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Computer Tips www.worldstart.com

Worldstart Computer Tips 7-20-2010

Quick Tips

Programs and Features and...

Are you familiar with the Programs and Features window in Windows Vista and 7? It's the place where you can uninstall programs and get information on stuff like the publisher, when the program was installed, its size and more.

...much more, if you use this tip.

So click Start and in the Search Box type "Programs and Features". Now either click on the icon the appears in your list or just hit Enter. The Programs and Features window will open up.

From here, look along the top of the list where Name, Publisher, Installed on, etc are.



Now right-click and select More...



Look at all those options! Just put a check next to anything you'd like to know about your installed programs like source, location, registered owner and more! Select what you want and hit OK.



Get all the details!

~Andrew

Who doesn't like more info? Rate or add to this tip here! The printer-friendly version is here!

Announcements

So here's the deal...we've been trying for months and months to get our suppliers to give us a huge price-break on flash drives. Finally the time has come and we're able to offer you the LOWEST PRICE EVER on an 8gb flash drive!! It even comes with a lifetime warranty too!!! Run to the store right now, because this price will only last until 11:59pm tonight, CST (07-20-2010) before it's headed up!

LOWEST PRICE EVER!!!

We've NEVER Had An 8GB Flash Drive This Cheap!!!

Gigantic 8 GIG PQI Flash Drive - Just $19.97!!!

Includes A Lifetime Warranty!!
Lexar JumpDrive   Firefly 8GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive


Don't Pay $40 - $60 Somewhere Else!

HURRY! This Sale Is Only Good For 24 HOURS!

When we got the new pricing for these, we were completely blown away!! I have seen 8Gig flash drives go for at least $50 all over the place! I've had staff - and even some friends - say things like "Really, these are 8GB's - brand new?" My answer is always the same - "Yep - that's correct!"

These are AWESOME
8 Gig PQI Flash Drives and they are gonna FLY outta here!

I just did some checking around to see what 8gb flash drives are going for retail right now - here's what I found: the "big box" stores are getting no less than $50.00 for 'em (most are closer to $70.00)! So when I say it's pretty amazing that we're able to do these for less than $20, you know that's not just a line, it's a fact!!

Oh, and get this - these aren't second rate drives, they're PQI drives so you know they're top of the line, and they have a LIFETIME warranty!Lexar   JumpDrive Firefly 8GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive


Plus - With 8 GB of space, it's like the Grand Canyon of flash drives! This is equivalent to carrying around 11 - yeah 11 - CD-Rs!!That's AMAZING!!

It is definitely your smartest portable storage solution, allowing you to carry a whoppin' 8GB of your documents, spreadsheets, files, programs, photos, videos, music, and important back-up material, all in one extremely small device!

Just look at all this can hold! Amazing!

Up to 4800 Photos!
Thousands Of Documents And Files!
2000 MP3 Songs (that's over 4 days worth!)
24 Hours Of MPEG4 Movies!

Oh, and setup is soooo easy! For XP, Vista, and 7 computers, you just plug it and you're good to go. The drive will show up under My Computer. Just drag the files over you want to put on the drive! That's it!

Again, the price is AMAZING, so now's the time to buy! Just $19.97 and US shipping is FREE! $50-$70 retail!! It's crazy not to grab a few a this kind of price! Here's the link:

http://store.worldstart.com/product/6072

PS - We're not sure how long our inventory is going to last on these as it is a limited time deal! So, get to the site as soon as you can ~ before our supplier increases the price!!
Warning - The price will increase to $28.97 tonight at 11:59pm CST (IF there are actually any left)! Better get yours NOW!!


Going, going, almost gone!! Better run to the site and join the thousands who've ordered theirs today!! It doesn't look like we're going to have these much longer, so just a word to the wise, get yours now before it's too late!

Oh The Horror!

Microsoft Leaves XP & Vista Users Out In The Cold!

XP Users Can't Upgrade To Windows 7!

Even Most Vista Users Can't Do A Direct Upgrade!

Sure, You Can Use The "Upgrade" Disk But...

You'll Kiss Your Programs Goodbye -

Yikes! - And Your Files Are "Relocated"!

