors found without asking you first. To abort CHKDSK, simply press the ESC key within 10 seconds after it starts running. From there, your PC will continue to boot into Windows. Once in, you can back up you important files to another media (such as CD or DVD) before trying to fix the hard disk problems.

You can download a free trial of the registry cleaner software from Mehmet website to prevent chkdsk errors. He also shares some of his things he learned in 10 years experience. Visit: http://www.registryheal.com/

So you just purchased a new PC, or upgraded from Windows XP. Already tired of the default Windows Vista background, icons, or sounds? In this article, we will discuss various safe, easy and free ways to customize your Windows Vista desktop.

First of all, you may want to change your logon icon. This is the first thing you will see when you start up your PC. Your machine will come preloaded with dozens of logon icons, but if none of these are right for you, there’s also LogonStudio Vista, a free program with hundreds of downloadable logon icons available. Alternately, if you have a photo of your own you’d like to use, changing the logon is as easy as drag and drop.

Tired of the default Windows theme? Its possible to change everything about the way your desktop looks by downloading new themes. To test this out, try downloading WindowBlinds, a program that includes several high-quality skins for Vista, with thousands more available to download. Not only can you change your background and visual style, you can also change the skin color, transparency, desktop icons, and much more.

Now that you’ve customized your background and overall theme, here’s some extra utilities you may want to use to further customize your desktop. Changing your icons by hand would take a lot of effort and time. The best way to change Vista icons is by using an icon pack, which will switch nearly every icon for a corresponding one in the new pack. For a whole slew of downloadable icon packs, you can snag a trial version of IconPackager.

If you wish to continue on with your Vista customization, the next step is changing your cursor. CursorFX is an extremely popular free program that can transform your arrow cursor into anything you can imagine. Changing to the cursor you want is as easy as double-clicking, and reverting to a default cursor is just as easy.

You may be wary of changing the visual aspect of Windows Vista, or you may be wondering if customizing your desktop will slow down your performance in any way. This is not the case. As long as you follow the methods outlined in this article, every change you make is both reversible and makes no major changes to your operating system. In fact, some of the methods of customization may make the operating system run a little smoother.

Of course, you don’t have to use all these tools at once. Feel free to pick and choose, and use a search engine to dig a little deeper for other customization programs. It’s all about personalization, and what suits you best.

Martin helps people learn about technology and Internet. You can read more of his work like his article about Windows Vista Themes or Windows Vista Themes.

Though some people have speculated that Windows 7 will simply be an extension on the core engine used for Microsoft Windows Vista, many Windows users are waiting to see what changes will be introduced in Windows 7 before starting to form their opinions.

Microsoft has stated publicly that Windows 7 will be a major release for the company, lending credence to the theory that Windows 7 will have a number of changes and refinements; here is what is known thus far about what changes will be introduced in Windows 7 and what will remain the same from Vista.

User Account Control or UAC, better known to many Vista users as the annoying warnings that pop up every time you try and do something, will return. While many Vista users turn off UAC almost immediately because of the annoyance of constantly having to approve actions that they initiated, the Windows 7 version is hinted to be much more streamlined and easy to deal with.

Microsoft has taken a large amount of user feedback into consideration so that they can provide a UAC system that does what it was designed to do without causing undue annoyance for the users of their operating system.

Windows 7 is also purported to have a feature known as “pervasive multi-touch”, meaning that the operating system will be able to make efficient use of a touch screen as a method of control. This will take Windows 7 far beyond previous versions of the Windows operating system in regards to user interactivity, as the new touch screen interface is being designed to allows users to directly manipulate the OS and its applications in ways that simply weren’t possible before.

Windows users who are wondering what changes will be introduced in Windows 7 will be happy to note that these aren’t the only changes planned for the operating system, but are merely two examples of how Microsoft is taking features or compatibility issues from previous OS versions and advancing them to the next level of user interface.

Windows 7 is being built off of the kernel for Windows Vista, but the company is working hard to improve upon Vista’s features and make an operating system that is even more customizable so that it can be appreciated by both power users and those users who are much more casual in their computing. User feedback from Vista is being considered to better streamline the Windows 7 user experience, while new Windows 7 exclusive features are being developed behind closed doors.

Martin runs his own website covering news about the next Microsoft operating system. You find articles like Windows 7 Server on his Windows 7 website.

Keeping a PC running smoothly is something that seems to elude a lot of people. Too many times I’ve seen people running their PC to a crawl and then wondering what the problem is and why everything seems to be running so slowly. Inexperienced users seem to pick up a huge amount of spyware and viruses, as well as a plethora of programs designed to eradicate such things. All things combined can turn even the fastest of machines into something resembling a computer built in 1990. Hopefully I can give a few words of advice that’ll help keep your PC fast and healthy.

