Senin, 03 November 2008

Find the Name Behind a Malicious IP Address



In many cases when your firewall blocks access to a remote system, or your spam or phishing filter traps a potential e-mail attack, the only information it reports about the source is an IP address. To learn more about the individual or outfit behind the address, reader Rick Tschernjawski of Syracuse, New York, recommends using the command-line program nslookup in the TCP/IP networking protocol in Windows 2000 and XP.

To find the more-descriptive domain name associated with a cryptic IP address such as '65.220.224.30', click Start, Run, type command in the Open field (cmd in Windows 2000), and press . At the command prompt, enter nslookup followed by a space and the IP address. Press , and after a short delay, nslookup will report first the name of the domain name system (DNS) server used for the lookup, followed by the IP address and domain name that you want to know about (see Figure 1


Figure 1: Convert an IP address into a domain name and server address using nslookup in Windows XP.
). Type exit to close the command-prompt window. The program will also do forward lookups, providing the IP address linked to a domain name.

If you use a router or wireless hub, nslookup may complain that "default servers are not available," but nevertheless it will still provide the lookup information. For a more in-depth explanation of the nslookup command in Windows, browse to Microsoft's documentation page.

Sometimes, just knowing the domain name can help you identify the frauds. For example, you can report spam to the sending ISP by firing off a message to 'abuse@domain, where 'domain' is the domain name that you looked up. Other times, you need more than a name. For finding the phone numbers, e-mail addresses, and other contact information related to a domain name or an IP address, Tschernjawski recommends the Whois lookup tools at www.dnsstuff.com. The site also offers a handy geolocation tool that tells you where in the world a particular IP address is located.

Shortcuts to Web Sites

When you launch your browser, it automatically loads whatever site you've selected as your home page. But there are probably many times when you want to open your browser to a site other than your home page. For those occasions, Pensacola, Florida, reader Donald Darden offers a time-saver: Right-click the desktop (or inside any folder) and choose New, Shortcut. Enter the site's URL (for example, www.pcworld.com), click Next, give the shortcut a name (maybe the name of the site), and click Finish. Then double-click the shortcut to go directly to your local movie guide or sports scores, without having to pass through your home page.

Faster PCWorld.com Finds

Ben Hyman of Champaign, Illinois, who uses PCWorld.com's find.pcworld.com service religiously, has a Firefox shortcut. Begin by choosing Bookmarks, Manage Bookmarks, clicking New Bookmark, and entering a name in the Name field and http://find.pcworld.com/%s in the Location field. Type pcw (or whatever you want) in the Keyword field, and click OK. Close the bookmark manager. To browse to a link printed in PC World, just type pcw (or the text you entered) followed by a space and then the link number in Firefox's address field, and press .

Zap Your Google Cookie

If you're like me, you worry that Google is compiling a complex psychological profile based on your accumulated search requests. ("Mr. Spanbauer, you display inordinate interest in Chuck Norris, potato guns, and self-hypnosis. We have alerted the authorities.") Luckily for all of us, Ksoft's free G-Zapper utility cleans the information that identifies you uniquely out of the Google cookie, thereby protecting your privacy. So take off that tinfoil hat and download G-Zapper.

Articles from pcworld.about.Com

Starting Over: Repartitioning, Reformatting and Reinstalling

Writen By : Bob O'Donnel in everythingcomputers.com

First Of All, Unfortunately for Mr. Bob, I borrow your articles, and thanks for this articles. Wow. very good

There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you first turn on a new computer and begin to use your unspoiled machine. Except in very rare occasions, it’s one of the few times you can be virtually guaranteed that everything will work, that the software already installed on the hard disk won’t crash and that you can get something useful done. Of course, this technological honeymoon never lasts terribly long, because you invariably install some new software, add new hardware, make some configuration changes or do something that—though it should work fine—eventually leads you down the slippery slope of seemingly inevitable PC problems.

The desire to recreate that "fresh" feeling often leads people to start over with their computers by reformatting their hard drive(s) and reinstalling their applications from scratch. In fact, I’ve heard of several people who do this on a semi-yearly or even more frequent basis as a regular form of system maintenance. In addition, many computers now come with special boot floppy disks and installation CDs that are specifically designed to bring your system back to its pristine, shipped-from-the-factory state.

Another reason for pursuing this strategy is that no matter how hard you may try, there are times when your system reaches a point where it’s simply not worth expending any additional effort trying to figure out why programs keep crashing or other strange problems keep occurring. I know that dedicated PC troubleshooters never want to give up, but one of the hardest lessons you can learn is that sometimes it really is better to start over.

Now, I wouldn’t throw in the towel too quickly because starting from scratch is a fairly time- and effort-intensive project. But if you’ve tried the techniques I describe in the "PC Hardware Troubleshooting Tips," "PC Software Troubleshooting Tips," and "PC Startup Troubleshooting Tips," articles and have still been suffering through several difficult days, weeks or, God forbid, months of problems that just don’t seem to get any better, then you’re a good candidate for a fresh start.

The problem is, nobody every really tells you how to make that fresh start. Oh sure, you hear the basics: "Just reformat and reinstall," but you don’t really ever hear exactly how the whole process is done. Well, worry no more, because this article will take you step-by-step through the process of starting over with your PC.

Step 1: Backup

Before you even think about doing anything to your hard drive, you need to back up all your critical files. This means not only all your data files (you did organize them all in a single location, didn’t you?), but also those application files and other software pieces that took some time and/or effort to acquire. Included on this list should be updated driver software, applications patches, service packs, bug fixes and any other enhancements that you’ve downloaded off the web (and don’t have available on CD or in some other handy form). I also recommend you save your browser bookmarks which, if you're using Internet Explorer, can be found in the Windows/Favorites folder.

One file that's commonly overlooked (because it isn't stored in an obvious place) is your Outlook or Outlook Express e-mail file. The easiest way to find it and back it up is to search for *.pst off the Start menu. All Outlook files use the .pst extension and you can be sure to find yours this way, even if it doesn't have the default name of Outlook.pst. Generally speaking, your Outlook file should be in the C:\Windows\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook folder. This is important to know because when you reinstall, you need to copy your .pst file back to this same directory.

In addition, don't forget to write down all your network settings from any network log-in you have, as well as those found in the network control panel. If you have dial-up networking connections, remember to right down the settings for each of those as well. When you go to re-establish your network settings, you'll be awfully glad you did.

You’ll probably run into a problem with applications that automatically update themselves over the web, because they don’t necessarily have an easy way to find the update files they’ve downloaded. If that’s the case with some of your applications, you’ll probably have to simply let the application "re-update" itself after you re-install it.

Windows 98 or Windows ME updates that occur via the Windows Update feature may also present this problem, although you might be able to find them in your Windows directory in a hidden folder called msdownld.tmp (at least, that’s where they were on my machine). To view hidden files, open Windows Explorer, select Folder Options from the View menu, select the View tab, and click on the Show all files radio button.

You don’t need to back up all your applications because you can more easily install them off their original CDs. In fact, part of the point of this exercise is to re-install your applications so that all the right files get put in all the right places. For this reason, I also don’t recommend that you make a complete disk copy, or disk image before you do a re-install of all your software. If you do, and then you restore that copy, you could end up with the same types of problems that led you to take on this procedure in the first place. Just back up what you need.

Step 2: Create a Boot Disk

The next step is to create a bootable floppy disk that includes all the programs you’ll need to get the next few steps. I cover how to do this in my "How to Create a ‘Real’ Windows 95 (or 98) Boot Disk" article. One additional point I’ll add here is that you need to make sure both the Fdisk.exe and Format.com DOS utilities are on your newly created Windows 95 or Windows 98 boot floppy. If they aren’t (the standard Windows 98 floppy still needs Format.com), you may need to copy them over from your hard drive onto the boot floppy—you’ll find them both inside the Command directory inside your main Windows directory. (In fact, Windows/Command is where you’ll find all the important DOS-based utilities.)

One other option for Windows 98, Windows 98 2nd Edition and Windows ME users is that the Windows 98/ME CD is bootable, meaning it has all the necessary files to start your computer stored in the right places, much like a boot floppy disk. Your computer has to support booting from the CD-ROM and you have to enable this feature (which you do in your computer’s BIOS or CMOS Setup program) in order for this technique to work, but it can be a handy option. If you’re unsure whether or not your computer supports this, look for a reference to the El Torito BIOS standard—which this feature is sometimes called—or look around in the Boot Options section of your computer’s BIOS Setup program. Also remember that after you’re done with this procedure you’ll want to change this BIOS setting back to booting from your floppy drive and hard drive (usually in that order).

