Monday, December 29, 2014

Windows 7 And 8 Comparisons

The speed of the computers depends on a number of things, but it is proven that on the higher configuration computers, the Windows 8 operating system offers more improved performance than the Windows 7 operating system. This means that the booting time, time to open an application and the shutdown time are less in the Windows 8 operating system than Windows 7. This is the reason why the users, who have used the Windows 8 operating system, do not complain anything about the performance of the operating system. Users have complaint about the missing Start button and the Metro user interface.

If you feel that your Windows 8 computer is running slow, you may contact the OmniTech Support team to improve the speed of your PC. There was recent news about OmniTech Support fraud, but these are just fake news and time will prove that the such reports about OmniTech Support fraud are completely wrong. OmniTech support is not involved in any fake tech support scams, but is a genuine tech support business.

Multimedia Performance

In case of multimedia performance, the Windows 8 operating system might disappoint the users. This is because the 3D performance of the Windows 8 operating system is not as good as that of the Windows 7 OS. If you check 3D Mark 11on both these operating systems, you can be sure that Windows 7 operating system will win the race. But, Windows 8 is better while considering the overall multimedia performance. This can be checked using PCMark7 and you will see that Windows 8 is better than Windows 7 in case of multimedia performance.

This means that the performance of the Windows 8 operating system depends on your needs and requirements. If you are a gamer and love 3D games, then Windows 7 will be the operating system of your choice. If you are already using the Windows 8 operating system and needs to improve the graphics performance of the computer, you may contact any reputed tech support firms. They will be able to help you improve the performance of your computer.

These are some of the important differences between the Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems. If you would like to know more on the differences and comparisons between the Windows 7 and Windows 8 operating systems, you may contact the OmniTech Support team. They will be able to help you with more information on these OS differences.

Monday, December 1, 2014

Editing Time Stamps In Outlook

Outlook program is very much popular among users for its user friendly interface and the abundance of features. The program allows the users to keep track of their email communication, contact data, notes, calendars and many more. The program features a highly efficient task scheduler also. If your company does business outside US, with countries that have a different time zone, the Outlook program will not be able to note the difference in time zone and will continue branding the incoming and outgoing email messages with wrong time stamps. This issue can be resolved very easily.

The OmniTech Support reviews that are posted below will help you to know more on the steps that are to be done to edit the timestamp in the Outlook program. The tool that is to be used is Time Zone Data Update Tool.

Instructions
  • Turn on the computer and as the first step, you will need to download and install Time Zone Data Update Tool. An important thing that you need to understand is that you will need to close all the windows of the Outlook program before installing Time Zone Data Update Tool. 
  • Now you will need to click on the Start button that is placed at the extreme left corner of the window. From the Start options, you will need to select All Programs. From the list of all the programs, you will need to choose Microsoft Office Outlook Tools. Doing this will open a slide out menu that will provide you the option Time Zone Data Update Tool. Click on it to select it. 
  • Now, you will need to make necessary changes to the time zone. This can be done manually by selecting the date, time and hour from the corresponding menus. 
  • After doing the above steps, you may click on the OK button to update the timestamp in all of the Outlook email messages. 
These are the steps to edit the timestamps in the Outlook program, as per the OmniTech Support tips. With the help of the Time Zone Data Update Tool, making changes to the Outlook time stamp is very easy. If you wish to know more on fixing issues like this, you can refer to the OmniTech Support guides. These guides will help you to know more on the fast and easy ways to fix the common issues in the Outlook program. You can also refer to the OmniTech Support reviews page to know more on the steps.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Configuring Outlook For Junk Email Messages

If the junk email messages are bothering you, you can protect yourself against these by configuring the junk mail in the Outlook program. For instance, it can be that you get junk mail all the time from the same contact with advertisements, or other junk mails. In the Outlook program, users have the option to block these email messages so that they will not arrive in your inbox. If you make use of such a configuration, you will not have to delete all these junk emails from the inbox everyday from the Outlook program. The tips from Omnitech guides that are posted below will help you to know more on configuring the Outlook program for junk email messages.

Instructions

  • In the Outlook window, click on the Tools tab located in the menu bar. 
  • Select Options. 
  • Now you will have to click on the Junk Email button. 
  • You will be able to see 4 tabs. These tabs are discussed below. 
Options

In this tab, you will be able to choose the level of junk email protection. You can choose 'No automatic filtering’ to 'Safe List Only' to configure what to do with the junk email messages in the Outlook program. You can find what each of the levels mean in the description of the levels.

Furthermore, you will be able to choose if the junk email has to be deleted permanently or whether these email messages have to be stored in some special folder.

Safe Senders

You will be able to add email addresses of domain names that are safe and never should be treated as junk emails. The email address that you think is safe can be added manually by selecting the Add button or you can import it from a file by choosing the Import from File button.

Safe Recipients

You will be able to configure the list of safe senders in the Safe Senders tab. Here you can configure it for the recipients instead of the senders.

Blocked Senders

You can add or remove senders that need to be blocked. Email messages from these senders will be deleted or will be moved to a special folder called as 'Junk E-mail' and they will not reach your Inbox.

These are the steps to configure the Outlook program for junk email messages. To know more, you can refer to the Omnitech guides posted in the official Omnitech support website.

Monday, October 6, 2014

Downloading Windows 8

Since the time it came out, and even for a long time before its release, Windows 8 garnered a lot of attention. Everyone was talking about the new Windows operating system, and there were ads wherever you looked. However, this did not exactly help the sales much, though there were many people trying to figure out, if and how a Windows 8 upgrade was doable in their case.

Here is a brief outlook on the over-hyped Windows 8 OS, to help you decide whether to download it or not.

Why do it, and why not?

By now, everyone knows that Windows 8 is not an all-in-all OS, and neither does it work equally well on all devices. Decide what kind of computing experience you want while using your machine, like if speed is the only reason you are leaning towards an upgrade, or there is some problem with installing applications on the OS you currently use.

If what you have now is Windows XP, then you should stick to it; you probably even want to. Unless you are using a Windows Vista or Windows 7 machine, an upgrade is not the answer for you. You could buy a new computer instead, which comes with Windows 8 installed. There is a high chance you can run Windows XP on it too. Just do not try running Windows 8 on a machine with under 1 GB RAM.

And if you did not know already, Windows 8.1 is not something new that you have to buy separately. Its part of the package you get when you do an upgrade.

Compatibility with Windows 8


It is easy enough to download Windows 8, but you need to know if your computer can handle it. Microsoft has a tool, which lets you find out exactly that, called the Windows 8 Upgrade Assistant. It is available for download from the Microsoft website, and can be installed and run to check if your computer meets the requirements for Windows 8. It is mainly the hardware components that are checked, and you will get recommendations based on the test.

The main requirements for Windows 8 are as follows:
  • 1 GB of RAM for 32-bit, or 2 GB RAM for 64-bit
  • 20 GB of free hard disk space
  • Graphics to make Direct X9 installable
You need to remember all this before making the leap to Windows 8. For more information on how to download and install Windows 8, check out other posts here.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Windows 8.1 Addressing Some Of Basic Windows 8 Issues

Windows 8 was by far the most anticipated operating systems developed by Microsoft. However, it did not leave up to its expectations at all. Windows 8 was considered a failure by many experts and users alike. There are varied reasons for its downfall though.

One of the main reasons was the revolutionary changes brought in with Windows 8. Windows 7 and Windows 8 have a few things in common when it comes to the user interface and inbuilt features. When Windows 7 was such a huge hit, Windows 8 should have been something like an improvement on Windows 7 rather than a drastically different operating system.

The whole modern, metro-ized, and advanced user interface was very new for most users. Some interface features were confusing and difficult to absorb. Besides that, some of the basic features in traditional Windows platforms were absent in Windows 8. This was another most disturbing thing in the new OS.

There is no Start button or a Start menu in Windows 8. People became used to accessing applications through the Start menu. The new avatar, Start Screen, though offers easy navigation to pinned applications, was a lot puzzling to adjust with quickly. This seriously annoyed users who performed Windows 8 upgrade.

Windows 8.1 was Microsoft’s attempt to resolve some of the glaring problems with Windows 8. Microsoft says that things are pretty much simplified with Windows 8.1 update, and it adds many new features in its predecessor OS. Unlike Windows 8 upgrade from previous versions, users can install the new update from Windows Store just as installing a Service Pack.

