How to Restore a Sound Device

How to Restore a Sound DeviceIn Windows 7, the sound card is the device that allows your computer to process sounds and play them through the speakers. The sound card can be restored by accessing the device manager and choosing to enable the device. This is a good method of troubleshooting a problem with computer sounds.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Access the "Start" menu by clicking on the Windows symbol in the lower left corner of the screen.
   • 2
     Select "Control Panel" from the Start menu.
   • 3
     Click "Device Manager."
   • 4
     Click the arrow next to "Sound, Video, and game Controllers."
   • 5
     Right-click on your sound card and click "Enable."

Read more »

How to Restore Computer Sound

If the sound in your computer has stopped functioning, then this article may give tips to help restore it. Computers are volatile creatures! Sound can disappear for a variety of reasons, and sometimes for no reason. Read this article, then you will be back listening to tunes and shows in no time on your computer.

Instructions

1. • 1
     Control Panel

     Sometimes the computer loses sound because the drivers to the sound card become uninstalled and you need to restore them. Inspect for missing drivers by opening the Control Panel. This is found by clicking the start button and locating the control panel option in the right hand column.
   • 2
     System choice inside of control panel

     The list of contents inside the control panel on a computer are in alphabetical order. Click on "System." When inside of "System" click the "Hardware" tab and then click the "Device Manager" button.
   • 3
     Sound choice example

     Next to the sound icon make sure there are no yellow exclamation points with triangles inside. If there are, it means the sound card needs to be restored, as drivers have become corrupted. Take the CD out that came with the sound card. Or, download drivers from the Internet onto your computer to restore your sound card. If there are no yellow exclamation points, go to the next step.
   • 4
     Ensure your computer speaker cords have not become loose or unplugged. Also make sure the cable is securely attached into the proper outlet. They are color coded, but that does not necessarily mean that it is correct. Exchange a few different cords if you are unsure. You will not hurt anything. If this restored your sound, you are finished here.
   • 5
     Windows Volume Control

     Inspect the mute button either on the keyboard or Windows Taskbar (in lower right corner) has been accidentally selected. Double-click Windows Volume Control (looks like a black ball) in the lower right corner to maximize across computer screen. If you discover a choice has been muted, uncheck the box and shrink it back down to the Taskbar.

     Or, if there is no sound icon in the Taskbar, chances are the sound card needs to be restored. Use your CD or download the drivers from the manufacturer's website onto your computer. If this step solves the sound problem, you are finished
   • 6
     Try switching different sets of speakers or earbuds to see if any of them work. Or, see if the computer speakers are off or the volume control is turned down. If this is the case, then your computer sound is fixed and you will hear sound from one of these. Discard your defective speakers and enjoy the sound!

Read more »

How to remove Software Counterfeiting in Windows XP?

Many of the Windows XP non genuine copy users at some point of time might have encountered a message

“This copy of Windows is not genuine. You may be a victim of software counterfeiting”.

If not you are really the lucky ones you managed to sneak out from the Microsoft watch dogs. We will discuss how to get rid of this message if you appear to have this.

How To Remove The Windows Counterfeit Notification?

The problem is due to the use of non-genuine copy of Windows XP. We strongly recommend to click on through their link and buy a copy of WindowsXP thus eliminating software piracy.

Method 1:

The WGA crack works perfectly on and allows users to access Windows Update, Microsoft Update and Microsoft Download Center. The usage guide (installation instructions) is as usual:

Step1: Extract into a new empty folder
Step2: Run installer.bat

Download Windows.Genuine.Advantage.Validation.v1.8.32.1.CRACKED.rar.

Method 2:

Step1:

If you are using Windows XP Home,then open Task Manager (Press Ctrl+Alt+Del) and stop wgtray.exe.
If you are using Windows XP Professional,then enter into the Safe Mode Open Task Manager (Press Ctrl+Alt+Del) and stop wgtray.exe.

Step2:

Now delete the wgtray.exe from the following locations:-
1. C:WindowsSystem32
2. C:WindowsSystem32dllcache

Step3:

Press Start and select Run and type regedit and click OK.

Step4:

Naviagate to the following location:-
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoft… NTCurrentVersionWinlogonNotify

Step5:

Delete the entire folder WgaLogon ,close the registry editor.

Step6:

Restart the system.

After the restart if it again prompts to reinstall those services then:-

Start>run>msconfig>ok
Click Services tab and uncheck from there.Apply and restart.

We Recommend You To Use Original Microsoft Windows Software

Read more »

How to Block a Website in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Safari.

Whether you suspect your children are visiting websites they shouldn't, feel certain sites are distracting you from work or just want to remove a website from your life entirely, blocking that site can be a good way to do so. Google Chrome blocks a large number of hazardous sites, but at this time does not allow users to block sites manually. Windows does, however, if you know what you're doing---and anything blocked Windows-wide will impact Google Chrome.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1.       1

Open Windows Explorer, and type "C:WINDOWS\system32\drivers\etc" in the address bar, then press "Enter." Windows Explorer will present you with three files: "hosts," "network" and "protocol."

