PC Memoirs

In one of my previous posts I listed 10 third party defragmenting programs and I mentioned that Windows includes its own defragmenter. One reader complained that I didn’t describe how and where this Windows tool can be found. So here it is:

In Windows XP, Disk Defragmenter can be found in Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools and Disk Defragmenter. You can analyze your disk first and based on the report, you can decide if you need to defragment or not.

Windows Vista comes with an automatic disk defragmenter tool that is enabled by default. It is set to run at 1am every Wednesday but you can disable or change this. To access Disk Defragmenter, click the Start button, Control Panel and then System and Maintenance. Choose Defragment your hard drive under Administrative Tools.

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Today I’m continuing with my top 10 list of recommended software. This time the topic is defragmentation.

Before I list my top 10 programs, it might be a good idea to explain why you should care about defragmenting. As stated in Wikipedia, ‘Defragmentation is a process that reduces the number of fragmentations in the file system. This is done by physically organising contents on the hard disk to store pieces of each file close together and contiguosly’. Basically, pieces of files are scattered over large spaces on the disk with gaps, and this can later affect the performance of the PC (it takes more time to find and access a file).

Defragmentation takes care of this by compacting all the pieces, storing them in sequence and as close together as possible. This way, files are found easier and faster. Without defragmentation, your computer would be seriously affected and this would lead to significant performance loss. For more information on Defragmenting, please visit Wikipedia.

You should defragment your disk regularly (about 4, 5 times a year) to optimize your disk and ensure your computer doesn’t slow down. If you don’t, eventually a full hard drive and inefficient storing of files will cause serious problems.

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Here is a new addition to my Fun with PC category. This time you can download an application that makes the victim think Windows has been deleted! This could be an awesome prank, provided you can install the file on a friend’s computer. Another option is, you send the file to your ‘victim’ and make them believe it’s some other, real file….and then suddenly, something goes very wrong.

All you have to do is visit Computer Pranks  and download the “delete windows” file. Next, you have to extract the file and install it, and that’s it. When the user opens the file, the fun begins.

It is only a small file but the Delete Windows prank is so popular that it’s been around for almost 10 years. For more pranks, please visit http://www.computerpranks.com/

This is actually only a basic message saying Windows has been deleted, and you can easily click it away by pressing the Esc button. If you want something more advanced, you should try the delete windows file by file prank from PC Advisor. This time, when you open the mystery file, the user has to confirm whether the Windows folder should be deleted. Even when No is clicked, the simulation begins anyway and gives the appearance of all files being deleted from the Windows directory. This is a real heartstopper.

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Microsoft confirmed that it plans to release the finished version of Windows 7 by the end of the year, in time for the holiday shopping season.

It was originally scheduled for release in 2010, but after the successful launch of the Beta test version and the Release Candidate two weeks ago, it looks like Microsoft will finish Windows 7 before Christmas. Apparently, there are not many bugs to repair as both beta and RC versions showed fewer crashes than earlier Windows systems (could this be Windows Vista?). Therefore, there is less work to do than expected before W7 is released. Plus, the positive feedback and great reviews from experts and other PC users must have convinced Microsoft to plan the release ahead of schedule.

Partner support has also been great. Many hardware makers will be ready to produce W7 ready peripherals in time for the release. This wasn’t the case with Windows Vista. Anyone remember the lack of or limited support for hardware back in 2007, when Vista first came out? You just couldn’t find drivers for many graphic cards and sound cards, just to name a few examples. Even today, some hardware still doesn’t work (well) with Windows Vista.

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By now it’s obvious that Microsoft’s latest and current operating system, Windows Vista, has been a big failure. The numbers do not lie, most people still prefer Windows XP over Windows Vista (see the numbers in my previous post).

Some people do like Windows Vista, but based on what I read from people’s experiences, I think most would rather go back to Windows XP or they can’t wait for Windows 7 to come out. Those who have never had any issues are the ones who like it. On the other hand, most people did have some kind of problem and they are not happy with the way Windows changed after Windows XP and therefore hate it. Let’s have a look why this is.

10 reasons why Windows Vista is not that great:

1. Windows Vista is slow – It takes long time to load.
2. It is demanding – Windows XP was too when it came out, but Vista is much more. It needs the latest hardware to run. If you have an older PC you don’t stand a chance.
3. It takes up resources – To run Vista smoothly and without delays, your PC needs at least 2GB RAM.
4. General usability – Windows Vista has different commands, buttons and it is not always clear what you have to do to arrive at a particular place. It is somewhat confusing and you need more time to get used to it. Control panel options have been changed, and navigating through folders is bit more complicated. Read the rest »