Whether you go with the floppy or the CD, be sure you try it out at least once before you begin the partitioning process. The next step in this process will erase all of your computer’s data, so you want to be sure your computer boots from the disk/disc before you continue.

Step 3: Partition and Reformat

The crux of the process occurs here in Step 3. The first part of this step is called partitioning your hard drive and it’s usually done with the DOS-based Fdisk program bundled with all versions of Windows. (Some people prefer third-party partitioning programs such as PowerQuest’s powerful PartitionMagic or QuarterDeck’s Partition It or Partition It Extra Strength for this process.) Partitioning involves organizing a single hard drive into logical chunks called partitions, as well as setting an overall file structure to be used on each partition, such as FAT16 or FAT32. The second half of this step is called reformatting and it basically wipes any existing data from each partition and prepares the partition to accept new files. (By the way, this is not the same thing as a true low-level hard drive format—these days that can typically only be done—and should only be done—at the factory.) Formatting is done with the DOS–based Format program, or simply within Windows itself, just as you do with a floppy disk.

Before getting into specific steps, you need to know a bit more about partitions, such as the fact that there are two main types: primary and extended. The most important difference between them is that primary partitions can be used to boot your computer and extended partitions cannot. In addition, unlike primary partitions—which actually hold data—extended partitions are themselves just containers for yet another kind of structure called logical DOS drives. So, for example, you might find that your hard drive is divided into one active partition and one extended partition and the extended partition contains two logical drives "inside" of it.

Each active partition and logical drive uses its own drive letter (i.e., C:\, D:\, E:\, etc.) and operates independently, so with multiple partitions, a single hard disk may "look" like multiple drives. In reality, however, it’s just one physical disk that’s organized into different containers. Of course, if you have multiple hard disks inside a computer, each of them uses a drive letter as well, so when you have multiple partitions on multiple disks, things can get kind of confusing.

If you want to run multiple operating systems on your PC—such as Windows ME and NT, or Windows 2000 and Linux—you often need to have multiple primary partitions. In some instances, such as with Windows 95 and NT, it's possible to have just one primary partition with two operating systems, but both operating systems need to be able to understand the partition scheme--such as FAT or FAT32 (see below for more)--for this to work.

The maximum number of primary and/or extended partitions you can have is four, but be aware that only one primary partition can be active (and therefore "visible" to the rest of your system) at once. On the other hand, other than the 26-letter drive limit—which does exist—there are no restrictions on the number of logical drives that you can have within an extended partition.

More importantly, multiple logical drives within an extended partition can be used and visible on your system at once. So, for example, if your system has an extended partition with two logical drives and one primary partition (you always have to have one of those), you would be able to see all three drive letters at once. On the other hand, if you have two primary partitions and one extended partition with two logical drives, you might only see three drive letters because the other primary partition and any data or programs stored on it would be invisible if the two primary partitions were completely different types (such as Ext2 for Linux and NTFS for Windows 2000). Again, if both operating systems "understand" the same partition type, then you might be able to see all four drive letters.

In many cases you’ll want to keep your entire disk as a single primary partition—and, therefore, single drive letter—although there are some cases where you can’t. Specifically, if you have a hard drive larger than 2 GB and you’re using the original version of Windows 95 or Win95A, you’ll have to use multiple partitions because of limitations in Win95 itself. (To find out what version of Windows you’re using, open the System Control Panel and look in the upper right portion of the General Tab. You should see a reference to Windows 95, 95A, 95B, 95C, 98, ME and 2000 underneath where it says System.)

Other limitations you may run into on disk size limits may be as a result of your computer’s BIOS. Some older BIOS’s had a hardware limitation of around 2.1 GB (some newer ones are limited to 8.4 GB), that prevents them from working with larger drives, but that can usually be fixed with a BIOS update. Check your computer manufacturer’s or motherboard manufacturer’s web site, or you can also try the Micro Firmware or Mr. BIOS sites.

If you have both an updated BIOS and Windows 95B (sometimes called OSR2) or later—including Windows 98 or Windows ME—then you can take advantage of the FAT32 (File Allocation Table 32-bit) file system and have a partition (or even multiple partitions) larger than 2 GB. Without going into too much detail, the basic reason for this is that FAT32 is able to keep track of a much larger number of individual file elements than the older FAT16 file system (which is more commonly referred to just as FAT). This translates into the ability to work with larger partitions.

Before you actually begin the partitioning process, you need to decide how you want to partition your drive—if you want to keep it all as one big drive, or if you want several different partitions/logical drives with one for data, one for programs, etc. In addition, if you plan to try out or regularly work with multiple operating systems (OS's), you’ll have to plan for that at this stage. You’ll also need something called a boot loader if you install multiple OS's—one comes bundled with PartitionMagic and another comes with Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 2000. A boot loader is a program that lets you decide which primary partition to make active at boot-up. The OS that is loaded from the active partition is the one that gets "control" over the machine for that particular session.

Once you have a basic strategy figured out, you can move onto the specific steps. The following describes how the process works with Fdisk. (If you’re using PartitionMagic, or some other utility, you’ll have to follow different steps, but the concepts will be similar.)

First you need to boot your computer with your boot floppy and then launch the Fdisk program as soon as you get to the A:\ prompt. To do that, just type in Fdisk and then hit Enter or Return. If you’re running the version of Fdisk that comes with Windows 95 OSR2 or later (including 98, 98 SE, or ME), you’ll first see a kind of obscure text message and question about having support for large disks to which you answer yes or no. Though there’s no specific mention of it, this question is asking whether or not you want to use FAT32. If you answer yes, you’ll get FAT32 and if you answer no you’ll get a FAT16-formatted drive. (Of course, if you have Windows 98, you can convert from FAT16 to FAT32 with the bundled FAT32 Driver Converter after the fact. If you have Windows 95, however, you’ll either have to start all over again to switch to FAT32, or purchase a third-party tool such as PartitionMagic.)

Once you’ve answered the question, you’ll be presented with four numeric choices from which you can create a new partition, delete an existing partition, make one of the partitions active or get more information on the current partitions you have. In general, I’d recommend selecting option 4 first to get more information about your current partitions.

If you’re going to switch from multiple partitions to a single partition or if you want to adjust the size of your current partitions, you’ll first need to delete all but the primary active partition. Before you can delete an extended partition, however, you first need to delete any logical drives that are inside the extended partition. To make any of these deletions, select option 3 off the main Fdisk menu and follow the directions. You’re always given a warning before you do anything destructive, so if you take your time, you shouldn’t run into any serious problems.

To create new partitions or logical drives or to resize the remaining primary partition, select option 1. If you want to use logical drives, you first need to create an extended partition to hold them and then you can create the logical drives. In all cases, you’ll need to know how large you want the partitions and/or logical drives to be in megabytes, so do your math ahead of time. If you’re resizing a single partition, simply make the partition the same size as the available disk size. Also remember that all hard drives use a certain amount of space for disk overhead so don’t get upset when your new 8 GB hard drive (or whatever size you have) doesn’t have eight full gigabytes (or whatever its advertised capacity is) for creating partitions.

Once you’ve finished your partitioning, you can exit from Fdisk by simply hitting the Esc button at the main Fdisk screen. As the ensuing screen says, you’ll have to restart before the changes take effect and before you can re-format the newly created or resized partitions.

By the way, if you opt for something like PartitionMagic, you’ll find the partitioning process more intuitive and more flexible than what Fdisk provides. For example, you can resize partitions graphically without having to first delete them, and you can easily switch a particular partition back and forth between FAT16 and FAT32, among other capabilities.

Regardless of how you partition the drive, however, the re-formatting process is very simple. Once again, you’ll need to restart the computer with the boot floppy installed and when you get to the A:\ prompt, type in:

Format C: /s

What this command does is reformats the active primary partition on your main drive—in other words, it reformats your hard drive. The /s switch at the end of the command tells the computer to also copy over the basic DOS system files to the hard disk so that you can then restart from the hard disk and boot to a C:\ DOS prompt if you want. To continue onward with Step 4, however, you’ll probably want to boot from your boot floppy.

Step 4: Reinstall

Now that the hard part is over, it’s on to the drudgery of re-installing everything. Of course the first thing you’ll need to do is re-install the operating system from scratch.

