Computer Repair Services & Technical Support Blog

Computer Repair Services & Technical Support Blog

Data Recovery Software – The Successful Means of Restoring Lost Data

Using Data Retrieval Systems

Many of us wait until we unconsciously removed some information or perhaps the computer fails before making use of recovery software. While that period comes, we immediately rush to internet to locate files recovery application that we could acquire at no cost. We install that software which is combined with terrific guarantees only to find out that those claims were not true – the deleted files are forever missing.

Your approach is vital when coping with problems which entail your computer system information. Obviously, this roots to the lack of understanding regarding how data files as well as folders are usually kept on the computer system disk. Basically, each file or directory is saved as information is organized into small parts or perhaps hard disk sectors. Proper lists are used for ease and with them you could understand which document may be discovered on a particular hard disk drive. You’ll find flags on the table which are marked whenever a document is actually removed. The location of data within that file is provided to the system, marking them as totally free, whilst the data actually keep there. Hence, it is very much possible to recover deleted files easily unless a brand new software is actually set up in their previous spot. We merely need to avoid action over the actual hard drive to stop writing over the eliminated file.

Unerasing data on the system disk (usually labeled as C: in Windows) is challenging since the computer may actually write within the hard drive without the user realizing it. Therefore, highest care should be maintained when you are performing this procedure. Then, what’s the finest solution? It is most effective if you power down the computer system promptly and go ahead and have the restoration of information and files performed on a different computer system. This is achieved by disconnecting the hard disk from the computer and installing it to other.

It’s easier to manage deleted records which are on places other than the device drive. We do not need to take away the disk and set it up to an alternative computer as we can restore the files or data right on the system. A very important factor we must keep in mind is the fact that programs often come up with temporary records in those drives that might damage the erased data files. The best alternative would be running unerase application from a removable read only memory, i.e. USB drive or DVD disk, and do the diagnostic scan of disk for deleted data. This is usually a basic process however, effective.

A backup Disc should be placed close as planning for the time period when we need to recover lost records. In the Compact disc must be the most effective restoration software you could come across for the computer system. If you don’t wish to use a Compact disc then you may always opt for other ROM systems such as a flash drive.

In retrieving data, you will need not only knowledge but also expensive resources. But we could save money if we may do these ourselves or get a cost effective application. Retrieval of removed records is as effective as the retrieval software. Check out some good files recovery program and select the one which matches the personal preference.

Written by Barry, data recovery specialist and a member of mac-how community.

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Infographics – Let’s Explain Web Hosting

let's explain web hosting

I thought I’d share this funny explainer video with you that demonstrates using a charming no-tech approach ‘what is web hosting’. The video is a spin-off from InMotion Hosting’s popular infographic ‘Where Does Your Website Live‘.

“We thought we’d animate it” says Juliana Payson. “We’re all too familiar with customer feedback that tells us webhosting is often explained by techies to techies, who know it all already.”

So the team at InMotion Hosting decided to give themselves a challenge, and use NO-TECH to explain what web hosting is all about.

The video uses paper cut-outs from their infographic, popsicle sticks to add the animatics, and one of the team’s familiar voice-overs who’s proud to say to the regular customer phone-ins “Hey that’s me!”

Overall this homespun video has a lot of charm, and attracted the likes of techie web designers who are using it to explain web-hosting to their own client base.

 

Hope you enjoy, here’s the Youtube video:

http://youtu.be/n7rzi2hGAzA

Web Hosting Specialist

Juliana produced this video for InMotion Hosting – A web hosting company specializing in VPS servers based in Los Angeles. Please direct any questions to her Twitter @JulianaPayson where she’ll be happy to explain it all in more detail, or you can check out more of her expert tips here: http://www.inmotionhosting.com/blog/author/juliana/

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Infographic – How Cyber Secure are Public Companies

how cyber secure are public companies

How Cyber Secure Are Public Companies

When considering the definition of success for today’s digital-dependent corporation, cyber security must be near the top of the list. No matter the size of the business or their profit margin, businesses rely on computers for daily functions. Computer systems require third-party applications to run, and the vast majority of networks are attached to the internet for operations, making businesses highly vulnerable to cyber attack.