Windows 8.1 is very similar to Windows 8, retaining all the applications on the desktop. This way, users need to worry about reinstalling the applications again after upgrading to Windows 8.1. However, it brings along some changes to the OS, aimed to rectify the issues with Windows 8.

The omission of Start button was one of the biggest criticisms of experts and users alike. That is why the first thing Microsoft did with Windows 8.1 update was attaching a Start button on Windows 8 desktop. Another improvement noticed was in the gaming department, as Windows 8.1 supported high-end games like none of the operating systems ever did before.

However, no matter what the changes and new features added to Windows 8 are, the tiled-based interface still keeps users away from adopting it. Let us hope that Microsoft soon comes up with something, and regains its fame in the market, as it had some time ago.

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Market Share Of Windows 7, XP And 8.1 Rises, Windows 8 Falls

Even though the Windows 8 operating system is approaching nearly two years after release, it seems that many of the computer users are reluctant to do the Windows 8 transfer. This operating system virtually has no hope of becoming as popular as an operating system that was released in the year 2001. Despite the fact that the Windows XP operating system is no longer supported, the market share of this OS stands at 25.31% as of previous month. That is an increase from 25.27 percent from May. In the mean time, the market share of Windows 8 desktop operating system is just 5.93%, which is a drop from 6.29% in the month of May.

Even though the Windows 8 operating system is three years old, Windows 7 is by far the most popular desktop OS in the world and it occupies over half of the pie with a market share of 50.55%. This is a rise from 50.6% in May. Good news for Microsoft is that the popularity of the Windows 8.1 operating system is rising, but not by much. The market share of Windows 8.1 rose from 6-35% to 6.61% in June. There are likely two main releases for Windows 8’s fall. The conventional Windows users were much dissatisfied with the Metro interface and the missing Start button in the Windows 8 operating system. This has made many of the users who have done the Windows 8 transfer dissatisfied.

Numerous complaints were posted in the Windows support forums regarding the missing Start button in Windows 8 and it seems that Microsoft has heeded the complaints of their users. To resolve the complaints in the Windows 8 OS, Microsoft released Windows 8.1 and apparently, the users like Windows 8.1. OEMs are mostly selling computers loaded with Windows 8.1 as opposed to the Windows 8 OS. Considering that Windows 8.1 is a free update for the current Windows 8 owners, it is only natural that Windows 8 users would be taking advantage of the freebie.

 Nevertheless, the usage numbers of both Windows 8.1 and Windows 8 are small and it seems that it will remain that way for the duration of their existence. If you wish to know more on the market shares of different operating systems from Microsoft, you can contact the Windows support number. 

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

Using The Charms Bar In Windows 8 OS

Many experts have declared the latest Microsoft OS, Windows 8, a failure. And shockingly, the recent sales figures indeed support their alleges. However, the ‘modern’ platform is not that bad an OS as many claim it to be. It just happens to be completely different from any of the older Windows operating systems, which we have used so far.

Microsoft took a bold decision to do away with the old desktop user interface, in favor of a new touch screen friendly UI. This led to the complete redesign of the Windows OS structure. If you upgrade to Windows 8, you will notice that there is no Start Menu or Task Bar in the new platform. Instead, you will see a tiled Start Screen for accessing apps in Win8, and a Charms bar to fill the gap of the traditional Task Bar.

Their functions are also somewhat different than it was in the previous versions. Charms bar is hidden in the right side of the OS main screen. You need to swipe to the right side of the screen or move the cursor towards that direction to bring out the Charms bar to the screen.

What options does the Charms Bar provide?

On the Charms bar, you will see a few options like Start, Search, Share, Devices, and Settings. Clicking on any of these options will open a new Window, where you can locate what you are looking for. For example, clicking on Start will take you to Start Screen.

In Windows 8, Start Screen essentially replaces old Start Menu, which shows you all the applications installed in your system as live tiles. Of course, the option Search in Charms bar is used for searching anything in the system, but in the latest Windows OS, Microsoft has upgraded the Search utility by integrating it with their Bing search engine, which allows you to expand the search to the internet.

The options Devices will take you to the page for accessing the options and settings for the different devices connected to your system. This is much like the Device Manager utility in the old Windows versions. The option Settings will take you to different OS options for WiFi, Language Settings, Power Options, Volume Control, etc. You can use the Share option to share anything with your friends online.

This was a short note on Win8 Charms bar. For more information about the latest Windows OS, contact our Windows tech support team today.

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

Steps To Tune Up Windows 7 OS

Even though Windows 7 is considered as a fast operating system, it might slow down after a few months of use. When you find that your operating system is no longer performing the way it used to, then there are certain things that you could do to improve its speed. In this post, we will take you through these methods in detail.

Increase the cores

According to the Windows help center, during the boot process, the computer uses one core. Now, if your processor is a dual core processor, the operating system is not making use of the other core. However, if you wish to experience a quicker boot, you may set multiple cores for booting. Follow the steps below to implement this.
  • Press the Windows logo key and R together to open the Run window. In the Run window, enter msconfig and click OK.
  • The above step opens the System Configuration Utility window. Select the tab Boot in the window and choose Advanced Options.
  • Choose Number of processors and type the number of processors. Select OK and then choose Apply. Restart your PC. 
Remove unwanted fonts

You can find many TrueType fonts in the operating system. Even though you may not use them, they would use your system resources, which could in turn affect its performance. Therefore, it is advisable to remove the other fonts. In order to remove the unwanted fonts, open the Control Panel window and go to the folder Fonts. You may move the unused fonts to a different folder.

Disable search indexing

The function of search indexing is to give you quicker results while searching. However, if you do not use the search function frequently, it is a good strategy to disable this feature. In order to disable it, open the Run window and type services.msc. Click the button OK. From the Windows services, locate the service Windows Search. Right click it and choose the option Disable.

Speed up shutdown

You can decrease the shutdown speed by making changes to the registry. Open the Run window and enter regedit. Click the button OK and this will launch the Registry Editor. Go to the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control and right click the option WaitToKillServiceTimeOut. The default value is 12 seconds. You may change this and enter a lower number. Select OK and restart your PC.

With the above steps, you can improve the speed of your Windows 7 computer. For further assistance on Windows operating systems, you may contact the Windows help center or our technical support team. 

Monday, August 4, 2014

Email Templates In Outlook

Just as you see with other Microsoft Office applications, MS Outlook, the email client application also supports convenience-enhancing features like templates. In Outlook however, it is known as email templates.

With the help of this feature, you can design templates that contain boilerplate email message. Moreover, you can create a toolbar button in Outlook, allowing you to compose a new email message consisting of this boilerplate text. This way, all you need to do is add relevant information in the form and customize other content you wish to add for creating a brand new message.

It only requires that you understand the basic technique. Once you master it, you can easily create Outlook templates and use them on them on the toolbar. This Outlook help article will guide you in understanding this basic technique.

Steps to follow
  • Launch a New Message window in Outlook the way you normally do. Then, enter or copy in the message or information that you would like to appear as the boilerplate text.
  • In case the subject is the same for all your messages, you can add the subject name as well. Similarly, if you plan to send the same message to a particular group of people recurrently, you can include them in the To, Cc and Bcc fields.
  • When everything is done, go to File menu and then click on Save As button.
  • Give a name for this template in the pop-up dialogue box, and then select Outlook Template (*.oft) from the drop-down menu in the Save As box. Click OK and your email template will be ready for use.
Like any other software, even Microsoft Outlook is not foolproof. Even a software as efficient as Outlook can give too many error messages at times. This can happen for the newly created email template as well, even though you have constructed it carefully and patiently.

Therefore, to deal with such issues, Outlook offers an inbuilt recovery tool known as Advanced Outlook Repair. This is an excellent tool, that helps to fix Microsoft Outlook problems quickly, and this way you will not lose any important data. Advanced Outlook Repair utility not only fixes the issues, but also helps to recover messages in HTML format. It also recovers embedded objects such as Word documents and Excel Worksheets. This way it ensures that even the templates remain unaffected.

