If you’re installing Linux as a guest operating system under VirtualBox, the chances are that you downloaded  the ISO file from the internet with the intention of burning it to DVD and booting it to begin the installation process. Still, there is another way. After creating a new virtual machine into which to install the operating system, select the virtual machine , press the config button and go to ‘CD/DVD-ROM’ section. Tick ‘Mount ‘ CD/DVD drive ‘ and select the ‘ISO image file’ radio button . Press the folder button to the right of this and the Virtual Disk Image Manager appears.

Next, press the Add button to add your ISO file to the list of registered images. A file dialog will appear . Just navigate to and select your ISO file, then click Open. You’ll now be returned to the Virtual Disk Manager. Click on the ISO file you just added and press the Select button. Click OK to dismiss the config window and then run the virtual machine as normal. It should now read the ISO file as if it were burned to a DVD.

http://www.virtualbox.org/

1. The size and shape of a PC is more important than it used to be. A mini PC costs more and is less upgradable, but takes up less desk space. If you want a media centre PC, get one that fits in with other electronic equipment in your living room.
2. If you are interested in games , upgrade to a decent graphics card. Budget cards with the Radeon HD 4650 graphics processor will cope with this year’s games, but to play next year’s just as smoothly  ( and enjoy gorgeous graphics today) it’s worth upgrading to a more card such as Radeon HD 4830. More powerful cards can be fifted into the standard PCI-Express x16 slot, so you can always upgrade later if you have one on your motherboard. SLI and Crossfire systems, with multiple graphics cards, are rarely worth the bother or expense.
3. All modern PCs come with dual-core processors, and so are capable of taking on tough tasks. The only exceptions are nettops, see 9. Anyone who regularly undertakes tough tasks, like video editing and encoding, should seriously consider a quad core processor.
4. There are plenty of reasons to upgrade the memory or hard disk. If you’ll be using your PC for gaming, video-editing or other demanding tasks then you’ll want both 4gb of RAM and a bigger hard disk, 1TB should more than suffice.
5. A quality sound system will enhance all manner of PC activities . To hear the surround soundtrack of a DVD at its best, you’ll need a 5.1 systems. I f you’re not interested in games or DVD’s , go far a stereo pair with a subwoofer to boost the bass. If you want to listen to music or want better-quality sound, you’ll need a dedicated sound card.
6. All PCs now with widscreen monitors. As well as being ideal for watching movies, they feel more natural for working on panoramic photos or expansive spreadsheets. A 19in widescreen LCD is now considered basic and has a resolution of 1440x 900 pixels. Larger 20in and 22in LCDs are available from around rm550 and have a higher resolution of 1680×1050. This makes them better bets for people who are looking to work with complex applications. Decide if you want a glossy display or not. Glossy displays improve contrast and make images look brighter , but they reflect overhead lights and sunlight easily , which can be annoying.
7. The standard connectors can be improved with extra USB ports, to which most PC gadgets attach, and a FireWire port for gadgets such as digital video cameras. Look for a memory card reader if you have a digital camera and make sure your camera’s memory card is supported.
8. Windows Vista Home Premium is preinstalled on most new PCs. Any extra software bundled should be assessed critically. It may be that you’ll never use it. However, you may find a PC that includes software you’d otherwise have paid for, so you’ll save lots of money by having it preloaded.
9. I f you only undertake basic tasks then consider a nettop. These low-cost, low-price PCs are ideal for day –to-day computing tasks like web surfing and office application. They use similar components to netbooks and so are very power efficient as well. Some netbooks have optical drives for burning and playing DVDs and CDs. However, the more compact models do not have space for such drives.

Computers For Seniors For Dummies (For Dummies (Computer/Tech))

You have just been struck by the Blue Screen of Death. Anyone who uses Mcft Windows will be familiar with this. What can you do? More importantly, how can you prevent it happening?

1 Hardware conflict

The number one reason why Windows crashes is hardware conflict. Each hardware device communicates to other devices through an interrupt request channel (IRQ). These are supposed to be unique for each device.

For example, a printer usually connects internally on IRQ 7. The keyboard usually uses IRQ 1 and the floppy disk drive IRQ 6. Each device will try to hog a single IRQ for itself.

If there are a lot of devices, or if they are not installed properly, two of them may end up sharing the same IRQ number. When the user tries to use both devices at the same time, a crash can happen. The way to check if your computer has a hardware conflict is through the following route:

* Start-Settings-Control Panel-System-Device Manager.

Often if a device has a problem a yellow ‘!’ appears next to its description in the Device Manager. Highlight Computer (in the Device Manager) and press Properties to see the IRQ numbers used by your computer. If the IRQ number appears twice, two devices may be using it.

Sometimes a device might share an IRQ with something described as ‘IRQ holder for PCI steering’. This can be ignored. The best way to fix this problem is to remove the problem device and reinstall it.

Sometimes you may have to find more recent drivers on the internet to make the device function properly. A good resource is www.driverguide.com. If the device is a soundcard, or a modem, it can often be fixed by moving it to a different slot on the motherboard (be careful about opening your computer, as you may void the warranty).