In the SEC’s October 2011 Disclosure Guidelines, the Commission noted cyber security as one of the highest concerns publicly traded companies must address, and that businesses should as a result reveal “cybersecurity risks or incidents” to their investors. In this graphic, Vera code looks at some of the specific cyber-threats corporate networks face, such as loss over control over system software, data theft, and denial of software service. Any of these can bring corporate operations to a halt. While the majority of companies are aware of threats, “less than one in five public companies has performed a formal security review of third-party applications,” and others seem not to be aware of the true danger weaknesses on cyber security pose. This graphic demonstrates the most common methods of cyber attack, and how major companies fared when their security systems were tested.

Veracode addresses these issues and available options for solutions in their latest State of Software Security Report.

This Infographic was developed by Veracode, providers of the world’s leading Application Risk Management Platform. For more information, visit their website, http://veracode.com.

 

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Online Communities You Probably Haven’t Heard Of

The internet has enabled a throng of communities to thrive. However, unless a person with a specific interest goes searching for them they can often remain unfound. These online communities bring people together to exchange thoughts, experiences and information regarding their shared interests. Ranging from the established to the off-centre, the online communities listed below are an excellent place to connect with like-minded web surfers.

Streetfiles

Graffiti and street art is still extremely controversial. Does it have aesthetic and social significance or is it simply criminal vandalism? The 59,000+ members of Streetfiles obviously believe graffiti is an art form and the collection of close to 670,000 images from around the world are certainly arresting. If you’re interested in street art join Streetfiles, the Flickr of graffiti.

image source

Mystic Familiar

Mystic Familiar has 10 psychic and spiritual chat rooms where psychics and tarot card readers can exchange tips and information and delve deeper into their preternatural abilities. The chat rooms are open 24/7 to psychics, pagans, witches, shamans and healers. Of course, if you’re a psychic you probably already knew all this!

Vampire Freaks

Started in 1999 by gothic-industrial devotee Jet, Vampire Freaks now has an impressive 1.6 million+ active members who share a committed interest in the dark and alternative side of culture. Looking like a giant festival of like-minded Goths organised by Marilyn Manson, this online community is inarguably curious and stylish and the event updates cover the globe.

PostSecret Community

Have you heard of the immense community mail art project PostSecret? Conceived by Frank Warren and started on 1 January 2005, the projects asks people from around the globe to send in an anonymous postcard bearing a secret which is then displayed in an exhibition, online or in a book with a multitude of others. Many have found these units of truth inspiring and emotionally stirring and this is the community within which you can discuss the project.

BASEjumper.com

The most extreme of extreme sports, BASE jumping entails daredevil thrill-seekers diving off incredibly high mountains, bridges or buildings, only using their parachutes to break their fall. Anybody crazy enough to be part of it should join this community to keep abreast of things while you prepare your next leap or wait for your breaks to mend.

The Druid Network

Those interested in Celtic culture and wishing to embrace their inner Druid should check out The Druid Network and learn more about this fascinating ancient religion. A full list of global Orders and Groves are given, enabling people to reach out and immerse themselves in the rites and rituals.

WritersCafe.org

“Writing, at its best, is a lonely life”, said Ernest Hemingway. However, new writing talent shouldn’t feel they have to strive alone. WritersCafe is a wonderful online community of writers who give each other constructive criticism and advice on their writing and the industry in general. Membership is free.

Unexplained Mysteries

Are you constantly hounded by a headless horseman? Tired of repeatedly being abducted by aliens and given an anal probe? You can share all your extraterrestrial and supernatural encounters with this huge community of open-minded people interested in alternative worlds and the darker side of this one.

