Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Steps To Fix Windows Update Problems


The Windows update feature offered by Microsoft allows the users to keep their system updated with the latest features and applications to enhance the system’s performance. Chances of your system underperforming are quite high, if you do not install updates in the right time. Follow the instructions briefed below to fix Windows update problems.

Windows tech support instructions 

  • Check the installation as well as the update history. To do this, first launch the Start menu by clicking the Start orb placed on the bottom left corner of the home screen. Alternatively, you can launch the Start menu by pressing the key imprinted with the Windows Start orb. From the Start menu, select the label that reads All Programs.
  • From the Start menu pop up, select the label that reads Windows Update or Microsoft Update. Now, from the Windows Update or Microsoft Update window, select the label that reads Review your update history. Scroll down the update history page until you find an update detail marked X.
  • Click on the label marked X. A new dialogue box will pop up listing down the details of the installation error code. 
  • Once gain launch the Windows Update window. To do this, click on the Start orb placed on the bottom left corner of the home screen. Place the mouse pointer in the Start menu pop up text space. Type Windows Update or Microsoft Update and hit the Enter key. This will launch the Windows Update window. From the Windows Update window, select the label that reads Go to Knowledge Base articles.
  • Enter the error code you had recorded in the last step in the search box and hit the Enter key. Now, click on the link in the search result.
  • Run a system scan using the built-in tool called Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool. Click on the Start orb placed on the bottom left corner of the home screen. From the Start menu pop up, select the label that reads Run. Place the mouse pointer in the Run texts space and type MRT. Hit the Enter key. Hit the Next button to proceed. Now, select the option Full Scan to scan your computer for malware that may be hampering your Windows Update. Follow the on-screen instructions to remove such malware and viruses from your device.
  • Next, run an antivirus or antispyware program scan to scan for viruses and spywares. If you do not have one preinstalled on your device, download and install a fresh copy of the same. 

Follow the instructions briefed above to troubleshoot the issues with Windows update centre. For any further clarification on how to fix Windows update problems, visit our Windows tech support site.

Friday, June 21, 2013

System Restore Settings In Windows 7

Windows operating systems come with a handy feature called the ‘System Restore’. This feature allows you to easily backup all the system configurations and settings onto your hard drive. In case of data loss or system crashes, Windows restores your files and settings either automatically or when prompted to do so by your operating system.

This feature works by saving the various important data in your computer as a system file. These files are referred to as System Restore points. Although this feature is handy in crucial situations, it consumes a large amount of your disk space. You can modify the system restore settings and get more disk space by following the given instructions.

Instructions

  • Click the ‘Start’ button on your taskbar and open the Start menu. Right click on the icon labeled ‘Computer’ and select ‘Properties’ from the drop-down menu.
  • In the properties window that appears, select the ‘System Protection’ option on the left hand side.
  • Each hard drive has various partitions. Each partition is labeled under a name with a specific drive letter. Select the partition for which you need to modify the settings, and click the ’Configure’ button placed under the ‘Protection Settings’ header.
  • The various configuration settings you may choose:
  • Restore system settings and previous versions of files - On clicking this button, Windows creates a fresh system restore point, which saves all your current settings and configuration. Note that this will not delete any previous restore points from the computer.
  • Only restore previous versions of files - doing this keeps all your previous restore points intact. 
  • Turn off system protection- doing this stops windows from automatically setting up restore points on a regular basis. This is not recommended, as you may have issues with backing up important data in case of a system crash or a virus attack.
  • Windows provides you with the option to specify the amount of space that System Restore may use to save various restore points. To do this, adjust the slider below the ‘Disk Space Usage’ header, to change the percentage of disk space that System Restore can consume. 
  • Click the ‘Delete’ button to delete all restore points saved in your system.
  • Click ‘OK’.

You may set a fresh restore point at any time your system is functioning properly. Always keep at least one such restore point saved in Windows. Windows 7 Support sites will give you more information on this.

Learn To Configure Exchange Server To Windows Live Email

Microsoft Exchange server is mainly used in office setups where a larger number of emails are being sent and received daily. Exchange server is capable of handling bulk emails very effectively. Usually the Exchange server is configured on the company’s main server by the network administrator. The email users within the company receive email information and Exchange Server details from the administrators. Using this data, the company users setup Windows Mail to start sending and receiving company emails. Windows Mail is t he built-in email application for Windows users. The following Windows online support instructions will help you add Windows Exchange Server to Windows Mail.