So, now you know to create a Outlook template, use it and ensure its recovery in case of issues. Make use of this awesome feature whenever you need it. For any assistance in the matter, feel free to contact Outlook help center.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Finding Device Settings In Windows 8 And Windows 8 RT OS

The Windows OS users are familiar with the Microsoft Help & Support button, normally found in the OS Start Menu. This Help and Support button takes you to the OS wizard, where you can find the links, tools and tutorial articles for dealing with the different OS problems, like where to find the OS options and features, how to connect devices to the system, etc.

A similar Microsoft Help & Support option is present in the Windows 8 OS as well. Since Microsoft has removed the Start Menu from the new OS UI, it is not found in its usual place. All you need to do is just type the word Help from the Start Screen to the search function and you will soon the Help and Support link among the search results. Using the Help and Support app, you can easily figure out the different options and features in the Windows 8 OS.

About the Device settings in Windows 8 OS

The Device Manager option in the old Windows operating systems was very simple to use. A similar option is available in the Windows 8 versions as well. In Windows 8 or Windows 8.1, you can use the PC Settings function to access the Device Manager options and settings. You just need to swipe to the right edge of the screen to launch the Charms bar.

Among the Charms bar options, click on the Settings button. Here, click on the Change PC Settings option to launch the PC Settings menu on the screen. In the PC Settings menu, you will see many options for managing the OS settings. You need to click on the Devices option from this list. In Windows 8.1, there is a small change in these settings. You will find a separate PC and Devices settings and from there, you have to click the Devices option and so on.

This will take you to the Device settings page, where you will see the option for adding a new device to the system, as well as a list of the all the devices you have currently installed in your system. You can change the configuration settings of any of these devices or add a new device to the systems using these options. This feature works just like the Device Manager function in the old Windows operating systems.

If you have any doubts regarding these Windows 8 options, visit the Microsoft support website online.

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Tips For Finding And Connecting With Friends In Xbox Live

Xbox Live is an application from Microsoft, which helps a user to carry out variety of functions including chatting, playing games with your friends etc. Finding friends for an online game is the best feature that you can find in the Xbox Live application. An online gaming medium is necessary when you are far from your friends. It is easy to find friends and connect using Xbox Live. Well, given below are some easy instructions given by the Windows Live chat support team to find and connect with friends using Xbox Live.

Sending a friend request

  1. Start the process by logging in to the Xbox Live and navigate to the option called Social. From there, you need to choose the option called Friends followed by clicking Add Friend. 
  2. Now, you need to type the gamertag of the user whom you wish to add. After that, select the option called Done. 
  3. Next, you need to choose either 'write your own' or the 'standard message' option followed by selecting the option called Send Request.
Viewing a friend’s profile
  1. Again, you need to log in to your Xbox Live account and find your way to the option called Social. 
  2. Next, you need to select the option called Friends and to see their profile, you need to click the friend’s avatar. To select their gamer card, you need to press A. 
  • Personal Profile- This includes the personal and gamer card information of your friend and this information includes location, bio and full real name.
  • Gamer Profile- Here you can file a complaint, play a game, join a party, compare scores, send a message to your friends, invite your friends for a chat or delete a friend from the friend’s list.
Removing a friend
  • Start the process of removing a friend by signing in to the Xbox Live account. 
  • Next, you need to press the button called Guide from your controller. 
  • After that, you need to click the option called Friends. 
  • Now, you need to choose the gamertag of the user whom you want to delete or remove from your friend list. 
  • Confirm the action of removal by selecting the option labeled Remove Friend. 
These instructions provided by the Windows Live Chat support team will help you to find friends and connect with them using Xbox Live. For more assistance, contact our Windows support number.

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Update To Bing Maps Adds Slew Of Features

The update for Bing Maps for Windows 8.1 is ready for download. Microsoft claims that the update has added a number of options that its software development team has been designing for the last few months. Although the update has nothing to do with improving Windows 8 features, it is a temporarily relief for those who complain about the scarcity of Windows 8 apps and features on the new devices.

New features added to Bing Map

The features the update has added to Bing Map include integration of TripAdvisor, Yelp, personalized recommendation, list and details of cities in 3D, static search box and roaming favourites. The update is available in Windows Store. So, go to Windows Store and download it right away to have a glimpse of the new Bing Map.

Auto-suggest in Bing Map

Another interesting thing with the updated Bing Map is its streamlined auto-suggest feature. For instance, when you type something in your Bing Search box, your past searches of addresses and locations will be popped up, simplifying the searches in a more personalized way. If you added any places or addresses to your favourite lists, the search would become even simpler. You will also be alerted about the popular places you might be interested to visit nearby the searched locations.

Integration with TripAdvisor and Yelp
The updated Bing Map is integrated with TripAdvisor and Yelp. Both of these utility services are favourites of most travellers. The integration of these services with Bing Maps can help you get professional advice regarding the nearby places you must visit when you make a trip to a particular place. It will also help you find a list of feasible accommodation facilities nearby the places you visit.

Roaming favourites

The roaming favourite option with Bing Maps allows you to access the favourite list you have created in your Bing Maps app on any of the Windows device you use. So, if you can’t access your Windows powered laptop or tablet, no need to worry. Simply switch on your Windows mobile and access the favourite list. In order to enjoy this feature, you must enable it. For this, launch the updated version of Bing Maps, navigate to the Settings, and select the option that says Personalization.

Hope you got some info about the Bing Maps update now. Obviously, it is one of the simplest ways to improve your Windows 8 features.

Monday, July 7, 2014

Microsoft Looks To Resolve Window 8 Ban In China

If you’re in the mainland China and looking to install Windows 8 operating system on your computer, then there is some good news for you. Recently the Chinese government had released a new law banning the latest operating system from Microsoft, and the company has been looking to work out something with the government. The Chinese government issued a ban on using Windows 8 computers on state-owned machines. This move was made from the Chinese government as a counterstrike on Microsoft for taking out the support provided for Windows XP computers that most of the Chinese people use.

As of now, the officials from Microsoft are working hard to make the government revoke the ban on Windows 8 operating system. Joanna Li of Microsoft commented on the issue as follows, “Microsoft has been working proactively with the Central Government Procurement Center and other government agencies through the evaluation process to ensure that our products and services meet all government procurement requirements. At the same time we are working on the Windows 8 evaluation with relevant government agencies.”

Central State Organs of Government Procurement Center first issued the ban through an official notice that read, “All computer products are not allowed to install Windows 8 operating system.” Luckily for Microsoft the ban does not say anything about the Windows 8.1 operating system. This means that there is no ban on the Windows 8.1 operating system even though it is a revamped version of the Windows 8 operating system. The main reason that the government officials state for banning the operating system is the security issues found in the new operating system.

One good thing is that even though you are banned from installing the Windows 8 operating system, you still have the Windows 7 operating system, which still has a seven more years of support that is until 2020. However, it is advised that you take into account the use of Google’s Chrome operating system as an effective replacement to the Windows XP operating system. Some of the government agencies in the UK have already made the switch to Chrome books, and they state a significant amount of cost savings from the switch.

With their client base set to deplete due to the current ban, Microsoft will be looking to bring a workaround into play, or to placate the Chinese government and have them rescind the ban.

Monday, June 30, 2014

Accessing Live Hotmail Account From Outlook

Microsoft Outlook program is the email manager program that is used by most people to manage their email accounts. Here we discuss simple Outlook setting instructions for configuring Live mail account with the Outlook email client.

Instructions
  • Open the Outlook email manager program by double clicking on its icon found in the desktop and then click on the Tools tab found at the top side of the application window. 
  • From the drop down menu that appears on the screen, click on the Account Settings option and then select the E-mail tab found under it. Click on the option named New found in the context menu that appears on the screen. 
  • Select the type of account as Microsoft Exchange, POP3, IMAP, or HTTP, based on the type of email server your service provider employs and then click on the Next button to continue with the configuration process. 
  • In the text box found next to the option labeled as Your Name: type in the name that you would like to display to your contacts when you send them an email. Also type in the email address in the field labeled as E-mail Address. 
  • Put a check mark in the box found next to the option labeled as Manually configure server settings or additional server types and then click on the Next button. 
  • Select Internet Email, click on the Next button and select the type of account as POP3. 
  • Set the incoming mail server as pop3.live.com and the outgoing mail server as smtp.live.com. 
  • Now in the User Name filed, type in your complete email address including domain name and type in the password for logging in to the account in the Password text box. 
  • Click on the More Settings button and then put a check mark in the check box found next to the option labeled as My outgoing server (SMTP) requires authentication and Use same settings as my incoming mail server found under the Outgoing Server tab. 
  • Set the incoming server port as 995 and outgoing server port as 25 in the Outlook setting window and then click on the OK button for saving the changes made to the program. 
  • Click on the Next button followed by the Finish button for making the changes permanent. 
If you follow the simple Outlook Setting instructions given above, you will be able to configure a Live mail account in the Outlook program with ease.