Living History Worldwide

History comes alive when the 7,000 members of Living History World re-enact the turbulent conflicts that shaped the contours of our past and present world. Whether your main interest is the American Civil War, Napoleonic Wars or WWII, this online community will help you find likeminded people and historical skirmishes to participate in.

image source

Kit Car Zone

The enthusiasts within this online community share information and chat about their passion for kit cars, offering assistance to newcomers and displaying images of their beloved cars to inspire and admire. There is also a section for classifieds offering kits, complete cars and a range of vital parts for sale.

This article was written by Ladbrokes Games

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How Technology is Changing the Way We Shop for Clothes

Technology is an impressive, amazing thing. It has revolutionized the way we shop for big-ticket items like electronics, and it’s now transforming the way we shop for everyday items like clothing. Here are the ways technology can make shopping for clothes more enjoyable and convenient.

Bodymetrics in the Living Room

People who love the clothes and prices seen in catalogs can now buy with confidence. The virtual dressing room uses the X-Box Kinect to help shoppers see how clothes will look on their body, without ever going through the hassle of trying them on. It’s the best way to take advantage of an online bargain, and it takes the misery out of trying on clothes at the store.

Smartphones and Pictures

If you are in the store and decide to try on something you love, you don’t have to worry about making the final decision on your own. With the ability to take and send pictures from your phone, you can easily send a snapshot to a friend for an instant opinion. If you cannot decide between colors, you can let your friends help you make the decision from wherever they may be.

Price Comparisons

Amazing apps like Barcode Hero and Goodzer help customers find the best prices on hot name-brand items. It’s the fastest way to score the lowest price, and you can even search for local stores so you can get the items fast.

Personalized Clothing

Clothes with monograms, team logos or other personalizations used to be expensive. You had to place a bulk order to get a decent price, and there was a limit on the colors you could use. Technology has made the process of adding a design to shirts more affordable than ever, so you can order a single custom shirt for your wardrobe. Shopping online, you can find the best price on T-shirts with hot graphics that will be unique to you. You can even purchase clothing that is customized to fit your body, hugging you in all the right places and ensuring that everything you put on looks incredible.

Social Media

There was a time when you had to wait for new stock to hit the stores before you could determine what the cool clothes would be for the season. While magazines might give you an idea of what to expect, you could never be sure what would actually arrive in your local stores. With the explosion of social media sites, retailers can now share the hottest trends before they arrive in the local stores. You can buy online to get them even faster, and you can even use your virtual fitting room to see whether it’s the right choice for you.

Technology is changing every facet of our lives from the luxury items we buy to our new clothing throughout the year. Whether you are searching for the best price, the hottest fashions, customized shirts or the most flattering fit, technology can help you find the perfect clothing items for your wardrobe. The next time you are in the market for a new outfit, put technology to good use in your search.

Samantha Baker is an executive assistant and takes advantage of custom T shirt printing to memorialize corporate outings and retreats.

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How to Choose the Best 3D Animation Software

Did you know that the first 3D animation movie to be released was the Toy Story? This movie was highly successful such that the company that released it planned for two more sequels. Additionally, more movie editing companies such as DreamWorks have taken up the use of 3D animation software to develop animation movies.

As a result, these companies have realized more revenue and reduced costs. 3D animation software is not only used in making successful movies, but it is also used in other fields of interest such as architecture, aerospace engineering, and mechanical engineering.

People in these fields of interest have used 3D animation software to present vast amounts of data in a simple way, re-create dangerous situations such as train accidents, and graphically convey difficult interrelationships to understand. Here are the factors you should consider in finding the best 3D animation software:

Animation Features

The first feature you should look for in a 3D animation software is the animation feature. The animation features will breathe life to your models, making your project more pleasant. Animation features your 3D animation software should have included:

(a) The ability to pull an object, which is referred to as inverse kinematics

(b) The ability to push an object, which is referred to as forward kinematics

(c) The ability to shift between poses, which is referred to as pose blending

(d) The ability to apply data for motion capture on your model, which is referred to as motion capture

(e) Scripts, key frame, and procedures to guide your animation project

(f) The ability to render your images in 3D, which can be viewed by the 3D glasses.