Instructions

  • Launch Windows Mail on your computer. To do this, go to the Start menu, then All Programs and then select the Windows Mail icon. This will launch Windows Mail on your computer.
  • Click on Tools and select Accounts.
  • Click on the mail account you wish to edit, such as john.smith@myemailaddress.com, and select Properties.
  • Click on the Server tab.
  • Select the type of Exchange server you were instructed to use. Options include POP3 and IMAP. This information is given out by the email server administrator.
  • Enter the incoming mail server address provided to you by the administrator. The Exchange incoming mail server may be exchange.companyserver.com.
  • Enter the outgoing mail server or SMTP information as provided by the administrator. The outgoing mail server may be identical to the incoming, or it may be a different address, such as smtp.companyserver.com. The mail server address would depend on the setup done by the administrator on the network's side.
  • Place a check mark next to My outgoing server requires authentication only if you were instructed to do so by the administrator. This setting is configured on the server end and means a port authentication is required before mail is sent out.
  • Click on the Next button; you will be taken to an Exchange login screen.
  • Type in your Exchange username, most likely this is your email address.
  • Type in your Exchange password as provided by the administrator.
  • Place a check mark next to Remember My Password to have Windows Mail remember your Exchange login details. This way you will not need to retype the information every time you check or send mail.
  • Click on the Finish button. You will be sent to your inbox. This means the Exchange server has been added.
  • Click on the Send/Receive button. You will start receiving new emails using the Exchange server. New emails will show up in your inbox. 

If you need further assistance on this, you can avail Windows online support and get your problem solved quickly.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

How To Repair Corrupted Microsoft Excel File

Have you ever come across situations where you had problems using Microsoft Excel? Sometimes Excel files get corrupted and cannot be accessed. Microsoft Excel has built in tools to repair and fix corrupted Excel files easily. Below are Excel support guidelines that will help you fix corrupted Excel files. 
Instructions
  • One way to repair is to fix it manually. Click the File menu. Select Open then select the damaged file. Select the option Open and Repair. When you get the prompt Repair, click it and the file may open successfully.
  • You can find the missing file in the default file location for Auto Recover files which is C:\Documents and Settings\<username>\Application Data\Microsoft\Excel, if you have turned on the Auto Recover option.
  • To go back to the most recently saved version, go to File menu, select Open. Choose the file you want to recover. Click OK when you see the prompt Revert to Saved Document?.
  • Try to reopen the file after closing Excel once.
  • If you don’t succeed, restart your system and try to reopen the file again.
  • You can also try to reopen the file after clearing the temporary files by going to C:\Windows\Temp.
  • Other option is to start Excel in Safe Mode. Click Start under Accessories. Then click Run. You need to type the following command to open Excel - C:\program files\microsoft office\office\excel.exe
  • Again try to open the file.
Besides these, you may also try a few other options to recover damaged Excel files. The Excel support guidelines below will help you accomplish the task easily. 
Instructions
  • One way to filter out errors in the active sheet is to save the document in SYLK (Symbolic Link) or HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) format. To save the file in this format, go to File, select Save As option. Choose Save As Type and select SYLK (.slk). Then click Save. Similarly, you can save file in HTML format also.
  • Don’t get perplexed when you see one or more warning messages. Proceed by clicking OK’ or Yes.
  • Then close the saved file.
  • Now go to File, and then select Open. Change the file type to All Files. Select the SLK file you saved and open it.
  • Finally, click File and select the option Save As. Rename the file and save it as a Microsoft Excel worksheet (*.xls).
If you need further assistance, contact Microsoft Support Center and get your problem fixed easily.

Monday, June 10, 2013

How To Impress With Customized WordPress Theme Design

As soon as you commence with your online venture, one must always consider the importance of customized WordPress theme design. Incorporating this wonderful tool into your online site is truly a work that requires tact, especially if you are running a business. WordPress is commonly used as a blogging platform. Due to this fact, the platform has also been referred to as "BLOG". Aside from being a blogging tool, this platform possesses incredible functions that an individual can utilize for their online business. At the same time, it is among the best Content Management Systems (CMS) available on the market today. Most importantly, the overall system is easy to use and you will never have any problem posting your contents. In addition, this has already been proven and tested by many users.

As you can see, there are plenty of good reasons why most site owners would choose WordPress in comparison with other CMS. Mainly, they always strive to give quality service as well as excellence in the field.