To do that, after you start your computer with your boot floppy inserted into the floppy drive, you'll need to make sure you have the Windows 95, 98 or ME CD in your CD/DVD-ROM drive. Once it's there, just type the following at the A:\ DOS prompt you should see when the boot process finishes. Hit the Enter key at the end of it. (Note that you may have to type a letter other than "D" if your CD/DVD-ROM is assigned to a different drive letter.)

D:\Setup.exe

On a freshly formatted drive this process should go smoothly, but be prepared with any drivers or driver upgrades you have available on floppies or CDs. As Windows goes through the Plug-and-Play process of detecting your computer’s hardware and then attempting to install drivers for it, the OS should give you very clear signs whenever it needs input (or disks/discs) from you.

If you want to, you can create a directory on your hard drive called Win95CAB or Win98CAB and then copy all the compressed .CAB (or cabinet) files you’ll find on the Windows 95/98 CDs (in the Windows 95 or Windows 98 folders respectively) into those directories. It takes a fair chunk of hard disk space—around 100 Mbytes or so—but it saves you from having to look for your Win 95 or Win98 CD down the road if you ever install anything and the installation process asks for the CD. Instead, you can just direct it to the CAB files on your disk and you’ll be all set. Thankfully, Windows ME does this for you automatically.

If your PC comes with a program that automatically returns it to its factory fresh state, you’ll use that to install your OS instead. Doing so should automatically take care of installing the OS and applications that came with your computer. If you have any updated drivers or applications as part of your backup, however, you’ll have to re-install those manually, as explained a bit further down.

If you have trouble during the installation, it could be that one of you drivers is out-of-date. If so, you’ll want to check the manufacturer’s web site for an update (see the "PC Hardware Troubleshooting Tips" article for more). Once the OS installed, you should run any other driver installation programs you have. Occasionally these types of programs will tell that you need to reboot for the changes to take place. When you’re going through this re-install process I highly recommend you take their advice for each program that requires it. Even though constantly rebooting adds even more time to the process, it can be worth it in the long run. The reason is if you install multiple pieces at once that make changes to your system, those changes could conflict or counteract each other. Because the purpose of this exercise is to get everything working properly, you’re better off taking the conservative route here and letting each piece "take hold" one at a time.

Once all your drivers are done, it’s time to reinstall the apps. Again, if at the end of the install the program says it needs to restart Windows for the changes to take effect, I would restart. The order that you install the applications in typically doesn’t matter, although I would probably install any that had been causing you problems first. Once the main apps are in place, you need to reinstall all those lovely Service Packs, bug fixes and other updates that you painstakingly backed up in Step One. Remember also that some updates and Service Packs can only be done after a previous update to the same program has been made so make sure you do them in the proper order.

Before copying over your own data, I suggest you try running a few of your favorite applications to make sure everything is working properly. In addition, make sure you double-check any previously problematic programs once everything has been installed. If a problem crops up now, it’s probably due to a software conflict with another application on your system. If that’s the case, you’ll need to check web sites for updates and see if that helps (see the "PC Software Troubleshooting Tips" article for more).

Finally, after all the applications have been installed, it’s time to copy back over all your own data. If you haven’t already, I suggest you take advantage of this re-installation process and use the opportunity to organize all your data files in a single location, such as the My Documents directory. You don’t want to put everything at the main level of the My Documents directory, however, or you’ll be overwhelmed. Instead, to make that directory useful, you should first create sub-directories inside it and then use those directories to store your various types of files.

Step 5: Enjoy

When everything has been restored, it’s time to enjoy your new machine. Well, almost. Though it shouldn’t make any difference, it’s probably worthwhile to double or triple-check any problem applications (you know—the ones that led you to take on this procedure in the first place) after you restore your own files.

Once you’re confident that things are working well, you can take yourself and your PC back on a second (or third or fourth) technological honeymoon and get to know each other all over again.

PC Troubleshooting Tips

Though they tend to cause some of the nastiest symptoms—computers that won't boot, scary and/or confusing error messages, etc.—computer hardware problems are usually the easiest type of problems to solve. The trick, as with all troubleshooting ventures, is to figure out where to start and then focus your efforts.

First, of course, you need to check the stupid stuff. You'd probably be amazed how many "problems" are solved by connecting the cables, or turning on the power switch that you swear you just did. Beyond that, double-check the snugness of your connections—jiggling in a new add-in card or screwing in a cable connection can (and often does) make a difference. You may even want to check the integrity of your cables and connectors. I once solved a baffling SCSI problem by noticing that one of the pins in a miniature 50-pin SCSI-II connector was bent. I had mistakenly presumed, prior to that, that a bent pin would have prevented me from making a connection at all, but it didn't. Unfortunately, as a result, I wasted several hours on something that could've taken two minutes.

Finally, whenever you install something new, whether it's more memory, a new drive, a plug-in card or what-have-you, and something doesn't work, it's more than likely because you made a mistake somewhere in the installation process. Step back through the process again, double- and triple-check your connections, and then try one more time. In the case of RAM that doesn't work or isn't recognized, it could be an incompatibility with the specific manufacturer of the RAM and your motherboard, so see if you can try a different brand before you give up hope. Finally, in some instances installing something new causes a conflict with something else--which is what the rest of this article is all about.

Driver Dilemmas

Once you're past the basics, it’s on to step two. As long as your computer boots, then there's a good chance the problem is related to missing, damaged, incompatible or improperly installed driver software, otherwise known simply as drivers. (If your PC doesn't start up, you may want to create a boot floppy disk—see "How to Create a 'Real' Windows 95 (or 98 or ME) Boot Disk" for more. In addition, you should check out the "PC Startup Troubleshooting Tips" article for more.)

Virtually every piece of hardware located inside or connected externally to your PC requires a driver to communicate and function with the operating system, applications, and other hardware components in your machine. Drivers essentially translate messages back and forth between the hardware in question and the operating system, thereby allowing your computer system to work as a unified whole (at least, in theory). The truth is, though appearances may suggest otherwise, any computer system is actually made up of a bunch of specialized pieces that don't speak the "native language" of other components and, therefore, require a great deal of translation to communicate and work effectively with them. When any of these various levels of translation break down, well, that's when you get problems.

The Device Manager is Your Friend

If you're running Windows 95, 98, or ME, your first stop after the computer finishes the startup process should be the Device Manager, a piece of operating system software that helps you manage the various pieces of your PC. You can get to the Device Manager in several different ways: the two easiest are right-clicking on the My Computer icon on your desktop and selecting Properties from the context menu that pops up when you do this, or by going to the Start menu, going up to Settings, selecting Control Panel from the list of choices and then double-clicking on the System control panel. Either way, you’ll be presented with a tabbed dialog box; click on the tab that says Device Manager, and you’re there.

The first thing to look for is a yellow exclamation point or red international no sign (you know, the circle with the slash through it) next to one of your devices. You may need to click on all the little plus signs next to each category of devices to see the full outline-like list of everything in your computer. If you see the yellow or red symbol, you know something is amiss. My first suggestion is to highlight the offending device and click on the Remove button. What this does is essentially erase the driver software associated with the device as well as references to it within the Windows 95/98/ME Registry. (The Registry tracks all the hardware and software you install, the preferences you set for each, as well as lots of other stuff). The fancy term for this is "logically" removing the device because, even though it may still be physically attached, the computer no longer has any record of its presence.

Next, you should restart your computer, let Windows' Plug-and-Play feature "find" the device again, and redo the driver installation process by either using the driver suggestions that Windows finds and makes or clicking on the Have Disk button and using the installer disks that came with the device. (If both options are possible, I’d go with the disks that came with the hardware—unless you’re sure they are an older version.) If the computer doesn’t find the device, then I would suspect the connections or the device itself. Buy another cable, unplug and re-plug the connectors, remove and then physically reinstall any new plug-in cards or do whatever you have to to ensure that the connection is solid. Once you’ve done that, you’ll find that many times, simply reinstalling the drivers solves the problem.

Other times the problem is due to an older version of a driver conflicting with something else on your system. It’s always a good idea to check for and get the latest versions of drivers that your PC needs. Check the manufacturer’s web site first and if you can’t find the driver, or drivers, there (or if the company is no longer in business), try searching for it at one of the web’s driver repositories, such as The Driver Zone, WinDrivers.Com, WinFiles, or Frank Condron's World o' Windows. If you're running Windows 98 or Windows ME, you may also be able to get a new driver for your hardware via the Windows Update feature off the Start menu.

