Recovering Data from an Inaccessible Windows XP System

How will it feel if you have an important task to do on your computer and your Windows XP operating system is unable to start? This should get you really upset; well, do not panic if the error message that is displayed reads ‘Operating system not found’, since there is a way to recover all important data.

You can try starting your system from the Recovery Console. There may be an error message saying ‘Setup did not find any hard drives installed on your computer’. The reason behind this may be that the Basic Input/Output System or BIOS is unable to detect the disk, the hard disk itself is damaged, the partition containing the Master Boot Record or MBR is inactive, the incompatible partition is marked Active, or the Sector 0 of the hard disk has an MBR which is incorrect.


Now let’s get started in resolving the issue.

•Step 1: Check the BIOS settings. Ensure if it lists as well as recognizes the hard disk. Then restart your machine.

•Step 2: You can use Recovery Console for running the fixmbr command; this may repair your system drive’s MBR.

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How to Compress a File Using WinZip

Through file compression, it is possible to reduce the file sizes; a large file can be compressed to become a small file and the quality is not affected in any way. File compression is required when you have to send a large amount of data via email. Today the market has several softwares which can be used for compressing large sized files. WinZip is one of the leading software that is easy to use and helps in file compression. Its trial version is available on the internet for free. Know the procedure to use WinZip.

•Step 1: Run the WinZip application, and then select the ‘New’ icon, which you will find at the upper left hand side of the application window.

•Step 2: Select a folder or even a drive where you want to save the .zip file.

•Step 3: Make sure that you name the compressed file before you add files to the archive.

•Step 4: When you name the file, you will get a new window enabling you to add the file you wish to compress.

•Step 5: If you have to add multiple files, just click on the ‘Add’ icon.

•Step 6: After all the files that you selected have been compressed, c lick on the ‘File’ option and then select ‘Close Archive’.

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How to Reverse Lookup Cell Phone Numbers on the Internet

If you want to reverse lookup cell phone numbers, you do not have to be tech savvy; the method is quite easy. Your main task will be to get an authentic web service that provides reverse cell phone lookup service. You can try using web services like Reverse Genie, Intelius, Reverse Phone Directory, and Cell Phone Registry.

These web servers store the entire cell phone number database in the United States. What you have to do is enter the cell phone number you want to reverse lookup and the service will tell the number belongs to which carrier and where it is being used.

If you need the name as well as address of the phone number owner, you are required to pay a fee, which ranges from $10 to $15, through credit card payment. The information you are asking for will be mailed to you on the email address that you provide after the payment is made. You cannot question the accuracy of these web services, as they get the information directly from the cell phone service providers.

If you are troubled by prank callers, you can track them down by reverse looking up cell phone numbers online. You can look for computer repair Brooklyn services for helping you with tech support regarding any PC issues.

How to Reset Computer to Factory Settings With CD and Without CD

Resetting your computer to factory settings may be required when your computer is attacked by a virus or your machine is too slow and not working properly. Resetting the computer to factory settings cleans the entire drive. You may also have to do this when you are selling your computer and want the new user to get a clean disk.

Resetting computer to factory settings using CD

If you retain the CD that came with your computer, you can use it to reset your machine to factory settings.

•Step 1: Get the backup of important files on a USB drive or DVD. Once you reset your machine to factory settings, you will erase all important documents that you have on your drive, so having a backup is essential.

•Step 2: Insert the CD that you have in the CD drive. The computer will now ask you if you wish to restore factory settings.

•Step 3: Click ‘Yes’ when you get the option and give the computer the time to restore the factory settings. You have to be patient as the process can take a few hours to complete.

Resetting computer to factory settings without CD

If you cannot find the CD that you got when you purchased your computer, do not worry. There is a way to reset your machine to factory settings even without the CD.

•Step 1: Have a backup of all the important files, documents and images on your pen drive or DVD.

•Step 2: Start your computer and keep pressing the F1 key when the blank screen appears.

•Step 3: You will reach the setup configuration mode that lets you change the computer settings.