Modeling Features

Modeling features are the second feature you should look for in 3D animation software. These modeling features help you create curved, smooth, and organic surfaces. Additionally, these features will easily help you create objects that have many curves such as cars, animals, and human beings.

Modeling features of your 3D software should include shapes such prisms, cylinders, and spheres, the ability to build characters using polygons, the ability to smoothen the surfaces of the objects, NURBS, sculpting tools, and Bezier tools.

Texture Features

The third 3D animation software feature to look for is the texture feature. Texture features will help you simulate your character model to real life. Your 3D animation software should have the ability to simulate factors such as liquids and gases, muscles, fur and hair, skin, and flexible materials.

Additionally, the software must have the ability to map a 2D image onto a 3D image, the ability to render an image drawn by hand, and the ability to render clothing, the ability to generate particles to use in situations such as clouds and smoke, and the ability to paint on the model’s surface.

In conclusion, 3D animation software can help you reduce costs while maximizing your revenue. This is because 3D animation software is able to render situations that would have been dangerous or expensive to render. Examples of these situations include an aircraft accident, the construction of a house, or the customizing of a car. However, when choosing 3D animation software, make sure it has animation features, modeling features, and texture features.

Written by Julieth, Animation Features in online chat Mezee.

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Does E-Learning Require Load Testing For Optimal Experience?

More and more students are opting to skip the traditional class setting and take an online course. Instructors, administrators and networking technicians all need to collaborate to make the online class work. Technicians must ensure that students submitting homework or attempting to download a file don’t wind up with an error screen.

Instructors must keep technicians informed of any errors encountered, especially during heavy traffic times. Preparing an online course or an e-learning website can present several issues, especially since e-learning covers the gamut of different industries, from classes to application submissions.

Preparing an Online Course

I.T. professionals understand the ins-and-outs of setting up an online course, but more importantly, all of them understand the delicate requirements necessary for ensuring the proper testing of each site. An individual may one minute be preparing to test the loading screen for online assignments, and the next, organizing the submission screen.

Each button, screen and page can experience errors, which must be sorted out before students start enrolling. Failing to sort out these bugs can cause the system to crash or malfunction when one is attempting to switch pages or complete assignments, causing frustration and anger among the attendees.

Load Testing Software

I.T. professionals will rely on software such as the SOASTA load test program that helps test a range of different issues that can be encountered during the setup process. Whether it’s testing the system in real time or pinpointing where a problem is coming from, there are many things that professionals can and will do before it’s too late and long before students quit in anger. Load testing software offers a fast, reliable solution to resolving issues seen among the e-learning community, and everything from online courses to application processes comes with its own set of problems.

Stress Testing

One main testing aspect engineers focus on is sorting out the levels of stress a website can endure. On a typical day, most university websites can generate a few thousand unique traffic hits. On a busy day, traffic can reach well into the tens of thousands, causing a website to slow and even crash. For an engineer, sorting out these issues by conducting stress tests helps ensure that a website will stay running smoothly, especially on important days like college application due dates. An engineer might be using mobile app testing with TouchTest Technology to ensure that the website runs smoothly on a mobile phone or tablet with few hiccups.

If you need performance testing software, then SOASTA can provide a high quality service for you. Their mobile application testing software, which has TouchTest™ Technology enables for “in real time” comparing and evaluating of the feedback data so that the problem is found faster and quickly fixed.

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How Technology Has Enabled Stay-At-Home Mums to Experience Fulfilling Family Lives

 With ongoing technological advances that seem to happen every day, the world moves much faster these days and opens up unlimited opportunities that we have never imagined.

In particular, it has never been easier for stay-at-home mothers to reap the benefits of using technology – like engagement, empowerment and life enrichment.