If you find and download a new driver version, you can often update the driver by clicking on the device listing in the Device Manager, clicking on Properties, selecting the Driver Tab and then clicking on the Update Driver button. From there, depending on what version of Windows you’re using (the original Win95A, the revised Win95B, Win98, or Windows ME), you’ll either need to manually find where the file is located on your hard disk, and then select it, or the computer will attempt to find it for you. Either way, once the correct file is found, you initiate the update process by simply clicking a button.

Some driver updates force you to create new floppy disks, which you then use to update the driver. Frankly, though it’s more work initially, this is a good solution in the long run, I think, because if you ever have to completely reinstall Windows (such as, when you buy yourself a big new hard drive), you’ll generally want to have copies of your drivers on floppies anyway.

Mind your Ps and IRQs

Finally, if that still doesn’t work, you may need to futz with the dreaded IRQs, or Interrupt Requests. Most hardware devices on your computer need attention from the processor on a fairly regular basis (to check their status) and the mechanism for doing that is called Interrupt Requests (because the device politely asks the processor to interrupt what it’s doing at the time and give it some attention—well, sort of). Because of the need to maintain compatibility with older hardware, today’s PCs are still limited to 16 IRQs (numbered 0-15), which is turning out to be a fairly big problem on many newer, well-equipped computers (read one of my InfoWorld Electric "Plugged In" columns to learn more on the subject).

The general principle with IRQ troubleshooting is that two devices cannot typically share an IRQ (an important exception is with some PCI-based add-in cards), and if they try to, one or sometimes neither of the devices will work properly. If you find that you have an IRQ conflict, where two ISA cards or other non-PCI devices are trying to use the same IRQ, you’ll need to change the settings on one of the devices to an open IRQ. The problem is, not every device is able to use every IRQ, so even though you have other IRQs available, the problem device may be incapable of using one of the open IRQs. If that’s the case, you may need to move another device using one of the IRQs that the problem hardware does work with first, and then free up an IRQ for the problem hardware. So, for example, if IRQ 8 is open but you have a SCSI card that only works with IRQs 9 or 11, you may first need to move whatever’s on 11 to 8, and then set the SCSI card to IRQ 11. Unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to an infuriating puzzle game where you try to match devices with your IRQs.

To find out what IRQs are in use by your computer, double click the computer icon at the top of the Device Manager. You’ll see a new window pop up that shows which devices are using which IRQs. Unfortunately it doesn’t leave a blank for any IRQs that are not in use, so if you need to find an available IRQ you’ll have to look close, count the numbers and see if any are missing. If a number between 0 and 15 is missing, that means that particular IRQ is available.

Some older plug-in cards require you to change the IRQs by setting tiny DIP switches on the card itself, or via a dedicated configuration utility. Most newer Plug-and-Play cards can be changed via Windows 95 or Windows 98. To do so, go to the Device Manager, highlight the product in question, click on the Properties button and then go to Resources Tab. Generally, you’ll have to deselect the Use Automatic Settings button to make any changes. Most devices offer several Basic Configuration choices, which is what you should try first. These are different combinations of IRQs, memory ranges, and I/O ranges. All you typically need to worry about is the IRQ. Some devices also let you adjust these parameters individually by clicking the Change Settings button.

Thankfully, you rarely have to worry about IRQ problems if you’re using Windows 95, 98 or ME because they all do a pretty good job of automatically fixing them before they arise. In fact, this is one of their most important, yet little discussed improvements over Windows 3.1. Unfortunately, Windows 3.0 and 3.1 users still have to worry about this kind of stuff on a semi-regular basis. The problem is not unheard of under Windows 95, 98 or ME, however (I ran into it myself), which is why I’ve included it here.

The End

These tips won’t solve all the hardware problems you may run into, but they should solve a good number of them. The important thing to remember when doing any troubleshooting is that computers really are logical devices and there’s always a logical reason for why something isn’t working. Discovering what that reason is and then applying the right solution isn’t always easy (or intuitive), but if you think about the problem logically and work through it step-by-step, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to solve it on your own. And, if worse comes to worse, you can always just nuke everything and start over (see "Starting Over: Repartitioning, Reformatting and Reinstalling" for more on exactly how to do that). Good luck

From : everythingcomputers.com

Profitable PPC

Testing and improving ad copy is essential to optimizing overall PPC campaign performance. Improving ad text leads to better CTR and quality score, which means it can help drive your CPC down, and/or let you buy more clicks per dollar. So it has a direct impact on your campaign's ability to increase the number of profitable sales.

Furthermore, testing different ad messages can help you fine-tune the messages visitors see on your PPC landing pages -- helping you improve conversion rates even further.

Next week I'll start describing the many messages and elements you can, and should, test in your ads. But first, it's important for you to understand the valid ways to measure and compare ad performance.

I'll start with a pet peeve: every article I've seen that discusses ad performance comparison fails to include key pieces of the puzzle: the keyword list and the landing page. Two test ads don't operate in isolation -- their relative performance depends heavily on the keywords in the ad group.

The following example illustrates this. I'll compare two ads, A and B below, based on the keyword list below them.

Here's ad version A:

Industrial Widgets
Top Widgets for Industrial
Use. Fast, FREE Shipping!
WidgetsRUS.com/Industrial+Widgets

And here's ad version B:

Green Widgets
Durable, Earth-friendly.
Fast, FREE Shipping!
WidgetsRUS.com/Green+Widgets

And here's the set of keywords in the ad group:

green widgets
industrial widgets
cheap industrial widgets
environmental widgets
red widget
office widgets
ecological widgets
widgets on sale
widgets for factory use
low-priced widgets

Here's the performance data for ads A and B:

Assume that the landing page for this ad contains multiple design elements -- graphics and words -- whose main message is that Widgets "R" Us features industrial widgets at lower prices than its competitors. Assume also that the target maximum cost per conversion is $9.00, and that the campaign needs to be managed tightly to that number.

So what does the performance data show us? On the surface, it seems ad A is the clear "winner." Its CTR, 8.19%, is significantly higher than ad B's 5.48%. Furthermore, ad A's cost per conversion is lower than the target $9.00, while average cost per conversion for ad B is almost $4.00 more than the target.

But don't jump to the conclusion that ad B is inferior and should be paused or deleted. If you've been following previous installments of this column, you've probably spotted the obvious flaw in this ad group: the keywords are not as closely-related to each other as they should be. Two very different concepts are included in the keyword list and ad text: environmental friendliness and price/use.

The correct course of action is not to simply shut off the "loser" ad, but to split the ad group into two smaller, more-targeted groups -- with keywords and ads that are much more closely-related to each other than in the original ad group. And as I'll discuss in a future column, you can further improve conversion rate by creating a different landing page for each ad group.

For the next example, let's assume that a new ad group has been created, whose theme is "Industrial Widgets." Here's ad version C:

Industrial Widgets
Get Factory-tough Widgets
Now. Fast, FREE Shipping!
WidgetsRUS.com/Industrial+Widgets

And here's ad version D:

Industrial Widgets
Top Widgets for Industrial
Use. Fast, FREE Shipping!
WidgetsRUS.com/Industrial+Widgets

And here's the set of keywords in the ad group:

industrial widgets
cheap industrial widgets
office widgets
widgets for factory use

And finally, here's the performance data for ads C and D:

Which ad's the "winner?" I'll pick up this discussion next Monday and provide you with a new tool for comparing ad performance -- especially important when the performance data is mixed -- as in the example above, where one ad exhibits better CTR but worse conversion rate.

Computer Shopping Tips

So, you've decided to get a new computer; that's great. Whether you're buying one for yourself, your family, or another loved one, it's bound to bring you at least a brief flash of excitement as you start to think of all the great things can be done with a fast, new machine. But if you're like many people, that excitement may quickly be replaced by a feeling of dread as you start to realize all the questions you need to answer before you can make an informed purchasing decision.

Issues of gigahertz, gigabytes, gigabits and more can confound even experienced computer users, so it's no wonder people start to feel overwhelmed when shopping for a new PC or Mac. To help make the buying process a bit easier (not to mention understandable), I've put together this article. It provides you with the important questions to ask and the critical features to consider in your purchase. Whether you're buying your first computer or adding a second or third one to your home, I think you'll find something useful here.