•Step 4: Select the option that lets you reset computer to factory settings.

•Step 5: This process may take a longer time for changing computer settings than when done with the CD.

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How to Open a Zip File

Zip files are very handy for storing more than one file; this is possible by compressing its size. The use of zip files is most common among people who want to email several related documents; the user simply zips the files into the zip file format and then sends the zipped file.

1. For opening a zip file in Windows operating system, right click on the zip file and then select Explore from the options. Select all the files and copy them all to another folder. This way, you can open the zip files without using any third party software.

2. For opening a zip file in Linux, you have to use the unzip command, which is usually available in your Linux distribution package. In case you have not installed this utility, you may use the tar command. Browse the folder where the zip file is located and type in the command ‘tar -xvf nameoffile.zip’.

3. For opening a zip file using third party software, you should install the software first. Note that WinZip and WinRar are two very popular software packs used. After the installation, right click the zipped folder and then check out for extracting the files. You may also be provided with options like ‘extract to’ or ‘extract here’. WinRar also enables you to open rar files apart from zip files.

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Tips to change Hostname in Linux

Before you try your hand at changing your Linux hostname, it is advisable that you check the present hostname on Linux operating system. The commands that you use for checking the hostname are ‘uname -n’ or ‘hostname’; these commands will give you the operating system’s current hostname.


Let’s get started to change the hostname. Suppose you want the hostname to be NEW_HOSTNAME, you need to type in the command ‘hostname NEW_HOSTNAME’. After doing this, you may find that after rebooting your system the old hostname is being displayed, instead of the new hostname. This happens owing to the fact that the hostname gets selected from a particular system configuration file.

Type ‘init 6’ at the command prompt and again check the hostname by using the hostname command. For changing the hostname to NEW_HOSTNAME permanently so that it shows even after you reboot your system, you have to make some changes in the ‘/etc/sysconfig/network’ file. Just type in ‘vi /etc/sysconfig/network’ at the terminal. You will get some options that will allow you to change the hostname. Set the hostname in the /etc/hosts file manually.

Now check the hostname to find out if it has been changed to the new one, by restarting the network and rebooting your system. These tips should help you in changing the hostname in Linux, but in case you are having problems, you can call a remote computer support provider. People in Houston often face problems in changing hostname in Linux and look for companies that offer tech support for computer repair in Houston. This article should be informative for them.

How to Download Music and Videos Faster

Do you love downloading songs and movies from the Internet? Is the slow download speed acting as a hindrance? Well if you find that the download speed is really slow when downloading multimedia data from the Internet, you will be happy to learn that you can easily increase the download speed and that too without upgrading the computer.

Ways to increase download speed :

* First and foremost, you should get a broadband internet connection if you have the old dial up internet connection. Talk to your internet service provider for getting a connection. A faster internet connection surely gives you better download speed.

* Make sure you stop all the applications and programs from running in the background when downloading. When downloading some songs or videos from the internet, avoid doing any other work on your machine.

* If you are in the habit of downloading several files together, downloading speed will be slow. Try to find out which movie or song you want to download first and pause the other downloads; go slow, one by one, and you will notice a considerable difference in your downloading speed.

Some other ways :

* If a file is very popular, chances are several people will be trying to download it. In this case, the download speed tends to be slow; try downloading the file at a time when the traffic is less.

* It is to be noted that the antivirus software installed in your PC performs security scans and regular updates on the background when you are downloading something from the internet. Stop antivirus scans from functioning when you are downloading; this will increase download speed.

* If you are looking forward to increasing download speed in bit torrent, the download accelerator can work wonders. Download accelerators are free software downloads that are accessible on the internet for managing the active downloads on your computer. These accelerators also enhance the computer’s performance, when a file is being downloaded.

The above mentioned tips should be helpful for increasing download speed in Windows XP and Vista, as well as other operating systems. Following the tips will make your downloads hassle free and faster. If you are still experiencing downloading problems, contact a remote computer service provider immediately. For computer repair Los Angeles, there is no dearth of service providers. With some research you can easily find a reliable service provider.