Stay up to date with skills and knowledge

If you’ve taken a few years off from your job to take care of your kids, or you’re planning to do so, it is crucial to prepare yourself for your return to the workplace one day, if that’s what you’re aiming for. Keeping up to date with technology is essential. However, gadgets and technologies can be expensive.  Alongside this, the cost of child care and running a household will only result in adding more pressure on your finances.  That’s why services like technology rental can be great options? The monthly fee for most plans can be as low as a few dollars, so you can get yourself connected with the latest technologies such as a smartphone and iPad, and you’ll be able to keep up with the changing world. It not only expands your horizons but also ensures a smoother transition when you decide to return to work one day.

Use of technology to keep your kids entertained

Being a mother is a big job, isn’t it? Your life is busy with running a household, cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking and most importantly, taking care of the kids.   Needless to say, you may not be able to free up much time as your kids always demand your attention. Use of technology wisely, therefore, can keep your kids entertained while you can continue with your household chores. For example, you can use an iPad to keep your kids amused as there are a lot of educational games, apps and interesting videos from the borderless internet world.

Technology opens up new opportunities

We all have our dreams but they may go astray due to different circumstances in our lives. If you’ve ever wanted to become a writer or a journalist but lack of opportunity and experience, there’s a possible way for you to chase your dream! If you have a bit of time out of your motherhood, why not consider blogging as a way of socializing? Some social networking sites also invite people to share their views on current issues, their dining experiences and make recommendations on weekend activities.

Starting out as a ‘citizen journalist’ is a great way to build up your confidence and improve your writing skills, even though you may not be rewarded financially.  Don’t be disheartened and lose hope. You may end up landing on your dream job because of your connection and refined writing skills.

Take the move now and get the most out of technology to experience a more fulfilling family life.

Sarah Paige offers advice and tips on how to get the most out of your equipment and technology. Sarah suggests options like technology rental as a smart way to stay up-to-date with the latest technology without having to pay a considerable amount of money upfront.

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WordPress Tips for Hosting a Review Site

If you want your review website to stand out from others and use WordPress, there are many tools that can give you the advantage. The following plug-ins to promote community interaction, add ratings l to reviews and even curate content from similar websites.

Community Submissions

To accept outside reviews, you can use WP Customer Reviews to facilitate reviews from multiple users, without requiring them to register for an account. A similar content submission tool is the Content Submit Plugin, which even allows you to check submissions for copyright infringement. Finally, the WordPress Guest Post Plugin accepts content from outside users, and nothing will appear on your blog before you publish it.

Rich Snippets

If you regularly review products, you might want to hide the review behind the “More” link and still show the most important information on your index. This can be accomplished with one of several rich snippet tools, which allow the user to glean the most important information at a glance. WordPress plug-ins that with this feature include Microdata, Rich Snippet Creator Module of SEO Ultimate and Micro Anywhere. All of these work with the existing WordPress post editor and help to make your review more search engine-friendly, too!

Aggregating Themes

Magazine-style themes are excellent when you run a review website. It makes it easy to display each review like a magazine article on the front page. Aggregating themes often include widget-ready areas, so customization only takes a few clicks of your mouse. ElegantThemes provides the aptly named Aggregate theme, along with all themes on its website, for just $39. Who says you need to be a code guru for an effective website?

Monetizing with Ads

Chances are your website can help you to make a little money. Fortunately, there are tools to help with this. Plug-ins like WP125 allow you to copy new ad code and even specify when the ad should expire, while WPAds is ready for banner, text and even AdSense codes. ISIS Ads Management even incorporates a widget, allowing you to display ads anywhere that is widget-ready.

Content Aggregation

When you want to pull relevant content from other websites, WordPress has what you need. Insights is a plug-in that will automatically curate related content based on what you’re writing on your own site. Zemanta works similarly, even bringing in images and links for more complete content aggregation.