The Basics

Before I get into the specifics, I need to cover a few basics. First, the good news is, no matter what choice you make, you can't really go wrong. Today's current model PCs and Macs offer tremendous value and computing horsepower that we could only dream about just a few years back. Even the most inexpensive models can handle any application you throw at them. In other words, they are plenty well-equipped to allow you to write letters, access the Internet, work with digital pictures, play games and do all the other things that most people are interested in doing with a PC. In fact, even advanced applications such as video editing and speech recognition--where you talk to your computer and it converts your spoken words to typed text on the screen--are usually no problem for today's lowest-cost computers.

Second, you need to figure out how much you're willing to spend on a PC. Full-blown computer systems are available for around $500 (or even less if you choose to take advantage of rebates and other special offers), but you can also spend $3,000 or more if you really want to. So, as with other big purchases, give yourself a budget range to work within.

When it comes to budgeting for PCs, there are essentially two trains of thought. You can either spend a good amount to get a cutting-edge computer with the expectation that it will last longer or you can just get a basic system that you know will be obsolete sooner, but which you can replace with another lower-cost system at a later time. Yesterday's top-of-the-line PCs have similar or even less functionality than today's bargain-basement models. Because there's no sign that trend will be changing any time soon, you might find that going the cheap route is actually a better strategy for the long term. Another alternative that I recommend for getting the most bang for your computing buck is to buy a computer that's one step down from a company's top-of-the-line. You always pay a premium to get the fastest computer available, but if you wait until a slightly faster model comes out, then the "second best" model (which used to be top-of-the-line) will lose its premium price and become a much better value.

The final general questions you need to consider are actually two important philosophical decisions: Mac or PC? And desktop or notebook? Though Apple has had its share of problems in the past, I now feel very comfortable recommending the Mac in today's computer environment, particularly for first-time computer users. If you choose a Windows-based machine, you'll need to figure out which brand. There's a certain comfort factor in selecting a brand name such as Dell, Gateway, HP, Compaq, etc., but you may find a no-name clone--sometimes referred to as a "white box" PC--is a better choice.

A somewhat similar story can be found when it comes to computer type. Traditionally, most home computer users have opted for desktop PCs. Recently, however, consumers have started to purchase notebooks--sometimes called portable PCs or laptops--and computer manufacturers have responded with notebook models that are specifically targeted towards consumers. You'll pay a price premium for a notebook over a desktop, but if you want the flexibility and freedom of being able to take your computer with you, a notebook may be a better choice.

The Specs

OK, time for the good stuff. Here are the most important computer specifications you'll hear about/read about/need to know:

* Processor Type and Speed

The processor is essentially the brains of the PC, driving all the operations that occur inside the computer and performing most of the number-crunching that needs to be done for software programs to work.

Common processors you hear about are the Intel Pentium III, Pentium IV and the Celeron, as well as AMD's Duron and Athlon. Speeds for these chips range from 700 MHz up to 2GHz (that's 2,000 MHz) and soon beyond. Other than the speed differences, there are also internal differences in the way they operate and in the amount and type of a special kind of memory called L2 cache that each chip has.

While the chip vendors want you to believe otherwise, literally any processor available today is plenty fast for regular PC applications and the Internet. That's not to say that computers with higher-speed processors won't run faster--they will--but the difference may not be as dramatic as you think (nor necessarily worth the extra costs involved).

If you're looking for a good value I'd recommend a Celeron or Duron processor and if you want the absolute best performance, take a look at AMD's Athlon or Intel's Pentium IV. The speed of the chip you choose is solely a matter of price--the faster you want, the more you'll pay. (To find out even more about processors and how they work, you can read an excerpt from my book, "Personal Computer Secrets.")

On the Macintosh, the processor choices are very simple: the G3 or the G4. The G4, which is the faster of the two, is found in Apple's tower-shaped desktop systems and their Powerbook notebooks, while the G3 is used in the iMac and iBook. G4-based computers are more expensive than G3s, but they also run faster.

* Memory and Hard Drive

A computer's RAM, or Random Access Memory, is the computer's working area. The simple rule with RAM is, the more the better, whether you're considering a Mac or a PC. Extra memory gives the computer more "working room," which allows it to get more things done at once.

I recommend any system you purchase have at least 128 MB, but 256 MB is even better. Given the recent dramatic declines in memory prices, there's no reason to get any less.

In addition to the amount of memory, you may want to investigate what type of memory the computer is using. Most PCs and Macs use Synchronous DRAM, or SDRAM, but some newer PCs (those using the Pentium IV processor) use RAMBUS DRAM or RDRAM. RDRAM is more expensive than regular SDRAM, but in certain situations it can be faster. A more interesting new memory type is DDR, or Double Data Rate, SDRAM which operates faster than regular SDRAM (although nowhere near twice as fast, despite its name).

One other thing you may also want to find out is the speed at which the computer system "talks" to the memory, which is determined by the speed of the computer's system bus--sometimes also called the "front-side" bus. Most notebook computers and some older desktops operate at 100 MHz, while newer desktops operate with a 133 MHz system bus. This is sometimes designated as using PC133 memory. RDRAM is often rated as PC400 or PC800. Note, however, that the increase is nowhere near as dramatic as the numbers may first lead you to believe. A computer's final speed is determined by a wide variety of different factors with each section contributing only somewhat to the overall whole.

Hard drives are the computer's storage area--kind of like a filing cabinet. All the computer's programs and files are stored on the hard drive and, as with memory, the more room you have, the better. Most systems today come with at least a 20 GB (Gigabyte) hard drive, but it's not uncommon to see 100 GB or more. Again, more storage costs more but, over time, you'll probably be glad you have it. (Just to put things into perspective, recording one hour of DV-format digital video takes almost 13 GB.)

In addition to size, one critical factor to look for in hard drives is the speed at which the drive spins, which is quoted in RPMs. The revolution speed can have a dramatic impact on how fast the hard drive works which, in turn, can have a dramatic impact on how fast your PC operates.

Most drives today operate at 5,400 RPMs, but some faster drives spin at 7,200 or even 10,000 RPMs. Once again, you'll typically pay more for a faster drive, but you may find it's worth it.

* CD-ROM, DVD-ROM and Rewritable Drives

Another critical differentiating factor between computers is the types of other drives they include, most notably CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. Both of these types of drives allow you to use CD-ROM discs (which most of today's software comes on) in your PC, but DVD-ROM adds the ability to use higher-capacity DVD-ROM discs and, in many cases, lets you view DVD movies on your computer's screen. You'll pay slightly more for a DVD-ROM vs. a CD-ROM, but it's a better investment for the future.

As for speed comparisons, both types of drives are rated with an "x" rating that refers to how much faster than a typical CD audio player or DVD video disc player the drive spins. So, for example, a 32x CD-ROM can run 32 times faster than a standard audio CD player and an 8x DVD runs eight times faster than a DVD video player. This spin rate directly translates to how fast data can be read from the drive, or the "data transfer" rate, and that, in turn, determines how fast the computer can operate when it's reading a disc.

In addition to these types of drives, many computers also have rewritable storage drives, such as CD-RW (CD-Rewritable) or DVD-RW (DVD-Rewritable). All of these types of recordable drives can both read regular CD (or DVD) discs, as well as store data on them, much like a huge floppy drive. This is very important because they allow you to easily back up and store your data. (And backing up your data is a critical part of using a PC--they do break down, after all.)

Recordable DVDs are the most recent development in this area and are still somewhat controversial because there are three competing technology standards (DVD-RW, DVD+RW and DVD-RAM). While many in the computer industry debate the relative merits of each, the only important point to remember is that most people really only need the ability to create a DVD-R (DVD-Recordable), which is a disk that can only be written to one time, but which be played back on most standard home DVD players. DVD-R capable drives allow you to transfer your home videos or any other video recordings you have onto standard DVD discs which, in my opinion, is a pretty exciting new development. At the moment, only DVD-RW and DVD+RW offer DVD-R support, so I would recommend you select a drive that uses one of these two technologies.

For desktop PCs, I'd recommend a system with a DVD-ROM and a CD-RW or DVD-RW, which gives you the convenience of two drives and the ability to copy discs. For notebooks, I would recommend investigating combination drives that offer both DVD-ROM and CD-RW capabilities in a single drive.