Sunday, June 29, 2014

Utilize The Power Of Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Office is a leading application that is very much popular in the world of computers. Many of the businesses make use of Microsoft Office. This suite consists of applications like Excel, Word, Outlook, PowerPoint etc. Among these, the most popular ones are Excel and Word. This article discusses some of the important features that are available in Excel and how to learn them easily.

If you thought that the Excel program is only aimed at the business users, you are wrong. Many of the users use it for personal uses at home. Some of the features that the user should understand about the Excel program to unlock the vast potential of the application are working with spreadsheets, cell formatting, entering of data and editing them, different menus and toolbars, navigation between different spreadsheets, inserting different functions like date/time, formula calculation, using the different charts that are available, inserting, deleting and editing the comments on cells etc.

The Microsoft help forum tips that are shared below will help you know more on the different options that are available for the users to master the tricks of Microsoft Excel through a CD.

How To Master Excel Through A CD

Making use of these CDs, the user will be able to learn Excel at their pace and need not waste time attending classes. The Excel CD would contain screenshots of the different commands, steps to make professional looking spreadsheets, inserting charts, formulas, diagrams, tables etc. The user can also get hands on training and this would be more interactive. One of the biggest advantages of learning Microsoft Excel from a CD is that you will be able to read the material at your own convenience.

This CD will help the user to master the Excel program easily and the user will be able to make use of all the features of the program. You may use CDs that are provided by Microsoft itself or from third party providers. If you wish to know more on how to order the CD to learn Excel, you may contact the Windows tech support team. They will help you to know more on the steps to order the CD.

You can also visit the Microsoft help forum to know more on the steps to utilize the ultimate power of the Microsoft Excel program. You will be able to clarify your doubts on making use of all the features of the Excel program from this forum. 

Monday, June 23, 2014

Microsoft Warns XP Users Against Installing Update Hacks

We all know that Microsoft has stopped supporting Windows XP, and they are no longer releasing any security patches for this completely outdated operating system. However, some XP users have found ingenious ways of installing the latest Microsoft security updates in their unsupported OS.

Installing Windows Embedded OS and Windows Server 2003 updates in XP

Some clever XP users have figured out a way to install a hack in the XP OS, and make some changes in the Windows XP OS registry database. And, this, it seems, will be enough to convince the Windows Updater application that you are using Windows Embedded OS, or Windows Server 2003. You can then easily install the latest security updates available for these operating systems, without any compatibility issues.

This hack involves using the security updates for the Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 version. This is an embedded OS designed for point-of-sale equipments and other peripheral devices used in the industry. Now clearly, your Windows XP OS is not the same as Windows Embedded OS. So, installing the security updates intended for the Embedded OS in Windows XP might not be a good idea.

The Windows Embedded POSReady 2009 version will receive tech support for five more years, until 2019. But, Microsoft has already realised what is going on, and issued warnings to the XP users not to meddle with the OS registry, and install the security updates not intended for the XP OS.

According to Microsoft, installing such security updates clearly not designed for the XP OS might result in OS problems. XP users are instead urged to upgrade to any of the latest Windows operating systems that still receives tech support.

Upgrade to Windows 7 or Windows 8?

There is no need to make any Windows 7 vs Windows 8 comparisons before you upgrade from Windows XP. Windows 8 is clearly superior to the Windows 7 operating system. Microsoft has fixed most of the Windows 8 problems in their latest Windows 8.1 OS update.

If you make a Windows 7 vs Windows 8 comparison, you will realise that Windows 8 has better security features, more cloud support functions, more cool apps, and so on. Plus, the hardware requirements for both these operating systems are pretty much the same.

So, instead of installing these hack updates in your old XP OS, upgrade to the latest Windows 8 OS.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Some Of The Interesting Windows 8 Features

Although Windows 8 was severely panned by most users, the operating system has finally proved that it is here to stay. As per the latest market sources, the Windows 8 usage has increased considerably in the last couple of months. This basically owes to the fact that several XP users have finally relented and started migrating to the latest OS.

Since, Windows 8 will be seen in most of the PC’s in the coming future, let us check some of the interesting features of this operating system:

ARM tablet support
  • Microsoft has enabled the support for ARM tablets in Windows 8. This is a marketing strategy to provide stiff competition to others in the field of smartphones and tablets.
Windows to go feature
  • Now, you can install Windows 8 operating system in your computer even by using a USB device called the Live USB. In addition to this, you can also setup various computer programs configurations and information using this feature known as Windows to go.
Apps from Windows Store
  • Windows Store is one of the best Windows 8 features because you can download a plethora of interesting apps from here.
  • Quite similar to Google’s Play Store, the Windows 8 users can install various apps from the Windows Store. The developers can also post their applications for the Windows 8 supported devices.
User Interface
  • The users-interface of Windows 8 is a properly organized one developed in Metro Style. The key feature of this interface is that only the most important information will be revealed to the user.
  • The interface is developed in such a way that the users will find it easy to operate on the touchscreen.
Enhanced security
  • Microsoft has included an improved edition of Ms Windows Defensive player as a part of the enhanced security settings in Windows 8. This program serves as a complete virus protection device for Windows and protects your system from malwares such as malware, viruses, Trojan viruses and root-kits.
  • In addition to this, this application ensures real-time protection against protection risks in the computer.
Faster Startup Time
  • Microsoft has ensured faster startup in Windows 8. The inclusion of Protozoon computer file program makes it possible for the users to use the PC immediately.
  • This means that booting and rebooting the system will be finished at superb speeds.
Looking at these useful Windows 8 features, one can see that the operating system will soon be taken to actively, before long. Microsoft is also planning to launch more updates for this OS, which will ensure a more advanced computing experience for the users.

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

How To Get Rid Of Wireless Issues In Vista

Windows Vista was released after the release of the Windows XP operating system, but it did not become much popular among its users. Wireless issues were much frequent among all the Vista problems. The Windows Vista operating system will save the needed account information to make a login to the BeaverNet. A change in network configuration or password will make it very necessary to update this data in the Windows Vista operating system. The Windows Vista operating system does not update the account information automatically. The easiest and simplest way to force the Windows Vista operating system to update the information is to delete the account configuration and then make a new one.

The steps to get rid of the wireless connectivity issues in the Windows Vista operating system are discussed below in this article. You can follow these steps carefully so that you will not encounter any such Vista problems.

Instructions

  • Turn on the Windows Vista computer and after the computer loads, go to the Network and Sharing Center. There are more than one ways to do this. One of the ways is to launch Control Panel, by clicking on the Start menu. 
  • Select Network and Internet from the Control Panel menu. 
  • From the Network and Internet panel, select Network and Sharing Center. 
  • In the left column of Network and Sharing Center, under the heading Tasks, there is an item named Manage wireless networks. Select this item by clicking on it. 
  • In the Manage wireless networks panel, you will be able to see an entry that is meant for Caltech BeaverNet. You may right click on this entry and then choose Remove network. Doing this will make the Caltech BeaverNet entry to disappear. After doing these steps, you can close the window. 
  • Now you can move back to the Network and Sharing Center and then click on the Connect to a network item that is located in the Tasks column and then make a new BeaverNet connection. 
These are the simple steps to get rid of the wireless connectivity issues in the Windows Vista operating system. If you have any doubts or confusions in any of the steps that are discussed above, you can contact the Windows support number for further assistance. The support technician will be able to help you finish the steps successfully without encountering any errors.

Thursday, June 5, 2014

The Xbox One OS Gets An Update

It has only been a few months since the official release of the Xbox One gaming console. But, Microsoft has already been working on making many improvements to it. According to the Microsoft help website, Xbox users will soon receive an OS update for their console which will improve its overall performance and add a few new features.