Content Generation

What if you want original content for your WordPress-powered website? My Blog Guest is a website where you can trade guest posts with other bloggers to expand the variety of your content and its plug-in facilitates this process. If it’s in the budget, TextBroker allow you to pay freelance writers to produce reviews and other content for your website. TextBroker even has a WordPress plug-in that makes it easier to publish content to your blog.

Rating

Rating a product or service, along with your text review, doesn’t have to involve manually copying and pasting or even creating images yourself. There are a number of plug-ins that you can install directly from your dashboard to add a rating system to your review website. Again, WP Customer Reviews can do the trick. Inserting a star rating system hasn’t been easier, and you ca edit the CSS so that it matches your website.

Socializing

Finally, you’ll want to encourage interaction on your website. Social media plug-ins like DiggDigg encourage others to share your reviews on Facebook or Twitter, while you can encourage more interaction on your own site with tools like TinyMCEComments even incorporate a visual editor into the comments section that that users can more easily format text.

Web Hosting a Review Site

@JulianaPayson has had plenty of experience hosting review sites from products to technical software. Feel free to reach out to her directly on twitter for free articles or advice requiring any technical background. Juliana is a Specialist Marketer for InMotion Hosting based in Los Angeles @InMotionHosting

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How to Set Up a Network

Many homes in today’s technological age have more than one computer. This may be as a result of different persons in the home having his or her own computer system to use, or as a result of a growing number of persons starting home and small businesses. The increasing need for setting up networks could also result from more persons working remotely. A network is interlinking and connectivity of computers. Persons may have several computers in his or her home, making connecting these computers on one network a sensible thing to do. Once a group of computers are connected with others through a network, then files and activities may be shared across the network and the connected computers can access each. That is, computer system A can access files located on computer system B through the network connection that has been established. Computers linked together in this form what is known as a local area network. There are several ways in which multiple computer systems may be linked to form a network. Irrespective of the type of method chosen to set up a particular network there are several basic principles that users can employ ensure that the task of setting up or creating a local area network is a smoothly run and successfully executed one.

Tools Required

  • A group of computers to be connected

Materials Required

  • An Internet Connection
  • Manual (Guidelines concerning how to set up a network).
  • A Home Network Kit (comes complete with Internet Connection, Adapters, Phone line cables, USB cables and routers)
  • Windows Installation CDs

Instructions

  1. Before getting started setting up a Home Network system, one should review and consider the different options made available with the different Home Network Systems. This can be done through internet searches visiting the sites of the relevant Home Networking Systems. Researching the relevant Home Networking Systems will help users to decide if they are in possession of compatible software such as Windows XP versus Windows Vista operating systems and other needed materials. This will help users to choose the right Home Network System for their Computer Systems and needs. In turn, this will help to ensure a successful network setup.
  2. Users should choose a name for their network. This network name will come in handy when configuring the network settings on each of the Computer Systems. The network name is the link that all computers will connect to. The name that is chosen for the network is known as the workgroup. It is best to choose a descriptive and relevant name for the home network depending on the purpose. The wireless network will also need to be named. After finding the most compatible and suitable Home Networking System, one will need to have the appropriate Windows CD on hand for each of the Computer Systems that will be connected to the network. The Windows installation CD may need to be used to configure the network settings for each of the Computer Systems. Unique names for each of the Computer Systems will also be needed for setting up the network.
  3. After choosing the most compatible and suitable Home Networking System and deciding on an appropriate name for your work group, one will need to have the appropriate Windows installation CD on hand for each Computer System. This is because each Computer System that will be connected to the network will need to be configured to the network using the Windows Installation CD.
  4. Finally, plan the configuration of the network. A well planned network will see to all connected Computer Systems being able to access the internet and being able to print over the network. To properly plan one’s network, be sure to consider which operations, files and activities are to be shared and which ones are not to be shared. This can be as flexible and or rigid as one desires.

Tips and Warnings

  • The name of the workgroup and the identification code for the wireless network can be the same.

For more information on setting up networks, read Setting up a Wireless Network.

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