* Graphics Card and Monitor

Several years ago, the type of graphics card you had inside your computer was a critical factor in determining what types of applications your computer could run. Nowadays, virtually any type of graphics support inside a computer will let you run any type of software application you'd like. However, if you're interested in playing games on your PC, then you're going to want to take a hard look at the type of video card inside your computer.

Many games require a 3D-accelerated video card with 16 MB (or more) of onboard memory in order to run, but they will often run much faster or with a high-quality image if your video card has even more memory. Some of today's hottest 3D cards offer 64 MB (or more) of onboard memory, which lets you run the games at high resolutions with excellent quality. Again, you'll pay more for more onboard memory, but if you're into games, it will be worth it to you. If you're not interested in playing games, however, you'll be wasting your money for anything more than 16 MB of memory on your video card.

One other factor affecting a video card's performance is the speed of the connection it has to the rest of the computer. Most notebooks and most desktops support the AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) bus, which is faster than the older PCI bus. However, some systems support AGP 2x, others have AGP 4x and still others have AGP Pro, which runs eight times as fast as the original AGP bus. The faster connections are more important for 3D graphics than normal office applications, but as with most computer-related things, faster is always better.

The other critical visual component, of course, is your computer's monitor or display. Generally speaking, the larger monitor you can afford the better because the more screen "real estate" you'll have to see your work. In fact, if you're stuck deciding between a larger monitor or some other improvement, such as a faster processor, I would always vote for the larger monitor. After all, it's the screen that you're always looking at, so you want it to be as large as possible.

The standard size sold with most PCs today is a 17" CRT, or tube-based monitor, but some lower-cost systems are bundled with 15" monitors. If at all possible, make sure you go for a 17" model and, if you can, take a hard look at a 19". Despite the apparent two inch increase in size, the amount of stuff you actually see on your screen increases dramatically between 15" and 17" and 17" and 19". If you're concerned about size, take a look at some of the many short-depth 19" monitors now on the market. Most of these are no larger in size than many of last year's 17" models.

If you really want the latest monitor type, you can also consider flat-panel LCD monitors. Prices for these sleek, thin monitors have plunged recently, making them an affordable option for many computer buyers. You'll pay more than for a CRT, but many are happy to pay the price to gain back the desk space taken up by traditional tube-based monitors. The most common sizes for LCDs are 15", 17" and 18", but these numbers are a bit misleading because, unlike CRTs, LCD monitor size measurements refer to the entire viewable area of the display. As a result, a 15" LCD is roughly equivalent to a 17" CRT and 17" and 18" LCDs are roughly equivalent to 19" CRTs.

To help distinguish between CRT monitors, look at the resolutions and refresh rates that the monitor supports. The higher the resolution (given in pixels--such as 1,024 x 768), the more things you can see on the screen, but the smaller they appear. You'll need to find a compromise that suits your working style (and your vision!). One thing you need to make sure of is that the resolution you choose has a refresh rate of at least 75 Hz or higher, and preferably 85 Hz. Lower refresh rates cause an annoying flicker that will fatigue your eyes as you look at the screen.

For LCD monitors, you really need to look at the resolution the monitor supports because, unlike CRTs, LCD monitors are optimized to work at only one resolution--sometimes referred to as the monitor's "native" resolution. Most LCD monitors let you change resolutions through a technology known as "scaling," but the results are often far from ideal. On the other hand, refresh rates are meaningless for LCDs. All LCDs operate at 60 Hz--regardless of what any advertising or promotional literature may say--and don't have any problems with flicker.

For both CRTs and LCDs, you can also compare the monitor's dot pitch--measured in millimeters--which describes the space between display elements on the face of the monitor's screen. Generally speaking, you want at least .28mm or lower, but be aware that this measurement doesn't always provide the best comparison. When it comes to monitors, always trust your eyes and, if at all possible, look at the monitor before you buy.

Finally, if you're looking for the best possible quality in CRTs, look for the new generation of flat CRT monitors. Flat CRTs cost a bit more than traditional CRT monitors, but they offer better picture quality and less glare, which can make their visual quality even higher. In the case of LCD monitors, make sure you get one that offers both a traditional analog VGA connector as well as the newer digital DVI (Digital Visual Interface) connector. At the moment very few PCs and graphics cards offer DVI support, so you may not be able to use it initially, but this will guarantee compatibility with future DVI-enabled PCs.

* Sound Cards, Speakers and Modems

Virtually all computers sold today come with a reasonably decent 16-bit audio sound card or built-in sound circuitry. However, if you're interested in buying the best possible computer gaming machine, you may want to look for more. Some sound cards offers features such as surround sound and support for multiple sets of speakers, both of which can provide a more compelling audio environment for games. In addition, if you're a musician, you'll want to look at how many synthesized voices the sound card supports and find out if it supports digital audio inputs and outputs.

Speakers of some sort also typically come with most PCs, although quality varies widely. Typically, you get what you pay for, so higher-cost speaker systems will sound better, which may be important if you want to listen to MP3 files over the Internet or play games.

As with sound cards, almost all PCs and Macs (including notebooks) now come with a built-in 56K V.90 modem. While there can be differences between these types of modems, they're usually much too subtle to bother about. If you know that you're going to be connecting your computer to a high-speed cable modem or DSL connection, you don't really even need an analog modem, but it's still nice to have one to fall back on. This is particularly true for notebooks, where you may travel with them and need to connect to the Internet away from a high-speed connection.

If you are going to connect your computer to a high-speed Internet connection, you'll need to make sure it has built-in support for an Ethernet network port (see section below), which is how you connect your PC or Mac to external cable and DSL modems. Some computers are starting to be offered with built-in DSL or cable modems, but before you buy one, make sure it will work with the ISP with which you'll be connecting. The reason is, not all high-speed modems are standardized yet, so one type of DSL modem, for example, may not work with your DSL provider.

* Ports and Connectors

One often overlooked, but very important factor in a computer purchase is the type and amount of connectors a computer has. While today's PCs and Macs are powerful machines, you'll almost always want to connect at least some other devices to them and you'll most often do that via the computer's various ports or connectors.

The most important types of connectors to look for on PCs are USB (Universal Serial Bus), Serial, Parallel, Ethernet, and, if possible, IEEE 1394 (sometimes called i.Link or FireWire). Peripherals such as printers, scanners, digital cameras, high-speed cable and DSL modems and so on typically attach to a computer from these connectors, so the wider variety of connections a PC has, the better off you'll be.

Serial and Parallel ports are becoming less important with the rapid development of USB and IEEE 1394-based peripherals, but they're still handy to have, particularly if you have older peripherals and accessories (such as printers, digital cameras, graphics tablets, etc.) that only support these types of connections. Ethernet ports are important for home networking, as well as high-speed Internet connections. On the Mac side, you're limited to USB, Ethernet and FireWire (or IEEE 1394), although that's all you'll typically need.

The newest connection standard to be introduced is USB 2.0, which runs at rate that's 40 times faster than the original USB connector. USB 2.0 is backwards-compatible with existing USB devices--meaning that you can plug any existing USB devices into a USB 2.0 connector and the device will work (although it won't automatically get any faster)--plus it offers support for faster, new USB 2.0-compliant products. Very few computers offer USB 2.0 support right now, but it will be growing in importance over time. (By the way, USB 2.0 ports can be added to an existing computer by purchasing and installing a USB 2.0 plug-in card, much as you can add SCSI (Small Computer Systems Interface) connections to a PC or Mac by installing a SCSI card.)

One other point that bears mentioning here is that the number of open slots inside a computer--which was commonly used as a reference point for determining how "expandable" a particular computer system was--is becoming less and less important over time. The reason for this is most of the add-ons that people are buying for computers these days are external devices. As a result, the types of external connectors a computer has is becoming even more important.

Still, certain types of upgrades--such as 3D video cards and the aforementioned SCSI cards--often require an open slot inside your computer's case so I wouldn't completely ignore the issue. Thankfully, however, the base systems on many of today's computers are so good that there's less need for these types of internal upgrades.

If you're looking at a notebook computer, one final type of connectivity--or means of connecting to other computers or other devices--that you need to consider is support for wireless networking. With a wireless network connection, you can enjoy the freedom of moving around and working wherever you feel that a notebook offers you, while at the same time still have an Internet connection for browsing and e-mail. Several types of wireless networking options are available, but the most important is the 802.11b, or Wi-Fi, standard. Apple uses the name AirPort for their version of 802.11b, but it is otherwise the same thing. Support for 802.11b, which offers transfer speeds of up to 11 Mb/second (as fast as a standard wired Ethernet connection) can come in one of several ways. Some notebooks have everything you need for 802.11b wireless connections, including both an antenna as well as special wireless circuitry (a unique kind of radio, to be exact), while others only include a built-in antenna and require you to purchase a PC Card or other plug-in module separately.