When working inside a computer you should switch it off, unplug the mains lead and touch an unpainted metal surface to discharge any static electricity.

To be fair to Mcft, the problem with IRQ numbers is not of its making. It is a legacy problem going back to the first PC designs using the IBM 8086 chip. Initially there were only eight IRQs. Today there are 16 IRQs in a PC. It is easy to run out of them. There are plans to increase the number of IRQs in future designs.

Seven gadgets for your Windows Sidebar that will help keep your bank manager happy…

1. 1. FIDELITY MARKET MONITOR tinyurl.com/5bfw25 Staying on top of current market events and being aware of everything that’s going on, especially in today’s conditions, is essential. It may not be an instant money-maker but it could save you a packet in the long term.
2. 2. BARCLAYCARD GADGET ZONE tinyurl.com/4×77sj Thanks to Barclaycard Gadget Zone you can stay up-to-date with the latest information on gadgets, technologies and news, plus get all the latest special offers and money-saving deals delivered straight to your desktop.
3. 3. GOOFBAY tinyurl.com/6y53t5q One of the little known facts about netting a bargain on eBay is that the search function usually ignores misspelt descriptions. Thanks to this gadget, you could get a superb deal because nobody else looked for a Hayley Davison.
4. 4. WI-FI HOTSPOT LOCATOR 1.0 tinyurl.com/3nymoo A superb gadget that helps your area. It has listings over 1,000 hotspots from over 150 service providers and can easily be filtered to suit your location or provider, so you’re sure to find a free spot nearby.
5. 5. KAYAK.COM tinyurl.com/6kk8pn Search over 450 web sites to find the latest and cheapest deals on flights, hotels, cruises and cars. It’s a sure-fire way to save you money and your holiday plans and you may find yourself able to get far more than you originally thought.
6. 6. EBAY SELLERS WATCH tiyurl.com/4kmtz4 This handy gadget was designed for people who want to sell stuff on eBay. It tracks your listing, letting you know who’s watching your auction, the number of hits and more. A great tool for staying on top of your little money earner.
7. 7. LOTTERY RESULTS GADGET tinyurl.com/69g5ax It may be down to luck, and the odds are enormous, but imagine your chagrin if you had the winning numbers and didn’t have the time to check. This is a highly customizable gadget that includes lotteries from all over the world.

Clever ways to improve your context menus

The real context menu fun comes when you create commands to perform unusual Windows functions that are tricky to access in other ways.

Does the Windows Aero interface sometimes get too much for your old PC, for instance? Go to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\Shell. Create a new key called Aero Off, and a command key below that with the value Rundll32 dwmApi #104

Create a second menu entry called Aero On, and a command key with the value Rundll32 dwmApi #102 Now you can turn Aero on or off from the right-click desktop menu – very quick and easy.

Windows Vista is also missing the Windows XP ‘Display Settings’ option, which gave speedy access to your graphics card setup. But we can restore that, too. Again, start at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\Background\Shell and create a key called Display Settings, then add a command key with the value rundll32 shell32.dll, Control_RunDLL DESK.CPL,@0,3 and that’s it: easy display settings access has returned to Windows.

You’re not restricted to the regular file, folder or context menu desktops, either. You can also customize system folders if you know the very long ‘Class ID’. To add commands to the right-click menu for Computer, say, run REGEDIT and browse to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{20D04FEO-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\shell. Add a key called System Information, then a command key below that pointing to ‘c:\windows\system32\msinfo32.exe’, say, and details on your computer will only ever be a right-click away.

You should also add an entry to the Recycle Bin to load your undelete program, say (start at HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{645ff040-5081-101b-9f08-00aa002f954e}\shell), and it’s no more difficult to tweak other system folders. See the Class ID list (www.autohotkey.com/docs/misc/CLSID-List.htm) for ideas.

1. RATE SITES Download and install McAfee SiteAdvisor for Internet Explorer and Firefox from www.siteadvisor.com – this provides traffic-lights ratings for web sites and search engine results. It’s not infallible, but it adds an extra layer of protection.
2. INTERNET SIGNS Red sites should be treated with extreme caution, but roll the mouse over the red icon to get more information – click ‘More info’ for a detailed rating, including what others think about the site and McAfee’s rating.
3. SCREEN EMAILS Most anti-spam and anti-virus apps only deal with mail once it’s been downloaded. PopTray lets you preview mail before downloading it, enabling you to delete unwanted emails without letting them onto your PC first.
4. SENSIBLE PASSWORDS Don’t rely on a single password for all your online log-in details. Use a program like KeePass to securely store them all for you. Also avoid logging into web sites by clicking on links in emails.
5. DOWNLOAD SAFELY Try to avoid downloading files from any other source than the program’s own site, or a reputable site such as www.download.com. Avoid downloading software from peer-to-peer networks like Kazaa – it could be infected.