Most mistakes that people make when using PCs are made browsing the Internet. Bad surfing habits can seriously affect your PC and load it with junk and spyware. These range from small programs that run in the background relaying data about your Internet use to full-blown viruses. Obviously a PC that is infected with either isn’t going to run so well. Too many background processes and it’ll start to put too much load on your RAM when performing intensive tasks, such as gaming or photo manipulation. Your computer will eventually have to use portions of the hard disk as overflow memory and you’ll notice a big slowdown.

To ensure that you don’t pick up malicious programs I would recommend using Firefox to browse the web. As Internet Explorer is by far the most widely used browser it is the one that the most viruses are written for. Using Firefox will cut out a lot of the attacks that you can be affected by. However, Firefox is second to Microsoft’s program and you’ll still need to be aware. Try not to visit less-than-reputable sites with a lot of low budget flash adverts and pop-ups. Never click yes to anything that does pop up, and ignore any messages that try to alert you about the condition of your PC. These are scare tactics to get inexperienced users to download unnecessary software, clogging up your PC.

Many people swear by their virus protection software, claiming that it helps keep their PC clean. I’ve kept my PC virus-free for over seven years without a single piece of virus protection software. I found that having it constantly running in the background and checking everything slowed my PC down. Constant update and checking popups started to get annoying as well and in the end I decided I could do without it. So long as you’re careful while online you can do just fine without any virus protection software. Without it, your PC will run much faster and smoother.

A lot of people seem to get infected with spyware when opening malicious emails. The key here is to have a decent spam filter on whatever email client that you’re using, and having a good eye for what to open and what to delete. My general rule is that if I don’t know who the sender is then I just delete the mail without reading it. Avoid emails from friends that seem suspicious as well, as often a virus will send itself to everyone in the infected person’s address book. Don’t follow any links or open any files. Above all else, never ever download or run a .exe file. It’s almost guaranteed to be a virus.

Make sure you defragment your hard disk around once a month. If the data becomes to fragmented then it’ll take a long time for the head to read the data from the platters, slowing the PC again. By defragmenting you’re keeping the files arranged more orderly on your disk and therefore making it easier to read. Many people never even bother doing this and then find that their PC takes ages to read files and get going.

Make sure that you don’t install too many useless programs. Many programs will launch on startup and sit in the background, not really doing anything until prompted. Although they feel like they’re not there they’re still using up valuable system resources. Allow this to build up and you’ll end up with a slow PC. A good way to tell if you’ve got a lot of these programs is by checking the number of icons in the bottom right of the screen, try to have as few as possible.

Keep Windows up to date. This is vital as often in updates there are crucial security updates that can make a world of difference. The same applies to browsers and any anti-virus software you have installed. By making sure everything is fully up to date you’re far less likely to encounter problems later on.

Keeping a PC running well isn’t a difficult thing to do, it just requires a little care. Making sure you get things right to start with will help you with the headaches that occur with virus infections and computers slowing to a crawl. Hopefully in the future you’ll look after your PC well and have a fast machine that runs smoothly.

Patrick is an expert Research and Travel consultant. His current interest is in Birmingham airport parking, Airparks Birmingham and Gatwick parking.

As the time pass the technology changes, as we see around all the things have changed since times like the ways of communication, the moving style of people and so on. Technology will keep on changing. Even we see in case of computer we used to have Pentium 1 2 or 3 and now we have Core 2 Duo and other such processors.

Likewise the operating systems have changed over since. We used to have window 98 then came the windows XP and now we have the window VISTA in market. Ever since the windows is changing same are the changes which are made in these windows. Now we have to what are the differences that appeared in the start menus of these two operating systems which are windows XP and window vista. There were many advances that were made in the vista start menu from the past window XP start menu.

First we see the difference between the buttons which are provided in xp for shutting down the computer and logging off the computer. In windows XP a button is provided to select shut down then to select from an pop window what to do and same is the case with log off button which can be directly selected and then by giving ok command in a pop up window we can log off our system.

While in Vista we have two buttons directly and a arrow list. On first button the action can changed manually about what will happen if that button is pressed that is by default set to hibernate or sleep. The second button is directly to lock the computer. All the other options like restart etc can be selected from the arrow list provided beside these two buttons.

Secondly there is difference between the pop style of the all programs list in both these windows. In windows XP the list is a pop list which pops up when we go on all programs while in window vista we have a non pop up list which opens itself in the shortcuts area instead of popping out. This list is also a scrolling list which can be scrolled down for the other programs.

In window vista the shortcut to the user folder is directly provided then and there only.

There is a major significant difference in the searching style of the search provided in the bottom of the start menu of the window vista. In this search option when we start typing the programs are displayed even for the single letter typed in the search box which makes it a very efficient option for searching in vista

These were major differences in start menu of XP and Vista.