Generally speaking, any individual could choose from the many WordPress theme design and layouts. However your main concern is that these designs and templates have already been used by thousands of site owners. The next big thing that you need to undertake is the customization, and make this unique since it would not be ethical to duplicate another’s work. Moreover, your theme design would then be considered as a fraud in the sense that your prospects will not trust you anymore. By doing this, you will be able to hold up against your competitors as well as it will eventually set you apart from other competitions. Always remember that the more you distinguish your online presence, the better traffic and return it will give you.

Immediately after utilizing your customized theme you can consider yourself as among the most creative webmasters. I know that this is a bit fast but given the fact purchased templates are way over modified ones. The level of uniqueness is just incomparable. Some features that modified templates offer are changeable header, background display and colour, navigation, icons, control keys, and the layout colour. Also, you can always incorporate what your preferred requirements are.

A customized WordPress theme design will undoubtedly take your website presence to the next level. Not only that, it can also mean better traffic and more gains. Make sure you understand these ideas simply because these are your guide towards a better online marketing.

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Instructions For Resetting A Forgotten Windows Live Password


Windows Live Messenger, the latest in Microsoft’s instant messaging service, has now completely replaced its predecessor, Windows Messenger, which was available with Windows XP. In Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live ID is used for login, and this can also be used as a common username to log in to Microsoft’s different messaging applications like Microsoft Hotmail (now Outlook.com), SkyDrive and Messenger services. Hotmail and Messenger services currently operate under the same brand, Windows Live.

Though Microsoft has integrated its different messaging and Microsoft chat services into one, losing your password information can prove to be a big problem, as you’ll no longer be able to access any of those accounts. That is why Microsoft has formulated a quick and standardized means of resetting the password.

Instructions for resetting the Windows Live password

  • Open your web browser and navigate to “account.live.com/password/reset”.
  • You will be taken to the Password Reset page of Windows Live service. You will have the option to enter the login information for Windows Live. Enter your Windows Live ID (this can be either your Hotmail or MSN email address) into the Windows Live field on the password reset page. Type in the characters that you see in the small verification window. This is to verify if you are a real person or not. Proceed by clicking “Next”.
  • Now you need to provide an answer to a security question which you had selected while you set up the account. Click the radio button next to the question and provide the answer. Click “Next”. 
  • Once your authenticity is verified, you will be taken to a new page where you can select a new password for your account.
  • A problem can arise, if you don’t remember the answer for the security question. In such a case, click the Customer Support radio button, which will then take you to the customer support for Windows Live. You can either chat with a Windows Live customer support executive, or send an email to customer support. They will then try to verify your identity by some other means, and help you with resetting the password. 

The above mentioned steps should enable you to reset your old password and help you to re-login once again. If you are not able to follow the given instructions, then feel free to contact Microsoft chat support for assistance.

Friday, May 3, 2013

Steps To Turn Off Automatic Updates In Windows 7


Microsoft Windows 7 operating system updates provide a variety of changes, including error fixes, new features, security enhancements, enhanced virus protection, and improved performance. Microsoft makes these utilities available to their customers through the built in utility tool, Windows Update. The Windows Update tool automatically connects to the update database centre online, and searches for updates. The system will automatically download and install the updates when they become available. Microsoft also allows you to custom set the Windows update option. Windows 7 allows the user to turn ON and OFF the updates as per their wish.

Windows 7 help instructions

·         Use the mouse to click the Start orb placed in the bottom left corner of the Windows home screen, to launch the Start menu. Alternatively, you can launch the Windows Start menu by clicking on the Windows key.
·         From the Start menu, select the label that reads Control Panel from the left half.
·         For ease of selection, change the Control Panel view from Category, to Large or Small. To change the view, click on the selection box next to the label View By. From the dropdown, select either Large or Options. Scroll down the classic Control Panel window and select the icon with the label that reads Windows update. Alternatively, you can launch the Windows Update window by searching for the same, using the search box placed on top of the Control Panel window.
·         Click on the label that reads Turn Automatic Updating On or Off, in the Windows Update window.
·         From the drop down window, select the label that reads Important Updates.
·         From the dropdown window, select one from the available four options listed below:
1.       "Install updates automatically”
2.       “Download updates but let me choose whether to install them"
3.       "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them"
4.       "Never check for updates"
·         Click OK when prompted to confirm the selection.
·         If you have unchecked the label “Allow all users to install updates on this computer”, you will be prompted to enter your username and password.
Follow the Windows 7 help instructions briefed above to turn off automatic updates in Windows 7. For more support, feel free to drop into our Windows 7 support blogs and forums. You may also reach us on our toll free 24/7 helpline number for support.