PC Memoirs

Have you ever wondered which program is best for partitioning? Or why and whether you need to partition your hard drive at all?

If you have a hard drive with a large capacity, then it’s a good idea to split the hard drive into two or more partitions, where you can create two logical drives, such as C: and D: drive. You would then install the operating system and other software on the C: drive, and you could keep your important documents, music and video files on the D: drive. This way you can protect your important files in case Windows fails or is infected by a virus. But that’s just one example.

Partitioning programs give you more options, such as: create, format, resize, copy, split and delete partitions, ensure data safety, convert to different file systems and fix problems on the hard drive.

I tried to select ten of the best programs out there, most of them free, because let’s face it, once you partition your hard drive, you may not need it again for a long time. Therefore it doesn’t make sense to spend money on such software. I have used Partition Manager several times and I was always amazed at how effective and simple to use it was. However, it was recently discontinued and old versions don’t support Windows Vista or 7.

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I had to solve the same problem in two Toshiba laptops today. A friend called and explained that his kids’ laptops couldn’t connect to the Internet through a wireless broadband connection and the login process took minutes to complete. It was weird that both of them had the same problem…

Once Windows Vista Home Edition loaded, some errors appeared, specifically with networking services (Windows service failed to start and Dependency services or group failed to start). I immediately suspected spyware or virus infections and proceeded to scan the hard drive with Malwarebytes and Avira Antivir. 7 spyware infections were found and some viruses as well, but even after they were removed, the same problems were still there. I even cleaned temporary Internet files and registry with CCleaner and reset all Internet Explorer settings, but the problem persisted. I tried to take the easy way by using System Restore and attempted to restore the system to an earlier date, when everything worked fine. The system went through the restore process, but after the next reboot, Windows Vista, my most favorite system (NOT!) informed me that due to some errors the System Restore process had failed! Read the rest »

Few days ago I helped my friend install Windows 7 Ultimate. Since he bought a brand new 1TB Sata hard drive, he had to do a clean install. The Windows installation completed quickly and without any problems. All the drivers were installed and everything worked correctly. However, some new partition settings caused a problem and at the next reboot, Windows wouldn’t load. The bootmgr is missing message appeared and all we could do is restart again.

The only way to do anything here is to boot from the Windows 7 DVD. Once the DVD loads the required files, you are presented with options to install Windows 7 or repair the computer. I clicked on the Repair your computer link and after the Windows installation was found and selected, I clicked on Next. In the following window, there are several System Recovery Options and I clicked on the Startup Repair. 

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Party’s over, now back to business. If you are looking for a great antivirus program for 2010, you should definitely try Kaspersky Antivirus 2010. Kaspersky is one of the best antivirus programs on the market, with a great detection rate and easy to use interface. The new 2010 version costs $39.95 and you can buy it here.

Kaspersky Antivirus 2010, the backbone of your PC’s security system, offers basic and real-time automated protection from a range of IT threats such as viruses, infected Web sites and intrusions. In my previous list of top 10 antivirus programs, Kaspersky was number one!

The new 2010 version includes the following new and improved features:

• Basic identity theft protection Improved!
• Color-coding of links to unsafe websites New!
• Blocking of suspicious programs based on their behavior Improved!
• Kaspersky Toolbar for Internet browsers to warn you about infected or unsafe websites New!
• Basic identity theft protection, including improved secure Virtual Keyboard Improved!
• Urgent Detection System to stop fast emerging threats Improved!
• Next generation proactive protection from zero-day attacks and unknown threats Improved!
• Special Game Mode to suspend alerts, updates and scans while you play New!
• Enter logins and passwords using secure Virtual Keyboard Improved! Read the rest »

Have you already seen the movie Avatar? If not, I highly recommend it. You should see the 3D version – it costs slightly more, but believe me, it’s worth it! I saw it during the opening weekend and I plan to see it again in January. It already made over $160 mil in the US and over $400 mil worldwide.*

Some people criticise the film’s story but most of the critics and moviegoers agree that the visuals are stunning. If there is any criticism from my side, it’s that the story is similar to Dances with Wolves with Kevin Costner. I give the movie 4.5 stars out of 5 (or A-).

I am pretty sure that the movie will make close to 1 billion dollars worldwide, but it won’t reach the highest grossing movies in the US, Titanic and The Dark Knight.

If you liked the movie and you are into games, you should also check out Avatar The Game. Made by Ubisoft Montreal, it uses the same 3D technology as the movie (displayed in stereoscopic 3D) and it’s available for all major consoles such as Sony Playstation, X-Box and Nintendo Wii, even iPhone and of course, the PC. The PC version is highly praised by MTBS (Meant To Be Seen), because “PC stereoscopic 3D displays are more readily available” and it was given a score of 8.2 out of 10.**

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