2.       2

Open the "hosts" file. Right-click the file, choose "Open" and open the file in Notepad.

3.       3

At the bottom of the document, add the numbers "127.0.0.1", followed by at least one space, followed by the URL of the website you want to block. For example, if you wanted to block "bing.com" you would enter "127.0.0.1 bing.com" to do so.

Do not put either "http://" or "www" in front of the names of websites you wish to block--doing so will result in the site not being blocked. You are blocking the entire site regardless of protocol.

4.       4

Save the document and restart your computer. Any attempt to visit the site you blocked in Chrome (or any other browser, for that matter) will result in an error message.

Read more »

Guide to waiting in line on Black Friday

It's that time of year again...you know, where you get to stand in lines for the best deals on Black Friday. Instead of heading out the door 8 or more hours ahead of the sale unprepared, take a gander at this guide for tips to make the experience more pleasant.

(Credit: Thebiglead, Thenorthface.com, Foldingchairinabag.com, Lotofguides.com)

Creating comfort

• Bring your own bottle--of water. Good alternatives for cooler climates are hot coffee or even soup in a Thermos.
• Snick-snacks. Whether they're healthy or not is up to you.
• Extra jacket and/or blanket. Additional layers for cold weather or something children and adults can use on the ground.
• Folding chair(s). The kind that fold and fit into a bag with a shoulder strap are ideal for when the line begins to move. Anything larger will need to go back into the car before shopping.
• Locate the nearest 24-hour restroom. Look for one that is safe and clean, should you need to run off and use the facilities.
• Bring a small flashlight (or download an app for your smartphone). Stores may not have lighting where the line is.
• Charge your mobile devices. You can also buy external battery packs.

(Credit: Rovio, Icomnow.com, Bicyclecards.com, Amazon.com)

Battling boredom

• Grab some games. This means it's OK to waste a few hours in a row playing Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Fruit Ninja, or Doodle Jump.
• Load up on media. Whether it's movies or music, add something to your device to help distract you from the waiting game.
• Snag a deck of cards. With tons of games to choose from, it's sure to help you and your company in the line stay occupied.
• Bring an e-reader or book. Just remember that if you're going to read outside, it's probably a good idea to have a book light.

(Credit: Tvtropes.com, HowStuffWorks, Google, SynergylightingUSA.com)

Staying safe

• Bring some friends. Three or more people is a great idea, but two will do. This makes taking breaks much easier when someone can hold your spot in line.
• Share your location. Tell friends and family which stores you'll be shopping at this Black Friday.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Many sales on big-ticket items might mean customers in line are carrying more cash. People of ill intention may view this as the perfect opportunity to commit their crimes.
• Play nice with others. Strangers in the line may be tired and hungry, making the trip from calm to feisty a quick one--so beware.

What does your Black Friday routine involve? Have any extra tips that can be added to the guide? Share them in the comments!

Read more »

Use Apple's MobileMe Backup app to back up important data

If you had a MobileMe account before the transition to iCloud, you may have heard about the MobileMe Backup tool.

The app, made by Apple, still requires a MobileMe account to unlock the full app; it backs up your personal data and information on a custom schedule.

The good news is, if you did have a MobileMe account (or still do if you haven't made the transition), you will be able to use the full app. If you didn't have a paid MobileMe account prior to iCloud, you will only have access to the trial mode of MobileMe Backup, capping your backups at 100MB.

The 100MB doesn't sound like a lot, and in fact it isn't, but it should be more than enough to back up some of your most vital information. With the release of iCloud the chances are that Apple will eventually phase out this handy app, but it shouldn't stop you from using it right now to ensure your data is always backed up should anything go wrong with iCloud.

Download and install the MobileMe Backup tool, which can be found in an Apple support document.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

After it's installed, you can set up a backup plan by clicking on the + sign.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

If you had a MobileMe account and have full access to the app, you aren't limited in the type of backup you can set up. If you are locked to the trial, whatever backup plan you decide on, make sure the total size of the backup does not exceed 100MB. You more than likely can back up your Personal Data & Settings and not exceed the 100MB size limit.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

If you decide you want to create a custom backup, the options are more or less endless. You will be presented with some predefined categories, or you can narrow it down to a specific file or folder to back up.

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

After you have selected the type of backup, you will be presented with a list of all the items to be backed up, as well as the total size of the backup. If you selected your personal data to be backed up, you will see that the app defaults to iDisk, which is fine if you were once a MobileMe subscriber (even at that, eventually iDisk will no longer exist).

(Credit: Screenshot by Jason Cipriani)

To delete iDisk as the backup destination, click on the iDisk icon and delete it from the destination portion. Clicking on the + will allow you to designate the new backup destination. You can back up to anywhere on your Mac, or even to an external drive.

You can get as creative as you would like with backups. If you need to restore from a given backup, launch the app, select the Restore tab, and follow the prompts.

Read more »