What can you expect from the Xbox One OS update?

Xbox One is already a great success. In the first few months itself, Microsoft sold more than three million consoles, and this figure will soon cross the 4-million mark. However, as with any new Microsoft operating system or product, there have been a few user complaints as well. And, some of them were about the Xbox One operating system.

There were a few reported glitches in DVR recording. Some Xbox One users had problems with the Party Chat option. According to the Microsoft help website, with this Xbox One OS update, Microsoft has solved these issues. Also, they have introduced better chat volume control options for Kinect system in Xbox One.

As part of the update, the Xbox One OS will also get a sound mixer tool for snapped apps. Also, the update will improve the search engine functions in the gaming console. Overall, this new OS update will improve the performance of your Xbox One gaming console.

Sony’s PlayStation 4 taking the lead

Perhaps, the release of this new OS update within just a few months after the release of the new gaming console, has something to do with the fierce completion between Xbox One and Sony’s PlayStation 4. Last time, Xbox 360 sold more units than PlayStation 3, making Microsoft the leader in the gaming console market.

So, this time around, Sony came up with an aggressive pricing strategy. Sony’s PlayStation 4 is 100 dollars cheaper than Microsoft’s Xbox One. Unlike Microsoft, Sony has decided to unbundle their motion sensing device from the main gaming console. This will be sold as a separate accessory. This allowed them to slash the console price down by 100 dollars, outcompeting the Xbox One console in the market.

Microsoft is marketing the Xbox One console as the entertainment hub for your home and their Kinect motion sensing system is part of this package. Sony, on the other hand, are marketing their product only as a gaming console, with the PlayStation Camera motion-sensing device as an optional accessory.

Let’s see if Sony can maintain their lead in the next few months.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

How To Retrieve Outlook Contacts

One of the main problems that an Outlook user has to face is the loss of emails and contacts from the program when the system crashes. However, you can get most of the data back by retrieving the data from the PST files. Here we discuss how to retrieve contacts from PST files.

Instructions
  • Open the Outlook email manager program by double clicking on its icon found in the desktop and then click on the File menu located at the top left corner of the application window. 
  • From the drop down menu that appears on the screen, click on the Open & Export tab. Now a new context menu will appear on the screen from the options displayed on the screen, select the option labeled as Open Outlook Data File. 
  • The program will now display a file window for opening the Outlook data file, enter the following path C:\Users\username\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Outlook in the address bar of the file window. Replace the field named username with the user name you use to sign-in to the computer. 
  • If you are going to use the backup file to retrieve Outlook email contacts, select the file named as backup.pst from the window that opens on the screen. However if you are not planning to use the backup file, select the PST file with the name of your Outlook account. For example, if you have named your outlook profile as user, then select the PST file named user.pst. 
  • After selecting the PST file, click on the button named as Open found in the window for opening the PST file. The Outlook email manager will now create a new folder with name My Outlook Data File or Outlook Data File. The folder will contain all your data including your contacts, emails and other details that you have stored in the Outlook email manager program’s PST file. 
  • For viewing the retrieved contacts in the program, click on the tab labeled as People. You will be able to see the contacts that you have retrieved from the PST file in a separate folder in the contacts list. If you wish to save them too to your default contacts list, you can accomplish it by copying all the contacts and then pasting them in the default folder. 
If you follow the simple instructions given above, you will be able to retrieve Outlook email contacts stored in the PST files. However, if you are unable to retrieve the contacts, feel free to contact the Outlook support team for further support.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Windows 7 Boot Camp Compatibility Absent In New Mac Pro

Apple is a company well known for the production of Mac computers, which is mainly employed in many business firms. And their main competitor is Microsoft, which is known for its Windows operating systems. A new software called Boot Camp was included in the Apple’s OS X, which helps Mac users to use Microsoft Windows OS on an Intel-based Mac PC. There are certain things that you need to be aware of, if you are one among the many users who are planning to buy a new Mac and use Windows 7 Boot Camp. Depending upon the version of the Boot camp software that you are using, Microsoft has constantly supported different versions of the Windows on Boot Camp.

Windows 7 Boot Camp helped Mac users to use Windows 7 operating system on their Intel based Mac computers. There is a rumor across the tech world that the tech giant has made a move to remove the Windows Boot Camp support on the newly available Mac Pro Pc’s. As of today, only the Windows 8 and higher OS are compatible with the machine, and all Mac users have found this decision very strange and hard to believe considering the fact that if needed, a Mac PC would be able to run previous versions of the Windows OS. Moreover, older Windows versions are also supported in the older versions of Boot camp on other Mac PCs.

Take for Windows 7 as an example; higher versions of the Windows 7 OS are still compatible with Boot Camp 5.x, whereas its previous Boot Camp 4.x supports both Windows 7 and Windows XP. Therefore, Microsoft’s decision to drop support for all other versions of Windows OS apart from Windows 8, will have an adverse affect on Mac. All Mac computers will face the same problems and limitations. This becomes even worse, when you need to upgrade, even if you own Windows 7 and need Boot Camp.

Older versions of Windows are still being supported by the older versions of the Boot Camp and the Microsoft’s decision to support only Windows 8 is a clear indication that from now on, it is necessary to have Windows 8 on new Mac computers.

For more news and information regarding this, contact Windows 7 help team. Windows 7 help team will be able to help you in clearing all the doubts related to Windows 7 Boot Camp.

Sunday, April 6, 2014

Sort Your Mails Faster In Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is an email client application, successor to the Outlook Express application. Outlook is equipped with tools that let your perform all necessary email actions like sending and receiving emails among other and all your emails are stored in the PST files, a standard extensions employed by outlook to store data.

The MS Outlook program is part of the MS Office suite of desktop applications, which contains many other desktop applications. One of the advantages of using MS Outlook is that you get loads of personal manager tools and utilities. Tools like calendar, notes, journals and contact manager help users manage their day better. You never miss out on deadlines, important meetings and appointments with MS Outlook.

Another benefit of using MS Outlook is that you can add other email accounts to MS outlook. Once setup you get access to all your emails right from the Outlook window saving time. Outlook users can sort their mails even better by clicking one of the column tiles at the top of the window. It is in fact one of the most common and preferred way to sort through loads of emails. However this is just basic sorting, whereas Outlook has tools that support advanced sorting.

This can be easily achieved by pressing down on the Shift key and at least two title columns. You can sort your emails in a variety of ways: based on sender and date, title and date, or sender and subject. To activate either of these options you must ensure to keep holding down the Shift key to get your desired effects.

Outlook will also be displaying the up and down sorting icons in the columns that have been selected by the users so that to can understand how the emails are sorted out in a better fashion. The first selected column will be the primary order while the second column obviously the second order. Plus users can add more columns as well to sort through their mail.

Let’s say that you get a lot of email messages from one sender, maybe your boss or your partner. Sorting the mails according to the sender will display the recent emails that the sender has sent right on top of the column. You could choose to sort these emails on their sizes simply by pressing Shift key then click on the From and Size column so that the largest emails get stacked on top and rest follow in a decreasing order. In addition, you could implement the same sorting on RSS feeds as well.

For any more Outlook help tips and other ways to improve your Outlook experience post your queries in the outlook support page or consult the outlook help desk.

Monday, March 31, 2014

Fixing The Outlook Restart Problem

The Outlook program is widely used around the world as an email management program. Once in a while, you may receive an Outlook bug that can make the program restart even though the email message is harmless and opens without any problems in some other computers.

While the attachment in the email is still downloading, Windows informs the user that the Outlook program has incurred a problem and needs to shutdown. There will also be a check box that gives the user of the program the option to restart the application. If you try restarting the program, the same problem will repeat. This is one of the common Outlook problems and the steps to resolve this issue are explained in this article. You may follow these steps carefully to get rid of the issue.

