PC Memoirs

Just the other day one of my friends had trouble viewing videos in Windows Vista. When she clicked on a video file, she saw the following error message: COM surrogate has stopped working. This happened with every other video file. She asked me for help.

I did some research on the Internet and found out that this happens a lot in Windows Vista and it’s usually caused by NERO software or by some fault in the codec. I suggested to her to uninstall Nero and see whether the error still appears. She did this and later informed me that the error did not show up again. She could view video files without problems.

So, all you need to do is uninstall Nero (Control Panel, Remove a program, find Nero on the list and select Uninstall) or download and install the latest version. If this doesn’t help, try the same with the DivX software.

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Here are some very useful keyboard shortcuts, to help you perform your tasks quicker and easier. For a complete list of all shortcuts, please visit this Microsoft Web page.

Happy testing!

• ALT+TAB = switch between running programs (windows in taskbar)
• ALT+F4 = close running program or window
• ALT+down arrow = open drop down list box
• ALT+ENTER = open properties for the selected object
• F1 = help
• F5 = refresh current page
• SHIFT+DELETE = permanently delete
• SPACE = select radio button, checkbox or option
• CTRL+ENTER = opens a web site that ends with .com after typing the domain name (example: type CNN in the address bar of your browser, then press CTRL+ENTER and this will automatically add http://www in front and .com at the end)   Read the rest »

It is time to start reviewing the new operating system from Microsoft, as I’m sure many PC users are eager to find out what Windows 7 has to offer. For everyone that wasn’t able to download the new beta version or test the new system yet, I have put together a summary of major changes compared to Windows Vista.

Speed: Windows 7 seems to be faster and it uses less resources than Windows Vista. It also includes fewer bundled programs (such as Windows Messenger), which makes it load and run faster.

Design: The new interface is designed to reduce clicks and make content more accessible (some people suggested this system would see the end of the computer mouse). The resource-hogging sidebar has been removed and there are simplified shutdown controls with textual menus. It also includes an Action Center for pulling security and maintenance features into a single menu for simpler management. Another major change is the inclusion of the ‘ribbon’ with shortcuts to favorite programs at the base of the screen.

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Windows 7 beta is out, so it’s time to test it and see what the fuss is all about. Is it going to be better than Windows Vista and better than Windows XP? Will it live up to expectations? Or will it be another failure like Windows ME and Vista (just my opinion)? I will put together a list of new features in my next post, but you cannot know for sure what it’s like until you test it yourself. You can download the Windows 7 beta version and try the new system (see my last post).

To all the PC users who doubt Windows 7’s capabilities, here are two facts that might convince you to upgrade to the new operating system when it’s released later this year:

• Windows XP is a great system; I love it and I still use it. However, it’s over 7 years old and let’s face it: It looks kind of old too, especially when you compare it to Windows Vista. It’s only a matter of time before Windows XP becomes obsolete, like Windows 98 (although I realise there still Win98 users out there). The sales have stopped and Microsoft support will be available only for 5 more years.

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Sometimes you have to repair the Windows XP installation because system files required to run the operating system have been either deleted or corrupted, or a virus has contaminated your hard drive. Another reason why you might have to do this is when you replace a component in your PC, such as the motherboard. When you install a new motherboard with a different chipset, Windows XP detects that there is a new hardware component for which it doesn’t have the correct drivers. Because the motherboard is a critical component, on which other parts in the PC depend, a simple driver installation won’t work. In fact, Windows XP won’t even start. The only solution is to repair the operating system.

If you don’t want to lose any of the files and settings on your computer, you can reinstall Windows XP without formatting the hard drive. This is called repair-installation. Windows XP installation CD is the only tool you need.

To repair Windows XP, please follow the following steps: Read the rest »