Even if your notebook comes with a complete 802.11b "solution," however, it's important to note that to access the Internet, you also need to somehow connect with an 802.11b access point, which is a device that communicates with the 802.11b circuitry in your notebook and also provides a wired connection to the Internet. Just having 802.11b support doesn't magically give you a wireless Internet connection because it is only designed to replace a wired Ethernet connection. In other words, if you want to use 802.11b in your home, you not only have to have support for it in your notebook, you also need to factor in the cost of an access point. (To find out more about wireless home networking, see the "Home Networking and the Internet" article elsewhere on this site.) The same is true if you want to use it in a business environment. Some public places, such as hotels, restaurants, airports, convention centers and even coffee shops are starting to offer wireless Internet access via 802.11b, so if you have a notebook with 802.11b support, you can take advantage of these fast, convenient new connections (although you'll typically have to pay something for the privilege.)

One other wireless connectivity option you may also hear about for notebooks is Bluetooth. Like 802.11b, Bluetooth provides a means to wirelessly connect between a notebook PC (or any type of computer) and other devices. Unlike 802.11b, however, Bluetooth is not designed to be networking standard, but rather a means to connect between devices, such as a PC and a printer, or a cell phone and a handheld computer, conveniently without wires. In some instances Bluetooth can offer a simple form of wireless networking, but it's only 1/10 the speed of 802.11b and networking isn't really the best application of Bluetooth. In other words, for now at least, 802.11b is a lot more important than Bluetooth if you're looking to decide what to include on a new notebook purchase.

* Other Stuff

The final things to consider when buying any type of computer are the amount and type of software or other hardware that's bundled with the computer, the company's warranty policy and the type of tech support they provide.

With regards to the bundled software you can always (and undoubtedly will) add your own selections at a later date, but it's good to have a reasonable collection to get you started. More importantly, make sure the company provides copies on CDs of all the software they preinstall on the hard drive, including Windows and applications. Some manufacturers only provide a single recovery CD (which brings the computer backs to its original state--as it came from the factory), while others only include CDs for some of the programs they installed and some include nothing at all.

All of these situations can be a big problem if you need to reinstall only a single application at a later date or if you have to reformat your hard drive and reinstall everything. (For more on this process, see "Starting Over: Repartitioning, Reformatting and Reinstalling" elsewhere on this web site.) Find this out before you buy and, if the company won't provide you with all the original program discs, look somewhere else for your new PC. It's really that important.

If the computer is bundled with a printer or other peripheral, make sure you're happy with the output quality and features it offers.

The warranty and tech support issues are the types of things you hope you won't have to worry about, but they still need to be considered. Unfortunately, tech support quality can vary dramatically even within the same company, so it's typically a matter of luck whether or not you connect with a knowledgeable person or someone who knows even less than you.

A related point regarding tech support is figuring out where you want to buy your computer (and where, therefore, the tech support will come from). Some people prefer buying from a small, local dealer, where they can get individual service, although the tech support hours are often limited. Other people want to purchase via the Internet or mail-order, in part so that they can have access to 24-hour tech support. Like many other decisions in the computer buying process, there isn't necessarily a right answer to this question, but you should consider it during your purchase planning.

Final Thoughts

No matter what type of system you end up buying, you're bound to enjoy it and have a great deal of fun with it. Of course, if you want to maximize your computer purchase, you may want to pick up a book that helps you get more out of your PC. To that end, I would highly recommend you take a look at "Personal Computer Secrets," (available for purchase through this web site) which will help you fully enjoy your computer purchase for many years to come.

From : By Bob O'Donnell At everythingcomputers.com

Are You Measuring SEO Success Correctly?

I've written before about how a SEO program's "success" should be based on the lift of organic search traffic rather than the ranking report. Ranking reports are flawed because they depend on everyone seeing the same search results (personalization affects this; search history affects this; being logged into Google affects this, etc.) and search results change by the hour in many cases.

No, SEO success truly should be measured by the lift in organic search engine traffic. And, for those businesses that have even a little bit of seasonality to them, you should be comparing a year-over-year lift in organic search traffic.

Of course, you should keep in mind that "branded searches" aren't really what good SEO is all about. Certainly, you could have spent a lot of money on a national television branding campaign, and more people would begin searching your company name, and -- without much effort -- your Web site should rank number one (yes, consistently) for searches for your company name.

Now, if you believe that SEO should be measured against lifts in organic search traffic, you need to make sure your analytics are set up correctly. And, if you're trying to compare organic search traffic, year over year, you'll need to have at least one year's worth of data, on the same platform (different analytics providers will provide different counts -- see this report).

Are Your Analytics Reporting Properly?

Many times while working with clients, I've found out that their analytics aren't reporting site visitors properly. Many of our clients run Google Analytics on their site. It's free, easy to install, and easy to monitor. For these clients, I've lately noticed a few common errors that are very easy to fix.

One error is that some sites don't have their tracking code on every page of their site. The easiest way to ensure this file is on every page is to create an include file that is universal across all of your pages, and place your analytics code in that file. If you don't have an include file, make sure to check the source of every page (can be automated with Dreamweaver) to ensure all pages have the code. Of course, this practice is only good if you add the code to any new pages that you add to your site.

Again, make sure this is done before you create the baseline for your SEO efforts. Nothing like an SEO correcting this analytics issue and then saying "look at all of the additional traffic that I'm responsible for," when all they did was fix your analytics tracking.

Another error is PPC data that isn't reporting separately from SEO/organic search data. Many times Google AdWords data is being reported as organic traffic.

To fix this, enable auto tagging in your Google AdWords account. This appends a gclid code to the end of all of your landing page URLs and the data in this code tells your analytics information about which campaign, ad group, keyword, ad position, and other data about that specific click.

This data can then be viewed in analytics under traffic sources and AdWords. To make sure this gclid is working, click one of your ads (yes, you need to click a live ad) and then check the URL to make sure that the auto-tag (gclid=XXXXXX) is appearing in the URL when you land on the target landing page (and that landing page has tracking code on it)

Other Potential Issues

Make sure you aren't performing a redirect on the landing page you're sending traffic to. This creates a disconnect in the tracking and this gclid code will get stripped off the URL and now the traffic is reporting as organic traffic.

Make sure that your Google AdWords and Google Analytics accounts are properly linked. Contact a Google rep to help guide you through this linking process if you aren't familiar with it. Very often, AdWords accounts are linked to the wrong analytics profile.

For tracking of other PPC campaigns, use the Google Analytics URL builder. You can then enhance the tracking of these in a much easier fashion by simplifying the URL to read http://www.example.com/tracking?utm_source=msn&utm_medium=cpc &utm_term={QueryString}&utm_content={AdID}&utm_campaign={OrderItemID}. So for each MSN ad, you only have to generate the basic info and the keyword and other variables will be dynamically added.

There are many ways to mess up reporting SEO "success." If I've helped you get over the hump of not measuring success by ranking reports or -- God forbid -- Google PageRank, but instead have you measuring success by increased traffic from organic search and/or increased leads/sales, then please take the extra step to ensure that your Web analytics are tracking your organic search programs, correctly.

From : Searchenginewatch.com

Overclock Your System's CPU

With a bit of effort, you may be able to ratchet up your system's speed by 10 percent or more. Most CPUs ship with clock speeds set below their maximum possible settings, and they often provide a method for increasing that speed. Overclocking isn't very dangerous to your PC or difficult to do, but it'll likely void your warranty.

While some off-the-shelf PCs can be overclocked, many can't; give yours a shot to see if it can. If your PC supports overclocking, you can bump up the speed in minutes. But to obtain the best performance and stability, set aside an afternoon to test different settings.

Begin by gathering information. Look up your motherboard model, download its manual, and update its BIOS to the latest version. The maker of your motherboard likely offers an overclocking utility that you can run within Windows, but if you choose this method, the utility may need to launch within Windows upon every boot. Alternatively you can adjust settings directly in the BIOS; this approach will keep the system tuned until you change the settings again.