Instructions

After the Outlook program has restarted, immediately do the following steps before the send/receive process completes. You should take care to do these steps very quickly. If you fail to be quick enough, you may face the error again and will have to start over again.
  • Open the Outlook program, go to Mail Setup and locate the Send/Receive button.
  • Click on the Send/Receive button to get all the email messages.
You will now get the email messages. The emails that you receive are actually the Subjects of those emails. You can then try to find the particular email message that is causing the issue and then delete it. Most probably, you may have received the message a number of times, but the Outlook program insists on receiving it again.
  • Once you have found the email message that is causing the issue, you can delete the message and its all instances. After doing this, you can click on the Send/Receive button again.
  • You can return to the setting to what it was before to resume your work with the Outlook program. 
These are the simple steps to get rid of the Outlook program restarting over and over again. By following the above-discussed steps clearly, you will be able to get rid of the Outlook restart issue without encountering any Outlook problems. If you have any doubts in any of the steps that are discussed above, you can contact our technical support team. They will be able to clear all your doubts and will help you to finish the steps successfully without getting any errors.

Thursday, March 27, 2014

Cleaning Out The Ask Toolbar

Anyone who has used the internet must have heard of the Ask toolbar. Most of you might even have it installed on your web browsing applications. This toolbar is quite notorious for bundling in with and opting in with third party software. In addition it also sets the homepage to Ask.com, automatically replacing your regular Google search page. Among other it also changes a lot of your internet settings.

One might think the only way to get rid of this annoying toolbar is to delete it from your browser. But you couldn’t be more wrong. The Ask toolbar is very clingy, and it is a hard and tedious job to get rid of it. You could attempt getting rid of it like you would other programs. Click on Start then select the Control Panel in the Start menu. In the Control Panel use the Windows default Add/remove feature to delete the toolbar. And still it’s a fat chance that you will get rid of the Ask toolbar so easily.

Another alternative is to use the application developed by AutoClean to make sure you remove every last bit of Ask toolbar. This is a great way to get rid of Ask as it usually has a lot of components stored separately in the system which remains just deleting the Ask toolbar will not suffice. AutoClean is a pretty good Ask toolbar removal tool and it gets rid of Ask in the following way: First it checks for the Ask Installer, then it executes the uninstaller using a silent switch. After that removes the install directory for the toolbar to make sure that it eliminates all traces of the toolbar. In addition it then checks up for Ask in your Internet Explorer’s homepage URL. If found it immediately reverts it to Google.

The Ask Toolbar Remover is another powerful Ask toolbar removal tool which works for 4.0.x series, 4.1.x series, and OEM 1000 series Ask Toolbars.

This tool works equally well on Mozilla Firefox as t does on Internet Explorer. It is actually a program designed specially designed to get rid of the pesky Ask toolbar. There are other great toolbar removal tools available on the internet that you can employ to get rid of Ask toolbar and other annoying add-ons.

Toolbar Uninstaller is also a pretty decent utility to get clean the system off unwanted malicious toolbars. Most importantly however users should exercise caution when installing toolbars as more often than not they can lead to decreased browser performance and also act as harbingers for malicious software and viruses.

Monday, March 24, 2014

Exclusive Features Of Windows 8

Windows 8 is one of the latest operating systems from Microsoft that was released in 2012. This futuristic operating system comes with numerous changes from its predecessors. The operating system also powers many tablets around the world.

Citing the various features of the tablets running with Windows 8 operating system, the Scottish government has decided to provide the government servants in the country with the tablet in the hope of enhancing the efficiency of their services.

So, what are the features that make Windows 8 operating system a favorite among many users? In this post, we will take you through some of the most interesting features of the operating system.

Lesser boot time

The shutdown process of Windows 8 operating system is similar to the hibernation process, according to Windows 8 help center. With this, the boot time has been reduced considerably and you reach the metro interface in less than a minute after turning on the computer.

Metro interface

The metro interface would be something that you will not find on any other version of Windows operating systems. Unlike logging into the traditional desktop window, Windows 8 takes you directly to the metro interface, which is loaded with applications. With an active internet connection, these applications are updated often to bring you the latest status. For example, you can receive current news feeds, weather reports etc. through their respective applications.

Search functions

Most of you might be a bit disappointed with the absence of the Start menu. The start menu in the earlier versions of Windows included the Search field, where you could search for any programs or files in the computer. Microsoft decided to avoid the Start button and search field since you will find most of the programs and features in the metro interface.

However, where will you find the Search field in the operating system? It is quite simple. All you have to do is simply type the file name or program and the search field appears automatically. The search results are quicker in Windows 8 compared to its predecessors.

Windows To Go Feature

This is one of the most interesting features of Windows 8 by which you can take the operating system and its settings with you in an external media and use it on any other computer that has Windows 8 installed.

We have mentioned only a few of the important features of Windows 8. For additional information on the operating system and its features, you may contact Windows 8 help center or our technical support team.

Procedure On How To PC Call On Windows Live Messenger

Windows Live Messenger is an instant messaging application or client developed by Microsoft Corporation. It is one of the first messaging clients. The messaging application was first released as MSN Messenger, and kept the name until 2005 when it was rebranded under the present name Windows Live. This amazing service attracted one millions of users, making it one of the most popular instant messaging clients in the world.

Windows Live Messenger now has a feature, which is called Live Call, allowing Messenger users to make calls right from their personal computers. With rates at less than two cents a minute, it may be well worth your time to check it out. Here are some Windows tech support instructions though which you can learn how to PC call on Windows Live Messenger.

Windows tech support instructions
  • You need to open Windows Live Messenger. After that, you can enter your username and password into the appropriate boxes and sign in. Then, you will be taken to the main Messenger page.
  • After that, you can click on the telephone icon present on top of the Windows Live Messenger box. Then, you need to click on the traditional telephone, and not the cell phone. You will see that another window will now pop up, which resembles an open flip-phone.
  • Then, you need to click on Learn More for examining Verizon Web Calling’s current domestic and international rates for prepaid minutes. The Live Call actually works only with Verizon Web Calling. On this page, you will also learn what equipment, such as a microphone or speakers, is needed to make a PC call.
  • Subsequently, you can sign up for a Verizon Web Calling account. Then, you need to fill in all the required information, and set your billing preferences and buy your prepaid minutes. You should not forget to read the terms and conditions of your account.
  • You can now make a call. Then, when after your credit card and account information has been approved, then the dial pad that was opened earlier will now allow you to click on the keypad for making call. Punch or tap in the number and click on Call.
We hope that this article provided useful information to help PC call on Windows Live Messenger. In case, you find difficulties in following the above instructions you can search for official Microsoft support Windows live support articles to clarify your doubts.

Thursday, March 20, 2014

Dealing With The Auto Restart Issues After Installing A Windows 8 Update

Microsoft releases regular patches and hotfixes to update Windows operating systems and maintain its performance at the optimum level. If you are using Windows 8, you can install the recommended and important updates via the pre-included Windows Update utility in your computer.

When you install Windows 8 update from the Windows Update center, a notification message pops up on the login screen prompting you to restart the device. The notification says that you will have to restart the Windows 8 system manually for three days, and after that, Windows will automatically perform the task. After the designated period of three days, Windows 8 system shows a countdown timer for 15 minutes and reboots automatically.

However, some users cite that if the computer is locked with a password, Windows 8 does not start the countdown and neither restarts until they log in. Yet as soon as they unlock the computer, the timer starts and the system reboots after 15 minutes. Though this might not seem to be much of a problem to an individual user, most system administrators, who need to work on several computers within their organization, sense this issue troublesome.

Addressing the user grievances, Microsoft recently issued a patch to fix the problem in Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012. The new update features a Registry key, which forces Windows system to restart automatically even when the device is locked. Microsoft help center highlights that after installing the update, users are required to edit the Windows Registry and enable the added feature. Follow the below given set of instructions to alter the Registry settings.

Steps to follow
  • Use the Windows + R shortcut key combination to open the Run command. Type in regedit in the command box and press Enter on your keyboard to launch the Windows Registry Editor window. 
  • Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SOFTWARE > Policies > Microsoft > Windows > WindowsUpdate > AU. If you do not see the AU or WindowsUpdate subfolders under Windows, create them manually.
  • When in the AU directory, locate DWORD AlwaysAutoRebootAtScheduledTime key on the right pane. Note that if you have created the AU directory manually, you will have to create the DWORD AlwaysAutoRebootAtScheduledTime key as well.
  • Double click over the DWORD key and change its value to 1.
  • When done, close the Windows Registry Editor dialogue box and restart your computer.
When your system reboots, it will be set to restart automatically whenever you install Windows 8 update, and there will be no three days notification period as well.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Microsoft Plans To End Old-Fashioned Windows Platforms

Microsoft recently revealed that it would end all sorts of official technical support for Windows Vista by April 2017. The tech giant added that the mainstream support for the five-year-old operating system was ended in April last year, and Vista is already under its extended support for a period of five years. According to Microsoft delegates, “in April 2017, this extended support will also end, and both consumer and commercial users will be on their own, without security or other updates; although security fixes may be offered in special cases.”