We Have A Solution - And It ROCKS!

Upgrade To Win 7 - And KEEP Your Programs And Files!

You'd Have To Be Crazier Than An Outhouse Rat To Miss This Deal!

Well, this is disturbing...

OK, you would LOVE to upgrade your XP computer (or Vista) to Windows 7 - After all, Win 7 is much more secure, easier to use, and is without question the best version of Windows ever. Heck, it's had record-breaking sales with 150 MILLION copies sold - that's seven copies a SECOND since its release!

Only one problem - if you're running Windows XP, you can't really upgrade to Windows 7. (And Vista users even have issues - see the site for a chart)

Sure, you can buy an "upgrade" disk, but none of your files or programs will make it to Windows 7. It's a new install, not a true upgrade - you know, the kind where you keep everything.

Kind of a "you can't get there from here" deal.

OK, you technically get to keep your files - but that doesn't even work right!

See, once you're upgraded, your files aren't where you'd expect them to be! You look under My Documents, but - hey - it's empty!

Instead, the Win7 installer dumped them in a folder called "windows.old" in the root directory of your boot drive - yeah, good luck finding what you're looking for! Oh, and then it's up to you to restore them to where they belong.

Then there's your software - Think all those program you rely on every day are going to survive the upgrade?

HA! Sorry, they're toast.

You'll have to reinstall each and every program - hope you still have all the CDs and download files (I know I don't).

Just think - hours and hours of rifling through boxes and drawers hunting for CDs, searching for registration codes, downloading updates, negotiating with publishers that you really DID buy their product - yeah, sounds like a real blast...

Should only take you a few weeks to get things back to normal. If you can.

Oh, and forget any ideas of just copying the folders your software is in to the new operating system - that never works - too many support files are scattered around Windows. In fact, nine times out of ten the program won't even run. And the tenth program runs, but doesn't work right.

Hmm... Maybe this upgrade thing wasn't such a hot idea after all...

Laplink To The Rescue!

They have an amazing program called PCMover Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant and it's going to save your day (and your sanity)! This incredible software does what Microsoft refuses to - and it's made SPECIFICALLY for moving from XP or Vista to Windows 7!

It allows you to upgrade to Windows 7...

AND keep your FILES and SOFTWARE intact and where you'd expect to find them!

How cool is that?????

And it's SOOOOOOO easy!

Let's say you purchased your copy of Windows 7 Upgrade and you're ready to take the plunge. It's a quick 3 step process:

1. Simply insert the Windows 7 Upgrade Assistant disk and follow a few steps on the easy to use wizard.

2. Next, pop your new Windows 7 CD in when prompted and install.

3. Once Windows 7 is ready to go, pop your Upgrade Assistant CD back in, and restore your software and files!

It's that easy!

We tested this, and let me tell ya - it just plain WORKS!

It's so easy...

After the first couple screens, it will ask you about the files you want to migrate - you just uncheck anything you don't want! If there's stuff you don't need anymore, just uncheck it. If it missed something (say, a file you keep in a weird folder someplace), you can manually add it!

Another screen or two brings you to software. You'll get a list of software you can migrate over - and what's really cool is that YOU get to pick and choose which programs follow you over to Windows 7! So, if there's a few you never use anymore, just leave 'em unchecked! It's like a clean-up and move all at once!

From there, it backs up your files and data, you install Windows 7, then reinsert your PCMover Upgrade Assistant CD and restore ALL your stuff! Files will be where you expect to find them and your software will survive the trip too - all ready for your next command!

You'll be rockin' Windows 7 - and have all your stuff too!

Instead of days or even weeks, you'll be good to go in an hour or so!

Hey, you've got to have better things to do with your time than relocating files, installing software, and tracking down old serial numbers, right? Grab this and make your transition to Windows 7 the easy way!

Now for the deal - We talked with the publisher and they made us a special, one time deal on this. Now, this retails for $29.99 and for what it does, I'd think no one in their right mind would pass for that kind of money...

BUT... Our deal is BETTER.

Way better!

We're talking just $12.97 and US shipping is FREE! OK, it's now officially INSANE not to grab this if you are planning to upgrade your Windows XP computer to a Windows 7 computer! We're talking the current version of a $30 program for lunch money! We've never had software like this for this low of a price!