Next, figure out how to access the BIOS and reset the machine to its default configuration if the upgrade becomes unstable (symptoms of which include application crashes and system freezes). Typically you enter the BIOS settings by pressing Delete or F1 as the system is booting; the PC's splash screen will likely prompt you. A reset, however, might require physically changing a jumper switch or pressing a button on the motherboard. Don't proceed without discovering this escape route; otherwise, you could lock up the computer without knowing how to get back to the BIOS.

Additionally, research your CPU model online--you will likely find its part number listed in the BIOS--and record the temperature range that it supports. Successful overclocking requires that you compromise between performance and heat; if the CPU grows too hot, the PC will crash. Check the temperature in the BIOS as you progress.

Sometimes the BIOS can overclock the CPU dynamically for you, through an 'AI' mode. If you have this option, it's all you need to use. But in most cases you tweak the CPU speed by ad­­justing the frontside-bus speed settings. Within the BIOS, raise that value by 5-MHz or 10-MHz increments, save the changes, and then reboot.

If your PC fails to boot completely--that is, into Windows--go back into the BIOS and return the bus speed to the previous setting. If it does boot successfully, restart it and repeat the process, incrementally raising the bus speed again. After you've made a few increases, run Prime95 for about a half-hour to exercise the CPU. If the system remains stable as this prime-number-generating software taxes the processor, continue to raise the frontside-bus speed slowly.

If you notice performance problems and crashes, or if the CPU becomes too hot, back off the speed until you discover a stable setting. Consider upgrading your CPU's heat sink to keep it cool; a heftier heat sink can allow you to raise the bus speed a bit more.

Add Advanced Features to Your Wireless Router

Your wireless network may be growing, but that doesn't necessarily mean you need to purchase new networking hardware. As your network expands, you can use third-party firmware to add features to your existing wireless router, matching or (in many in­­stances) exceeding the abilities of a new device. With this hack, you can boost antenna power, configure a repeater to blanket a bigger Wi-Fi area, improve your wireless security, isolate Wi-Fi traffic from your wired network, set up a VPN, and much more.

X-Wrt; click to view full-size image. The X-Wrt firmware supports many Asus, Buffalo, Link­sys, and other routers; check the Web site to determine whether yours is listed. (If you don't see yours, search online for "your router model firmware hack," in case a similar hack could work for your device.)

Connect the router directly to your PC, using an ether­net cable, and log in to the router's configuration page. Check for a system settings menu and scan it for a firmware option. Use the buttons there to select the new firmware file and upload it to the router. Don't unplug the router before the update finishes, or you'll risk permanently damaging the hardware. The process can take up to 15 minutes.

After the update is complete and the router restarts, use your browser to reconnect. The X-Wrt interface will replace the default design, prompting you to set a new password. You can now reestablish your wireless connection, but it's best to perform most management tasks through ethernet.

In the updated firmware menus, change your broadcast power by clicking Network, Advanced Wireless Settings, Transmit power. Tune the number upward to reach longer distances or downward to keep the network from spilling over to neighbors' houses. Under Network, QoS, enable the de­­fault quality-of-service settings that give certain peer-to-peer programs less priority, so you'll always have the most possible bandwidth for immediate tasks. Under the Graphs tab, you can see real-time charts that show bandwidth usage and other details. Be sure to click Save Changes on each page in the lower-right corner and click Apply Changes when you're ready to make an update. And if you ever want to go back to your stock firmware, download it from your router manufacturer and then upload it on the System, Upgrade page.

The modular nature of X-Wrt permits you to add and remove specific features. Click System, Packages to browse through other upgrade packages that you can add to the router. You don't have to use any of them, but their presence means that you might never outgrow your router.

How To Improve Your Wi-Fi Performance


First, make sure you are getting the most out of your current Wi-Fi router: Mount it in a central location in your house, preferably high on a wall; make sure that other 2.4-GHz devices such as cordless phones, baby monitors, wireless audio speakers, Bluetooth gadgets, and microwave ovens are not causing interference; and separate your router from your neighbors' router on the Wi-Fi spectrum. If they are using channel 1, for example, try channel 12 to minimize the chance of cross-channel interference.

If you still get a poor signal, consider upgrading to a router that incorporates MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) or draft-n technology. . These routers not only provide far greater range than standard 802.11b/g routers, but they also boost speed by as much as ten times.

Finally, if you have particular Wi-Fi trouble spots in your house, such as odd corners, a basement, or an attic, power-line networking can be a great way to serve those areas. With power-line devices, you simply plug one adapter into a wall outlet and run an ethernet cord to your router; then you plug another adapter into an outlet near the device you want to connect to the network and run an ethernet cord to that device. You'll need reasonably clean power--free from excessive interference from other electrical devices--but the newest technologies, such as HomePlug AV and HD-PLC, work very well.

What's 802.11n? Do I need to upgrade my router?

Wi-Fi standards are continually evolving as technology advances. The first Wi-Fi routers were 802.11b, with a maximum of 11-megabits-per-second throughput. Next, 802.11g increased that to 54 mbps. Now, MIMO and draft-802.11n routers have pushed the wireless frontier to 280 mbps and beyond, rivaling wired ethernet. This year, the Wi-Fi Alliance will start certifying draft-802.11n routers. If you are in the market for a new router, definitely buy one of these models.

But if your old router provides satisfactory performance throughout your house, you needn't upgrade immediately. Your current equipment will operate just fine with 802.11n devices as they begin to appear. Wait to upgrade until you really need the added performance for bandwidth-intensive applications such as streaming video. Prices will only go down in the meantime.

How do I share a printer or game console over a Wi-Fi network?

For between $50 and $100, you can buy an adapter that will convert any device that has a wired ethernet port into a Wi-Fi-capable one. These Wi-Fi-to-ethernet bridges are available from companies like D-Link and Netgear, and are usually marketed as "wireless game adapters" for PlayStations, GameCubes, and Xboxes. But they work equally well with ethernet printers and network security cameras.

Often the adapters work right out of the box if your Wi-Fi net is configured to use DHCP, which enables dynamic IP addressing. If it's not, you can set up an adapter by connecting it to your PC and then assigning an IP address. Note that with some older game consoles, you must attach a networking adapter that equips them with an ethernet port before you can add the bridge. The Xbox 360 has a USB port, for which Microsoft sells a Wi-Fi adapter.

For printers without ethernet ports, you can buy a wireless print server, also available from companies like Belkin, D-Link, and Linksys. Be sure to choose a print server with ports (USB and/or parallel) that match your printers. Note, however, that multifunction devices usually lose all but their printing functions when networked this way.

Can I add a network hard drive to my Wi-Fi net?

There are two basic ways to add storage to your wireless network, but in either case, it's best to physically locate the drive(s) next to your router and connect them by wires rather than using a wireless adapter. Generally, you needn't put a network drive in a different room, and a wired connection is always faster and more reliable than wireless, especially if you have gigabit-ethernet equipment.

What you are really looking for is access to your network storage over your Wi-Fi net, which you can achieve by connecting any Network Attached Storage (NAS) device to one of your router's ethernet ports. Alternatively, you can buy a device like the Linksys Network Storage Link NSLU2, which connects two USB hard drives to any router via ethernet.

Can I use VoIP over Wi-Fi? What kind of quality will I get?

Voice over IP actually requires comparatively little bandwidth--under 100 kilobits per second per call--whereas network throughput is normally measured in megabytes per second. The problem with VoIP over Wi-Fi is more an issue of priorities: If someone else on the network is downloading large files from the Internet at the same time that you are making a call, choppiness and delays can occur.

Although the faster your router is, the fewer problems you should have using VoIP, most late-model wireless routers also incorporate a technology called 802.11e, or QoS (quality of service), that prioritizes streaming data ahead of regular data transfers. Be sure to get matching adapters that also support QoS, however.

How do I stream audio and video from one room to another via Wi-Fi?

Any audio or video that you can stream over a wired net, you can also stream via Wi-Fi. You just need to be sure that your Wi-Fi equipment's pipes are broad and fast enough to handle the data. For high-quality video, you'll probably need either 802.11e or a vendor's proprietary implementation of QoS enabled in both your router and adapters.

To stream your media, you'll also need some kind of streaming server, such as a Windows Media Center PC; an NAS drive with software like the open source SlimServer; or one of the many dedicated wireless streaming-media consoles, such as the D-Link MediaLounge Wireless HD Media Player or Roku SoundBridge M1001. See "Get More Out of Your Wireless Network" for more on wireless streaming