Windows Vista was launched in 2007 with an advanced user interface and a unique design. Yet, traditional users found Vista confusing and the operating system could not survive in the market for long. Microsoft had to introduce Windows 7 a couple of years later to calm down the user grievances about Vista. Interestingly, Windows 7 was welcomed in the desktop operating systems community in a friendly way, and is still the most successful of all Windows platforms.

On the other hand, Windows XP served the community for more than a decade despite of its old infrastructure and incompatibility with modern applications. It is fascinating to note that the user community is much bothered about the termination of Windows XP rather than the end of Microsoft support for Vista. The tech giant is terminating all sorts of technical support for XP by this April regardless of the fact that it still holds around one-third of the total desktop operating systems market share.

The Windows Phone community has also adopted the same strategy of providing mainstream support of five years as for Windows operating systems. In a press conference, Microsoft unveiled that the official support for Windows Phone 7.8 and Windows Phone 8 will be stopped by the end of this year, which is pretty sooner than what users expected earlier. Nevertheless, experts say that this change in the strategies indicates Microsoft’s plans to include Windows Phone into an annual release sequence.

Experts also say that with the end of Microsoft support for Vista and XP, the tech giant has made it clear that it is looking forward to focus on developing futuristic platforms, rather than spending time and resources on old Windows versions. Yet when Windows XP was attacked with malware recently, the tech giant offered another extended security support until 2015, proving that Microsoft actually cares for its user community.

Wednesday, February 19, 2014

Dealing With The Outlook Cached Mode Error

You might already know about the offline and online modes in Outlook. But you probably don’t know the cached mode. This mode in Outlook refers to the situation where the email client creates a cache file for all the messages and data from your mail server. When you’re online, the mail client would be using this cache rather than directly accessing the online mail server.

This Outlook cache file would be periodically synchronised. In other words, the files and folders in your Outlook client would be synchronised with that in your mail account online. This way, your use of the Outlook mail client would be much smoother, without any loading delays. To use the cached mode in your version of Outlook, you may visit the Outlook tech support page online.

About the Outlook Cached mode error

One of the common Outlook cached mode errors reported by many users is the Outlook account not showing up online. Generally, the cached mode works when the Outlook mail client is connected online. However, due to some error in your application settings, this might be shown as working in the offline mode. You need to check these Outlook settings and make the relevant changes.

For this, go to the Tools menu in Microsoft Outlook. On the expanded Tools menu, select the Email Account option. Then, click on View or change existing email accounts. This would list the email accounts in the Outlook mail client. Click on the mail account that you are using, and press the change option.

Here, make sure that the Cached Exchange mode is activated. You would find a check mark next to the Cached Exchange mode option. If not, you need to put the check mark here and save these changes. Now, restart the Outlook application for these changes to take effect.

Check the internet status of your Outlook mail client – it must be working online. Go to the File option in your Outlook toolbar, and there make sure that the Work Offline option is not selected. If not, change this setting and restart Outlook once again. Your Outlook mail client would now be working in the cached mode online.

If you are still having the same problem – Outlook showing the offline status in cached mode -, then the Outlook application might be experiencing some registry errors. In such cases, you may need to contact Outlook tech support for a solution.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Steps To Import Email Contacts To Email List Section In Outlook

Outlook email client provides you with options to move your email contacts to email list options and include them in an email invitation. The steps involved in this process are simple and almost similar to importing of email in Outlook. In this post, we will find out the steps involved in this process.

Steps Involved
  • Double click the shortcut icon for Outlook and launch the program.
  • Once the Outlook program opens, select the option File. File is the first option in the menu bar. Under File, choose Open.
  • Select the option Import and this will launch the window for Import and Export Wizard.
  • You will find numerous options in the window. Locate the option Export to a file in the list and choose the option Next.
  • In the next window, select the option Microsoft Excel 97-2003 and click the button Next.
  • Choose the option Contacts under the Personal Folders list in the next window and click Next.
  • You will find a field with the heading, Save exported file as, in the next window. You may choose the button Browse and then select a location in your hard disk to save the exported file.
  • Choose the option Finish in the next window to export the contacts list.
  • Next step is to arrange the contact list as you wish. You may move the columns and arrange the first name, last name, email addresses and other custom data as you wish.
  • You may remove the other columns that you do not use.
  • Next step is to save the rearranged file. The file should be saved in .CSV format.
  • Launch the saved file in a Notepad. Select the contents of the file and paste the contents to the Import box in email list collector.
Outlook also provides you with options to add the saved list to Address book. For this, follow the steps listed below.
  • Repeat the steps above and choose Address Book from the drop down box for Username.
  • Select the option Add a New List and enter a name for the list.
  • Choose the option Create New List and select the button I Agree with the terms of use.
  • Paste the list that you have just created and select Add Contacts.
  • Wait for the confirmation message.
We hope that the above steps have helped you to import email contacts in your Outlook program. For additional assistance on email in Outlook, you may contact our technical support team.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Making A Call On Windows Live

The MSN Messenger is Microsoft’s instant messaging service, which lets users hold text and video chats. It is a present in Windows XP, while its successor the Windows Live Messenger is available in Windows Vista and Windows 7. Both applications have features that allow the user to make phone calls as well. All the user has to do is type in the phone number, and proceed to having a pleasant chat conversation with the person. The chat application is free to download and use but the voice call supported to be activated by registering for voice services. A small fee needs to be paid in order to activate this feature.

Instructions
  1. Start the MSN Messenger application or Windows Live Messenger.
  2. In your MSN Messenger window access the Actions menu and click in the Make a Phone Call option. This option may also appear as Call. In case you are unable to find the toolbar menus press the Alt key on your keyboard, and the toolbar menus will appear from hiding. In the Windows Live Messenger program this option will be labeled as simply Call a Phone.
  3. Now select the Get Started or Sign Up link to activate an account with the voice provider. This is just if you haven’t already set this feature up. Once you finish signing up for the voice provider, return back to the messenger window.
  4. Now in the Call box type in the phone number of the person that you wish to contact. Alternatively, you can also click on the phone pad buttons preset in the calling window, and proceed to select Call.
  5. Once you have finished disconnect the call by using the Hang Up option in MSN Messenger. In Windows Live Messenger, you can end the call by click End.
The call feature is one of the cool features that make Windows Live Messenger so popular. You no longer have to go all the way to your telephone to call someone. Just sit back click a few buttons and call a contact. The Windows Live messenger also allows video chat, audio chat and of course text chats for its users.

If you have any issues with Windows live messenger you can contact the Microsoft help line to get support from Microsoft’s expert technical support staff. Experts at Microsoft help line offer excellent advice for all your technical problems, and can find solutions quickly. Enjoy the Windows Live Messenger, Microsoft’s instant messaging service and connect with friends, family and colleagues.

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Exporting An Address Book In Outlook

Outlook is a personal information manager from Microsoft, available as a part of the Microsoft Office suite. Although Outlook is often used mainly as an email application, it comprises of certain features such as a calendar, task manager, contact manager, note taking, a journal, and web browsing, which collectively enable users to effectively manage and schedule tasks, important events and appointments in their day-to-day lives. Along with being a personal information manager, Outlook also serves as an efficient contact manager for the users, wherein they can store their contacts in Outlook Address Books. The technicians at Outlook help support provide assistance in troubleshooting and fixing the issues related to this email application.

Outlook is indeed a stand-alone application, which is compatible with other applications of the Microsoft Office suite such as Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Exchange. This means that being an Outlook user, you would be able to export the contact information from Address books in Microsoft Office, and save as a backup storage in the form of CSV (Comma Separated Value) files. Users can also import this information into another Microsoft application because, as mentioned earlier, Outlook is compatible with other Microsoft Office applications.