I KNOW the time this is going to save you is worth WAY more than $12.97! Grab this today - before the price goes up!

http://store.worldstart.com/product/6071

PS - Don't miss out - when you decide to upgrade your XP computer to Windows 7, you'll be kicking yourself if you don't have this software! Don't miss out on the best deal in computer history - grab yours today!

http://imgsrv.worldstart.com/ct-images/sick-of-ads.jpg



Computers 101

Shawna S. asks:
I don’t know if this is weird, but I don’t like the icons in my Start menu. I am not talking about the programs; I am talking about the part when your Start menu first pops up. Is there a way to make them smaller?


A:
You and me both, Shawna. I think they’re kind of – I don’t know – unpleasant; I guess that’s a good enough word. It must not be just you and I, because Windows does have a way to make them smaller.

Okay, first right-click an area in your taskbar (the bar that runs along the bottom of your screen). Then click on Properties.



The Taskbar and Start menu Properties dialog box will pop up (the title is displayed across the top of the box). You will see two tabs. Click the Start menu tab, and then click Customize.



After you click on Customize, the Customize Start menu dialog box will pop up (again, the title is displayed across the top of the box). Again, two tabs will pop up. Click the General tab, and then select Small icons.



Click OK. The original Taskbar and Start menu Properties box will pop back up. Click on Apply and then click on OK.



If you have the Classic view for Windows, then do everything the same, except click on Classic Start menu in the Taskbar and Start Menu Properties box. Then click on Customize.



After you click on Customize, you will see a white area where there is a list of items you can customize. Click on Show Small Icons in Start menu and then click OK.



Once again, the original Taskbar and Start menu Properties box will pop back up. Click on Apply and then click on OK.



Here’s what it looked like before:



Here’s what it looks like after we shrunk the icons:



Now the Startup menu not only looks better, it leaves more room for recently used programs in the main section.

I like it, Shawna; I hope it works for you, too!

Thanks for writing.

~Lori

The right size! Rate or add to this tip here! The printer-friendly version is here!

MS Office

OpenOffice Calc: The Here & Now

Recently a reader sent in a question looking for an easy way to enter today's date in a worksheet cell.

Good question.

I first went looking for something as simple as a quick key combination – but alas, I did not find one.

But as I researched the issue I did find something that isn't too time consuming.

Want to know what it is? Click here to find out!

(Want these tips in their entirety? Sign up for Premium!)



Tip of the Day

Easy Control Panel in Windows 7


Note: Video may contain additional information not found in the written text.

So, most of our tips here at Worldstart that refer to the control panel require some form of instruction to get to the end result, (i.e. Start>Control Panel, etc.)

What if I told you there was a way to get it all in one place? What if I told you there was an Easy Mode in Windows 7 that would allow you to change, alter and otherwise configure anything on your system all from one place?

Well, there is! Click here for the 411!

(Want these tips in their entirety? Sign up for Premium!)


Today's Feature

Save As You Go

Have you ever been working on an image and had the computer crash? Sucks, doesn't it? All that hard work, down the proverbial tubes.

I remember a few years back working on an image in Photoshop. It was a restoration of an old photo I was doing for a family member (I was "volunteered" since I "knew about those darn computers").

So, I scanned it in, then carefully retouched and repaired all the damaged areas. I'd been at it for nearly 2 hours and it was really coming along great. Then the program crashed.

All was lost. There is a solution, though! Click here to read the rest of this tip!

(Want these tips in their entirety? Sign up for Premium!)

For stories, jokes, quotes and cartoons every day, sign up for our Just for Grins newsletter.

Amanda's Coolsite

Wordsmith

Are you ready to discover the magic of words? Well, I hope you are because that’s what this site is all about.

The site is divided up into three main areas: A.Word.A.Day, Internet Anagram Server, and Wordsmith Chat.

A.Word.A.Day – is exactly what it says it is. You’ll learn a different word every day, and you can check out the previous day’s word too.

Internet Anagram Server – this section allows you to learn all about anagrams. You can find out what they are, you can type in words to see what anagrams can be made from them, and you can learn about advanced anagramming.