Martin helps people learn about technology and Internet. You can read more of his work like his article like the one about the Vista Start Menu or Windows Vista Themes.

There are so many things you can do with Windows Vista and one of the thing is, you have the flexibility to tweak your Windows very easily. You can tweak your Windows in just a few clicks which only takes a few seconds. Windows Vista gives you the power to change theme instantly.

A theme is a customization of menu appearance, screen savers, fonts colors, backgrounds, icons and more. You will have a more better looking and more astonishing Windows by creating your own personalized theme or by any pre-built theme. Thankfully though Microsoft has started putting more weight into developing official themes in Windows Vista from which Vista users can now benefit.

Now it’s time to change the theme of your Windows so lets get started with How To Change A Theme In Windows Vista with ease and comfort:

Go to your desktop, right click and select “Personalize”.
Next, Choose “Theme” which is located right after “Mouse Pointers”.

Click on it and a dialogue box will appear with the name “Theme Settings”.

Now you have five options namely Modified Theme, My Current Theme, Windows Vista, Windows Classic and a Browse option. If you have a pre-built in theme which you have downloaded or got it from any other source, you can locate it via “Browse” option.

If any how you don’t wish to change the theme you can simply click on “Cancel” or close the dialog box and you will return to your desktop without any changes.

Now that you have selected your desired theme, Click on “Apply” and then click on “Ok”.

Voila! you have successfully changed the theme of your Windows.

Now you will have a Windows with crispy looks, better colors and more attractive look. Please remember that Windows Vista does not comes with many pre-built themes but you can simply get themes from various websites or you can just type “Windows Vista Themes” in any search engine you wish and you will get tons of websites which provides free Windows Vista themes.
Also note that whenever you are planning to download a theme from any website, make sure your antivirus is turned on as some viruses are disguised as themes, so be careful and always take security measures.

Windows Vista also allows you to create your own personalized theme and you can still change the background, screen saver and how your menu will look. Save whatever you have created by clicking the “Save As” button which can be found under the “Theme Settings” dialog box.

Martin helps people learn about technology and Internet. You can read more of his work like his article about Windows Vista Themes/a> or the one about customizing a Windows Vista Theme.

For anyone moving across from Windows to using a Mac the first few days can feel a little strange. The interface is superficially the same but fundamentally different. The Mac operating system, OS X has a number of really useful features and shortcuts that Windows lacks that can make working on a Mac really easy. While Windows has many functions not present on Apple’s operating system this article will focus on a few tips to help transitioning over to a Mac a little easier.

The first thing to note is that Macs are far more shortcut driven with the user able to do a lot more things more easily through cunning use of the keyboard. On a Mac the Apple key replaces the functionality of the Ctrl key on a Windows keyboard. Notice that is where the Alt key is on a PC keyboard, so start using your thumb rather than your little finger to start using the keyboard shortcuts. There is no Windows key and in its place is the Alt button, with Ctrl and shift remaining in the same places.

A lot of the most widely used Windows shortcuts are replicated on a Mac, so Apple+C is for copy, Apple+V is for paste and Apple+X is for cut. Learning these keys and making full use of them is an excellent time saving tool when doing long, boring repetitive tasks that don’t require much thought but a lot of clicks. In a similar fashion Apple+F is useful for finding and searching through documents and web pages, much like the Windows variant.

What is much easier on a Mac than a PC is taking screenshots of areas on your desktop. Simply hit the key Apple+Shift+4 and your cursor will change to a crosshair that you can use to drag a box. When you’re done dragging, a screenshot will be created of the area inside the box that you made, creating an image on your desktop. Very simple and easy and something that Windows lacks in such an easy format.

So if you need to see your desktop you’ll notice how easy it is in Windows, you can simply click the show desktop button on the taskbar. OS X does not have this button as the taskbar works differently. However they have what I consider to be the best feature of the Mac operating system, and that is hot corners. To see the desktop just drag your mouse cursor into the bottom right or bottom left hand corners of your screen. You’ll notice all your windows are minimised and you can view the desktop to open up any files that you need.

Another great feature of hot corners is the ability to move the cursor into one of the top corners of the screen to be able to see every window you have open at the time. You can then just click the window you want and it’s brought to the front. This feature is a really great addition if you tend to work with a lot of windows open at one time and need to switch between them a lot. This one feature is what Windows is really lacking and is the only thing that I miss from OS X when working on a PC.

Hopefully these tips will help you a little when changing to using a Mac for the first time as it can be a little unsettling at first. In time you’ll come to appreciate the different features of each operating system and only wish that someone would bring together the best features of both into one system that you could use.

Patrick is an expert Research and Travel consultant. His current interest is in Gatwick parking NCP, Gatwick hotels and Hilton Gatwick.