You can try the follow steps to export an Address Book in Microsoft Outlook before seeking assistance from the technicians at the Outlook help support.
  • First, you need to open the Microsoft Outlook application in your system, and then, select the address book you want to export. Now, you need to click on the File menu, and then select the Import and Export option.
  • Next, choose the Export to a File option, followed by the Next button. Now, select the Comma Separated Values (Windows) option from the File Type list. Now, click Next.
  • You need to go to the Export to a File dialog window, choose the Contacts folder, and then click on the Next button. Now, name the address book file into the Save Exported File As input field, and click Next.
  • Next, you need to verify the option Following Actions Will Be Performed displays Export Contacts From Folder: Contacts, and then click on the Finish button.
By following this set of simple instructions, you would be able to export an Address Book in Microsoft Outlook. For more information regarding the features of Outlook, please contact our technical support team.

Thursday, February 6, 2014

Windows XP Prone To Zero Day Attacks

Microsoft is fervently urging its Windows XP users to migrate to a newer OS, as it plans to end support for the decade old OS in the month of April. This move means that Microsoft will no longer be releasing any security patches or updates for its XP customers, leaving them vulnerable to zero day attacks. The lack of security updates gives hackers a golden opportunity to take advantage of helpless Windows XP users.

In an official blog post Microsoft stated, "But after April 8, 2014, organizations that continue to run Windows XP won’t have this advantage over attackers any longer. The very first month that Microsoft releases security updates for supported versions of Windows, attackers will reverse engineer those updates, find the vulnerabilities and test Windows XP to see if it shares those vulnerabilities. If it does, attackers will attempt to develop exploit code that can take advantage of those vulnerabilities on Windows XP. Since a security update will never become available for Windows XP to address these vulnerabilities, Windows XP will essentially have a 'zero day' vulnerability forever."

Most hackers are smart enough to reverse engineer past security updates, to look for a point of vulnerability in the updates. Once these are found, hackers can exploit operating systems that do not have the security update, making Windows XP vulnerable forever. End of support also means that Microsoft will no longer be liable to any issue faced by Windows XP users. Microsoft outlines that one of their biggest concerns is that, "One risk is that attackers will have the advantage over defenders who choose to run Windows XP because attackers will likely have more information about vulnerabilities in Windows XP than defenders."

This is very bad news for over millions of Windows XP users, who still rely on the decade old OS for most of their computing needs. Organizations face the biggest peril as the lack of Windows support will make almost all their information susceptible to attack, and private, sensitive information could become public news. Even worse is the fact that industry deployments typically take more than 4 months, which is way past the deadline date fixed by Microsoft. Organizations only have three options left: migrating to Vista, Windows 7 or Windows 8. Windows 8 might not be on the top of the list, even though it performs better than Windows Vista and Windows 7. This due to fact that Windows 8 requires many hardware upgrades. Either way, once Windows support for XP crosses the deadline, millions of systems around the world face peril.

Monday, January 20, 2014

Removing The Ask Jeeves Toolbar From Your System

Those that have the Ask toolbar in their systems would know how annoying it could turn out to be. Indeed, the Ask toolbar acts as an adware toolbar for the Ask website (formerly the Ask Jeeves website). The Ask toolbar is supposed to take you to this website to help in performing your search.

Normally, you would have to visit the Ask website, where you can enter your query in a question form. This website is indeed useful in getting the information that you are looking for. However, the Ask toolbar would affect the functioning of your browser.

About the Ask toolbar removal

Acting as an adware toolbar, this application would change your browser settings and take you to the wrong page – most often the official Ask website. Sometimes, when you want to use the search engines like Google or Yahoo, the Ask toolbar would make sure that reach the Ask search website instead. These things are indeed annoying, and it would be better to get rid of the Ask toolbar from the system, than let it control your browser.

Ask toolbar removal is actually very easy, if you know the correct steps involved in the process. However, most people assume that the mere un-installation of the toolbar from the browser would get rid of it. It would not. You have to make sure that the application running in the background is also removed from the system.

You can start by removing the toolbar from the browser. The toolbar would be found in the Extensions or Add-ons section in your browser. Go there and uninstall it. Now go through the browser settings for the search bar and the homepage, and change it from Ask to any other website or search engine of your choice.

After this close the browser and go to the Control Panel. The Ask toolbar application would be there in the Add or Remove Programs section. Uninstall it. Now restart the system and check your browser to make sure that the toolbar is removed completely from the system.

If not, then you would have to clean the registry to get rid of the remaining bits of the Ask toolbar application in your system. For this download and use an adware removal tool - this would do the job for you. Good luck with getting rid of this annoying toolbar from your system.

Monday, January 13, 2014

Windows 8 Tile Screen App

One of the most revolutionary ideas implemented in the Windows 8 operating system is the tiled Start page or the Start screen, giving it a more touch friendly look. It looks very refreshing and different, and is unique, especially when such a screen appears on desktops and laptops.

However, there is a major drawback when using the Tile interface, also known as the Metro Style interface. If you were to add some new third party programs, the start tile comes out like a mess. This may totally ruin the appearance of the Start screen. But the small portable app called OblyTile allows you to generate good-looking tiles for third party programs, which returns the aesthetic look of the Start screen.

When a third party program is installed on a Windows 8 device, the tile looks strange because the programs pulls out the default logo stored in the program’s installation folder. As most of these logos have not been optimized to adapt better to the Windows 8 Tile menu, these logos end up messy. The main problem is that the logo is probably too small, low definition, or a mixture of both. The only way to make it more presentable on the Windows 8 tile screen, is to expand the logo in size, with proper definition so that it looks better on the tile screen.

The great thing about OblyTile is that it doesn’t need installation. Once you get the programs, just search for that program whose tile needs to be changed. You can search manually or pull out the Manager tool, which produces a list of installed programs in the system. The Manager tool also provides a list of the current program shortcuts in the computer, with the ability to covert these shortcuts to tiles.

OblyTile has a very simple and straightforward interface. To manually set up a tile, go to the manual route, and enter all the details pertaining to the application. Navigate to both the installed folder as well as the icon on the PC. Here you get to choose between different background colors and the title text color. Now click Create tile to generate the tile on the Start screen. The new tile will replace the old tile on the Windows 8 Start screen.

If you do not have the Windows 8 OS, it’s time to consider about a Windows 8 transfer. If you have already had a Windows 8 transfer, then check on Windows Store for the new Windows 8.1 operating system. OblyTile also allows you to place apps on the desktop. This is helpful for those users who do not like the Start tile screen too much.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Windows 8.1 Update Has Not Solved The OS Problems

An update to the Windows 8 operating system was recently released, called Windows 8.1. The new software would fix the many imperfections in Windows 8 but you should not expect it to fix all of them. As you are aware, Windows 8 was launched in October of last year and the same was expected to be a huge hit.
Even though Windows 8 turned out to be different from the rest of its genre, there were several flaws in it that were pointed out by the users. The Windows 8 OS was launched by Microsoft with a view to help touch screen users. Even the new interface was designed accordingly. However, the non-touch screen users could not enjoy the interface much like the touch screen users. Even the tile-based UI for accessing various apps could be enjoyed only by the touch screen users.
The Windows 8.1 upgrade is found to fix a few of the problems faced by Windows 8. Owing to the problems in Windows 8, many people contacted Windows 8 support for assistance regarding various interface issues. They were confused with the various features and options as the locations for these were different from that in its predecessor.
The new update that will be released could take the user directly to the traditional desktop interface after turning on the computer and this has been introduced as people had some difficulty with the new interface in Windows 8. The most important feature that has been included is the Start button on the desktop. Many Windows 8 users contacted the Windows 8 support regarding the absence of the Start button.
The Windows 8 users could now split their application screen in Windows 8.1, but only a quarter could be used for one app and the other portion could be used by the next application. The new update offers the customers the ability to try more than two applications at a time.
Now Microsoft is working on something to increasing the app quality and they have been increasing the number of apps developed for Windows 8 so that users could choose any from these numerous apps.  Already 100000 and more apps are introduced and these give more priority to the social networking apps like Facebook, Flipboard, NFL and others.
Even after the release of new update, the problems faced by Windows 8 has not been solved completely. Let us expect that these problems will be solved with the next update.