Pros and Cons of Microsoft Windows Defender

in privacy & security
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Microsoft Windows Defender is an OK anti-spyware program included with Windows XP and Vista. But there are better programs available, and in any case PC users would still need to supplement Defender with some kind of anti-virus protection.

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Open Office 2007 Word, Excel, and PowerPoint Files With Office 2003 Versions

in applications
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With many PC users having switched to Windows Vista, while others stick with Microsoft’s previous operating system, Windows XP, some Microsoft Office files are getting lost in translation. It is possible to open Office 2007 Word, Excel and PowerPoint files (including Word files with the .docx extension) with Office 2003, but the formatting may change.

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Using Windows Remote Desktop Function

in computer performance
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If you’re away from your home or office computer, you can still access it if you’d set up the Windows remote desktop function, which allows you to access the computer over the Internet just as if you were sitting in front of the “host computer.”

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“Cannot Restore” Errors When Trying to Use System Restore

in computer performance
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Sometimes, attempts to perform a “System Restore” to an earlier date is met with a “cannot restore” error. Unfortunately, the files have probably been deleted, but it’s possible booting in Safe Mode can do the trick.

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Where Did “Spyware Threat Has Been Detected on Your PC” Come From?

in applications
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If you get the disturbing warning that a spyware threat has been detected on your PC, it is in fact an advertisement intended to get you to purchase anti-spyware software —which is almost certainly unnecessary since so many good programs are available free to non-commercial home users.

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How to Set Your Default Folder Views for Consistency in Windows XP

in Windows

You can change the default folder view in Windows to match your personal preferences. For example, you may like to view folders as thumbnails, tiles, icons, list or details, but you can even choose which folder attributes you want displayed.

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How Can I Control What Installing or Updating Software Does to My PC?

in applications

Don’t feel you always need to choose the Express installation recommended by software vendors. Opting for Custom install lets you pick and choose what programs you want on your Windows PC and how you’d like them to behave.

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How to Detect Potentially Malicious Processes Running on Your Computer

in computer performance
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Stay on top of potential hazards to your computer by using Windows Task Manager to view a list of processes and research and stop processes that may be an issue.

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Best Ways to Get Microsoft Windows Updates

in computer performance

You can set your computer up to get Microsoft Windows updates automatically, or pick and choose when to check for update packages that should keep your computer secure and keep it performing well.

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Help, My Task Manager Is Disabled

in computer performance

If you find that your Windows Task Manager has been disabled, and you don’t have a systems administrator who could have done it, unfortunately the most likely scenario is that your computer has a virus. However, by following a few steps you can enable Task Manager.

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Why and How to Turn Unneeded Services Off in Windows

in computer performance

Windows services, or programs that run in the background, can be disabled on a case-by-case basis if you don’t need them, with the result being a computer that boots up more quickly.

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