1. SETTING OUT Control Panel is packed with applets that you’ll rarely use, which makes it harder to find the ones that matter. But the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) can help. Type ‘MMC.EXE’ into Start Search and press Enter to launch it.
2. TAKE A LOOK The MMC can combine many of the most useful Control Panel tools, or ‘snap-ins’, into a single applet, making them easy to find and use. Click File → Add or Remove Snap-ins, and then browse the list to see the tools available.
3. IT’S YOUR CALL Click on a snap-in you like, and then click Add → Finish to add it to the list. Device Manager, Event Viewer, Local Users…, Reliability and Performance Monitor, Services, Shared Folders and Windows Firewall would be high on our list, but the choice is yours.
4. TRY IT OUT Click OK to see your new super applet. Now there’s no need to remember where things are to be found, because you’ve brought all your favourite applets together into one place. Just choose one on the left-hand side to see it exactly as usual in the central window.
5. TWEAK AND SAVE Change the interface, it necessary (remove the toolbars by clicking View → Customize and clearing the Toolbars box, say), then click File → Save. The applet will appear on the Start → All Programs → Administrative Tools menu, ready for use.

1. CONTROL PANEL TWEAKS Deleting applications you don’t need can help accelerate boot times – especially those that load into memory when you log in. go to the Control Panel and choose Uninstall a Program.
2. DELETING PROGRAMS To delete a program select it from the list and click Uninstall. Some may prompt you to restart. Wait until you’ve removed all programs you want to delete before rebooting your PC.
3. BE FRUGAL WITH FONTS When Windows Vista starts up, it loads all your fonts into memory. The memory you have, the longer this takes. It’s likely that you’ll only use a fraction of them – so you can safely remove those you don’t like.
4. IN THE BIN Go to Control Panel → Appearance and Personalisation. Click Install or Remove a Font. You’ll see a list of installed fonts in Windows Explorer. Double click on a font to preview it. To delete a font, just drag it to the Recycle Bin.
5. ADJUST VISUAL EFFECTS One last quick but rather drastic fix to speed up your system. Go to Performance Information and Tools in the System Maintenance section of the Control Panel and click Adjust Visual Effects. Tick Adjust for Best Performance to turn off animations and transparency.

Move over Spielberg

Unleash your creative power with Windows Movie Maker

1. IMPORT FOOTAGE Open up Windows Movie Maker and click File → New Project. To import your video from your digital camera connect it to your computer using USB 2.0 or better. Go to Task → Import → from digital video camera.
2. STORYBOARDING Windows Movie Maker is divided into three main areas including the storyboard/timeline, the preview monitor and the panes. To start editing your movie drag your imported file into the storyboard that lies along the bottom of the screen.
3. SPLIT-SECOND Don’t be restricted by actual events: create an entirely new experience by cutting and moving parts of your footage. To split a clip, just click on Play and then a Pause as the clip reaches the point you want to split. Click the Split button under Clip.
4. SPECIAL EFFECTS Once you’ve split your footage, you can drag and drop the parts into any order on the timeline, then add effects and transitions. Click on Effects under the Edit button, then right-click on the effect you want and click Add to Timeline.
5. PICTURE PERFECT Now adds some photos; these give a sense of flow to the movie and are perfect as introductions, transitions and endings. Click Import Media and then locate your pictures. To add them, just drag and drop into the order you want.
6. CHANGING ROOMS Transitions are great ways to shift between scenes and photos. Choose the transitions you like and click Add to Timeline. If you want different styles then drag and drop them into the timeline. They will then slot in the split between scenes.
7. MUSICAL MAYHEM Choose your soundtrack by clicking on Audio or Music under Import. Once selected, drag it onto the timeline and adjust where t starts by dragging the cursor. To fade in or out simply right-click on the Audio/Music.
8. CREDIT CRUNCH Click on Titles and credits under Edit then select Title at the beginning. Enter the text and press Add Title. Do the same for the end credits. To make a silent movie, click Title before the selected clip and insert text for each scene!
9. ALL DONE Your movie can now be published. Burn it to DVD, save it on your PC, email it to family, burn it to CD or record to a tape in your digital video camera. To do this click on File → Publish Movie and then select the option you want.

Microsoft Windows Movie Maker 2

Take control of your life

The new Windows Live Calendar makes it easy to stay organized from any computer

1. SET UP CALENDARS Go to calendar.live.com Two calendars will be created by default: your own calendar, plus a birthday calendar for your Windows Live Mail contacts. To create more, just click the plus icon next to Calendar, fill in the details and click OK.
2. NAVIGATE CALENDAR Switch views by clicking Day, Week or Month – choosing Agenda will let you see all upcoming events between two selected dates. Switch to a different month by clicking the arrow keys by the current month.
3. CREATE EVENT Select a day and click Add to set up an event. Enter the basic details (such as what, where and when) and click OK, or click Add more details to add a reminder or to make it recurring.
4. SHARE YOUR CALENDAR Click the Share button and select Share this calendar. You can share with other Windows Live users with different levels of access, or create a read-only site for public or private consumption. Make your choice and click Save.
5. IMPORT CALENDAR Go to File → Export in Windows Calendar to save your PC-based calendar. Now open Windows Live Calendar, click Subscribe and choose Import from an ICS file to select the file and import it into a new or existing calendar.