Wordsmith Chat – here you can find scheduled chats, where you can discuss words and languages, literature and ideas, and more!

This is an awesome word site, I check in with it every day for the word of the day!

http://www.wordsmith.org/

~Amanda

Very nice! Rate or add to this tip here! The printer-friendly version is here!

Do you have a cool, non-commercial site that you want to share?
Send it to Amanda at
amanda@worldstart.com

Monthly Wallpaper

Special Price Notice! Don't Pay $28.97 - NOW JUST $22.97!!

Ever Have Trouble Getting A Good WiFi Signal:

In Hotels?

In Restaurants?

In Your Home?

Once You Try This...

You'll Never Go Back To Your Old LAN Adapter - EVER!!

Sometimes A Regular LAN Adapter Just Doesn't Cut It!!!

Extend Your Coverage At Blazin' Speeds!!

This Is The Next Generation Of LAN Adapters!!

So you just set up your new wireless router at home so you can enjoy wireless anywhere in the house. There's only one problem... "anywhere" isn't quite right, is it? What always seems to happen? There's the one spot in your home that you enjoy relaxing and browsing the Internet...but that seems to be the spot where you just can't get quite enough signal. It's just a little too slow and too weak. My one question to you is - Why should you have to put up with that slow, weak, crappy internet connection? Huh??

Or - how about when you're at a hotel that brags about having "wireless internet"? Yeah, we've all been there - they ALWAYS seem to stick you in a room that's juuusssst out of reach of that wonderful "wireless internet" they claim to have.

So, what if there was an ANTENNA you could plug into your laptop or desktop computer that would give a little extra coverage that your lookin' for??

Well, we found one! This blazin' fast 300Mbps 802.11n adapter with a 5dBi antenna...is gonna give your signal that extra ump that it needs!!

So - last weekend I took the family to one of my favorite hotel resorts and decided to bring this bad boy along. I had my laptop in my hotel room and was only gettin' between 1 and 2 bars.

I plugged this little sucker in an WA-POW....I had 4 bars!!! Talk about a boost!!! I'm always bringing this little guy everywhere my laptop goes from now on!!!!

This surfin' is smokin fast too!! In the bad old days (like last month), if you had an 802.11g adapter, you'd be stuck cruising along at 54Mbps - this does a whoppin' 300Mbps! You don't even need to know that Mbps means Mega Bits Per Second to see it's nearly 6x's faster!

Setup is super easy too - it's just a wireless USB internet adapter with a powerful antenna, so just plug it into your computer, run the software, and a few minutes later you're surfing! You can be up to 1600 feet away and STILL pull in a good signal! Now THAT'S impressive!!

Bottom line - if you are sick and tired of weak WiFi signals and surfing the net at super-slow speeds, it's time to upgrade the Lamborghini of LAN adapters!!!

Your price? Just $22.97 and US shipping is FREE! Heck, you can't buy a standard wireless internet adapter from the big box stores for that kind of money, let alone one with extra coverage at insanely fast speeds!!!!

WARNING - Don't miss out - we have an extremely limited quantity on this one\




Monthly Wallpaper

July Wallpaper

Here's this month's free calendar wallpaper! As always, it's 100% free, so head on over and grab one!



Water Erosion (Photo contest winner
)

Middle Falls in Hocking Hills

Enfield Creek Falls

It's all free, so enjoy!

All can be found here:

http://www.worldstart.com/wallpaper/index.php

Enjoy!

 
 

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Copyright, Disclaimer, and Removal

ISSN: 1529-336X
Copyright 2009, WorldStart. All unauthorized reproduction strictly prohibited.

You are welcome to reproduce this newsletter (i.e. print it, store it) for your own personal use. You are also welcome to forward it, in its entirety, to friends and family.

If you would like to reproduce this publication, or any part of it, in any other publication, be it web based or otherwise, you must contact us for permission. Any unauthorized re-distribution will be considered a copyright infringement and grounds for a lawsuit.

Finally, you agree to try any advice contained or suggested in this newsletter at your own risk.

Microsoft and Windows are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation (duh!)


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